I tell ya guys, it's awesome living next door to a retired fabricator/welder guy.

Years ago I was cutting re-bar with a torch. No glasses. Don't need them. What could happen? Anybody cutting re-bar knows better. So did I, but won't take long. It didn't. BAM! A void in the forming of the re-bar caused it to explode, splatter... Where did it hit. On my face on my eyelid. I stumbled around the corner to the restroom and looked in the mirror. Left eyelid was cauterized to my cheek. Big black scab. How it missed going directly in my eye I'll never know, but was thankful. I took hold of eyelid and cheek and separated them. Ugly red mark. Done for the day. Know better next time. WRONG. Two weeks later doing the same thing, only this time my right eye. Again no permanent damage. Thankful. BUT, from that point on, goggles when cutting or welding. The only problem I have is when stick welding or subarc. When breaking the slag, first chunk would always lands on my nostril area. So wear a helmet with flip-up lens.