Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[flag-d]

One of these is excellent.  I have an old one from the skip at work which I repaired with a new lens, but Maplins currently have this one for £14.99.  No, I'm nothing to do with Maplins, but this is a very good price indeed.

Mike

[Roger in France]

Yes, very useful, especially for "older" eyes. Mine has fluorescent lights with two different intensities. It has two articulation points and a good magnifying lens. It can be clamped to a work surface or fixed to a wall or bench with three substantial screws as it is rather solid and heavy (watch your head!). They can be often seen for sale at modelling exhibitions.

I bought mine here in France.

However, I was intrigued by the small "cover" which is removable and is simply placed on top of the lens when the equipment is not in use. I thought it was just to keep dust off the lens. Then, one day, I  had left it uncovered and saw that the sun coming in the window was being focused onto my bench....which was VERY hot at that spot. If there had been anything more immediately inflamable than my bench I think a fire would have started, readily. So, be warned.

Roger in France.

[dougal99]

I  had left it uncovered and saw that the sun coming in the window was being focused onto my bench....which was VERY hot at that spot. If there had been anything more immediately inflamable than my bench I think a fire would have started, readily. So, be warned.

Roger in France.

Bearing out Roger's experience; my wife has a similar arrangement for use when she is doing her cross stitch. The tool is free standing and was left next to the sofa after she had been using it the previous evening. The lounge is south facing, the sun was bright and streaming in the window. We were about to go out and my wife went into the lounge to collect her glasses. Smoke was rising from the sofa and a faint smell of burning was in the air. As it is a leather sofa it probalby took longer to start smoking that a fabric one - this was about 10 in the morning.

Needless to say the magnifying glass is very carefully positioned when not in use now.


On another point I find that using a magnifying glass is very good for examining detail but if I try and do some work using one I just see magnified fingers, paint brush etc  Any tips on preferred technique?

Doug

[tigertiger]

On another point I find that using a magnifying glass is very good for examining detail but if I try and do some work using one I just see magnified fingers, paint brush etc  Any tips on preferred technique?

This might sound obvious, but I found it takes a little practice to work with a magnifier. :-\

But you quickly get the hang of it and you can quickly learn to control the 3 inch wide fingers  that you now see before you. :)

[Doc]

Doug,
Think small!
 - 'Doc

[Roger in France]

Yes, working on a magnified object is clumsy at first. It's like learning to ride a bike, you soon get used to it, do it automatically and wonder what learners are making a fuss about! However, I find the problem comes when you stop looking through the lens!

Roger in France.

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

I agree with using the bench magnifier glass. I use it for my work on circuit boards, and it's like looking at a miniature city.

Unfortunately I left the shed door open and in came a fly, which landed on the board under inspection. Believe me, it was a shock and a half. The bl***y thing looked like an aircraft and I didn't half jump back.

Cheers...Ken

[pete_486]

that was funny i can just imagine that, but does it sting or bite id have been off like a shot :).
right back to tools i bought a dremel copy made by blackspur and i got back home plugged it in and what a waste of time, it stalled if you breathed on it so it was put away for a while.
one night i really needed a dremel so i did away with the transformer and put it to a 3300mah nimh battery pack and it was a lot better but soon the motor gave up the ghost so i pulled it to bits to reveal it had just a 400 can size motor in it and nothing else,
so i dug out a permax speed 400 motor and put that in WHOA what a difference that now is one hell of a tool its a lot smaller than a dremel and packs some power and if the bearings go you just replace the motor and its brand new again i love it...........Pete