Visors & lighting

[FL-Flinter]

Perhaps this has been covered before but I couldn't find it with a search, or I just didn't search properly, if it's a repeat question, I apologize.

I'd like suggestions on a decent quality visor that's still relatively inexpensive (read as: I have very limited funds). One thing I have to contend with is the fact that I need at least a 10" focus distance, 12-14 inches would be better (physical issues). What magnification power is best? All comments & suggestions welcome and please feel free to inform me of anything I didn't ask about too.

Now for the lighting ... one of my biggest problems is trying to see what I'm doing. I'm out of ideas, seems no matter where I put my lights or what kind I use, I end up with shadows. I attempted a deer today, came out looking like Rudolf.... I put a pick under my other post, if you want a good laugh, check it out here (it looked a whole lot better before I started cutting) http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1365

Anyway, problem is, I spent about as much time moving my lights work as I did cutting it and still ended up cutting blind at times. After 22 years of welding, I need good lighting. As always, anything you feel like sharing is very much welcome. You have no idea what a benfit it is to someone like me having a place like this where so many professionals are so willing to share their hard learned experience.

Thank You,
Mark

 

[sword]

flinter,
I have had good luck whiter poster board to bounce the light around easy to bend to get light where you want it and cheap

Good luck ,
Tom

 

[FL-Flinter]

Well, I didn't see the forrest for the trees. Excellent idea and I have some too, remembering where I put it is another issue though.

 

[monk]

when you specify a focal length you're also more or less comitting to a given optical power. at the distance you prefer, you're lucky to get much over 2x. donegal optical magni focuser loupes are good. more is out there, but at the longer focal length, they will make you pay mega bucks. the magnification that's best, can only be answered by you. lighting that has a color temperature close to natural daylight is best. these bulbs are available in flourescent , led, and incandescent. sam alfano and others kind of convinced me to buy and try a scope. reluctantly i bought a used one on e-bay. i learned to love it. perhaps this might solve a vision issue for you. the only drawback i find with the scope, you can lose a real sense of the proportion of what you are doing till you get used to using it. i don't think you would want to do your drawing with one, only the cutting. you can get surgical/dental loupes up to about 6 x and about 16-18" focal length- but on limited funds, this leaves you hangin as they start at around $500.00 on up. i will say though, the vue thru these puppies is fantastic. but, like always, you get what you pay for. keep an eye on the forum here stuff gets posted for sale, e-bay too.

 

[JourneymanBuilder]

This is a tough delima,
I am using a 500 watt halogen hanging above and off to the left side for my work lighting ( I am right handed ), below and behind that I have a small fan blowing up and accross the light to keep the heat down, as far a optics I am using an opti-visor with a #10 lens which works out to about 3.5 @ 4". I also have a #5 and #7 for inletting and file work on the muzzleloaders. I am seriously looking into a set of these http://www.ergonoptix.com/binocularloupes/ergonoptix-comfort-dental-loupes-surgical-loupes.html or these http://http://www.swissloupes.co.uk/2.html, here is another set http://www.med1online.com/c-2196-dental-loupes.aspx?gcid=S17407x001&keyword=dental%20loupe they are just a bit cost prohibitive at this time, also the visors should give a better field of view for working on larger pieces over a scope. This is important when working on muzzleloader parts. Not sure if this helps any.

 

[John B.]

FL Flinter.
With limited funds available you might try Enco.
They sell the Optivisor at a lower price than most places.
The Optivisor is high quality and has glass optics.
The catalog or internet use-enco.com or 800-873-3626 show the magnification and focal distance.
Best wishes, John B.

 

[Guarnera]

Dental loupes

Check out ebay for dental loupes. Some good deals there on new dental/surgical loupes.

 

[FL-Flinter]

Monk,
I just picked up a used Optivisor today off my watchmaker friend (for 5 bucks, couldn't go wrong). I find it focuses for me at about 7-8 inches. I'm making a whole new vice set-up that should allow me to set the work where it's more comfortable for me given the reduced focal distance of the visor. It's much cheaper for me to adjust the work placement, just takes time.

Tom,
With the exception of about four days a year, my fan is going the whole time I'm working (and I'm not complaining, it sure beats freezing!) I like the looks of those dental glasses. I have a few friends in that business, I think they all use scopes anymore, I'll definitely see if they have any they don't use anymore. I finished up the butt carving yesterday, when I looked at through the visor tonight, I just spent another hour taking out all the fuzzies & lumps I couldn't see without the magnification.

JohnB,
Thanks for the heads-up on Enco, I'll defintely check them out, if the visor continues to work out for me, I'd like to get some additional lenses.

Thanks to everyone!
Mark

 

[JourneymanBuilder]

I finished up the butt carving yesterday, when I looked at through the visor tonight, I just spent another hour taking out all the fuzzies & lumps I couldn't see without the magnification.

Yup, being able to see can add 25 to 50 hrs to a build
I am not sold on the loupes yet but I am leaning that direction, with the style of engraving that I am trying to emulate 3.5 power is plenty strong, and I see the limits of the scope on larger pieces. I will use my opti-visor for inletting as well as detailing the furniture and that fun stuff. Just need to justify the cost to the boss

 

[FL-Flinter]

I don't have the "need to justify" problem, my wife always says, "If you need it, go ahead and get it." - only problem I run into is being able to pay for it now.

I don't mind putting the extra time into building, I'd rather put the time into it while it's on my bench than to have someone see it later and not be as happy with what they got. The biggest issue I have a hard time getting over is the fact that these are supposed to be "hand built" and the little boo boo's here and there indicate such. All my industrial work had to be as flawless as possible and sometimes it's difficult to step back across the line again. I put full length molding lines on it, and had two spots where the chisel wandered slightly with the grain. I about had a fit over it until I got in the right frame of mind to accept it, I mean 0.025" out on a machine surface is a major deal, the same amount of error on a molding line is okay for this gun but I still like to eliminate as many deviations as possible.