PLEASE NOTE: In order to post on the Board you need to have registered. To register please email paul@sexyloops.com including your real name and username. Registration takes less than 24hrs, unless Paul is fishing deep in the jungle!

Magnifier and lamp

Moderator: Viking Lars

Post Reply
askel
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 11:53 am
Answers: 0

Magnifier and lamp

#1

Post by askel »

I've been mostly tying saltwater flies and the smallest hook size I ever used was #8 but usually it's #4 to 2/0.
This spring I planned a trip that was cancelled due to you-know-what. And that trip was about freshwater fishing mostly for greyling. And while I was preparing for it I tried to tie some flies on hooks much smaller than what I used to. And I realized that reading glasses are not enough and I started to look at some magnifiers. As a first attempt I bought some head-mounted magnifier with replaceable lenses. But that didn't work well because it requires constant distance to the target in order to stay in focus. That might work for book reading but doesn't work all that well for fly tying. So now I'm considering to buy some magnifier that can be mounted to a table to avoid focusing problem.

Does anybody use it for fly tying? Any recommendations on brand/model? And most importantly does it work as advertised?

Thank you
Alex
Geenomad
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:11 pm
Answers: 0
Location: Melbourne

Re: Magnifier and lamp

#2

Post by Geenomad »

askel wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 10:36 am I'm considering to buy some magnifier that can be mounted to a table to avoid focusing problem.

Does anybody use it for fly tying? Any recommendations on brand/model? And most importantly does it work as advertised?
Hi Alex
Yes, I use one and have done for 10+ years when tying at home. Some folks complain that the contraption gets in the way but you get used to it pretty quickly.

With a 5 diopter glass (c 2.25 times magnification) surrounded by a daylight light tube I can see where every wrap is going even with 30 denier gsp. My reading glasses are 2.5 times so the combined magnification is about 4.75.

I go for lenses with about 120mm diameter (visible area). Oh and the best tube I've had is a Phillips daylight. The LED ones are generally more expensive for less lumens. Been through about 3 lights. All bought on eBay - c.$45AU.

FWIW I have bought a series of cheapie lights from "the same factory" in China. The electronics fail before the mechanical bits, especially the starters. I got one with a cover for the magnifier at one point and have swapped the electric/electronic innards to that shell a couple of times.

I don't clamp mine to a desk but rather to a shelf above the desk which means I can lower it when needed and push it up out of the way when not needed.

On a trip I tend to tie using sunlight and reading glasses over contact lenses. Hard on the eyes after a while. Been doing some tying vids recently and using the light function only with contacts in and reading glasses over. It's ok and I get the flies tied well enough but I prefer to work under the magnifier.

Cheers
Mark
"The line of beauty is the result of perfect economy." R. W. Emerson.
https://thecuriousflycaster.com
askel
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 11:53 am
Answers: 0

Re: Magnifier and lamp

#3

Post by askel »

Hi Mark

Thank you for pretty detailed answer. Sounds like it's worth it. My eyes are not getting better.
Post Reply

Return to “Flytying”