Magnifying glass?

All about flies Fly Tying
1

What kind of magnifying glass do you use when your tying? What strength? Does it mount on your head or on the table? I was going to go fishing tomorrow, but I’m going to have to go Christmas Shopping instead. I guess I can go fishing about anytime, but I’m only going to get to play Santa for a couple of more years then that’ll be gone forever. (My little boy is 5) Anyway, I thought I might try to find a magnifying glass, after I tie a couple of flies my eyes start hurting. I wear glasses so I’ll have to keep that in mind when I’m shopping. Any suggestions?

thanks in advance,
hNt

2

Hi hungNtree;

I wear 1.0 to 1.5 power reading glasses for bigger stuff(I need this anyways) 2.5 power for flies on size 12 hook or smaller that I need to see more detail. If I need more magnification than this, I have an illuminated magnifier on an articulated arm that’s 2.5 power. I use this alone or in combination with either range of reading glasses, whatever magnification I need for that particular fly or how tired my eyes are.

Wayne

3

Jason,
I’ve tried the “Standing” magnafiers and found they get in the way.
When I need them I use the “Clip” on one from the sewing dept. Same as from the fly shop , but half the price. If you don’t wear glasses get some of the reading glasses as Wayne suggested they will help:D

4

I use the 2.5 magnifier glasses for all my fly tying to be sure I am getting the details right. Something like $9.95 at my fly shop. They last forever, and come in handy for other close work around the house and dealing with the small print in some of those things you really don’t want to read.

5

As my eyes have aged over the years I have tried several styles of magnifing systems. A magnifayer built into a circular fluorescent lamp, one built ito a head set, and one that came with my ‘daylight lamp’ that clamps to the table.

All three styles are shown here…
http://www.oselectronics.com/ose_p43.htm

All of them worked, all of them have some advantages and disadvantages.

type 1: lens built into lamp
Increased the size of my fly by about 2X, needs to be well adjusted to get fly into focal range. Color of light is a little too blue, so I also needed to suplement with a 60 watt swing arm lamp. Lamp needs to be 8-12 inches from the fly, this can be a little in the way but I quickly got used to it. Good for detail work but I needed to swing it out of the way to see the ‘big picture’ and inspect the complete fly.

type 2: dual lens on head gear
Interchangable lenses let you adjust power to your eye strength, higher powers have shorter focal length and depth of field. You must get used to keeping your head in the correct position to put the fly in the focal range. Hands free operation, nothing to get in the way of tying. Hard to see stuff that is not in the target area or in your periphial feild of view, stuff like tools on the bench or instructions in a book. Some styles flip up out of the way to address this problem.

type 3: lens on adjustable arm clamped to table.
Similar function as the type 1. Frameless lens holder improves field of view, however the area of sharpest focus is in the center (about 2/3 of the diameter) so a 4" diameter lens only has a sharp area of about 2 1/2". I needed to move it around for big flys. The flexible arm adjusts more easily than the swing arm style. Sometimes the arm gets in the way of tying, but it can easily be swung to the side.

What eventually solved the problem was getting better lamp with a higher level of illumination. Now I only use the magnifiers for flies in the size 20-26 range. After years of doubt I finally got an expensive ‘daylight’ brand lamp. The improved illumination eliminated my eye strain and headaches. One feature that I like is that the bulb produces a wide area of illumination instead of a ‘point source’. I get less shadow when my hands are in close since the light comes from a larger surface. I held off for years due to the expense, but this was definiatly worth the price.

This is similar to the lamp I own…
http://www.madisonartshop.com/tatopdamala.html

The daylight company also makes proffesional quality magnifying lamps with natural color bulbs. I havn’t tried them but think they would be excellent, combining a large high grade optical lens with two 13 watt fluorescent bulbs. Someday when I’m feeling rich…
http://us.daylightcompany.com/professional/product/?id=191

6

I tie a lot and my eyes have slowly deteriorated over the years so I turned to several different sources. I originally decided on the clip and flip additions to wear on my glasses, but I finally settled on a nice unit attached to a flexible arm and clamped to my tying desk similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Optical-Magni-Tying-Magnifier/dp/B000Y8DY1K (Great price by the way.)
Works for me and I’ve been using ist now for the past five years. Mine is rimless. I couldn’t tie without it and consider it as important as any of my tying tools in order to get the results I want, as well as to keep my eyes relaxed when I sit down and tie several dozen size #22 midges.
Best of luck in your search.

Kelly.

7

I use the cheater reading glass and wear them right over my bifocals.
A trick I learned from Jack Gartside. :smiley:

I buy them by the fist full when they’re on sale at the discount store ($2) and have them stashed all over the house, in the cars, tool box, tackle bag…anywhere I may actually need to see what I’m doing.

8

I’ve had poor eyesight since I was about 5 years old and now 50+ years later, I really need a magnifier light to tie anything but large bass and saltwater patterns. I started using one of the large lighted magnifiers that I picked up at a local big box store. The light was fine and the magnification was okay, but the arm on the lamp was cheap and after a couple of months, it wouldn’t tighten up and stay in one place. It would either pop back up about six inches when I positioned it or it would VERY slowly creep down. It moved so slowly that I wouldn’t realize it until I found myself all crouched down to see through the magnifier. I happened to work where there were guys using magnifiers every day to do very fine soldering of electronic boards so I asked them which one to get. They recommended the Luxo products. They are quite a bit more expensive, but now when I move the lamp, it stays right where I leave it; no hassles, fidgeting and no more aching neck from crouching down. Not all of these lamps are equal so I would recommend that you invest the extra money to get a good one that will serve you for years to come. I found mine on Ebay for about the same amount as the cheaper model and it was one of the best investments I’ve made at my tying bench.

Jim Smith

9

hugNTree,

The others have given you great advice on the magnifiers. Just for info I use a table mounted/lighted one on my tying table and I have the head clamp type for other areas when I tie.

But, you said something that isn’t exactly true.

You will never be too old to play Santa. Even when your boy grows up a bit he will always enjoy his treasures that he gets from his dad and when he has little ones they will also enjoy Santa’s visits from their Granpa.

You are never too old to play Santa. :slight_smile:

Larry —sagefisher—

10

Hello hungNtree, this may or may not work for you but try taking your glasses off to see if your focus improves at a comfortable tying position. I’m nearsighted and i’ve always had to remove my glasses to tye and magnifyers don’t work for me at all.

Also, if you happen to be nearsighted, you could have your optometrist make you a pair of single vision glasses that focus at any distance you want…for me i had a pair made that focus at arms length. Those are for computer work but depending on your tying position, you could possibly have glasses made that will eliminate what sounds like eyestrain to me. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

11

I use reading glasses of 1.5x magnification. I found the ones mounted on a bendable shaft or an articulating arm with light just got in my way. The glasses have served me well. I have two. One I keep on my dresser the other in my tying bag.

12

I too use reading glasses with 1.5xmagnification.
I have one question, can one put the “daylight bulbs” in an ordinary lamp?

13

I have a set of +3 reading glasses for tying. I use +1.5 to +1.75 for reading so the +3 lets me get in a little closer.

14

Investing in an optical aid is the last place I’d try to economize.
At work I supplied my technicians doing close electronics work on occassion with the same device used by many medical people. It is a Donegan “Optivisor”. It is a pivoting headband binocular type unit that has a choice of various magnification plates made with optical glass. They are made in theU.S.A. and cost about $35 with one lens plate.
I have no business interest here except that of a satisfied user.

15

Most of the 1.5…2…3.5 type reading glasses talked about can simply be looked over, tried on and checked out and purchased at Wal-Mart. A whole rack of them at reasonable prices.

I prefer the head strap lens system with the different lenses that you can flip up out of the way or down to use…like flip one down and if not enough flip another one down and use both to look through…all while still wearing your prescription glasses with bifocals. You can usually find the set up you like. Peripheral vision becomes tough, but you simply raise the lens up out of the way, and then swing it back down. It is on a swivel. Works for me.

I don’t remember what I paid for mine. I purchased mine online from some vendor. I notice Harbor Freight has one and it has one more set of lenses than mine has! On sale in AZ stores for $9.99. I know I paid a lot more than that.

I was talking to Charlaine and told her, and while on phone she looked at Harbor Freight in her area and it sounds hard to believe, I have poor hearing…but I swear she said $5.99. Almost forgot one lens. The headstrap ones also have one jewelers lens…one extra round lens that is on the outside and moves up out of the way…that you can swing down and look through.

They also have a light on each side of the headset…but I have never put batteries in mine and tried it. Could be good thing. I dunno.

Just fyi

16

The best that I have seen period is the Giraffe lighting / magnifier system.

Two other things to go along with magnification is your lighting and a profile plate. All three of these work together with your current eye glass perscription just fine. Think THREE LEGGED TABLE, you need all three legs for the table to stand not just one, especially if you are having some kind of issues so don’t forget the profile plate or your lighting.

17

I wear the 1.0 or 1.5 reading glasses depending what I’m tying. THey work well and were cheap.

The only question I have is someone told me if you don’t need reading glasses and wear them to magnify it is bad for your eyes. Does anyone know if this is true?

TB

18

When the eyes started going I used the flip up’s that attached to my regurlar glasses for tying.
http://www.cabelas.com/p-0024296711125a.shtml

Then I found these at the local Micheal’s and really like them. http://www.mageyes.com/Hobby.htm
They are light, swing up and down easily and have enterchanable lenses from 1.6 to 2.75 magnification.
GJ

19

If that were true…there would be LOTS of old time lofting men that would be stone cold blind right now. They wore ( I didnt) the GOOD visor type or magnifiers for 6-7 hrs a day but took them off at lunch time to play cards.

20

I use a lighted magnifier that I attach to my vise. The model that I have can also be attached to a desk. The advantage of this one over glasses or most of the other magnifiers is that it has a light in it so I do not have another object in my way (i.e. a light) while tying. Unfortunately, most of the magnifier/light combinations are expensive, but I did find one at BassPro that was more reasonably priced.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_104274_175004006_175000000_175004000_175-4-6

I normally do not like the quality of BassPro’s products, but this one is really good. Has held up well and is flexible. The magnification is fine for most flies, but when I tie something smaller than 18 or 20, I add a pair of reading glasses.