My new $80 face shield fogged up so bad I almost poured a crucible blind

Bought a fancy anti-fog shield for the summer heat. First big pour yesterday, the steam from the sand hit it and I couldn't see a thing for a full minute. Had to tilt my head back and hope my muscle memory was right. Anyone know a shield that actually works when it's humid?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.parker24d ago

Yeah the dish soap trick is more for like bathroom mirrors or swim goggles. For foundry steam, that hot moisture just laughs at it and fogs right back up in seconds. What you really need is something that creates a thermal barrier, like a cheap breath deflector inside the shield. I've also had way better luck with the shields that have a little foam strip along the top to catch sweat and steam.

nancybailey9d ago

My old shop had a guy who swore by wiping a THIN layer of shaving cream on his face shield and letting it dry before buffing it off. @irismartinez, it works similar to dish soap but lasts longer because the cream has more wax in it. Just don't use the gel kind, it gets goopy. The foam strip tip is SOLID though, I used a scrap piece of neoprene glued inside and it cut fogging by 80 percent on hot pours.

irismartinez24d ago

Read somewhere that a tiny bit of dish soap rubbed on and buffed off can help in a pinch. Might be worth a try before buying another shield.