Scott asked,
> BugBear has brought up the point of magnification, what do other
galoots use as their magnification tool? I have considered both a set of
spectacles (glasses) from my local drugstore, or perhaps a set of these
binocular magnifiers like these.
>
>
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=40936&categ
ory=1,43456,43351
>
> Or maybe a magnifying lens combination lamp setup like those used by
electronics folks.
>
>
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=45119&categ
ory=1,41637
>
> I'm hoping to find something that would be useful for both saw
sharpening as well as examining my plane/chisel edges under when
sharpening them.
Seconds to Jim & Esther ....
I use a set of binocular magnifiers in the shop I inherited from my late
FIL .... have both 5x and 2x lenses for those, but I essentially just
use the 5x (now that you bring it up, I'm not sure where I put the
little envelope with the 2x lenses .... hmmm).
Also have a 3x loupe, which can be useful in some instances. Gotta have
a suitable source of light to make these magnifiers effective too.
Overhead spotlight works for me.
Several years ago I bought a clone of the Dazor lamp, with rolling base,
for SWMBO and her needlework (not cheap even as a clone!!). I don't
think that style of lamp mounted on a rolling base would have much use
in the shop unless you were working on small stuff in a small area and
tended to sit on a stool or otherwise be stationary .... I guess that
would be Ralph at miniature clockmaking. It's 'portable', but would be
a PITA to have to adjust frequently as your attention moves around a
decent sized workbench. If I mounted it upside-down from the floor
joists above my workbench, as my architect's lamp is mounted, then it
would be less of a burden to adjust or move about and all I'd need to do
would be to make sure the lens and lamp cover stayed clean of fine
sawdust. But, I don't want to lose my fingers by trying to abscond with
her lamp, and the binocular magnifiers and loupe do well enough that I
never thought of doing this before.
Charlie Driggs
Newark DE
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