I can't see for beans ... help!

[Bob Jones 5443]

Just a side comment, but my biggest vision challenge is setting the lower blade guides of my little-guy band saw (Rikon 10-306). I have to sit on the floor, and it's relatively dark under there. To add to the fun, I use progressives, so to focus at that distance –– about 20" maybe and 30º above eye level –– I have to tilt my head nearly up to the ceiling. It's a comedy of errors, and looks downright weird to my nephew while he watches me struggle.

I've taken to chunking on the magnetic-base gooseneck light to bathe everything in light. Then I can at least guess a little better where everything is.

When I think of it I have to laugh. It makes me not want to change the blade.

[Jim Koepke]

Just a side comment, but my biggest vision challenge is setting the lower blade guides of my little-guy band saw (Rikon 10-306). I have to sit on the floor, and it's relatively dark under there. To add to the fun, I use progressives, so to focus at that distance –– about 20" maybe and 30º above eye level –– I have to tilt my head nearly up to the ceiling. It's a comedy of errors, and looks downright weird to my nephew while he watches me struggle.

I've taken to chunking on the magnetic-base gooseneck light to bathe everything in light. Then I can at least guess a little better where everything is.

When I think of it I have to laugh. It makes me not want to change the blade.

Have you ever tried flipping your glasses upside down?

You may need a long rubber band on the ear pieces.

One of my coworkers had his optometrist put extra reading lenses at the top of his glasses for work. This was so he wouldn't have to look up to read the labels on the panels where we worked.

jtk

[Halgeir Wold]

FWIW - There are different lenses for Optivizor... Maybe you should try another lens.....As I work with electronics and tiny parts, Optivizor has probably been my most important tool for quite some years, and I also have one privately. I also have another magnifier which I bought for my mother and her sowing and embroidery work. This came with a set of interchangeable lenses and is quite useful.... Some also recommends dentists loupes, which re worn like a pair of glasses....
I really think you should try some options and see what works for you...

[Derek Cohen]

When doing fine work (like trying to cut dovetails or use a scroll saw) I can't see for beans. Light helps, so I add that. If I take off my glasses I can see pretty well 10" away. If I use a 2.0 optivisor + no glasses it's like 6" which is too darn close. Optivisor + my "computer glasses" is about 9". (I was just now trying to measure with my ruler from my head, glad my husband didn't walk in on that exercise ). I have specific glasses for a monitor and I can't just get any ol' glasses because of astigmatism (I think, I could be wrong?). My other glasses are progressives, but the reading part is no use for woodworking.

I was recently doing some pyrography and felt like I was snorting smoke on purpose I was so close.

What do you folks with bad eyes do and could recommend? What is a generally good working distance from your work? I'd like more distance, this is hard on my neck.

I appreciate any help and so does my joinery!

Hi Jen

I am 70 and need reading glasses. Without them, all is a blur. For many years now I have managed to get away with magnifiers or readers, those inexpensive reading glasses available everywhere. 1.75 x magnification suits me.

The answer for dovetailing is more light. A Moxon vise helps raise the work, and good lighting over the work is essential.

This situation was also the reason I came up with the blue tape method for transferring dovetail marks. This makes a HUGE improvement: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...ovetails3.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bob Andre]

Jen these are all great suggestions that many of us have utilized. See your ophthalmologist for readers or office glasses dependent on your desired focal distance. Better lighting. I have added more LEDs which has been great. And I bet I go through more blue tape than Derek for multiple uses, though I credit him for the dovetail use. You can do it!!

[Jack Frederick]

John, you have picquet my interest here. I, too, am 72 and due to astigmatism, my specs are first thing in the morning and last thing at night. What May I ask are the implants you refer to?
jen, perhaps a pair of tri-focal would help you, with the mag band placed hi and low on the lense. I should follow my own advise, but my lenses are so expensive a pair of shades and regular specs are what I have gone with.

[Christopher Charles]

Hi all,

I have a swing-arm magnifier lamp combo that I use at the scroll saw and only started using it because it came with the saw when I bought it used. For fine work, it is not the best but I'm not sure I could work with out it now. Could also be useful for pyrography?

Best,
Chris

[Bob Jones 5443]

Have you ever tried flipping your glasses upside down?

You may need a long rubber band on the ear pieces.

One of my coworkers had his optometrist put extra reading lenses at the top of his glasses for work. This was so he wouldn't have to look up to read the labels on the panels where we worked.

jtk

Jim, that's using your head! The problem is that my left eye is far weaker than my right, so wearing the glasses upside down would ... well, I just tried it, and talk about weird! Suffice it to say that the four main regions of the pair of glasses are now all in the wrong places. Otherwise, clever suggestion for seeing "up."

As to the other comments, I use two bright, zoomable LEDs on magnetic disks placed in 3/4" dog holes: one to the left and one to the right of the work. For sawing and chiseling dovetails I wouldn't be without them. The disks are a nice item on the bench. Here's the disk only:

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...t?item=15J7702

LED light mounting plate.jpg dog mounter for mag disk.jpg

You can find the mounting cylinder next to it on the LV site.

My dog holes are in a 6" grid over 2/3 of my bench, so the lights can move virtually everywhere in an instant. Great little convenience that keeps me working.

[Jen Joy]

Jim, I think you got it -- I can get a copy of my reading prescription and that would help a lot. Besides who doesn't want four sets of glasses to lose! :-D

Bob, I use those same lights on my scroll saw like dueling banjos. Although the batteries are a drag and rechargeables didn't fit in mine.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I can attest to the fact that the tape method makes a HUGE difference. Not only does it make it easy to see, but it also gives you a slight ridge. If you saw my post about my toothpick boxes, you will notice that I finally resorted to using it on these tiny boxes. It also makes it easier to transfer your lines since the tape is easy to mark, especially with a hard wood. And if you mess it up, just put on a new piece of tape rather than having the confusion of which mark is the correct one.

[lowell holmes]

I bought my readers at a drugstore. You can try them when selecting them.

[Jim Koepke]

I can get a copy of my reading prescription and that would help a lot. Besides who doesn't want four sets of glasses to lose! :-D

During my working years our contract allowed a new pair of glasses every year. Even when they weren't needed it was a matter of thinking ahead that led me to getting them every year. Now it seems there is a pair tucked away in just about every desk drawer. It comes in handy, not to mention money saving, to already have frames when it is time to get new lenses.

jtk