Allan Little’s Safety Glasses Review:
If you do any operation long enough you will inevitably have an accident, it’s the law of probability.
I just finished fabricating my new steel work table, and there were hours and hours of drilling involved. I don’t even know how many cheap drill bits I used for this project, but I know at least seven shattered on me in the process.
One large bit shattered and a piece broke off and hit my safety glasses with such force that my head snapped back.
I would be blind right now in one eye if I hadn’t been wearing my Condor safety glasses for eye protection.
You can buy cheap safety glasses from WW Grainger for $1.80 a pair. If you want to live a little you can upgrade and buy the scratch resistant models that I prefer for $2.10.
I like the Condors, model #1FYX6, because they are totally clear without a black bar across the top, you have full vision and eye protection. Many times I reach for a pair and realize I already have a pair on. They are that light and comfortable.
When you drill as many holes as I had to drill in this table, it’s nice to be able to horse through the holes with a powerful half inch drill without worrying about blinding yourself. I use a Hilti UH700 half inch drill, it’s a beast. Because I’m wearing proper eye protection I can utilize it’s full power with confidence.
I recycle all my old shattered drill bits, but the dull ones I just keep resharpening until here is no more life in them. I have a box of old drill bits that I constantly rummage through, to see if I can find a bit that I can make work just one more time. I don’t like to waste anything. It’s no surprise that these old bits have metal fatigue, because I work them until they break.
FYI: I’ve never used a Drill Doctor or any of the other drill bit sharpening systems for sale on the market. In the coming months I will post a video that shows how to quickly sharpen a dull twist bit with a hand held angle grinder that you probably already own. It’s a great system that I have been using for years.
Since Condor makes such quality and cheap safety glasses, it’s easy to afford to have half a dozen or more lying around your shop. That’s my method, always have them handy and then I never lose any time searching for a pair when I need them. As craftsman eye protection is important. It’s not worth taking chances when it comes to your vision.
Mark I am sorry I overlooked your comments. I get a lot of correspondence so sometimes things get missed. I actually have a video shot that just needs editing where I show how to sharpen twist bits with the angle grinder, that little belt sander I use, and my bench grinder. Thank you for writing to me. You are always welcome to write me at gmail too. Thanks again and keep in touch. Allan
I’m loving your videos. I’m really interested to see how you sharpen those drill bits in the angle grinder. Keep up the great work.
Hi Allan,
I have become very addicted to your videos and am hoping to see your method of sharpening your drill bits with an angle grinder. Keep up the great work!!
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Howard, I live in Texas where CMC Commercial Metals Corp takes all metal scrap and recycles it. Metal prices are really going up so any scrap yard will be happy to take them off your hands. I have metal paint cans in my metal working part of my shop and I save EVERYTHING for recycling. Drill press shavings, bandsaw filings, all little unusable drops of pipe, tubing and flats as well as any other household and shop metal scrap. I really love scrap yards. It is the final resting place for an unbelievable array of metal items that make our modern world go. And what is so great about metal is that it can all separated and made into the new products we all need, at a small fraction of the cost of extracting from a virgin source. Thanks for not sending them to the landfill. Keep in touch. Allan
Hey – I have about a hundred old drill bits I want to recycle. Who takes them? I am not going to resharpen them, but I don’t want to simply throw them in the trash either. Let me know, thanks, Howard
Thanks for the eye safety tips! Could not agree more.