It’s probably one of the least expensive pieces of equipment in your shop but one with the greatest potential value. Yes, its that unglamorous piece of equipment called the face shield. They aren’t the most comfortable, they collect dust, blur your vision, and most of the time are just a nuisance. In that micro-second of time it takes to save your face from the fragments of an exploding bowl that inexpensive piece of equipment becomes the most valuable tool in your shop. 

The fragments of an exploding Black Acacia bowl that hit my face shield with such force that the plastic shield grazed my cheeks is shown in he photo. Fortunately I suffered no injury but I’m convinced that without it I would have been in the emergency room with a minimum of face lacerations and at the worst the loss of an eye. 

 

My advice is to give that face shield the respect it deserves because it just might be the most priceless piece of equipment in your shop. 

Speaking from experience - Harry Levin