Jump to content

Loupe / eyeglass / eyepiece


Recommended Posts

Talk to a microsurgeons secretary or even your dentist, ask what company sells them optical supplies, ask company's representative for free examination of your eyes, your eye glasses, combination of your eye glasses with the device and free trial period at home.

You pay more for just the piece at stores. Prices are not so high to shy away from.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

PaulnKC....Your only a youngster...Its personal preference I know but I use a long arm microscope. I prefer it to anything else. Plenty of working space between the lens and the watch and possibly less eye strain. More expensive than most but hell you only have to buy it once.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Nucejoe said:

Talk to a microsurgeons secretary or even your dentist, ask what company sells them optical supplies, ask company's representative for free examination of your eyes, your eye glasses, combination of your eye glasses with the device and free trial period at home.

You pay more for just the piece at stores. Prices are not so high to shy away from.

 

Wow - I would never have thought of that. I will have to investigate this (if I don't find something more "off the shelf" first)

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, chrisdt said:

PaulnKC....Your only a youngster...Its personal preference I know but I use a long arm microscope. I prefer it to anything else. Plenty of working space between the lens and the watch and possibly less eye strain. More expensive than most but hell you only have to buy it once.

I suppose age is always relative. And yes I am younger than some.

Can you share some specifics about the long arm microscope that you use?

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, vinn3 said:

the "head band magnifier"  was the choice of the industry.  your eye glasses wil fit under it.  i have used that for years.    eye doctors don't like it, but what do they know?     vin

Vinn3, is this like the OptiVisor that I have? Can you give me some specifics to see exactly what you are suggesting?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guy's, my apologies if this has been discussed before 

I currently use an optivisor ( DA-7) which has a focal length of 6 inches and 2.75 X magnification 

However I would love to get into using eye loupes and train myself to do so, I have a x10 loupe but the focal distance is far too short to work comfortably and I use it solely for inspection 

I know it all comes down to personal preference but I would love to hear about the focal lengths / magnification that you seasoned guys prefer for general assembly / dissembly and or inspection of jewels / pallets 

 

Thanks in advance 

Ramone 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eye loupes have a sort of standard progression of working distance/magnification. If you look at the image, the "value" is the working distance in inches. Your 10x has 1 inch, which is pretty tight, and you'd only use that for inspection not general work. Most people use something between 2.5x and 5x for general work, I mostly use a 3x. As you go to higher powers it becomes more critical that the loupe be at the right distance, as your eye compensates for the little variations and the weaker the easier, so higher powers can be fatiguing.

If you get an unmarked loupe in an Ebay score or flea market, you can determine the focal length by focusing the sun (like we did as kids with a magnifying glass) and measuring the distance from lens to object. This is essentially the same as the working distance, and then you know the power.

loupe.jpg

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tend to "double up" on 3x reading glasses with my normal reading prescription for general work, and use a 10x loupe for close up inspection of pivots and so forth.

Good light is as important as magnification, and I use an angle-poise desk mounted magnifying lamp in conjunction with the 3x reading glasses. I also have a very bright focus-able LED torch which I can clamp in place on the angle-poise and point at the area I want to see, which helps in some circumstances.

The reading glasses are just "pound shop" cheap ones, nothing fancy. You can, at a pinch wear three pairs one behind the other, but it does get a bit awkward. Using reading glasses in this way, I can go from about 3x to just under 10x magnification, but the higher the magnification, the lower the depth of focus, so things become more fiddly as the magnification improves.

One other trick is "indirect inspection" by using the macro on my camera in conjunction with the magnifying lamp to take pictures of things I am struggling to get a decent view of otherwise. I then transfer those to my laptop and zoom in on screen.

Edited by AndyHull
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, vinn3 said:

   I have used eye glasses for more years than I will admit.  problems and pain will occur  with magnification ,  see a opthomoligist.     vin

Thanks vinn3 for the advice, I will definitely look after my eyes,  I take breaks from time to time 

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

Eye loupes have a sort of standard progression of working distance/magnification. If you look at the image, the "value" is the working distance in inches. Your 10x has 1 inch, which is pretty tight, and you'd only use that for inspection not general work. Most people use something between 2.5x and 5x for general work, I mostly use a 3x. As you go to higher powers it becomes more critical that the loupe be at the right distance, as your eye compensates for the little variations and the weaker the easier, so higher powers can be fatiguing.

If you get an unmarked loupe in an Ebay score or flea market, you can determine the focal length by focusing the sun (like we did as kids with a magnifying glass) and measuring the distance from lens to object. This is essentially the same as the working distance, and then you know the power.

loupe.jpg

Thanks nickelsilver 

This really explains it for me, I would definitely try out a 2.5X mag loupe It would be similar to the strength of the optivisor I'm using at the moment, I would probably have to be about 2 inches closer to the work which shouldn't be a problem 

Thanks for the picture of the ASCO loupes aswell 

I will use it as a reference for focal length and strength of magnification 

Thank you,  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, AndyHull said:

I tend to "double up" on 3x reading glasses with my normal reading prescription for general work, and use a 10x loupe for close up inspection of pivots and so forth.

Good light is as important as magnification, and I use an angle-poise desk mounted magnifying lamp in conjunction with the 3x reading glasses. I also have a very bright focus-able LED torch which I can clamp in place on the angle-poise and point at the area I want to see, which helps in some circumstances.

The reading glasses are just "pound shop" cheap ones, nothing fancy. You can, at a pinch wear three pairs one behind the other, but it does get a bit awkward. Using reading glasses in this way, I can go from about 3x to just under 10x magnification, but the higher the magnification, the lower the depth of focus, so things become more fiddly as the magnification improves.

One other trick is "indirect inspection" by using the macro on my camera in conjunction with the magnifying lamp to take pictures of things I am struggling to get a decent view of otherwise. I then transfer those to my laptop and zoom in on screen.

Thank you Andy 

I will definitely need to upgrade my light I'm currently using a desk top reading lamp 

This is a poor light but I plan on getting something better,  I guess loupes are useless with no light 

I plan on using the 2.5X magnification loupe with a head spring 'holder' so I don't have to squint to keep it from falling 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

personally not a fan of eye loops i dont like using only one eye, i do use them for inspection and more tedious work, like staking a new staff, fitting jewels, escapement inspection, etc. Normal work i use a headband magnifier, up to 5x, because anything higher you have to get too close and head gear is banging into the table and blocking out my light. for extreme inspections like jewel holes, pivots, pivot polishing, i have a 4" led microscope from 50x up to 1000x. I can actually see surface texture of a pivot, i can even connect to computer monitor and take snap shots directly from the scope on an SD card. Purchased on ebay for $60 the best money i ever spent.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

AMScope also has a range of affordable stereo microscopes.  You might be able to get one in the range of $250USD, depending on what you want.  We have a couple at work that we use for PCB rework and research and they're fine.  Certainly not top quality, but functional.  I find I can work for hours using them without issue.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ramone said:

Thank you Andy 

I will definitely need to upgrade my light I'm currently using a desk top reading lamp 

This is a poor light but I plan on getting something better,  I guess loupes are useless with no light 

I plan on using the 2.5X magnification loupe with a head spring 'holder' so I don't have to squint to keep it from falling 

 

  "head band  magnifier"   good idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, vinn3 said:

  "head band  magnifier"   good idea.

They are pretty useful too I have one in the office.

I think the order of usefulness of different magnifiers goes something like this.

With my naked eye, I can see the watch and tell the time.

With my reading glasses I can appreciate the texture of the dial, and do simple tasks, like fit a winding stem and hands.

With an additional pair of glasses I can lift and re-fit a balance, work with most bridges, align pivots and so forth.

With the illuminated desk magnifier and my reading glasses, and some fine tweezers and a couple of pins I can do more delicate work, like sorting out hairsprings.

RIMG0595.thumb.JPG.d4177590285a63c9cfa63dc44b6108f5.JPG
With 2 pairs of 3.5 reading glasses (or a head magnifier or better still the 10x loupe) I can examine the general state of the pivots, judge the level of dirt on the jewels.

RIMG0597.thumb.JPG.5a0f2c719758d64cd45e9324e11905b9.JPG

With my optical microscope at its lowest magnification I can examine the actual wear on the pivots, jewels etc.

RIMG0591.thumb.JPG.cb3e5f82ebb442113e8ce232c06b16bd.JPG


With the next stage, I can see the surface detail of the metal finish on individual watch teeth, and the smallest of debris, and globs of gunk trapped between the teeth.

RIMG0592.thumb.JPG.b46ea622bac88fc33c6b5fc73879a5b5.JPG

The maximum optical magnification lets me see the structure of the fungal spores on the surface of the dial. :D

RIMG0594.thumb.JPG.27d9fc4f4f4e3b9876437d9400ececbe.JPG

... and finally, with my naked eye I can see that this work area is in serious need of a tidy again. :P Fortunately this is generally *not* where I tend to work on the delicate stuff, but I know what my next task is.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The microscope is just a fairly conventional, if slightly ancient optical microscope, but I can illuminate from both above and below, which helps to give good contrast.

I have an adapter that I fabricated a while back, which allows me to fix a Canon point and shoot camera in place of one of the eye pieces. It is in a box somewhere in the attic. I have yet to track it down following a house move over a year ago. :unsure:

Microscopes are another area where good controllable lighting is critical for good results.

If you want to know a little more about this particular microscope, -> click here <-

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Just buy different loupe’s and find what you are comfortable with. Our eyesight is precious; you do not want to strain your sight.

If the loupe fogs up, drill a hole in the side.

Thank for the tip Hippy,  I have experienced fogging up of the lens before 

I'll drill a hole on the side for some ventilation 

Will be getting a number 4 (2.5X magnification)  loupe soon,  a bergeon 4422 

Will give it a shot 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, saswatch88 said:

personally not a fan of eye loops i dont like using only one eye, i do use them for inspection and more tedious work, like staking a new staff, fitting jewels, escapement inspection, etc. Normal work i use a headband magnifier, up to 5x, because anything higher you have to get too close and head gear is banging into the table and blocking out my light. for extreme inspections like jewel holes, pivots, pivot polishing, i have a 4" led microscope from 50x up to 1000x. I can actually see surface texture of a pivot, i can even connect to computer monitor and take snap shots directly from the scope on an SD card. Purchased on ebay for $60 the best money i ever spent.

Thank you saswatch for the info 

I'm currently using a headband magnifier aswell ( optivisor)  but I would love to try out working with loupes 

 

The microscope must be amazing to use 

I'm sure the detail at even 40X magnification is crisp 

I'll definitely look at getting one in the future for inspection

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Dpastl said:

AMScope also has a range of affordable stereo microscopes.  You might be able to get one in the range of $250USD, depending on what you want.  We have a couple at work that we use for PCB rework and research and they're fine.  Certainly not top quality, but functional.  I find I can work for hours using them without issue.

Thank you Dpastl 

I'll consider getting one in the future 

It would be a dream for inspection of jewels / pivots/ escapement 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I installed the donor pallet fork and now the watch is running, but only for 10 seconds. The lower side of the pallet fork only seems to go into the hole when I add the bridge. A visual check shows lower and upper are properly seated. I'll check the hairspring.
    • I get that, but you're making unnecessary work for yourself. Resign yourself to having to give the movement a final clean and lubrication once you've fixed the problem. You probably won't need to redo the balance or the barrel in any case. The oil captured between the hole and cap jewels will still be good even if you've had it in and out of the movement half a dozen times.
    • Thanks, some great advice. I have to go over the train every time I refit anything as each wheel has it's own bridge (cock?). They have a tiny amount of play so you can tighten them down in slightly different positions. This changes the gear mesh. I went through all that when I first started having issues with it. Movement works isn't fitted at the moment and nor is the seconds hand. The only reason I'm cleaning it every time is because each time I assemble it, I lubricate it. Mainly because you have to remove the balance wheel and hairspring to oil the top balance jewel. It's a pain so I always live in hope it will be going together for the last time. As the top one has to be oiled, so does the bottom one. Then I may as well do the train wheels.... I could just do the whole thing dry, but if it works, I'll still have to disassemble the balance again and it's always a risk. The hair spring is pinned, the cap jewel screws are underneath (stupid design. To be fair, the 3 separate bridges is a stupid design too).   I'll play with it more tomorrow and gather some more info, pics, and maybe some video.   Thanks for all the advice.
    • It's not great, IF you did the test without the pallet installed. Assuming 18000 beats per day, 25 seconds is 125 beats or about 62 oscillations. You should get 100 or more. If the pallet was in place when you did the test it means nothing. Either way, this is not the principal issue. I was going to mention that I recently worked out that I get much better pics with a loupe held in front of the phone camera than trying to shoot down the microscope. I use a 20x loupe, but try with whatever you have. The roller jewel (or impulse jewel) could be an issue, particularly if it is loose, but this is also not the main issue. Get some clear pics so you can ask the experienced members here about it after you have addressed the main issue. Nothing in the escapement explains the rapid deterioration you're seeing 20 minutes after winding. That suggests an issue in the train rather than the escapement. The failure to self-start after it has been running a while confirms that power is not getting to the escapement. If it was me, and I was confident I had eliminated the barrel as the source of the problem, I'd be looking further down the train. I'd first make sure the canon pinion was out to eliminate the motion works as a source of the problem. Also make sure the centre seconds pivot is removed, if it has one, or the seconds hand if it has sub-seconds. If that didn't make a difference I'd then work my way through each wheel starting at the centre wheel. Is it sitting level? At the right height? Does it have just enough end shake? Does it have excessive side shake? What happens if you touch the upper pivot with a piece of pegwood with just a little bit of power in the mainspring? What about the lower pivot? Once I was certain there was no problem there I'd move on to the third wheel, and so on all the way down the train. Just because the train runs freely with the pallet out does not mean it has no problems as excessive side shake (for example) will only be an issue when the train is under tension. Finally, I advise you to stop re-cleaning until you have fixed it. I know the temptation, but it's just a distraction. You need to be systematic and methodical.
    • If you short the two blue wires together, does the unit chime? I have a similar chime unit that is designed to work with a quartz movement with an hourly trigger switch.  I'm not aware of any movements or chiming units that chime quarterly.
×
×
  • Create New...