Loupes / Eyeglasses

[raynerd]

Hi

Just curious if any of you use loupes to examine small parts. I wish to buy one for the work I`ll be doing and I wanted to spend some money and get something decent. I have a £1.99 ebay x5 eyeglass and I hate it, it doesn`t fit comfortably and it isn`t crisp, with a little uncomfortable focal length. I have been advised that Bausch & Lomb, Behr and Donegan are all good makes but they seem to be mostly clip on glasses type and since I don`t wear glasses I would need a hold in the eye style. Ideally I would like a x3 , x5 and x8. I believe the Bergeon loupes are good but at £20 a loupe it would be expensive.

Any advice welcome.

Chris

[bogstandard]

I have been using loupes for years, and they do take a little to get used to working with them. I have now mainly gone over to a desk magnifier.
I use the top one.

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MAGNIFYING_LIGHTS.html

For doing a try out, one of these head magnifyers might be the way you should go. It is not a lot of cash, so if they don't suit, not a lot wasted. But if it works, it could solve all your problems.

The top one here.

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/EVERYTHING_ELSE_MAGNIFYERS.html

In fact with you living so close, you might be able to go in and try them out before buying or not.


Bogs

[andyf]

I've got a head magnifier, bought years ago in France. Two of its three moulded plastic lenses turned out to have too much distortion for comfortable use, so I'd recommend "try before you buy".

I also use the loupes you hold in the eye, bought from local opticians, where you can test them for distortion before getting the wallet out. Good for delicate electronic soldering work, apart from when you get so close to the work that you burn your nose on the hot iron 

If a lens which clips on a pair of glasses would be more comfortable/cheaper, most long-time specs wearers have old pairs gathering dust. Beg some, take the lenses out, and clip the magnifier to the bare frame. Or do the same with an old pair of sunglasses.

Andy

[75Plus]

I know of several watch makers that swear by their Donegan "Optivisors". Here is a link to a US dealer. I am sure they have UK dealers as well.

http://secure.transtronics.com/Optivisor.html

Joe

[raynerd]

Joe

http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/6/0/1092.aspx

Cousins UK stock Donegan optivisors. Would you recommend any particular magnification and focal lengths? The optivisor and lens is £40 and then each additional lens is £7.50

It is quite expensive and I`ll certainly be considering it. I`ll just check out what John mentioned first, I didn`t even know RDG sold eyepieces.

Chris

[GrahamC]

Chris,

I have an Optivisor that I have had for going more than 10 years. I started with the number 3 (dioptre) lens and as my eyes and reading glass prescription have changed I changed to the Optivisor number 5 lens. In retrospect I should have probably started with the number 5 as it's approximately 8 inch working distance is right around where I am most comfortable - the number 3 dioptre has a working range around 14 inches.

The lens number you will have to choose based on your working comfort range. On the link that Joe provided (and provided again for convenience;  http://secure.transtronics.com/Optivisor.html ) towards the bottom of the page they list the different lenses and working distances.

One option for the Optivisor is called he Optiloupe (you will also find on the same web page). I have one and don't know how I ever got around with out it. It replaces one of the lens retaining screws and adds a flip down loupe that adds 2-1/2 times power additional magnification. Choose the side with your best or dominate eye.

And do get the one with the real glass lens not the cheaper plastic lens.

I use mine all the time, one of the first things I grab when I go into the shop to do anything, even if I really don't need; it's on my head and ready to use when I need it.

cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canda

[mklotz]

I wear eyeglasses and so find these...

http://www.micromark.com/3-PIECE-CLIP-ON-MAGNIFIER-SET,9508.html

to be the most effective solution.  Like the optivisor, they provide stereo viewing and the ability to "look around" the magnifier easily when you need to see something at distance.  The lenses are plastic but with a bit of care they'll last.  Mine are going on ten years old and still scratch free.

[kvom]

Good idea, Marv.  I ordered a set of these, along with some other goodies.

[GrahamC]

I forgot to add in my previous post that I use the Optivisor with my reading glasses on - lots of room inside for regular or safety glasses.

cheers, Graham

[Russel]

I use drugstore reading glasses with about 2 diopter magnification. When I need to see up close I use a little 4x magnifier with a built in little light.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=9483&group_ID=1115&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I have loupes with a wire that goes around your head to hold them for you, but I don't really use them for machining. One is a standard 4x and the other is a 10x. I find the little hand held magnifier works well when I need to see real close.

[Jere]

I use a number of different loupes/magnifiers.  For lathe work, I usually use an Optivisor with a low magnifcation, so that I can stand back from the flying metal, and it has an optional flip-out loupe, which is great for closer work.  As an eyeglass wearer, I tend to use the clip on type for very close work.  I like the Bausch-Lomb brand of clip-on with two lenses that can be combined to give three strengths.  Another clip-on type is made by Bergeon, also very good, the traditional loupe style helps block out light.  Occasionally I use the more traditional type of loupes, a wire headband can be made or bought to help keep it on your head (or even use somewhat akwardly with eyeglasses...), and again I went with Bausch-Lomb.  All these magnifiers have glass lenses, and I found them to be satisfactory. 

[raynerd]

After reading your replies and buying some cheap loupes and not being impressed, I decided to buy the Donegan Optivisor Number 5 with the OptiLoupe. It was pretty expensive but after using it for just short of a week I`ve not had it off my head while I`m in the shop and I`m shocked how much I actually use it. I purchased the Number 5 which is 2.5X at a focus length of about 8 inch. This is suitable magnification for close up work but I also purchased the OptiLoupe which fits to the dominant eye retaining screw and can be pulled down to give an extra 2.5x magnification.



I purchased from here: http://www.ceramicsrestored.co.uk/headbands.htm  as it was the only UK supplier that I could find. They were very quick with delivery, I got it within 2 days of placing the order.

Thanks for your advice and I`m glad I went for a headband type.

Chris

[GrahamC]

Hi Chris,

Glad to hear to made a choice and happy with it.  I would be lost without mine.

cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada