Which Headband Magnifier?

I'm looking to buy a headband magnifier, and it looks like there are lots of different types available out there, ranging from £2.99 loupes to £45+ Optivisers. I wear reading glasses and have a pair of prescription safety glasses for use in the workshop, but need something stronger for close work such as fine machining and marking out.

What do you use and recommend?

I have a cheap one with a variety of lenses and 2 LED lights. The lights are useful but I find it difficult to focus using the headband. I now tend to use a hand-glass. I don't use glasses for close work but anything over 2 ft. need them.

Jonathan,

Have a look at this previous thread ... It started off as a question about workbenches, but morphed [as these things do] into an interesting discussion about assisttive optics.

MichaelG.

I have a couple of genuine Optivisors - 4 dioptre for general work and 7 for really small stuff and swear by them, comfortable enough for use hours on end and adjustable enough for my big head! Beware cheap imitations as the lenses are c**p.

No connection etc. etc.

Andy

Hi Jonathan

I bought an Optivisor about 5 years ago. It was around £30 or £40 if I remember correctly. The lens I got was high magnification (it is stamped 7), so I have to be around 6 inches away from an object to focus in and scrutinise it properly. I keep meaning to get another lens that will allow me to be a bit further away, because, sometimes, it is inconvenient having to get up real close to an object to get it in focus at high magnification. Sticking my head 6 inches away from a moving chuck gets a bit hairy sometimes (but I am still here with all my bits). I don't know what the cheaper options are like, but I paid more hoping to get quality. I'm very pleased with the Optivisor and it gets a hell of a lot of use (because my reading eyesight is not good). The plastic lens is still good and I'm careful not to scratch it. I use it over my reading glasses and it works well. I keep it on sometimes for long hours, it is not too uncomfortable at all, and I just flip it up and down as required.

Steve

Edited By Steven Vine on 21/01/2016 18:13:54

I have used an OptiVISOR (as it is molded on the lens carrier) for over 10 years. I have two sets of lenses, an 8 which is almost never used and a 4. The latter is useful for almost everything. The one failing is that the holes in the lens carrier wear allowing the split pin retaining the lens to fall out. The split pins have been replaced by 6BA screws and nuts. The lenses have no scratches on them.

The only other problem is that it cannot be in two places at the same time, the workshop and office. I intend to get a second for use on "electronics" in the office.

Obviously I am very happy with mine. It is well worth the money.

I should add that I use it instead of reading glasses. It does not work well with reading glasses

JA

Edited By JA on 21/01/2016 19:34:50

Optivisor is good to work with, negative is the plastic band around your head with hot weather it causes much sweat. Niko.

If I am feeling manic as I can usually manage with reading glasses I use a pair of this sort of thing of Russian origin

**LINK**

I'm not sure I would recommend the pair I use as they zoom and focus independently and that is tricky to set up. The working distance is very good though. The link will probably bring up a lot of chinese optics. From my experience they can be surprisingly good. The big advantage they offer is true stereoscopic vision. I have used headband types mostly the ones that RS Components sell which are basically industrial parts but I think they are not as good as these. I'd be inclined to risk buying a cheaper pair of binoc's. Maybe some have dioptre matching for people who have unbalanced eyes. It's important to relax the eye when using these and not to inadvertently try and focus at the working distance - usually more of a problem for the young.

I also find a desk magnifier very useful. I found some of these very seriously discounted

**LINK**

They are little odd hence the discount I suspect. There might still be some about on the web. They have an on off switch and a PRESS to START button. No idea why as the tube does start as soon as it's switched on. It may help when the tube has aged but I've used 3 tubes over 5+ years probably 10+. If I was buying again I would try to get one with a flip up dust cover but I've had no problems from regular cleaning.

For really find work one of these comes out

**LINK**

They crop up now and again and have very crisp optics and a decent working distance even for things like soldering, even working on watches at times. I'm sure if needed a model engineer could mount one on a boom stand. I also have a couple of very capable stereo microscopes but these tend to be a lot more expensive.

John

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Optivisors for the last 30 years. At times have sewn up head bands of various materials to suit/as needed. Have probably 4 of them around.

Pete

Hi Jonathan, I have one of these **LINK** I need to use reading glasses and these work fine for me in combination with my reading glasses.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 21/01/2016 22:27:11

I have a head band magnifier from Tricky Dicks(Dick Smiths), bought not that long before they started their down hill slide. You'd think that if Woolworths took them over, they would hardly go bust !! They have 2 bifocal lenses + 1 other pivoted on the RH side. It has 2 incandescent lights, if I got another set it would be from Jay Car, similar but with LEDs.

One mod done was to replace the rivets that the lens piece tilts on the head band with thumb screws.

Ian S C

I have a Lactona *4 which is very good, I got an American relative to buy in USA and give it to me as a Xmas present, a lot cheaper than buying in Uk

When I visited the USA a few years ago, I bought myself a Bausch & Lomb headband magnifier and a spare set of lenses.
http://www.bausch.com/our-products/vision-accessories/professional-magnifiers/magna-visor#.VqIYq0CM77w.

Looking at the B&L site for UK, they don't appear to be listed.

Not cheap, but excellent quality and comfortable to wear. Having said that, I rarely use it because since having my cataracts removed, my eyesight doesn't seem to warrant their use (at the moment) for the kind of metal butchery I indulge in.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

On eBay (of course) item number: 360932097730

Edited By steamdave on 22/01/2016 12:04:11

If people want and are prepared to pay for industrial quality there is no need to use the USA

**LINK**

Anyone can buy off them and items arrive next day. FarnelI some times make a point of being cheaper than RS on some items and appear to be offering free next day if before 8pm. Seems to be a similar time to RS for next day.

John

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I am a clockmaker and i have a Optivisor with no5 lens for bench close to work and a number no4 lens for working on the lathe or milling machine.

On my close to Optivisor I have the new Quasar LS light fitted which is brilliant

I would post a picture but yet again I was defeated by this awful user interface I even put the  picture on photobucket ready

Edited By Stephen Benson on 22/01/2016 15:26:15

Hi all,

did mention before that I just bought a Anglepoise desk magnifier with 25'ish LED's in Lidil's for €38 about 2 weeks ago.....works a treat.....does have a lens cover that flip's up....

clogs

I am a clockmaker and i have a Optivisor with no5 lens for bench close to work and a number no4 lens for working on the lathe or milling machine.

On my close to Optivisor I have the new Quasar LS light fitted which is brilliant

Works well with my varifocal glasses, and the LEDs are too bright to look at so they shed a lot of light

Edited By Stephen Benson on 22/01/2016 16:38:37

Edited By Stephen Benson on 22/01/2016 16:39:49

Woolies went under a few years ago!

Neil

A friend of mine got tired of the Optivisor sliding around on his head. He modified the headgear from a clear face shield to accept the Optivisor plates. That gave him a ratchet adjustable headgear with a band over the top of his head.