Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 150
Amazon for eclipse glasses or welders glass
8/2/2017 at 9:48 AM
I'll be traveling to Nebraska to view the eclipse. I do have the inexpensive Eclipse filters made of mylar and cardboard which I bought from Amazon, months ago. I also have recently acquired some plastic safety glasses with side shields that have #14 Welder's glass.
However, if none of those work, go to a Welding supply store and buy #14 welder's glass. I bought some from Acklands Granger and there is a welding supply store on 18th by the DQ that can probably source it as well. It will literally cost only a few dollars per lens.
But make sure it is #14 Welder's Glass. There are various grades or shades and the lesser grades are not safe. For example, Princess Auto has welders glass but only goes up to #10.
Do not, I repeat, do not look at the partial phases without proper eye protection. Dark sunglasses, stacked neutral density camera filters, smoked glass, old CDs, and exposed negatives ARE UNSAFE!
You can make a simple pinhole camera which is an indirect means of viewing it too, which is safe. If you intend to photograph the eclipse you should use a solar safe filter mounted on the front of the lens. Thousand Oaks optical makes some good ones. Do not look through the viewfinder of a DSLR without a filter on the front of the lens (not behind it i.e. your eclipse glasses). Do use Live view if you have that capability which means you are looking at your LCD screen.
The only safe phase of the eclipse you can view without eye protection is totality and, if you are in Brandon, you won't be seeing totality, only the partial phases. You therefore must have eye protection if you intend to view it in Brandon.