# Loupe



## Damo516 (Nov 9, 2015)

I've got an old watch that's in need of a bit of tlc heading my way. I'm looking at using the movement for a bit of practice striping and rebuilding. As the old eyes are not as good as they use to be I'm thinking about some kind of loupe to help.

Anyone have any advice as to what to get? Headband type thingy? Pop over the eye one? Standalone magnyfing glass?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :thumbsup:


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

I wear glasses for reading and have been thinking about buying something like these that simply clip onto my glasses

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eye-loupe-for-SPECTACLES-GLASSES-clip-on-Double-lens-3-3x-magnifier-eyeglass-len-/320928035351?hash=item4ab8cd3217:m:mYEF-guJw9VdYJS4SGL-CFg

the only problem I have when magnyfying something is the hand eye coordination goes all to pot :wacko:


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## Damo516 (Nov 9, 2015)

Thanks jsud but not quite at the glasses stage yet  probably not be too long though haha


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## graham1981 (Jan 1, 2016)

I don't do watch repairs but I do have a magnifier light which I find pretty good, the magnifier lens is a decent size and whatever you are looking at/ working on is well lit.

Something very similar to this -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daylight-Company-Natural-DN1040-Magnifying/dp/B0028RDFSC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463426152&sr=8-2&keywords=magnifier+light


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## badgersdad (May 16, 2014)

These arrived today. I'm not sure how much use they'll be. Good fun for a fiver. :laugh:


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

+1 on the magnifier with light. You'll have both of your hands free to hold the movement, tools, etc.


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## graham1981 (Jan 1, 2016)

badgersdad said:


> These arrived today. I'm not sure how much use they'll be. Good fun for a fiver. :laugh:


 I'm sure they are going to work fine but when I saw this I couldn't help but think of Ghostbusters :laugh:


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## PC-Magician (Apr 29, 2013)

badgersdad said:


> These arrived today. I'm not sure how much use they'll be. Good fun for a fiver. :laugh:


 Early version of the Borg resistance is futile.

See Star Trek The Next Generation


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## badgersdad (May 16, 2014)

still can't put my ######## movement back together. They evidently don't come with built in knowledge, just uselessly high magnification.


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## Damo516 (Nov 9, 2015)

Read some reviews regarding lamps and most only seem to go to x3.5 without an inset lens, is that high enough? Most loupes seem to be higher...


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

I much prefer the clip on loupes that fit to my reading glasses. I have several strengths, the lowest being x5, the highest x15. Some may say that's too high, but it's down to personal preference....I find x15 useful for seeeing and aligning the train wheel pivots into the bridges. The most used one I have is x10.









This red one is x15








They flip up out of the way when not required.








this a x10...the one I use the most.










If you don't wear glasses, and have difficulty holding one of these types in your eye, you can get a wire that fits round your head and gently holds it in place.


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## Damo516 (Nov 9, 2015)

Thanks @Roger the Dodger can I ask where you got them from and how much, not found much online with good reviews, very mixed if anything :/ and no I don't wear glasses yet...


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## jsud2002 (Nov 7, 2015)

Damo516 said:


> Thanks @Roger the Dodger can I ask where you got them from and how much, not found much online with good reviews, very mixed if anything :/ and no I don't wear glasses yet...


 you could buy some glasses from £1 shop then just pop out the lense that way you can use the clip on types


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## Damo516 (Nov 9, 2015)

Sod that, I'll try the 99p shop first :laugh:

Good idea mate :thumbsup:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

The loupes themselves are from Cousins UK....they also do the wire headbands (they call them eyeglass holders) if you need them. The A*F x10 seems to be obselete now, but was about £9.50 and the x15 was approx £8.

Have a look here...

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/eyeglasses-magnifiers-loupes-loupe-chains



badgersdad said:


> These arrived today. I'm not sure how much use they'll be. Good fun for a fiver. :laugh:


 I had a pair of those, and while they are great if you shut one eye, the lenses are too far apart for true binocular vision at the distance you have to hold the subject to be in focus, (about 2" away from them) so you are only ever seeing an image from one or other of the eyepieces. Try moving the subject across from one lens to the other and you'll see what I mean.


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## badgersdad (May 16, 2014)

Roger the Dodger said:


> The loupes themselves are from Cousins UK....they also do the wire headbands (they call them eyeglass holders) if you need them. The A*F x10 seems to be obselete now, but was about £9.50 and the x15 was approx £8.
> 
> Have a look here...
> 
> ...


 Oh, they're almost completely useless. You have to virtually touching something to get it in focus. Fun though, in a useless sort of way.


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## it'salivejim (Jan 19, 2013)

badgersdad said:


> Oh, they're almost completely useless. You have to virtually touching something to get it in focus. Fun though, in a useless sort of way.


 I bought a pair of these as well. Wore them once, couldn't see a thing, asked to return them and the seller said, "Bin 'em, I'll refund you", which he did. He knew he was selling total garbage :laugh:


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## badgersdad (May 16, 2014)

it'salivejim said:


> I bought a pair of these as well. Wore them once, couldn't see a thing, asked to return them and the seller said, "Bin 'em, I'll refund you", which he did. He knew he was selling total garbage :laugh:


 You have to admire it really.


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