Magnifier Lamps

[timelett]

What is a good one is 3x5x enough I saw one that advertised 10x for less than 5x what is sufficient for scroll work as small as 1 inch. Not doing stamp puzzles.

[blondewood]

WE have this and it's great.  https://www.harborfreight.com/fluorescent-magnifying-lamp-60643.html

[William Eicehelberger]

I have one fromm Manards it works great

[OCtoolguy]

16 minutes ago, blondewood said:

WE have this and it's great.  https://www.harborfreight.com/fluorescent-magnifying-lamp-60643.html

Plus 1 for this one.

 

[Sycamore67]

I have one made by Offline with really good glass lens.  It has less distortion than the cheaper ones and came with both a 3x  and 5x lens.  I use the 3x almost exclusively. 

[TAIrving]

It depends in part on your vision.  I have one with 3x and 5x lens and, along with my usual corrective lens, I use the 3x almost exclusively.  And I have scrolled some very fine features with it.  Mine has an LED light built-in and I am pleased with that.  I cannot imagine ever needing a 10x lens for scrolling.  

[jerry1939]

When I scrolled, I had one.  Would strongly recommend mounting it from the ceiling.  It also magnifies the tiniest vibration.

[FrankEV]

I don't know the brand, but mine looks exctly like the HF one in the link above.  Howver, mine is LED and does not generate any heat.  Also, mine is a 5X lens and I fine it works great for me.  Even though, under the 5X magnifier, my blade control may look ragged, to the naked eye, the cut line is very smooth.  

[John B]

I will go along with Frank on this one. Cutting with a glass shows up every wobble and imperfection, however when looked at with normal 20/20 everything looks great.
I have had mine for quite awhile, it is x3 I think (maybe X5), glass with a ring fluro tube. It cost me just over $100 as I purchased it from the Blind Association shop (Now Visabilty.)
As Jerry pointed out, I have mine mounted on a separate bench, that is at right angles to my saw so that it does not vibrate.

I find it difficult to use with my readers on as I have to stand to far away from the lens, so I use it without glasses or with a pair of very low powered safety glasses i have

Edited December 20, 2021 by John B

[kmmcrafts]

Menards doesn't have the florescent one that I use anymore.. I just looked and they now only offer a LED one.. I put LED tubes in mine once the Florescent went bad. 

I like the idea of having the flip up lens cover.. If you have a window in your shop be sure the magnifier isn't going to catch any of the sun. I came into my shop after lunch one day to finish a project I had been working on.. my saw sits by a window and the sun was catching the light and the focal point of a bean was hitting thankfully just my saw table but it was so hot I couldn't touch the table.. had I had my wood project setting up there it'd probably been on fire.. I now just had a old box blocking the window.. the flip lens cover would be nice though..so long as you get into habit to use it when not in the shop.. LOL

Good luck with whatever you decide. 

[Foxfold]

I get dizzy using magnifiers so I put on a pair of shop bought magnifying reading glasses and that does me fine.  

[FrankEV]

Not to hijact the thread, but I'm curious. 

I had seen in some posts with photos of members shops, someone had a mag lamp that was much larger that these ring type lamps and rectangular.  I would guess the  mag glass was like 6"x8" or maybe even bigger.  Not sure if it actally was a lamp also. 

My biggest objection to my mag/lamp is the size of the viewing glass.   Anyone know about physically larger mag lamps? 

 

[OCtoolguy]

26 minutes ago, FrankEV said:

Not to hijact the thread, but I'm curious. 

I had seen in some posts with photos of members shops, someone had a mag lamp that was much larger that these ring type lamps and rectangular.  I would guess the  mag glass was like 6"x8" or maybe even bigger.  Not sure if it actally was a lamp also. 

My biggest objection to my mag/lamp is the size of the viewing glass.   Anyone know about physically larger mag lamps? 

 

I've seen the one you are talking about. Maybe do a google image search for work lights.

[timelett]

I ended up with a lamp that is 3x or 5x depending on the lens,I like the extra light it gives me, and it was a gift bonus from the store I work part time. 

[JAC1961]

I don't know what power it is, but I also have the one from Harbor Freight and just couldn't scroll without it.  I was concerned about its longevity, but I've had it a few years without issues... knock on wood.  I've go it mounted to the window sill directly behind my saw.

[rod143]

It's hard to beat Harbor Freight's magnifying light for the price; probably around $35 here in PA. I bought mine around 4 years ago and I use it almost daily, no issues. 

[Blaughn]

I have a 3 Diopter 1.75x and am suddenly struggling a bit.  By the way, the most common lenses are 3 diopter, 5 diopter and 8 diopter which translates to magnification of 1.75x, 2.25x and 3x.

I would probably opt for the 5 diopter (2.25x) as that is roughly twice as much magnification as I have been working with.  I found an outfit that sells one with 3, 5 and 8 diopter interchangeable lenses.  https://bolioptics.com/smd-led-3d-5d-8d-led-clamp-magnifier-mg16304110/  I am dwelling on it for a bit but that looks interesting to me.

 

 

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, rod143 said:

It's hard to beat Harbor Freight's magnifying light for the price; probably around $35 here in PA. I bought mine around 4 years ago and I use it almost daily, no issues. 

I agree. I bought mine some years ago and since then have replaced the bulb with an L.E.D. bulb so I've got about $75 invested in it now.

 

[new2woodwrk]

 

another + for the HF one - In fact I have 2 one at each saw station!

[CharleyL]

I've never cared for the magnifiers that attach to the saw, bench, or other, but do use magnification when scrolling small things. I use a 3X or 5X magnifier that is attached to a head band, so it is in line with and moves with my eyes and head. I have several versions now.

My lights are LED gooseneck and mounted on both sides of the upper arm of my DeWalt Scroll Saw. I position each high enough not to interfere with my hand movements, and slightly forward of the blade, aimed down at roughly 45 deg. so there are no significant shadows around the blade and cutting point to distract me from cutting where I want to. Blade shadows or flickering shadows from the upper blade grip getting in the way of the light can really affect how well your eyes see the cutting point. Eliminating these shadows makes for much higher cutting accuracy and less eye strain. If you cut for hours at a time, like I do, you won't be near as tired at the end of a long cutting session. 

Charley

Edited January 8, 2022 by CharleyL

[Joe W.]

10 hours ago, CharleyL said:

I use a 3X or 5X magnifier that is attached to a head band, so it is in line with and moves with my eyes and head

Yep, me too.  and the small lights on the sides as well. 
I've been tempted to slip down to H.F. buy the magnifying light and try it out, but so far the head band magnifier has been working good for me. 

[OCtoolguy]

12 hours ago, CharleyL said:

I've never cared for the magnifiers that attach to the saw, bench, or other, but do use magnification when scrolling small things. I use a 3X or 5X magnifier that is attached to a head band, so it is in line with and moves with my eyes and head. I have several versions now.

My lights are LED gooseneck and mounted on both sides of the upper arm of my DeWalt Scroll Saw. I position each high enough not to interfere with my hand movements, and slightly forward of the blade, aimed down at roughly 45 deg. so there are no significant shadows around the blade and cutting point to distract me from cutting where I want to. Blade shadows or flickering shadows from the upper blade grip getting in the way of the light can really affect how well your eyes see the cutting point. Eliminating these shadows makes for much higher cutting accuracy and less eye strain. If you cut for hours at a time, like I do, you won't be near as tired at the end of a long cutting session. 

Charley

Can you provide a link for that light Charley?

[CharleyL]

The LED lights that I have seem to be obsolete now, which is probably good, because the LEDs and their plug-in power modules don't last very long. I have cannibalized several lights to keep the ones on my saw working. Lowes seems to now be selling these as the replacement for the version that I have. I can only hope that they are more reliable. The configuration is about the same, but mine are stainless steel and these are powder coat painted. The clamp and head are different too.    https://www.lowes.com/pl/Led--Desk-lamps-Lamps-lamp-shades-Lighting-ceiling-fans/4294798229?refinement=4294836652    Buy the clamp lights and not the desk top base version. The end of the gooseneck is different in the weighted base version and not as easy to modify for a DIY bracket.

The DIY bracket is just a 2" wide strip of 1/16" aluminum that I bent to form an upside down "U" over the upper arm of my DeWalt Scroll Saw, leaving it long enough to be able to bend 3/4" tabs outward from the bottom of the scroll saw arm. These tabs should be right at or just slightly above the bottom of the scroll saw arm. I then made a bottom plate of 1/8" aluminum 2" wide to go under the scroll saw arm and extend out under the tabs of the U shaped piece to allow bolting the tabs of the U piece to it and beyond the tabs long enough to allow drilling a hole to attach the end of the LED lamp gooseneck to. Both ends of this piece should look identical, so a gooseneck lamp can be attached to each end. I lined the inside of the U with a strip of sticky backed thin Weatherstrip material to make it less likely to slide on the scroll saw arm after it is attached. Two 8-32 X 1/2" bolts and nuts secure the tabs of the U piece to the 1/8" flat piece that holds the goosenecks for the lamps, one on each side of the saw arm. I positioned my light bracket about 1" behind the plastic piece with the saw speed control on it's top. 

I modified my lights, removing the clamps from the goosenecks and attaching them to a DIY aluminum bracket that wraps around the upper arm. You have to dis-assemble the light head and disconnect the wires from the LED PC board and pull the wires down through the gooseneck to be able to remove the clamp, then attach the gooseneck to your DIY bracket and install the wires through the gooseneck to the light head. Since LEDs are direct current lights, the polarity of the wired connections is important. Get it wrong and the light won't work, but it won't hurt anything. Just switch the wire connections and test it again before re-assembling the light head. Mine has a white line running along the - (negative) wire) and both + and - connection points labeled on the PC board. Another trick to get it right, if you don't see the labels as you are dis-assembling the lamp head is to cut one wire free, leaving a piece about 1/2" long on the PC Board. Then cut the other wire free, but about 1" from the PC board. It will be easy to see from the wire lengths, which wire goes where as the lamp head is re-assembled. Just unsolder and replace one at a time. I don't recommend splicing, since there is too little room in the lamp head for a splice and it's too easy for the splice to short out. Soldering to the PC board points is the best method. If you can't do it, find a friend who is good at soldering.

It takes the right tools and experience to be able to solder electronics connections properly. I was self taught, but then had to go through the NASA Soldering class to learn how to do it to their specs. I re-learned a lot from that class. They didn't want a bad solder joint to ruin a flight to the Moon. Now, 64 years later, I doubt that I could pass their class, but I can still solder well enough for Earth projects.

I was looking through my photos for a picture of this bracket and haven't found it. I can take some and post them, if anyone needs them. I think my description above should be good enough. The bracket, as I made it, will only work with a DeWalt Scroll Saw, since the design of the upper blade arms of other saws are different. Each kind of saw will require a different design of the light bracket. The added weight of my two LED lights and bracket has not kept my Jim Dandy Arm Lift from working without even needing adjustment. The Jim Dandy Lift depends on a spring to counterbalance the upper saw arm so it will stay up when lifted to insert blades and it still works to hold the arm up with the lights and bracket attached.

Charley

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by CharleyL

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, CharleyL said:

The LED lights that I have seem to be obsolete now, which is probably good, because the LEDs and their plug-in power modules don't last very long. I have cannibalized several lights to keep the ones on my saw working. Lowes seems to now be selling these as the replacement for the version that I have. I can only hope that they are more reliable. The configuration is about the same, but mine are stainless steel and these are powder coat painted. The clamp and head are different too.    https://www.lowes.com/pl/Led--Desk-lamps-Lamps-lamp-shades-Lighting-ceiling-fans/4294798229?refinement=4294836652    Buy the clamp lights and not the desk top base version. The end of the gooseneck is different in the weighted base version and not as easy to modify for a DIY bracket.

The DIY bracket is just a 2" wide strip of 1/16" aluminum that I bent to form an upside down "U" over the upper arm of my DeWalt Scroll Saw, leaving it long enough to be able to bend 3/4" tabs outward from the bottom of the scroll saw arm. These tabs should be right at or just slightly above the bottom of the scroll saw arm. I then made a bottom plate of 1/8" aluminum 2" wide to go under the scroll saw arm and extend out under the tabs of the U shaped piece to allow bolting the tabs of the U piece to it and beyond the tabs long enough to allow drilling a hole to attach the end of the LED lamp gooseneck to. Both ends of this piece should look identical, so a gooseneck lamp can be attached to each end. I lined the inside of the U with a strip of sticky backed thin Weatherstrip material to make it less likely to slide on the scroll saw arm after it is attached. Two 8-32 X 1/2" bolts and nuts secure the tabs of the U piece to the 1/8" flat piece that holds the goosenecks for the lamps, one on each side of the saw arm. I positioned my light bracket about 1" behind the plastic piece with the saw speed control on it's top. 

I modified my lights, removing the clamps from the goosenecks and attaching them to a DIY aluminum bracket that wraps around the upper arm. You have to dis-assemble the light head and disconnect the wires from the LED PC board and pull the wires down through the gooseneck to be able to remove the clamp, then attach the gooseneck to your DIY bracket and install the wires through the gooseneck to the light head. Since LEDs are direct current lights, the polarity of the wired connections is important. Get it wrong and the light won't work, but it won't hurt anything. Just switch the wire connections and test it again before re-assembling the light head. Mine has a white line running along the - (negative) wire) and both + and - connection points labeled on the PC board. Another trick to get it right, if you don't see the labels as you are dis-assembling the lamp head is to cut one wire free, leaving a piece about 1/2" long on the PC Board. Then cut the other wire free, but about 1" from the PC board. It will be easy to see from the wire lengths, which wire goes where as the lamp head is re-assembled. Just unsolder and replace one at a time. I don't recommend splicing, since there is too little room in the lamp head for a splice and it's too easy for the splice to short out. Soldering to the PC board points is the best method. If you can't do it, find a friend who is good at soldering.

It takes the right tools and experience to be able to solder electronics connections properly. I was self taught, but then had to go through the NASA Soldering class to learn how to do it to their specs. I re-learned a lot from that class. They didn't want a bad solder joint to ruin a flight to the Moon. Now, 64 years later, I doubt that I could pass their class, but I can still solder well enough for Earth projects.

I was looking through my photos for a picture of this bracket and haven't found it. I can take some and post them, if anyone needs them. I think my description above should be good enough. The bracket, as I made it, will only work with a DeWalt Scroll Saw, since the design of the upper blade arms of other saws are different. Each kind of saw will require a different design of the light bracket. The added weight of my two LED lights and bracket has not kept my Jim Dandy Arm Lift from working without even needing adjustment. The Jim Dandy Lift depends on a spring to counterbalance the upper saw arm so it will stay up when lifted to insert blades and it still works to hold the arm up with the lights and bracket attached.

Charley

 

I was referring to your lighted head magnifiers Charley. There are so many that I'd like to see which one you have that you are happy with.

[Trapper John]

CharlieL, I have been using my DW788 set up the same way!  I  use an Optivisor 5x with an attachable led light bracket.  The AA battery and switch assembly attaches to the visor with a velcro strap, while the leds are in a frame which snaps over the changeable lenses.  The whole unit weighs next to nothing.  My (terrible) close-in vision requires the use of the 5x lens.

The visual quality is great, and the added light is a much appreciated accessory as I am not always at my well-lit saw.  The visor flips up and out of the way for normal viewing.  The savings in time and hassle are tremendous, and the entire assembly cost less than that of a dedicated and separate lamp - at least in the 20 years or so that I've owned it.

The unit can be obtained almost anywhere online a woodworker would choose to look.