Official Luthiers Forum!

I just finished inlaying a fairly simple paua initial into a headstock and Martin's diamonds and squares into a fretboard and I have to say that I think my tired old eyes are in need of help here.

Has anyone used the OptiVisor gadget that Dan Erlewine uses or anything similar? I don't mind springing for one if they really work and aren't more hinderance than help.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Well... its late and I should have said Magnifying I really do need new glasses!

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

i have three optivisors with various lenses, as well as a couple of the circular fluorescents with the lens in the centre. i couldn't do without them.

I use the optivisor regularly and it is the best magnifier of its kind. Avoid the other brands.

Al

I have several of the magnification hoods, a lighted magnifying  glass on a boom stand too, but my favorite is the ones that just clip to my regular glasses.

 

Dangit... didnt mean to scare the children

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Reguards,

Ken H

So what magnification would you recommend to start. I've been using walmart special reading glasses. Time for a change.

Peter

I use both the optivisor and the fluorescent light/magnifier. I like them both for different tasks.
The problem with the optivisor, at least for me, is the shallow depth of field. You're really limited and have to be at the perfect distance from whatever your looking at, and I wear glasses so it is a hassel. I use the fluorescent for my inlaying and love it. Being able to move the light just where you need it is great.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

My opthomologist recommended just buying 3.25X reading glasses at the drug store. Sometimes I put on two pairs of glasses. You can find them on sale in the store or ebay for a few dollars.

I use the Optivisors that Lee Valley sells with a little clip on LED light. Ron nailed it -- the focal length has to be perfect. I find with Optivisors that sometimes I start feeling naseous with things coming in an out of focus.

Todd -- surgical loupes interesting. I now need reading glasses (yeah I am getting old) -- do surgical loupes need to be prescription fitted?

Ron where can you get the flourescent light /magnifier?I never heard of it.Sounds like what I need.
                        James
                           

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Guys --

Thanks for the input. I think that I will spring for a set of the 1.5X OptiVisors.   The 2.5X has a sweet spot of 7 inches and that is too close to the Dremel for my nose!

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Hesh, you must have the best behaved pooch on the planet to get him to pose that way.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Todd thanks! I have a bud who is a dentist that wears presciption glasses and will pick his brain.

[QUOTE=James W B] Ron where can you get the flourescent light /magnifier?I never heard of it.Sounds like what I need.
                           James
                               [/QUOTE]

This is what I use:

Woodworker's Supply

Woodcraft
cheaper


You can get them at Staples or Office Depot and probably Lowes.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I couldn't make a guitar without mine.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Hesh, your pictures of Sony are always priceless

I have one of these little boom magnifiers. It was pretty inexpensive, I think under $20



I have it mounted close to my vise as you can see. That way it's right were I need it when doing inlay work.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I use three different sets of optivisors (from 1.5 to 8X) for different applications and also have a set of surgical loupes.  But for engraving, there's nothing that beats a stereo zoom microscope and a good engraving ball.  Once I tried a microscope, I could never do without it again.  Mine was pretty inexpensive off of ebay used.

The firearm and knife engravers have used these for a long time, but you don't see many used by luthiers (yet!)

Dave

When you get your Optivisors, make sure you get the model with the Opti-grab feature.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Yeah very lifelike pix Hesh, the ability to manipulate the subject is awesome, and the realistic eyes .. whoa .. so who and where is your taxidermist

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

[QUOTE=Don Williams] When you get your Optivisors, make sure you get the model with the Opti-grab feature.[/QUOTE]

Whoa! What an obscure, yet brilliant, reference to a movie that not many people remember. Showing your age ain't you Don ol' boy?    

B

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Here's a good price on a magnifier light.
Light

My preference is my Optivisor for magnification and an articulated arm light fixtures with a duel 100W-200W Halogen bulbs. It is amazing how much better you can see with a good intense light source. To me the articulated fixtures with magnifying lenses and neon bulbs just don't produce enough candlepower. On my inlay work station I have three duel wattage 100W/200W articulated arm laps this gives so much more light and flexibility of where the light is coming from. It really takes the strain off my eyes.

I use my optivisor all the time.  But FWIW, these things from lee valley are great and very cheap (less than $6)

Great for checking inlays, blade edges, nut slots, anything. I keep the 10x in my pocket at all times. (I even made a hole over my tablesaw fence scale to drop one in if needed.)

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Dave
Milton, ON