Help, please: I want out!

Doc Mark

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Messages
1,284
Location
Hampton, Virginia
Hey Jim!

Here's my 2 cents. As you can probably guess, I wear "dental loupes" or surgical telescopes many hours a day in the office. If you are going to be happy with these devices, they must be custom fitted to you. Your preferred working distance, amount of magnification, normal vision, and tolerance for weight must all be taken into account. That is why you will not find a standard price list on the various manufacturer's websites.
In the office I use a 2.6X set. The working distance is about 16 inches. I have tried to use them for engraving and cameo carving but find that they don't have enough magnification. The absolute best for working distance and higher magnification (up around 5X) come from Prismatic, or Kepler style optics. These are going to set you back a couple of grand. The Galilean style can be found at around $1000 for a good brand. But these don't go above somewhere around 3.5 - 4X. The main advantage of surgical telescopes vs. simple lense systems like the optivisor is the greater depth of field and the much greater working distance. They work well with hammer and chisel but you do need to learn how to hold your head fairly steady. With the highest magnifications, it's often not the depth of field that is your enemy, but rather that the rapid head movement can literally make you feel dizzy.

Go to these websites and read about the different designs and their advantages/disadvantages, then call one of their reps and have them bring you some samples to try. They are usually quite knowledgeable and willing to find the best unit for your needs. Both these companies have excellent optics, quite in line with Zeiss without the premium prices.

ORASCOPTIC, and DESIGNS FOR VISION

Hope this helps,

Mark
 

Weldon47

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Messages
1,412
Location
Welfare, Texas
Jim,

I don't believe it has been mentioned & though it may seem insignificant at first, check the lighting in your shop. A well illuminated workspace is important. You've seen my shop...the white walls & ceiling really help (along with the T-* fluorescent lights. I didn't realize the diference until I moved out to the country....I had been in the shop with dad for so long I didn't realize how dingy it was. The ultra white paint helps light up the place & makes it a lot easier to see.

Food for thought!

WL
 

soj

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
82
Location
Lubbock, Texas
I read on one of the forums about someone wearing reading glasses under their optivisor. If you are used to wearing reading glasses like I am, it does work pretty well. I'm sure not much of an engraver, so it may not matter as much to me as it would to you folks, but , I have a #5 and a #10 lens for my Optivisor, neither was exactly what I wanted as far as a working range, BUT, by wearing a 2.0 reading glasses under my #5 lens in my Optivisorm it was just right. And I have reading glasses laying around by the dozen, of different strengths, so I am in good shape as I need to change them.
 

KCSteve

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Jun 19, 2007
Messages
2,882
Location
Kansas City, MO
I'm just about ready to try something I read someone post in one of the forums:

Go to your local inexpensive eyeglass place and have a pair of glasses made to your prescription + a 5x magnifier. I need a fresh exam as my current prescription is too old but even with that it should be under $200 to get a 5x magnifier made to my prescription and the working distance I want.
 

JBrandvik

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
268
Location
Bandera County, Texas
Dave, Thanks for the information. Someday when the moon is in Sagittarius and the credit cards companies all lose my address, I may seriously start shopping for something labeled “Zeiss”. I know that would be the way to go if money were no option, but unfortunately money is still a big factor in this equation.

Hey Doc, I was hoping you would weigh-in on this one. If you remember, I asked you about this at Reno but somehow I misplaced the napkin I was using as a notepad. Your input as a bona-fide tooth doctor is appreciated. I hope I can solve this issue on the cheap, but if I can’t I will be willing to spend quite a bit to do what I want to do. In that case, your recommendations will win-out.

Weldon, I thanks for the lighting tip. I have a ton of natural lighting in my studio. But, my walls and ceiling are all covered with gorgeous cedar planking so painting over with white or any other color is just not an option.

SOJ, STEVE and VICKIE, your suggestions are all variations on the same thing which tells me there may be some real merit worth investigation. I went ahead and went to the link that Vickie posted and ordered a pair of the +5 diopter specs listed there. For $19.95 it is worth a try. I’ll let you know how I like em. I will experiment with the specs and the magnavisor and Hoot’s suggestion to see if I can come up with the perfect combination. I will report in later to let everyone know what the result was.

Thanks again to all for the great input.

Best,
 
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