Comments on: Seeing better for woodworking – choosing headband magnifiers

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 22:27:56 +0000

Thanks, Avery. I like that saying!
Bruce, Bailey, and Christopher, thanks for the comments.

Think of these magnifiers as leverage for your eyes. No one balks at using a wrench to increase mechanical leverage to tighten a fastener, yet many craftsmen avoid aids to increase visual “leverage,” which can improve the quality of the work.

By: Christopher Landy

Christopher Landy — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 14:19:37 +0000

Thanks Rob—I recently tried to delve into saw sharpening and realized that was not going to happen without a pair like these. Thanks for the breakdown.

By: Bailey

Bailey — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 14:00:01 +0000

Good article! I am fortunate to be young enough to have “good enough” vision to only need -1.00 for my nearsightedness, but these do look intriguing nonetheless. Might have to try some!

By: Bruce Mack

Bruce Mack — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 14:38:28 +0000

Thanks Rob. I bought the Donegan #4 for a brief adventure in saw filing. It’s comfortable and gives a very sharp view of the field of work. Reading your article, I think I’ll use it again to improve my honing of gouges and hook knife.

By: Avery

Avery — Sun, 07 Jun 2015 12:23:27 +0000

As a retired dentist, I spent decades working with loupes of one kind or another. I started with the type described above back in the seventies and graduated to something costing tens of times as much that incorporated my prescription. As mentioned, what counts here is not only magnification, but depth and field of vision. You don’t want to be working hunched over with your beak close to sharp, moving pieces of steel. Additionally, for approximately the same price point, there are many products that incorporate LED illumination. As a colleague of mine never tired of saying,”If you want to do well, you have to see well”.