Emergency Face Shield

I took off to the store last summer on my bike and just before rounding the corner at the end of the block what felt at first like a small bug got in my eye. It was so painful it forced me to come to a dead stop and use my bottled water to rinse my eyes for nearly 5 minutes. The pain subsided a little but didn't go away and by the time I returned from the store the entire white of my eye was bloodshot and the level of pain, itching and redness were getting even worse. looking back I think it must have been a drop of formic acid from a bee or wasp in the overhanging tree - a one in 10 million chance that it would hit me in the eye.

After about 30 minutes in the hospital under an eye wash device (not the most comfortable thing either) I recovered enough to leave. Eventually with the help of prescription eye medication the pain subsided and the redness slowly went away.

Here now is what I could have done had this instructables been around before rushing off to the store for an "emergency" can of ...err soda.

Step 1: Acquire a 3 liter (or 2 liter) soda bottle

Even a 2 liter bottle will do. This 3 liter one came from a supermarket which regularly stocks the 3 liter size.

Comments

[That One Eegit]

I heard that there is a substance in gnats that can burn your eye.

[tall_dark_n_twisted]

here's a thought spend $1,00 at the dollar store or Harbor freight and buy a pair of clear eye protection glasses. Fit, and work much better and you dont look like you are strange.

[beatrizmuniz]

Thank you !! I will be making a couple of these for my kids!!

[ubercop]

silly simple always blows me away

[raeraethejetplane]

Thanks! I may use these next time I am working with wire...when you snip off small pieces of wire they fly off into unpredictable places.

[watermelon]

Yes, I work with wire too and I am familiar with the problem. Its really handy to have lots around so no matter what project you are doing you can always have eye protection from things like flying pieces of wire or household chemicals that splash in your eyes when you least expect it.

[lemonie]

I want to see a picture of someone wearing this. Can you oblige me? L

[watermelon]

I'm looking for a model.

[Chris Bilton]

Look no further, my daughter rustled up a green pair, great for indoors or out and cool for the serious croupier!

[TheBikemaniac]

Yep, she looks real happy with those on.

[watermelon]

Hey not just pretty cute but pretty and cute! Glad the girl at the supermarket turned me down.

[TheCheese9921]

um yourself, unless your not human lol

[watermelon]

I don't want to break the camera, smear the lens, take your mind off the object of instruction, etc. Besides the eyedea here is to get you to make your own emergency face shield even if it is only to put on, look in the mirror and say: "Gee whiz, what a good looking girl or guy modeling that very reasonably priced emergency face shield to show that protecting eyes from small flying objects like insects is far more important than protecting their vanity."

[icanryme2002]

or you could save yourself from looking stupid and wear cool sunglasses

[watermelon]

...until that cool blonde asks to borrow your $159.95 cool sunglasses to finish her cool strole down the beach.

[icanryme2002]

buy like $12.00 glasses

[watermelon]

If they make you look cool then it will be $24 with the spare and you will need to think up a clever way to avoid the next encounter.

[farbeyondmetal_1991]

and the chance of the next encounter is "a one in 10 million chance"... bit of a waste strapping a plastic bottle to your head for other 9,999,999 times i think to be honest!

[watermelon]

...hey, I never thought of that; dual benefit and purpose... not only will it protect your eyes from flying insects but your wallet from cool looking girls or guys whatever your gender preference happens to be.

[Chris Bilton]

Home made stuff is very rarely chick magnate material, but neither is riding round on a bicycle, this is for the kids and as such I think is a coolomundo instructable.

[watermelon]

...and its a shame that most adults aren't as cool as kids.

[Chris Bilton]

That is so true and I bet most adults would love to be kids again, or like me, never did grow up in the first place.

[jtobako]

Howtoons had a similar set of goggles-but instead of string, the curve of the plastic held it on.

[watermelon]

Even with the shorter diameter of the 2 liter bottle the PETE plastic is not thick enough to withstand the turbulent airflow above 15 MPH but if it works without string then leave the string in the drawer.

[watermelon]

(removed by author or community request)

[jtobako]

Not really. They curl up pretty tight.

[trebuchet03]

I've used plastic biscotti jars cut in half as a face shield while grinding :) Held on with a painter's tape strap... I wish I knew where that picture went...

[watermelon]

My main purpose was to protect my eyes while riding since I live near water and there are lots of bugs. While a biscotti jar might work well for grinding the problem with riding a bike is airflow. With this shield the only problem is a slight viewing distortion created by the bottle mold.

[dbarak]

A couple of dozen of those without the nose hole and turned 90 degrees would make a good athletic cup. : ) Actually, that idea is a good one if you find yourself doing some sort of risky work and you don't have safety goggles handy (painting, woodwork, etc.).

[watermelon]

There is already an instructable you can follow to make the cups and there might also be one to show how to make a pouch. The real fun will be in experimenting with ways to make the cup mold.