Masterton man invents mesh safety goggles

A penchant for trying to makes things work better is behind the growing success of Masterton entrepreneur Phil Hall who invented Safe Eyes -- safety goggles made out of fine stainless steel mesh.

Mr Hall said he invented the goggles because there was no product on the market that met his requirements.

The forestry contractor, who employs more than 20 pruners and thinners, said in the past visors were simply attached to safety helmets.

"But the mesh was too far from the users' eyes, which affected visibility. The visors also blocked up easily and were unsuitable because woodchips and other material could still fly up under and through the visors."

So Mr Hall decided to make his own, embarking on a five-year process of trial and error.

Mr Hall's research included trying a variety of anti-fog goggles, but he found none could withstand the rigours of daily life in a forestry team.

He then began to experiment with different types of mesh until he found the right sort in a friend's workshop.

"At that stage we were using Perspex goggles, ripping out the Perspex and hot gluing in the wire mesh, which we cut by hand."

Soon a local company was involved, helping out by using an adapted cardboard cutting press tool to cut out the mesh, which Mr Hill was by then importing from America.

A Palmerston North company designed specific tools to mould the plastic surrounds produced by Masterton firm Pike's Plastics, while a local car spray painter coloured the mesh black.

While Mr Hall's first paying customer was a Nelson forestry contractor, he has been surprised by the amount of interest from other industry sectors -- including school woodwork departments, lawn mowing companies and concrete drilling companies.

A run of 500 goggles has just been completed, but Mr Hall hopes to build that number up to 5000.

Mr Hall is selling his goggles which retail for $39.95, directly to clients, until he builds up his brand.

- NZPA