Huge increase in accuracy for only $14!

**journeyman Mick** · 29th March 2005, 11:55 AM

Well, if you need glasses that is

. My eyes aren't as good (or as young) as they once were, so I've had to get reading glasses. They live in my office and I don't like to take them to the shed as I'm likely to forget to take them back to the house. I bought some 1 diopter reading/magnifying glasses from my local "$2 shop", for, you guessed it, two dollars each. They're small enough to sit on my nose and peer over (a la granny glasses) and I can easily read even the half mm markings on my steel rule with them.

I also bought two magnifying glasses for $5 ea from one of those warehouse type places. These were the type that have a cast iron base and swivelling arms for holding fishing flies etc. I modified one so the glass was mounted on the longest arm and stuck it on top of my TS fence. The glass sits over the magnified cursor on the rip fence meaning I don't need to wear glasses when using the TS. The other magnifying glass I mounted on the flipstop on the sliding table cross cut fence. This had a magnifier over the cursor but this makes it much clearer and easier to read.

Pic shows the mounted magnifying glasses, the original base with fly vices and my granny glasses. It's a bugger getting old, but accuracy doesn't have to suffer.

Grandpa Mick

**gatiep** · 29th March 2005, 01:34 PM

Very good idea Gramps, now you can magnify the problem x 2!

**bitingmidge** · 29th March 2005, 01:45 PM

On a similar note I have a pair of "bifocal" safety glasses, which are the duck's nuts as well.

Cheers,

P

**silentC** · 29th March 2005, 02:27 PM

I'm very fortunate that so far my eyesight has held up pretty well, (despite all those old wive's tales :eek: ) although I am only a spring chicken as yet.

I do find it a bit hard to pick the mm increments on the tablesaw fence, which doesn't have longer lines for the 5mm, so this idea might be of use to me too.

My dad has a pair of those $2 glasses which he uses when reading. I told him if he keeps reading through $2 glasses he will have $2 eyes before long. Oh well, at least he wont be able to read the retirement home application form that I'm planning to get him to sign one day soon

**Wood Borer** · 29th March 2005, 02:29 PM

Mick,

Good idea the only drawback is as Joe suggested, the gaps in the joints will look bigger and ......... :eek:

Do you have problems placing tools on marks etc when wearing the glasses?

I wear glasses (for the last 3 years or so) when reading and driving but not in the shed. They are expensive buggers and I don't want to damage them. I seem to cope OK but I might get a cheapie pair like yours for a trial.

**gatiep** · 29th March 2005, 03:01 PM

My problem is that I've been wearing glasses full time for the last 36 years. My wife always has a go at me for messing up my newest pair in the shed, but the problem is that I put them on in the morning and then just forget that I wear glasses. Its become second nature, so much so that it feels weird when I don't wear them. No ways do I remember to swapp the good ones for some old ones in the shed.

**AlexS** · 29th March 2005, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

...It's a bugger getting old....

Grandpa Mick

Beats the alternative, though!

**MathewA** · 29th March 2005, 06:53 PM

With all the work you've gone to I'd say it's time you went and got some real glasses.

**Iain** · 29th March 2005, 07:47 PM

I wear bifocals for reading up close and at a slight distance, like pooter screen, I also have a pair of safety glasses with the same distance factor as my pooter (1.5)+, works well for me and I've been wearing glasses for reading since I was 15.
I can still read a street sign at 200 metres but can't read the bloody paper.

**ozwinner** · 29th March 2005, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Iain

I can still read a street sign at 200 metres but can't read the bloody paper.

I doubt anyone could read the paper at 200 metres.....:eek:

Al

**beejay1** · 29th March 2005, 08:00 PM

Distance is no problem for me either iain but close up is a bugger and i put it down to the hours Ive spent each day on the computer since going self employed. Either that or my arms have shrunk.
I buy cheap 1.5 reading glasses and leave a pair in every room in the house including the workshop, that way theres always a pair to hand. I even have a couple of pairs in the car.
Somebody suggested that the cheapies are bad for your eyes,,dont know if thats true or not but I wouldnt want to buy several pairs of prescription glasses at £100 a pop.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

**ozwinner** · 29th March 2005, 08:17 PM

I keep on getting reminders from the eye shop, they go along the lines of..

Dear Mr Wallet
I see our till needs replenishing again, and chance you could drop by, my Son in private school could do with a new foil so he can continue to learn fencing.
And he also needs a new pony for water polo.

Regards, I See'm-Cumming

**MajorPanic** · 29th March 2005, 08:22 PM

I'm like beejay, fine for distances but can't read ½mm graduations any more.
I've been using maganifiers for a couple of years now & their great except after you take them off..... I can't see detail for crap for 20 min or more.

Mind you I've got it better than a skipper I used to sail for. He would start out with the chart at arms length & then coller a passing deckie with "hey, hold this for me!" while he moved backward AWAY from the chart!! :eek:.
I sailed off-shore races with him for years & he never steered us wrong! :confused:

**ozwinner** · 29th March 2005, 08:26 PM

Arghhhhh me old 'earty.

Al

**Lucas** · 29th March 2005, 10:14 PM

Seen the Bi vocal safety glasses at Woodworkers warehouse today

from 1/2 to 4 1/2 range i think

Thread: Huge increase in accuracy for only $14!

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Huge increase in accuracy for only $14!

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions