Thread: Best Magnifying Visor Recommendations?

I would recomend a genuine opti-visor, stay clear of the cheap copies, in the log run they are a false economy

I've been considering one of these lately to assist with saw sharpening. All I can find locally are a couple with plastic lens sets from the likes of JAYCAR. I didn't like the plastic lens with the brief try on I had. Given that I need reading glasses anyway, I suspect the extra distortion of cheap plastic lenses doesn't help.

Searching the internet, the genuine opti-visor only seems to be available from medical supply outfits. Even the local optometrists only had plastic things.

A question for anybody who already uses these. What magnification lens would you suggest for different fine work? The magnification of different visors differs markedly.

We have one of the glass ones at work. I'm not sure what make it is but I don't think its are any better than the plastic ones. I'm quite happy with the plastic ones - it means I can have them scattered around the place, eg shed, family room, study, and a one at work. I mainly use mine to sharpen chainsaws. My wife makes beaded jewelry using hers. My favorite is the one got from McJing with the extra loupe lens on the front for extreme close up.

Bought my opti-visor from a company called Shell-Lap www.shell-lap.com.au the name speaks for itself, they supply opal cutting gear etc I beleive they do mail order

The issue came up recently at our carving club. I was at the point of not being able to continue carving and miniature turning without some magnifying gadget.

A member, a retired surgeon, showed us half a dozen of those he used in his profession and his 40 years carving as a very good hobbyist, from the $1000 one to the $5 one recently found at Cheap as Chips. He recommended and uses the $5 one as the most practical for woodworking. Most of us bought it and can swear for it.

It is light, so can be worn for long periods, on normal glasses if like me one has corrected vision, has 2x lenses and additional lenses that can be flipped on to make them 3x to suit the job and the length of focus.

Bet they are the same BobL talks about. They are the same some local woodworking retailers sell for around $20. Carbatec sells something similar with light and batteries, which make it much heavier, for $59. Not that this info will be much use to you in Indiana.

Thanks for all the tips, I am going to go look at some local places and try some out to see what kind of magnification would work out the best. I may try out some of those cheap cheater glasses as well to see if those would work for magnification in close up applications.<O</O
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