Anyone use magnifiers?

[toolemera]

Being of the visually less than optimal persuasion, I'm in the market for some sort of magnifying setup. Anyone here use anything that they like... or dislike? Some magnifiers are on the big bucks side, so some review would help.

Thanks
Gary

[Cliff Rogers]

G'day Gary, what sort of work do you need them for?

I need reading glasses & I use a pair of the plastic safety glasses with a magnifying lens in the bottom of them.
The ones I have are called Wizard Versa Specs.
They come with clip in coloured lens to but I don't use them, just the magnifiers.
From memory they were about $50 a set.
http://shopspecs.com/versa_specs.cfm

[toolemera]

I'm using a pair of clip on's that add just enough to turn my regular glasses into reading/midrange or +1.0 diopter added. But when it comes to really fine work, I have to use more magnification. Those versa specs look good but I doubt my prescription would work. I have rediculously expensive Zeiss lenses that reduce the size and weight of the lens signficantly and reduce barrell distortion. But... I'm going to bring this information to the glasses shop to see what they think. That yellow anti-glare looks good to me.

Thanks for the suggestion.
Gary

[BobL]

I use these McJing HEAD WEARING MAGNIFIERs, for fine work and sharpening.
http://www.mcjing.com.au/Static/Images/w907.jpg

http://www.mcjing.com.au/searchresult.aspx?keyword=HEAD%20WEARING%20MAGNIFIER

At $15 a set I have a pair in the shed and another in the house.

[toolemera]

Certainly cheaper than ones I've seen for sale in the US. At that price, I'ld too have a few pairs around. Guess I have to look a little deeper into the market here to find something workable. I think a 'head wearing' style would be best. I tried an illuminated stand magnifyer, but moving it from spot to spot was a pain!

time to investigate some more through the industrial supply shops. I've been looking at the low vision aid catalogs and have to say their prices are on the high side!

Thanks
Gary

[soundman]

I have a pair similar ( suspiciously similiar) to the mc jing ones pictured.

they work well but the problem is the focal length........you have to get up real close to focus.....and the higher magnifications are added it gets rediculous.

I am on the verge of needing readers, so I'm looking for reasonable sloutions......I have a set of 1+ clip on readers and thay aren't bad but they are not real comfortable and cause mt glasses to slide down my nose.

carbatec have better looking visor magnifier.....I intend to have a look at it next time I am in there.

for many things a hand lense is a real option too.

cheers

[Happyhorse]

Another useful device is an optical centre punch readily available on eBay

[swk]

I use reading (prescription) glasses* about 1.5 dioptre (slightly different in each eye). This is OK for reading, some fine work and marking out generally. A stong light helps as it closes down your iris and helps the eye focus better at your limit.

I also have a head band magnifier like BobL's which I use occasionally on very fine work, but yes you do need to have them comparatively close to the work. I wear them over the top of my glasses when I need them. I _never_ use the high magnifier flip downs, in fact just today I was thinking of taking them off, because they always flip down when not in use and when I put the visor on they start off in the way and I have to flick them back up. Mine were not as cheap as BobL's they came from a Dick Smith shop.

I very, very occasionally use a magnifying glass too (one of those wood turning kit ones).

* My glasses I usually wear all the time on a "granny string" around my neck and pop on as I need them, however, I found with my pair when looking down at a work piece or working over the top of something they can slide off. Very frustrating! So I bought a sports band to hold them onto my head in the shed. The disadvantage, not so easy to pop on and off, but they can be positioned slightly further down my nose so I can look through or over them without much trouble.

SWK

[swk]

PS, the Dick Smith magnifiers have lights on the sides. I dunno how much this would help as I have never tried them (gimmick!)

SWK

[joe greiner]

Enter [92983] in "Item No." here: American Science & Surplus : Items Just Off the Truck (http://www.sciplus.com/)

Click "BINO MAGNIFIER"

Cheers,
Joe