I really feel the need for a head mounted magnifier as age catches up with the eyesight, looking for something that does not cost a fortune but will do the job for occasional use so any reccomendations chaps?
Andy.
Andy.
O/T, I do need to get something more powerful than the current 3.5x, as I've got two balance assemblies that aren't working and can't see what's wrong with them - frustrating, as I bought new movements to replace both, but would like these two working, as I've spotted another watch dial that appeals to me, but nothing to put it onMy optivisor was 2.5 Gerry.....much higher makes the focal distance so short it makes working hard.
Totally get what you mean about watches, it’s a whole new experience compared to modelling. After all, you need it to work, not just look good Surgeons use those really high powered loupes as well, and I for one am really glad they do!
For modelling though, magnification just gives a crisper finish at normal viewing, unless micro detail is really your bag, so around 2.5 is ideal.
Hands up! If you wear reading glasses, or be honest do you need reading glasses ,can you remember when you first went to the opticians had your eyes tested chose the frames and was told come back next week ,so with a dented ego off you went ,he or if your lucky the young and pretty assistant tries them for fit then gives you that card to read......bloody hell just how bad was my eyesight (or my current glasses become) look small print as plain as day no need to squint or move the print in and out till you find the range making it slightly better than before but still squiffy, yes small print no need to get caught out anymore. I'm sixty four hardly ever go above brail scale wear decent reading glasses working at the same distance that I'd read a book at no problems. Thats what the glasses are for if what your doing is that small you have to enlarge it by x? who's going to see it anyway ,get some decent glasses(you might think you don't need them)money better spent on having decent lighting than trying to see in the dark. Dave
Photo etch smaller than a human eyelash? I do enter comps and have yet to have stuff judged with a magnifying glass whats the point of looking for something that can't be seen just by looking, I dont think that what jewelers and watch makers use in their trade has any bearing on building plastic kits. I've yet to walk around Telford and see people looking at the club tables with magnifying glasses.It depends how small the detail you are attempting to achieve is.
I wear my regular glasses for reading and they work perfectly well for that. They do not allow me to see some detail when doing really delicate work with PE smaller than a human eyelash, painting an instrument panel, threading buckles onto seat belts, etc. I would challenge any human being to build up an RB Productions 1/32 scale harness without magnification of some kind.
Even if I still had the perfect vision of my yesteryear, I would still need magnification to do what I do. It's the same reason a jeweller or a watchmaker uses a loupe. As for nobody seeing it, I will. If you are the sort of person who likes to enter into competition (I'm not) then the judges will definitely see it.
If you are happy with what you do without any magnification, that's fine. I know that I can do better with it, and that's fine too.
Like some others here I tend to use 2.5x for most work, any higher and my nose is in the model. I also use 1.8x (I think) for more general work, it gets the bonce a bit further away from the work in hand!
I agree on lighting. I work mostly in natural daylight and am lucky to have a work area which allows for this, being a glorified conservatory, but otherwise decent artificial 'daylight' lighting is a must.
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