2017 total eclipse question (eye protection)

[Kingcreek]

My wife wants to watch the August 21 total eclipse. We are in Illinois but not in the direct path for the total. We should get a good look at it weather permitting.
She asked me about eye protection since all the news outlets and local health dept etc are putting out their dire warnings.
I said no biggie- use my one of my (I have 2) 3M speedglass welding helmets. Auto darkening with adjustable shades (up to at least 12 IIRC). She is questioning me because all she hears is "special glasses" from the talking heads. C'mon if I can stare at the end of a 5/16 6010 electrode without injury, wouldn't it protect us from the bright star?
Also wondering if I can get some multiframe pic series with the digital SLR camera without risking some kind of damage to the sensors?
Thanks

[Kingcreek]

Further research (NASA website) indicates a welding shade 14 or darker is OK.
and the digital camera world seems to say expect damage without a solar filter.

[RoadKingLarry]

There are still a few places where you can get cheapo eclipse glasses on line but getting them in time is getting to be risk.

[zxcvbob]

I used shade #13 welding lenses to watch the eclipse in 1990-something, and it was uncomfortable to stare at the midday almost-total eclipse but not damaging.  I took the same lenses out last week to show someone that they were not quite adequate, and we could look at the 16:00 sun just fine.  (this reminds me, I need to stop by the welding shop and get a shade #6 to replace the #5 I currently have stacked with an #8.)

I haven't decided whether to drive a few hours south for this eclipse to get from 85% to 95%, or a few hours farther south from that (or west) to get to someplace it's total.

[Kingcreek]

I'll have to check my helmets and see but I typically use 12 and they probably go higher. Have to remember to set sensitivity to max.

[Ben]

I'll have to check my helmets and see but I typically use 12 and they probably go higher. Have to remember to set sensitivity to max.

Also verify that your helmet will stay dark and not flash on and off. Mine won't stay dark with the sun as a light source, even though it will darken with a lightbulb.

[Boomhauer]

If it takes a shade 14 but these eclipse glasses are not nearly that dark (or even as dark as a shade 10)  are they really providing protection?

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[K Frame]

Walmart is an approved vendor for the Eclipse glasses.

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[cosine]

My local Lowe's has eclipse glasses from American Paper Optics. I picked some up there since Amazon seems to be inundated with fakes in the past few weeks. They're totally dark; you can't see anything through them except an orange ball for the sun.

[Kingcreek]

Might have to let my wife win this one and go with the silly paper glasses. I'll have my camera handy but only to take a pic of her with the silly glasses on her face.
My welding helmets go to 13 max and even with sensitivity set to max I don't know that it won't blink off close to the eclipse.

[K Frame]

I picked up a 10 pack at Amazon week before last.

That was before I heard all of the dire warnings about useless counterfeits.

I got the ones from Amazon, and there are a couple of pair that I'm certain are authentic based on information sent to me by American Paper Optics, but I ended up buying known entity glasses from Walmart.

[Hawkmoon]

I wouldn't trust an auto-dark welding helmet for an eclipse. The danger of an eclipse is that so much of the sun is covered that you can actually look at it with the naked eye and your irises won't contract. But the amount of destructive radiation that enters is huge, so the retinas get burned without your even being aware of it -- until you realize that you can't see anything. I don't have any idea whether or not the auto-darkening lenses will react to the amount of light reaching Earth during a total or near-total eclipse. IMHO, I wouldn't take the chance.

[mtnbkr]

BHPhoto sells Ludt.  I got my Amazon-sourced glasses, which turned out to be counterfeit, on Sunday.  Within minutes, I had the return processed and my order placed with BH (free shipping).  I'll have the glasses tomorrow.  I also used the opportunity to buy some ND filters for my camera. :)

Chris

[K Frame]

Chris, how could you tell they were counterfeit?

Some of mine look authentic, but I have questions about several other pair.

Did Amazon try to charge you a return fee?

[mtnbkr]

No ISO markings on the glasses themselves.

Free return, I just had to print the shipping label provided by them. 

Chris

[zxcvbob]

If they did have ISO markings, how would you know those weren't counterfeit?   

[mtnbkr]

If they did have ISO markings, how would you know those weren't counterfeit?   

I probably wouldn't, but in this case, they couldn't even get past that first quality gate.

Chris

[K Frame]

American Paper Optics send me some information on how to spot counterfeits, but as they admitted, it's not 100%

[Ben]

I got these when they were still available for $10. As you can see by the link, besides them not being available now, Amazon's alternate suggestions are all around the $30 range now.

People are making a killing on this eclipse. I checked last night, and now hotels even hours away from totality are booked. I was thinking of staying in Twin Falls, ID or Logan, UT and then driving North around 0600 until I got to the totality zone or as close as traffic might let me before I get aggravated. Now I'm looking for other options because hotels there are booked. Even camping is up in the air for finding a spot. I think I'm going to play it by ear, be prepared to motel/drive/4x4 camp, and just see where I end up.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KDGJ22I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[mtnbkr]

The Ludts at BH are $8ish for a 4 pack.  Even when I don't qualify for expedited shipping, they frequently get things from their NYC location to VA in less than a week.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

I had the name wrong and they've gone up in price a bit:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1312580-REG/lunt_solar_systems_bh_eclipsegls5_b_h_eclipse_glasses_5_pack.html

Chris

[K Frame]

I had no problem finding them at Walmart in the garden section. Had a big display of them. Buck a piece, and APO says Walmart is an authentic distributor.

[mtnbkr]

It never occurred to me to check at WM.

Chris

[French G.]

A good auto helmet, no worries. I looked at flux core stainless all day today, has sunburned me through my shirt before, exposed skin is toast in five minutes. Sensitivity is there, helmet likes to act retarded when the morning sun comes in the window. Harbor Freight helmet? No thanks, I don't trust them for welding.

[brimic]

I remember the eclipse when I was a kid in grade school- we watched it indirectly using a box turned on its side with a pinhole in the topside with a sheet of paper in the bottom.