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Magnifiers for small details


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So after a lengthy absence of about 10 or so years, I decided to get back into model building.. Cleaned a nice corner in the garage, stocked up on supplies etc.. Very excited!! So.. going through my stash,  I find the beautiful Aires Resin Cockpit for the Academy 1/48 SU-27... I remember making this purchase several years ago and never got around to the build. As I was inspecting each piece, admiring its detail, I noticed something. As I held the cockpit tub close, I had some difficulty focusing on the dials, etc. which would make painting exceptionally difficult. Now keep in mind, I am 47 yrs. old and its been over 10 yrs. since I completed a build and I am a bit older. Visually, I will say I am good. No other issues that would merit a trip to the eye Dr., however, what do some of you use for this? A magnifier? I see jewelers use this headpiece w/blue lenses... Any advice would help.. Have a great day... btw, probably going to do the Revell 1/48 F-15 OOB to start.. nice easy build!

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Optivisor with a #5 lens plate. Very high quality. Accessories as well as repair/replacement parts are readily available. Good magnification and focal length. I also have a #10 lens plate for very detailed work, but focal length is too limited for general use. 

 

Another useful doodad is a lamp with a daylight bulb. I got a Luxo desk lamp and put a 100W-equivalent daylight LED in it. Very nice!

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Ed,     

   I'll 2nd what dnl42 recommended, an Optivisor #5. I can't imagine modeling without mine. I did start off years ago with a #3, but a few years ago realized that I now needed more magnification. I'm also going to take his suggestion and get a #10 for the really close up detail work that I'm once again struggling with. 

Joel

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another happy user of Optivisor - I have a very good eyesight (40yrs old), but when I started my 1:700 USS Cole kit, the PE parts were just too tiny... it has since become an essential piece of equippment, especially for cockpit detailing.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I too have an Optivisor with the X10 lens. I find I can leave them on and do my close up modelling. Very accustomed to having it on for long periods of time.  I think my Optivisor came with a X3 lens but to me it was not enough.

 

The only issue I am having now is the plastic nuts and bolts that hold the lens to the frame. Recently lost one bolt and cannot find it on my model room floor. Found the nut but no bolt. Will probably have to change them over to some small steel bolts.

 

Edited by skyhawk174
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  • 2 months later...

Yep getting old truly sucks - My eyes are already shot but with a new prescription and a clip on magnifier similar to this

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Clip-on-Eye-Glass-Magnifier/dp/B0054G0H2Q/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1516969765&sr=8-5&keywords=clip+on+magnifiers+for+craft+work

 

I can work comfortably

 

My clip on's I inherited from my late father in law, they are 2.5 times magnification and allow me to stay with Gods own 1/72 scale, I can see why modellers move to larger scales

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Hey, those clip-on magnifiers are cool!   Hi, Ed, I started noticing the same symptoms round about that age.  The lenses of the eyes become stiffer and lose their ability to focus.   I think the eyeballs are becoming harder like hard-boiled eggs, lol.   I do notice I need more light now to see well and can't read fine print anymore without having to squint or don my glasses.   If you want to do a quick test of your vision just to see if a trip to the optometrist is warranted, try walking into a local Walgreens and reach for one of those 1.0+  reading glasses and try them out to see if fine print reads better.   I do use a magnifying lamp for finer work.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/15/2017 at 3:05 PM, Joel_W said:

Ed,     

   I'll 2nd what dnl42 recommended, an Optivisor #5.

"Donegan DA-5 Optimizer 2.5x magnifier." Is this the name brand product everyone is recommending? Also, does the "#5" stated in the posts refer to Diopters rather than a magnification number? 

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

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Just got my Optivisor with a #4 lens and the loupe on Saturday.  Before that I was using a desk lamp with the magnifier.  Problem was, I kept trying to blow off dust through the lens.  I don't know how I went so long without one.

Oh, and I discovered the 10" focal length is from your eye, not from the surface of the lens.  So I'm holding my work about 4"-5" in front of the Optivisor.

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An inevitable result of aging is your eyes losing their ability to focus continuously from very close to infinity. I am near sighted and as result, can still focus on close objects. I generally model without my glasses. When I need magnification a pair of 1.5x reading glasses work. Personally I found the extreme;y shallow depth of field  and close focus distance to be not practical for me when I tried an Optivisor. You may want to try 1x reading glasses generally available almost anywhere before going for an Optivisor.

 

BTW, I am 3 months shy of 73 and model 1/72 exclusively :)

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I`d say these are worth a closer look. I have a pair myself and they are certainly very high quality and crystal clear. As you will note they are independently adjustable.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Eschenbach-Max-Detail-Magnifying-Loupe-Glasses/202236267411?hash=item2f16388b93:g:02YAAOSwTrFajelC

 

If anything, the biggest downside to this design is that you will have to get close to your subject which makes finetuning your hand/finger movements a bit tricky or awkward as you (your brain) is used to working at an arms length from your two ageing image detectors.  

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