Magnifying headband

[John Bateson]

Is there any concensus on here about a good quality magnifying headband. I need a replacement for the one I use, which generally works fine and is available for any price between £6 and £20.
And yes, this is age related, as I lose focus and need brighter lighting.
John

[andrewnummelin]

I put a similar question to our dentist a few weeks ago - what he advised would require sticking a couple of noughts on the end of the prices you gave!

A couple of years back I mentioned to an optician that I was not able to focus at close distance like in the past (small items but not needing magnification) and his advice was just to get a stronger set of cheap reading glasses - a very economical solution. (This will, of course, be dependent on your particular eyes.) I settled for a slightly more pricey option and had a pair of new lenses put into my old safety glasses - very comfortable when working with small power tools but useless when you can't find something on the bench!

[Alan Turner]

Have a look at these: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/multi ... -light-tec

regards

Alan

[Paul Willis]

Is there any concensus on here about a good quality magnifying headband. I need a replacement for the one I use, which generally works fine and is available for any price between £6 and £20.
And yes, this is age related, as I lose focus and need brighter lighting.
John

After struggling with diminishing close range eyesight for a couple of years, I decided that something needed to be done.

I initially took the route of a stronger pair of over-the-counter reading glasses, which serve well to wear for general modelling. However whilst at Missenden a year or so ago, I had the opportunity to try on an Optivisor. This proved exactly the right thing for true close-up work.

The lenses are interchangeable, and the advantage of trying these out at Missenden was that I could wander around the room and try different strengths of magnification to see which worked. I was surprised that the stronger ones were actually awkward to use, as they meant that I had to bring the workpiece too close to the end of my nose.

I eventually went for some in the middle of the range - they are marked "4" as the strength.

Highly recommended. Robust, clear, and useful in that they fit over existing glasses so that you can use them alone or in combination with normal or reading glasses to give extra magnification.

For the lighting aspect, I just use two strong reading lamps above my bureau, shining in from either side. I don't think that I would get on with lights mounted on the magnifier, but I admit that I haven't had cause to try it.

HTH
Flymo

[David B]

I used to use a magnifying headband but did not get on with it. Instead, I wore two pairs of specs, my last two prescriptions. When I went for more specs, I asked them to make me a pair of bifocals with the double strength built in. I can model easily, see where things are on the bench and look over the frames for distance. Frames & lenses cost me £45 with a scratch resistant coating, more than an Optivisor but I find the specs easier to use. I also got them to adjust the focal distance, modelling being a bit nearer than reading.

A straw poll taken at Missenden a couple of years ago found some 40% of people there had dedicated specs for modelling.

[David Thorpe]

I use a pair of £2.99 2.5 magnification reading glasses I bought in Aldi - similar ones tend to be generally available. Used in conjunction with a good light source, they do the job. It might be worth your while trying a pair of these (you can try them on first in the shop) before embarking on a more expensive option.

DT

[Guy Rixon]

I now use a headband magnifier and couldn't get on without it. Mine came from the bring-and-buy at Scaleforum for £12 (single best thing I've ever bought at a show!) but is available new for ~£20. This is not a particular high-quality product, but I deem it good enough. It is the kind with interchangeable, plastic lenses.

My magnifier has a single lens in front of each eye. This sets its major limitation: the zone of good focus is not very deep. On the second-strength lenses, I can see something held in my hands but nothing at the back of the bench. I tend to find the soldering iron thermally.

The high-end headband-magnifiers, as used in surgery and other exacting trades, have a small telescope in front of each eye; this gives better depth of field. Apparently they start at ~£300 for the commodity versions and surgeons tend to get custom sets made for a few thousand a time.

Because the posh, telescopic magnifiers exist, I doubt there's much space in the market for better-quality, single-lense sets. I think the £20 version is probably as good as one is likely to find. It's cheap enough to treat as disposable after a few years if the lenses degrade.

[Will L]

For a long time, given the price of a real Optivisor, I decided I was quite happy using over counter reading specs worn over my prescription varifocals. Then one day I was in Maplins and saw the Rolson Magnifying Visor which was on offer at the time at something like £12.99. At that price I decided it was worth giving them a go. They have has 4 different lenses, plastic yes but of perfectly good quality. It also has a built in LED light and the faculty to allow you to fit two lenses at once so you can set it up for really close work with two lenses in use, then flip the front one out the way so you can see what is on your bench. I would not be without it now, and I even used it to do the three link coupling last time Knutsford was on show. These are still on sale at Maplins but now at £17.99 from their web site post free.

[John Bateson]

OK, thanks for the responses, I have ordered the Maplin set mentioned below.
It seems that I may have an Optivisor, although I would have remembered it well if I had paid nearly £50 for it according to current price lists. After owning it for several years and never getting on with it because I had to hold the target almost right under my nose, I tried it without my glasses and that proved to be quite revealing, since I can now work much further away from the target.
John

[David Catton]

When I eventually succumbed to the need for reading glasses, I found that buying several pairs of cheap ones to be the best way of preventing the (relatively) expensive prescription ones getting messed up when modelling or doing DIY or even, as now, using my PC. I also have a magnifying fluorescent lamp mounted on my workbench that I pull between my face and whatever I am working on when required. Fortunately, this does not flicker as many tubes do so I find this the best way to see what I am doing when fiddly items are in my hands.

DC

[jasp]

I am a practising dentist, albeit only two days a week, supervising students, and use magnification more for modelling than work.
I have tried many forms of magnification including £500 optically correct loupes and the Rolson ones which are quite heavy
What I currently use are "Lactona" loupes, 4times magnification for modelling and 2.5 times mag. for work. Each is made up of an adjustable headband with a hinged, optically correct magnifier.
Not at home just now or I would have provided a pic.
Not sure of general availability and cost but certainly lighter and cheaper than Optivisor.
I will provide a pic on my return home and will meantime try to find a source.
Jim P

[David B]

I came across this page on the Loupe Store website. Prices range from £7.50 to £500!

There are some useful aids elsewhere on the site.

[Tor Giffard]

Aft'noon all,

At nearly 50 I've found similar issues with close up work. My current solution is this 8X magnifying LED lamp with a clamp base, so it doesn't take up much space and can't tip over. Great quality, the sprung arm stays exactly where you put it.

http://www.somersetsolders.com/led-magn ... mp-x8/p473

Dave

[John Bateson]

Will,
Just received and tried the Maplins headband - very impressed but I think I will not use the attached light. Thanks for the pointer.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/rolson-2-led-12x-18x-25x-and-35x-magnifying-visor-n70fk
John

[David Knight]

Attached lights come into their own when used under less than ideal light conditions. I found mine invaluable for making repairs at shows.

Cheers,

David

[steve howe]

On the subject of lights, I'm finding the low-energy halogens give a very clear clean light. The ones I've been using look like a conventional lightbulb with a screw or bayonet fitting, but have the haolgen unit inside.