Magnifying lens

[Richard_C]

With age and deteriorating eyesight I am struggling with small work like fine soldering and small screws. What I think I need is one of those magnifiers on a stand. Looking online there are zillions to choose from, some with more arms than an octopus, some promising multi coloured led lights and so on. What I want is something simple and robust that I can plonk on the bench in front of me when I need it and move to one side when I don't, nothing to fall off or get lost, decent sized lens, easy to clean. No firm view on whether it needs built in illumination or not.

Any recommendations from people who use one?

 

[Blackswanwood]

I have a similar need Richard which I started to increasingly notice when doing inlay work. Rather than going down the fixed stand route I opted for a head vision magnifier.

Someone advised me to go for one with glass rather than plastic lenses and I bought from Cookson Gold who supply jewellers.

https://www.cooksongold.com/Jewelle.../-Type=0/-Brand=0/-Font=0/&prdsearch=y&show=N

Not quite what you were asking about but I’ve found it sorted the problem for me.

 

[Bingy man]

I have 3 - no 1 is a small hand held model used for read part numbers In catalogues etc ,, no 2 is a stand the stand type that you describe and no 3 is a head mounted type by lightcraft. It has multiple lenses so you can adjust it to your eyesight and a removable led light ..tbh they all have their uses but I couldn’t say that any of them are better than the other.. hence why as you say there are millions to chose from but the one you described and the simplest is this
Just can’t recall the make and it’s not printed on it ..

 

[Amplidyne]

Couple of magnifiers with a light in them that clamp on the desk / worktop. One with a fluo, one LED.
Several hand magnifiers of various types, and a set of glass head worn magnifiers.
As already said they all have their uses. What I have found though is that I tell my optician that I do fine work, and they seem pretty good at coming up with varifocals that help.
There's no one answer TBH.

 

[Jacob]

My eyesight not good - a head torch can also make a big difference - much better than a fixed light.
Mines a https://ledlenser.co.uk/collections/rechargeable-head-torches/products/ih5r-rechargeable-head-torch - very adaptable, from night cycling down to fine handiwork

 

[Bingy man]

I think that’s a good point @Jacob makes - the available light in a room can make a huge difference when your eyesight is poor . I do find that I struggle in a dimly lit room even with glasses and magnifying lenses

 

[John Brown]

I tried various things when I was still working on that tiny SMT stuff, best was just a pair of 4 dioptre reading glasses. The only problem was that I then couldn't read the PC screen with the schematic or PCB tracking on it, so I had to try and fix a pair of 2 strength reading glasses above them with Blutak. Looked pretty silly, but worked.
I used to have a big illuminated magnifier on an Anglepoise type arm, but it got to the point where I couldn't get the soldering iron underneath it easily.

 

[Sideways]

I have a biggish 4" lens from an old overhead projector that I last used for reading the part numbers on surface mount components. I should make a stand for it.
I totally agree about the need for light. I'm a fan of Unilite rechargeable LED lights and especially their high CRI models. I use those on the desk, in the loft, in the garden, you name it.

 

[niall Y]

Also a fan like @Blackswanwood of the head sets with lenses. You can buy them at a fraction of the price on Ebay. The focal length varies with the different magnifications. Not a problem with some things, but if you are operating a lathe, your head might be getting too close to the spinning bits.

 

[TRITON]

I have a biggish 4" lens from an old overhead projector that I last used for reading the part numbers on surface mount components. I should make a stand for it.

Thats what I have(or had until i dropped it and if by pure luck found the marble hearth
I picked up another big lens on ebay. It's about 3" across, convex on both sides but as overhead projector lenses are flat on one side, i've no idea what it originated from. I think its either a x3 or x4
Its been very handy though.
I've been intending on making a wooded surround for it(ply cut as a ring in two parts so it goes in the middle and is more protective should the hearth come calling again

 

[BC'er]

I feel pretty sure you'll find a magnifying headset to be the most useful. They can double as eye protection as well in some cases. It's usually easier to move one's head vis a vis the work than trying to work under a fixed lens and then move it in and out to focus on that work: two hands are usually required for the work alone. Magnifying lamps etc. tend to get in the way of what one is doing as well. Aim for a unit with glass lenses, a loupe that can be deployed or not and a good quality, semi-rigid, screw adjustable head band. There are units which have a telephoto effect such as surgeons use, but expensive probably and field of view may be an issue too, though probably a lot cheaper out of China.

 

[Fergie 307]

I tried various things when I was still working on that tiny SMT stuff, best was just a pair of 4 dioptre reading glasses. The only problem was that I then couldn't read the PC screen with the schematic or PCB tracking on it, so I had to try and fix a pair of 2 strength reading glasses above them with Blutak. Looked pretty silly, but worked.
I used to have a big illuminated magnifier on an Anglepoise type arm, but it got to the point where I couldn't get the soldering iron underneath it easily.

Same approach here with the reading glasses. When I recently got new prescription glasses I spoke to the lady at Specsavers, and now have a prescription set with 4x magnification, which is the strength I most often use. They are great.
I have tried all sorts of on the head stuff and lenses. All have issues in getting in the way of what you are trying to do.
So I have ended up with multiple pairs of different strength reading glasses on my head, a la Steve Fletcher, or on the bench. I put a band of coloured shrink wrap on the arms so I know what strength they are.
The best thing I have found for fine work otherwise is an electronic portable microscope with its own screen. You can mount it on a stand over the work and just look at the screen, rather than being hunched over. Get the right level of magnification and it can stand over the work and is small enough not to get in the way.
Also handy to be able to take it off the stand and use it to have a good look at some particular detail.
Really handy for stuff like this.
Identical movement to one I repaired for a friend, her mum's watch. Beautiful but nerve wracking.

 

[John Brown]

Same approach here with the reading glasses. When I recently got new prescription glasses I spoke to the lady at Specsavers, and now have a prescription set with 4x magnification, which is the strength I most often use. They are great.
I have tried all sorts of on the head stuff and lenses. All have issues in getting in the way of what you are trying to do.
So I have ended up with multiple pairs of different strength reading glasses on my head, a la Steve Fletcher, or on the bench. I put a band of coloured shrink wrap on the arms so I know what strength they are.
The best thing I have found for fine work otherwise is an electronic portable microscope with its own screen. You can mount it on a stand over the work and just look at the screen, rather than being hunched over. Get the right level of magnification and it can stand over the work and is small enough not to get in the way.
Also handy to be able to take it off the stand and use it to have a good look at some particular detail.
Really handy for stuff like this.
Identical movement to one I repaired for a friend, her mum's watch. Beautiful but nerve wracking.

Yes, I also have one of the microscopes with its own screen. Very handy tool and remarkably cheap.

 

[Fergie 307]

Yes, I also have one of the microscopes with its own screen. Very handy tool and remarkably cheap.

I found it took a bit of getting used to, working with your hands whilst looking straight ahead at the screen. But very handy.
My go to tool when working on any watch with a calendar ring. The screws that typically hold them in place are tiny.
Looking at them under a microscope they are perfect little countersunk machine screws, each about the size of a grain of granulated sugar. Would love to know how they make them.
Looking at Blackswanwood's link I was also reminded of loupes.
For reading component numbers etc a very useful tool. I have a nice x 10 one with a built in led light.

 

[Sideways]

@John Brown , @Fergie 307
I'd be interested to know which of these microscopes you chose. There seem to be plenty of models to choose from, priced from budget to expensive.

 

[Noel]

+1 on proper light. Just added Eterna 5ft LED batons in the workshop, Difference is, well, night and day compared to the old flo tubes. Saves time too not having to wait an age…..
As said, loupes are very handy too ( especially splinters).

 

[Fergie 307]

Mine is a generic Chinese job from e bay, not sure it has a brand name.
It's a stand alone unit, so small microscope head on a roughly 1m lead linked to a 7 inch screen.
The head has variable magnification.
It came with a stand , but that was not much use as it obliged you to have the item being viewed directly under it, which meant you couldn't get at it to work on it.
I just made a new larger baseplate so now I can put a watch in a holder on the front of the base and have the head looking down on it at a slight angle.
The one I have was about £35/40 if I remember correctly, a few years ago now.
Very similar to this one, main difference being that on mine the head is on a long lead that can be unwound from a bracket on the back of the screen if you want to use it free hand. Mine doesn't have the built in lights, just one on the scope, but does have the facility to take stills and video to an SD card.
I just made a new bigger base plate from some 10mm aluminium sheet .
I see this one is £85. Can't recall exactly what I paid for mine, as I say I think it was around half that, but was a while ago.
Looking at this one in more detail I see it also has wireless remote control etc, maybe why it is more expensive. Mine also doesn't have a built in battery, it is USB powered.

 

[ColinDeVelen]

I tried the 'stand alone' type, couldn't get on with them. I now use 'clip-flipz' (look at I Sunglasses website). They come in different grades and sizes, but I have found them easy to use, long lasting and at 15 quid a go, a lot cheaper than a new set of varifocals.
Their blurb says they are not suited to varifocals, but I have never had an issue with them. Great for inspecting a saw as you are sharpening it for example. (I now have two pairs for home, and two for work.)

 

[Richard_C]

Thanks for all your helpful replies. I do wear varifocals and have no trouble with lathe work or general diy/woodworking - its the small stuff. I agree about lighting, changing my garage/workshop lights from fluorescent to LED a few years ago made a huge difference, and I have a variety of old anglepoise style lights fixed above thge benches and lathe. I find 4000k leds rather better than the normal warm white 2700/300 k ones. One cheap and cheerful addition is a tesco magnet base torch/flood. aaa batteries and all of £10 which I can stick to things like the bandsaw or lathe when I need it. I went to the optician last week expecting a slight change in prescription but getting a hospital referral because of fluid in the eye so I'm workimg round it and thinking ahead.

I don't do enough close work to need a microscope - yet. I do like the idea though and they are a lot less expensive than I thought. In the early 70's I was a biology student, old optical microscopes with mirrors not light boxes, no screens back then. One useful skill was being able to look down the eyepiece with your left eye and draw or record what you saw using your right eye/right hand (reverse if left handed). I get what you mean by looking at a screen somwhere your hand isn't, needs practice.

One positve thing, I did buy a pair of cheap as chips reading glasses as suggested here, hadn't thought of that before. No 4x available but 3.5 and they do help with small screws and soldering. Oddly putting them over my varifocals helps even more but you have to get really really close, no good for any moving machinery.

I've also looked in my stuff and things pile and found an old desklamp with a 30cm ish flexible neck, took the light bit off and fixed a spring clamp which now holds an old 3 inch magnifying glass so I can try out and decide what to buy.

So - lots of good ideas and plenty to think about, I hope to get an appointment in the next 2 or 3 weeks and it might all be clearer after that.