Optical Aids

[skins]

Does anyone have a source for, or any experience with "Dental Loupes"? Assembling these kits requires some degree of magnification and illumination that exceeds what is available at most drug stores.

Terry

[debk]

I use a pair of surgical loupes some times.  You have to be careful to make sure the working distance is good for what you want to do.  Good loupes are very expensive, on the order of a Bottlehead kit.

A much cheaper alternative, and one I use most of the time,  is the Optivisor.  An inexpensive binocular magnifier you wear on your head.  I believe they now come with clip on led illumination.  You can find these at Amazon and hobby stores.

Debra

[JC]

I'll second that, hobby stores, especially ones with trains and planes, are often a good source for magnifiers and many precision tools that crossover well.

[STURMJ]

My work involves microscopes. I helped a coworker purchase one earlier this year (cheaply).  These are the kinds of things where you can pay as much as you like...but you can get good cheap ones. Helping my friend I thought, how cool would having my own stereo binocular scope would be ( the kind you would also find most helpful as well ). Check these out, I've been mulling over whether I really need one myself. 
http://www.amscope.com/Stereo-Binocular-1.html

[debk]

I would think using a scope like those would be good for possibly PCB's, but not practical for work on the point to point wiring found in the kits.  A scope on an articulated arm like a surgical microscope would work, but woud be cost prohibitive.

Debra

[Grainger49]

I use a lighted magnifying glass.  The same one mentioned in this thread:

First Project Suggested Tools

It keeps solder fumes out of your face, the light is from a circular tube (even all around) and magnifies.

[STURMJ]

you cam boom mount those scopes, making them more maneuverable.  Just a thought.

[John Roman]

optivisor , used to use them in the service as dental tech. Cool !

[Lee Hankins]

Try looking at Dental supplies on the web.  I have a pair of the expensive heavy Dental Loupes, I do not like them, they are way too heavy and their field of view is very narrow.  I also have the clip-on plastic loupes, these I really like.  They are cheap, not as restrictive as the regular dental lopes, extremely light with a wide field of view.  IMHO much better than the round light magnifiers, more freedom of movement, and extremely easy to flip up out of the way.  I also consider them better than products like the optivisor, the optivisor is much heavier than a pair of reading glasses with clip-ons.

[John Roman]

Those microscopes would be great  for PCB's.
John

[porcupunctis]

Right before I assembled my Foreplay III, I purchased a lighted magnifying light from Grizzly.  I live near Springfield, MO and Grizzly has a huge warehouse outlet there.  Basically it's a round fluorescent light with a fairly large magnifying lens in the center.  All mounted on an articulated arm and heavy base. 

I spent $66 and it would have been worth ten times that.  Really.  You gotta see what you are doing and in pretty good detail.

Get something.

[Laudanum]

Yep, same here.  Lighted magnifier on a spring loaded "boom" / arm.  Clamps to the table.  I got my wife a pretty decent one a couple years ago for her painting.  I picked up a cheaper one on fleabay since I dont use it near as often and she does.  Works great and was about 35 bucks plus shipping.

[2wo]

MCM has a lighted Magnifier on sale for 29.99. 5" lens...John

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-10005&p=?&scode=DD12W1&trk_msg=BK7EU9S5T5O4H43DOJKNVSBG70&trk_contact=08U62FD3F44CE96KLVA6NF5MSK&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=21-10005&utm_campaign=DD12W1

[Laudanum]

MCM has a lighted Magnifier on sale for 29.99. 5" lens...John

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-10005&p=?&scode=DD12W1&trk_msg=BK7EU9S5T5O4H43DOJKNVSBG70&trk_contact=08U62FD3F44CE96KLVA6NF5MSK&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=21-10005&utm_campaign=DD12W1

Looks exactly like the one I have.  If you are going to be using it everyday, I would get something a little better.  But for short term projects, etc.  It works well.

[Doc B.]

For what it's worth we use both that type of magnifying lamp and visor style magnifiers at Bottleheadquarters. The lamps are pretty difficult to position over the work so that you get an evenly focused view, and I think the visor is a much better approach. This el cheapo one works great:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=visor+magnifier&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=2468312539840060450&sa=X&ei=cJbeTt2gDonfiALp8PDNCg&ved=0CG4Q8gIwBA