Despite the advances made in eye surgery in recent times, it is probably still as true as when my mother used to tell me, that the gift of sight is our most precious.  Why, then, do we act in a most cavalier fashion when it comes to taking care of our sight whilst working?  Whether you are engaged in turning, sanding, sharpening - or even in knocking in nails, your sight is at risk.  The products on this page are economical protection against these risks, from reputable manufacturers  (would you buy your life-jacket at a flea market?), of a range of types to suit various jobs which you may undertake - and of course to match personal preference.  Several are designed to fit over most types of prescription glasses too and there are glasses sized for children/ladies/smaller-featured folk who might otherwise be allowed to wander into harms way unprotected, or maybe prevented from taking part in our absorbing pastime simply because they could not be kitted up appropriately.

Woodworking is so often seen as a calm, peaceful occupation with "one man and his chisel". Well, once upon a time that may have been true, but with the ever increasing use of power tools and machinery, our ears are being punished by the increased noise. It doesn't take much to damage the internals of an ear, so why take the risk? And with these fetching blue-corded luminous yellow "Soft Neon" earplugs (left) from specialist manufacturer E.A.R, how can you resist! These are ideal for use in the workshop and even around the home (maybe on the commuter train too!) being very affordable.  If working on site they eliminate the risk of losing ear muffs whilst still providing a high level of protection to BS EN 352 part2 (H=34; M=34; L=31; SNR=36).  Easily inserted, following the instructions on the hygienic packaging and comfortable to wear.

If the situation is a little more serious, especially with exposure to higher frequencies or if you need to wear protection all day long, then the solution is classic ear defenders such as the JSP J-Muffs listed below (see photo, right). Mounted on a sturdy headband and featuring an acoustic foam fill, these defenders will serve you day after day without breaking the bank: what's the price of good hearing? Kitemarked to BS EN352-1 (H=28; M=21; L=13; SNR=24)  giving you assurance of quality and performance. These defenders will last you for years if treated sensibly.

©1997-2006 P. Hemsley.  The information on this website is the copyright property of Peter Hemsley. 
Coeur du Bois and The ToolPost are trading styles of Peter Hemsley.  Whilst reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, no liability can be accepted for errors in this information nor for contingencies arising therefrom.  If you are inexperienced in any aspect of woodworking, we would strongly counsel that you take a course of formal instruction before commencing to practice