Which loupe?

ELBeau

ELBeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1- Which strength jeweler's loupe do most cuemaker's use? 4x, 10x, 20x, etc
2- Which style is most popular- handheld or visor?

3- Same questions as above but for cue collectors?

I've read that the triple lens helps with distortion and clarity.



Thanks for looking,
~Beau
 
ELBeau said:
1- Which strength jeweler's loupe do most cuemaker's use? 4x, 10x, 20x, etc
2- Which style is most popular- handheld or visor?

3- Same questions as above but for cue collectors?

I've read that the triple lens helps with distortion and clarity.



Thanks for looking,
~Beau
Click to expand...
10x is the standard for jewelers.
Tell you something cool though. I also have a 100x I got from Radio shack that is lighted. It is fun to look at glue lines and the such. Mostly I use a bench magnifying light. I think it is an 3x. I also have one that swings over the lathe and often work under it when doing cue work. A ferrule looks the size of the cue butt and you can do very careful and accurate work.
 
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Macguy that lens over the lathe sounds like something I've been looking for do you know the brand or seller, thanks for any help.--Leonard
 
Being an ex- watch & clock designer I have 2 - 4x & 2 -10x that I hold in my eye. I also have one for my glasses that I use for inlays, that is both 4x & 10x...JER
 
poolcuemaster said:
Macguy that lens over the lathe sounds like something I've been looking for do you know the brand or seller, thanks for any help.--Leonard
Click to expand...

It is pretty much like this one but not floor mount I like it because it is small. The ones with the big round light are nice but over the lathe they seem too big and get in the way.

http://www.amazon.com/White-Magnifier-Magnifying-Light-Floor/dp/B000KLZK22


This websight has some neat ideas for magnifiers.
http://www.action-electronics.com/magnifiers.htm#Desktop

I like the one that is the forth one down. It is just a glass on a flex shaft. Simple and cheap.

I have like 6 of them. I just find them at garage sales for a few dollars. I have one on each bench and even on my desk. I have one that is really cool. It is all brass and must be like 75 year old. I think it came from Chicago.
 
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For cues I like a 4X. If looking into the center of a jewel to decide the quality I would prefer a 10X, but I usually use lower quality gems in cues as the higher quality gems are very expensive and you can't see the extra detail once the finish is put over the stone. So the 4X is about all I use. If the stone looks good through a 4X it is pleanty good for cue inlaying.
 
i'm a jeweler

i have 2x, 4x, 10x, 14x, and a microscope that i use for setting very small diamonds, it goes up to 40 power. when sizing rings i use an optivisor that i wear on my head. its 3 1/2 power at 4 inches. i had a spare so thats what i use in my shop. the optivisor is high quality if anyone wants one they cost 26.95. from stuller 1 800 877-777. chuck starkey
 
desi2960 said:
i have 2x, 4x, 10x, 14x, and a microscope that i use for setting very small diamonds, it goes up to 40 power. when sizing rings i use an optivisor that i wear on my head. its 3 1/2 power at 4 inches. i had a spare so thats what i use in my shop. the optivisor is high quality if anyone wants one they cost 26.95. from stuller 1 800 877-777. chuck starkey
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Chuck is the man when it comes to this kind of thing. He had me build him a cue years ago when I lived near him in Missouri and he provided Champange Diamonds to put in it. Those stones looked better after putting the finish over them than any I have installed since. I don't know if it was the angle of the cut or what, but they were beautiful even when completely sealed in finish.
 
So it looks like a quality 3.5x-4x is good to start with from what I'm reading.
I'm leaning towards an optivisor. Ted Harris was wearing one the first time I saw him and I thought he must just have bad eyesight. Little did I know what I didn't know!
Thanks for the input!
 
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