Anyone ever use....

[Jim Flamming]

...a loupe for inspecting rod wraps or out on the stream? Any idea who sells them? Any FAOL sponsors?

[AgMD]

I use a 12X for inspecting wraps all the time. Sometimes I loose count of turns. Edmunds Scientific is the place to get a high quality glass loupe. Not cheap though. Expect to pay $50 or so. Cheaper loups can be had, Agfa used to ( and maybe still does ) sell a 8X loupe w/ plastic lens fot $12 or so. Rotten optics, but servicable for infrequent use. If you live near a big city camera store this might be a good place to look, or you might check out Porters Camera on line. I think you can find magnifying glasses - much lower power than loupes - at Staples.
AgMD

[Plain Old Jim]

Ag,

Would Edmunds also be a good place to look for a micrometer?

gem

[dleo6446]

I am sure they would have one but take a look at Harbor Freight first....$19.99 for a digital that is pretty darn good.




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0 TO 1'' RANGE DIGITAL MICROMETER


Accurate to .0001''. Clear graduations and digital scale. Hardened and ground spindle with carbide anvil ensure durability and accuracy. Anti-glare satin finish. Includes padded wooden storage case.


ITEM 895-2VGA

$19.99 Email link to a friend

[AgMD]

There are two classes of micrometers out there. Inexpensive and not. Inexpensive, good to 0.00" , digital or the old fashoned read the lines, nearly any thing you want for $19.95 to $50. If all I wanted was to mic some leader material, some rod blanks for tip tops, etc. I think the inexpensive jobs would be just fine. Harbor freight, Grizzly, Sears -- just about everybody has them.
On the other hand -- If I was going to do a bit of something more serious, machining - lathe work, mill work etc. I would be looking for a Srarrett or Mitutoyo, and depending on what I wanted ( digital or not, thousandths or ten thousandths) I would expect to pay $80 -- $140. I would also expect to pass it on to my children. McMaster-Carr is a good source. No give away bargains but usually a fair price.
If you have the chance, check out an inexpensive and a quality instrument side by side. I think you will see and feel why the quality unit casts more.
BTW my own micrometers are hand me down Starretts from my grandfather who was a tool and die cutter for Winchester. They are at least as old as me, and I figure they have a few more generations in them. My dial calipers are, one Mitutoyo and one $19.95 "I don't know it's name". They are both fine for what they are and both have their uses, but there is a world of difference between them.

AgMD

For the loupe, try [url=http://www.sciplus.com/:f4752]http://www.sciplus.com/[/url:f4752]
Read the descriptions carefully. They have some good stuff, and some that is not so good, but they do describe things honestly

[Plain Old Jim]

Thanks for the info on micrometers. Appreciate the info. I only need the less expensive one to measure leaders and tippets. I only use single foot guides for tip tops so I don't need to use a micrometer to measure the rod tips.

Again, thanks for the info.

Gem