Hello all. Especialy us "sight challenged " modelers. OK, I admit it. My sight isn`t getting any better. I use a magna light and wear glasses(far sighted) Was wondering what kind you use and what ower. Also were is a good place to get them. I tried Michals but they dont carry them. Looking for help. As allways, thanks in advance…Harv
I bought mine at my LHS,if yours don’t carry them maybe they can order them for you or I know Micro-Mark carries them. They are a little expensive but a great company to deal with and carry stuff I never saw before.I just wish they still had a store as I only live 20 mins. from them but I still gotta go through the mail lol…
John
Myself and others here swear by our optivisors! You should never have to spend more than $20 for a decent one. Even Harbor Freight (Chinese) has them in various powers. Micro-Mark, Home Depot…etc. You can pay over $30 depending on your needs.
My most treasured tool.
Just remember that those Optivisor copycats are not equal to the original. I’ve taken the short route to save a buck on reading glasses…you know the $2-$3 ones on the discount rack…I found that they gave me headaches and my eyes tired faster. So I spent a few dollars more to get the more expensive ones…the optics were much better and there were no side effects. Same goes for Optivisors…the optic and the headband are where the differences lay. Nothing worse than a blurry and distorted view with a vice clamped to ones head to help make modeling enjoyable…my vote is for the original Optivisor…accept nothing less.
I bought a knock off from ModelExpo, $20. Haven’t had any problems (e.g. headaches), but then I rarely have them on for more than a half hour or so.
TO be honest, I looked at the Harbor Freight ones, they had a couple options on the website, but the local store had only one option, and the optic was a plastic and the focal point was very close to my nose.
Fastforward to the LHS, actually a train place, and they had every model optivisor, I settled on a #7, I think it’s a 3x, the lower numbers were not enough, the #10 was far too much, and again the focal point was very close to my eyes.
I noticed that you can order the other lenses and switch them out, and they are glass lenses. I folded some teeny photoetch, and let me tell you, I can’t believe I waited so long. It’s GREAT.
I paid about $40, I consider that a bargain just in the time I already used them.
So, are the Opti-Visors easy to use? I’m far sighted, so the tiny PE on my 1/72 Sherman tank is a little bit of a challenge. I’m thinking of getting an Opti-Visor, but I’m concerned that it’ll be hard to get used to.
Regards,
They are not hard to get used to at all, when I bought mine I think about a year ago. I put it on and wondered how I built before getting them. Just dont forget their on and walk away from the bench to go to the head thats interesting lol…
John
I got mine from an Ebay store called Hobbyntools for about $25.00 and well worth it. I use it for ever aspect of model building I do. Opti-Visor’s are priceless tools for any modeler no matter what your eye vision may be. And YES they are as easy to use as putting on a baseball cap.
I want to thank you all for your replies. Much apreciated! I will be checking aroun for one. Which power do you all use?..Harv
Harv - I use a 3x for most general work, sometimes I combine it with my “old man” readers. I aslo have a 7x I got for painting 1/72 pilot figures. Brings them in real close…
Donegan Optivisor is about the best brand on the market IMO [tup]
Mine is a Donegan also…rescued from some idiot ready to toss it in a dumpster because of a lost lense screw! I believe it’s a 3X…sometimes I wear glasses underneath, but it also has an eye loup that might be a 7X…(fortunately I haven’t needed it yet!)
I also use the Donegan brand, very nice product. I use a 5X and a 3X lens, depending on what I am doing.
First, I want to thank all of you for your very helpfull input. I purchased a Donegan this last weekend at the LHS (20miles away) and it seams to work pretty good. I found , though, its kid of useless when used with my magna lamp, but rather replaces it. It does have the glass lenses and is the 5x. So we`ll see (haha) what happens…Harv
One last note; You’re family will probably laugh at you when you use these goofy things. They will tell you that you look like a real ‘nerd.’ However, I guess we are what we are. . . let them have their fun, we do[:)]
Mine goes up to 3X, which is pretty good for me. Unfortunately, it’s got a built-in pair of little lights that are totally useless as they don’t shine on the work. When I need that extra bit of light, a hiker’s headlamp works quite well instead. The light and the Opti-Visor (or something similar; I don’t know exactly what brand I have) are a couple of those things that usually just sit unused on the workbench for months at a time, but when I want one or the other…or both!..
I have the Donegan also, but I didn’t know that until I just now went and looked at it. I guess it’s 4x- it has a raised “4” on the lens piece. I’ve owned it since way before this line of hobby, when I was a serious model railroader in N scale (1/160!!!).
Over the years I’ve replaced the tightening knobs at the temples because they come off and get lost to the carpet monster, but that’s about it.
I’m a four-eyes anyways, with bifocals, but don’t need the lower part of my own glasses with the visor, which is great (more in a minute).
I saw this thread and it struck me; I cannot think of a tool I own that has by itself so increased my abilities, except maybe my airbrush, but that’s just technology, and expensive too. What I mean is that I could not do the same task without as I can with, by a really BIG difference. I always wear it now when I model, flip up/ flip down.
One time I had a particularily obnoxious client who kept arguing contract terms well into the phase where I was working and billing. So I called him and went over to his office to go over the contract; pulled out the old O/V, put it on and sat down at the conference table. It certainly broke the ice and cost a lot less than bringing my lawyer along.
And they are fun on Halloween when you open the door for little kids…
Donegan for this guy too (not sure how long I’ve had 'em, but it’s been a while). The lens says “3” on it. Not sure what power that is, but combined with my glasses, it works great.
[:O] Now THAT’S scary, Marc!!!
Oh meee gawd!
HOW MANY FINGERS AM I HOLDING UP?
HA!