I need to get a new magnifier to work on small parts on my white metal cars. The magnify glass I now use just doesn't cut it. I notice 2 types: one that you wear on your head held on by straps and the other that is a desk top or desk mount that either sits or is clamped on a desk. I have seen both with LED lights. Both are hands free.Does anyone have any experience with either or both, both positives and negatives that they can share? Â Also, is there a particular magnification that you prefer over others when working on models? Â
I've tried the one you wear and found it to be more problematic than I anticipated. It was too hard to keep things focused. Maybe I wasn't using it properly but I moved to the desk-mounted one and am much happier.
I have the head-mounted type, seen here in use decaling a Ferrari (those child-sensitive Marlboro decals!) Note I am wearing readers with the headset. My battery for the LED is dead, need to get another. It works OK for me, usually used when reattaching parts that fall off.
My wife has a floor-standing magnifying lamp for her crochet work. It has an imbedded supermagnifying lens in one corner. I may have used it once or twice to read very small decals and p/e trim on a model. Neither of these are all that expensive - get both.
My wife uses a lighted Ott-Lite for her miniatures and I use it for my little cars. It is a tabletop model. I have several of the head band type which I use in my garage while working on my 1/1 cars but prefer the tabletop for miniatures.
I have a nice magnifier lamp. I got it a few years ago so it has an old-fashioned circular fluorescent light surrounding the glass, but of course the latest versions all use LEDs. It clamps to my work table and the hinged arms and swivelling base and lamp head make it easy to position just where you need it.
You can get cheaper ones with a flexible "swan neck" but I think they might be more difficult to bend right down for working on a small model on a work surface cluttered with other stuff (aren't they always?).
Apart from manoeuverability and adjustability, I think the two points to think about are the degree of magnification on offer and the brightness of the LEDs.
Mine came with two interchangeable magnifier lenses, roughly 2X and 4X magnification. I assumed I might want to use the stronger one but have never needed it. I see quite a few being offered with 1.75 times magnification, which doesn't sound a lot for working with very small parts. Others (usually the more expensive ones, obviously) are advertised as having more than one level of magnification -Â 2X, 3X, 5X or even 10X.
10X might work wonderfuly well, or might just make you go cross-eyed. 2X or 3X is probably a good balance for model work.
The optical qualities of different-priced magnifier lamp lenses may vary. Mine is a good brand but the lens has quite a curvature to it and unless I am viewing through the exact centre of the glass I can get odd distortions and strange rainbow effects around the sides. Ideally you would want to actually see one and check how well it works with your eyesight.
The other thing is whether the LED brightness is adjustable. I recently bought a fairly basic LED work lamp (since I don't normally need the magnifier lamp.)
It has 7 brightness settings, which sounded great but I can hardly use it above level 4 for any length of time because it is absolutely dazzling (but then as I say I do wear glasses, and I suspect I have the beginnings of cataract). So if dazzle can be a problem for you, you need dimmable lights on your magnifier to avoid glare and serious reflections from whatever you are working on (because you are putting the light much closer to your work than you would with a normal desk light).
I haven't tried a head-mounted type but can only imagine that they would be kind of heavy and uncomfortable over a long period - although I see Harv G. seems to manage OK - and for anyone wearing glasses for close work there could be strange optical effects from the two sets of lenses so close together.
Don't know if any of this is the slightest help, but you did ask for comments from magnifier users!
I use a couple of these from 11 and 20 some years ago,respectively.....you can find old ones on *bay that are sturdier than anything short of dental lab stuff
I used an OptiVisor with a #5 lens for 50 years. Google it. You can get different lens for this. #5 gives a focal length of 8" which I find to be just right for my work. These are available and have been around for decades. I like the OptiVisor because it doesn't distort your viewing and being on your head it magnifies where ever you look. I also have a deck mount magnifier lamp that Graeme has pictured but I rarely use it. I use a desk mount daylight LED bulb lamp for light. This all works perfect for me.
I used an OptiVisor with a #5 lens for 50 years. Google it. You can get different lens for this. #5 gives a focal length of 8" which I find to be just right for my work. These are available and have been around for decades. I like the OptiVisor because it doesn't distort your viewing and being on your head it magnifies where ever you look. I also have a deck mount magnifier lamp that Graeme has pictured but I rarely use it. I use a desk mount daylight LED bulb lamp for light. This all works perfect for me.
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based on this man`s choice of hatmakers......I`d place extra weight on his selection 🤠Â
I used an OptiVisor with a #5 lens for 50 years. Google it. You can get different lens for this. #5 gives a focal length of 8" which I find to be just right for my work. These are available and have been around for decades. I like the OptiVisor because it doesn't distort your viewing and being on your head it magnifies where ever you look. I also have a deck mount magnifier lamp that Graeme has pictured but I rarely use it. I use a desk mount daylight LED bulb lamp for light. This all works perfect for me.
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based on this man`s choice of hatmakers......I`d place extra weight on his selection 🤠Â
Can a person buy one of these that minimizes and fits with a shower cap? I need one for when I exit the shower.
