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Author Topic: Magnifiers.  (Read 6509 times)

RAAArtyGunner

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #25 on: January 10, 2013, 11:23:50 pm »

Couldn't agree more with Dave (Stavros) etc, about getting your eyes tested and getting glasses, makes a HUGE difference, then get magnifiers.
 
But hey, they are your eyes, so up to you....
 
I use both types of magnifiers but, to supplement my glasses.
 
Our hobby is such that both types of magnifiers will be useful, namely, a stand type and headband.
 
For me, I use 'extra' illumination which makes for better visibilty, in turn making difficult taskes easier to see and less fatiguing.
 
To this end, for 'Hobby work', I use 'daylight bulbs'.
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #26 on: January 10, 2013, 11:31:40 pm »


Agreed about the eye testing... it should be every 2 years shouldn't it?

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Bob K

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #27 on: January 10, 2013, 11:33:19 pm »

Good words Colin, however I stand by my last post.  I have to have my eyes checked every year for medical reasons, and I do not "need" glasses.  I am no longer a teenager with exceptional close work eyesight and a very steady hand.  Age unfortunately catches up with all of us.  Returning to model making recently I am obliged to accept physical limitations, and to build within them.
 
I still love detailing, and build in as much as I can, but brush painting 2.5 mm script lettering is not something an optician can "fix".
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vnkiwi

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #28 on: January 10, 2013, 11:40:42 pm »

Have to agree with Stavros (Dave).
My eyesight has been deteriating over the last 20 years (a job thing), and last year I went  to have my eyes tested. I now have two sets of glasses, two for driving (sunny's and clear) and one for reading / modelling.
Also found first stages of cataracts.
Had used flat freznel lens for modelling, prior to this, but now find everything so clear and easy again.
No longer need magnifiers anymore, my close readers magnify a tad. Talked to the Optician about what I wanted and he prescribed.
Best monetary investment for modelling I've ever spent.  :-))
cheers
vnkiwi
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #29 on: January 10, 2013, 11:41:10 pm »


Agreed about the eye testing... it should be every 2 years shouldn't it?


Correct, that's what it is in OZ  O0 O0 O0 .
 
Bottom line, with glasses you are then able to achieve what was not possible.
They are in effect a 'tool' and we use appropriate tools for the task at hand so why not glasses.
If your toooooooooooooooooooooooo Macho, %% %% %% they are available as rimless, looks like you aren't wearing any, Glasses that is {-) {-) {-)
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roycv

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #30 on: January 10, 2013, 11:49:49 pm »

Hi Essex....a lens magnifier did cause black burn marks on the side of a boat I was building some years ago.  The angle poise magnifier was bolted to wall of workshop.  When not in use it rested flat against a window which unfortunately faced west.  When the sun set it was strong enough through a double glazed window to make a black heat burn on the painted wood of a model boat.
We moved and I bought a house that faced in a different direction, just in case.
regards Roy
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #31 on: January 10, 2013, 11:59:50 pm »

Quote
Good words Colin, however I stand by my last post. I have to have my eyes checked every year for medical reasons, and I do not "need" glasses.

No, not everyone 'needs' glasses I agree. The important thing is getting regular checks. At my eye test last week the optician asked me about my lifestyle which highlighted that I drive,  use computers and do modelmaking. Fortunately I am one of those people who adapt well to varifocals so don't need several pairs of glasses. If reading in bed I tend not to need glasses at all.
 
When you have cataract implants they can be tailored to what you want so you could have some which mean that for long sight you don't need glasses at all but then you would need reading glasses for close up work. Some people choose to have one implant at long focus and one at short focus so they don't need glasses at all as the brain tends to compensate but this is not always satisfactory. In my case the implants are biased towards longer sightedness but not too much so that the varifocals I am used to are fine in most situations. Varifocals are not quite so good in coping with peripheral vision so you need to turn your head a bit more but I find them OK. Everybody is different though, so what works for one person may not be appropriate for another.
 
You can now get varifocal implants which should avoid the need for glasses at all but they are expensive at the moment and tricky to get right. It is amazing what is possible these days really.
 
Colin
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NFMike

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #32 on: January 11, 2013, 12:06:20 am »

In my youth my eyesight was perfect for fine detail model making, but I needed glasses for distance.  Strange now that my eyes have altered so that I do not need glasses for driving etc but that kind of close up fine work is impossible.   Supermarket 3.5x magnifiers are good for threading rigging and detailing.  I do not intend to enrich opticians with hefty sums to make up special ultra close up glasses.  ie:  a focal distance of three inches.

I'm very similar. Eyes deteriorate to short-sighted in teens (or early 20s in my case) which the optician said was common - it's a puberty thing, so presumably hormonal. (So it's not just the ladies who suffer them.) And in your later years the effect tends to undo a bit. I still need glasses but my prescription is weaker than it was a few years ago. The problem is your accommodation (ability to change focus) deteriorates with age, so even though I'm shortsighted I can't focus close up anymore.

I'm a bit astigmatic but I've never needed to use glasses for reading, so I really can't see the need to pay huge sums for 'close-up' lenses to compensate for my lost accommodation and that I use a few hours a week. (Obviously I have regular eye checks every 2 years anyway.)

Oh yes. I think I still have one of those fresnel lens things upstairs that I tried and didn't get on with. Be a bit dusty but if anyone wants it they can collect for free (IIRC the base weighs about 10kg, so I'm not posting it.)


Colin, my wife adores her varifocals. I've tried them twice (10 years between) and hated them (I'm not an owl) and exchanged them for ornery ones after a few weeks both times.

grendel

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #33 on: January 11, 2013, 12:15:41 am »

my other hobby is astronomy, a friend had to have cataracts removed and talked to the surgeon, apparently most  implants are tinted to remove a lot of the u/v that caused the original cateracts, as an astronomer this cuts down the available light so he arranged for non tinted inserts to be used, this would mean that for the daytime he has to have tinted glasses, but for astronomy he gets a better view - just goes to show the lengths that you can go to follow a hobby.
Grendel
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longshanks

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #34 on: January 11, 2013, 12:24:49 am »

I have to wear glasses for reading and each eye requires a different correction.
Speaking to the optician about detailed work he recommended that we increase the strength. This helps in two ways, increase magnification and reduced focal length i.e. the work is closer. Ideal and no headaches!
 
I also have a pair of off the shelf glasses  +4. These are large lenses and I wear them over my standard reading glasses, brilliant for small detail.
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Norseman

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #35 on: January 11, 2013, 04:03:28 am »

You really don't need to spend a 'fortune' on glasses. Avoid 'designer' and any of those little extras offered.

Anyone come across any absolute bargains for Bryan's original  question? I'm starting to think this is the medical thread.
 And 8) these shades were free - Martin gave me them  :}

Dave
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Bryan Young

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #36 on: January 11, 2013, 03:38:58 pm »

I should have expected this topic to wander off in an unexpected direction. Most topics seem to do that.
However, the various replies (particularly the one from “davidm” have coalesced my thoughts.
I’ve been absolutely bewildered by the sheer amount of products on the market, and without a chance to test/inspect stuff it’s all a bit of a lottery.My main objection to the “Anglepoise” variety has always been the fairly narrow field of working area, plus the positioning of the magnifier has to be changed with almost every shake of the users head. Next stop….my friendly optometrist and we’ll work something out. Thanks to all of you. I’ll post an update in due course. BY.
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grendel

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #37 on: January 11, 2013, 03:45:15 pm »

the best bet is to take in with you an example of what you want to do (I would take in a full A0 drawing- after seeing which they never even tried to mention varifocals) then they understand and can more accurately come to a solution.
Grendel
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sailorboy61

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #38 on: January 11, 2013, 03:47:55 pm »

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grendel

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Re: Magnifiers.
« Reply #39 on: January 11, 2013, 03:51:50 pm »

you can get a range of headband magnifiers too - eg http://www.theloupestore.co.uk/Headband-Loupes/?XTCsid=a0c2f812ff41914f87af154a4df435d8
Grendel
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