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Funny little $6 eBay glasses .... — Parallax Forums

Funny little $6 eBay glasses ....

Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
edited 2013-02-12 06:02 in General Discussion
Ok, so don't laugh... I bought a pair of these so I can see some of the small detail when working with surface mount electronic components, and they are excellent by the way for removing splinters. For $6 free shipping they are a steal. I did have to remove the secondary lens on each eye piece, as 20X was way to strong. (the lenses just unscrew) ... optical alignment/convergence is a bit of trial and error, but once you get used to it, it's not so bad. There's almost no way to get dual convergence when you have that much hands free magnification, you just have to pick one eye or the other. Each eyepiece does flip up and out of the way also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130722739917?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

$T2eC16RHJH8E9qSEVnlQBQY!ROS8Yw~~60_12.JPG


Recently, I accidentally dropped my touch pad and it hit the floor and flew apart. Usually this wouldn't be such a big deal since it just snaps back together. However it hit just right and broke a surface mount inductor inside that is part of the display driver (instead of going completely black it went full white, except when I pushed or torqued the tablet just right ... This only worked a few times before it was a steady washout) ... Anyway, these glasses came to the rescue, and I was able to identify the broken component and make a repair .... I unwound one of the turns on the inductor, and stripped and re-tinned it ... for a $6 pair of funny glasses, surgery was a success!!
$T2eC16RHJH8E9qSEVnlQBQY!ROS8Yw~~60_12.JPG
500 x 500 - 27K

Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-02-07 23:09
    At the end of WII, the facts that the airplane took over as transport and that so many people had been to places afar made everyone say the world is getting smaller. Little did they know how small that might be.

    These days I am pondering making a DIY board with 0.4mm wide pads with 0.4mm gaps. IT wasn't so long ago I had a Rapidograph pen that would draw lines that wide for darker boarders. And of course, the silicon chips these days are 1/10th of the size of your average postage stamp.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2013-02-08 05:10
    What kind of working distance do these have? I have a 20x stereo microscope, but since it has to be right on top of the part, I don't use it unless I absolutely have to. I switched to some 3.75 diopter reading glasses for day to day up close viewing. For $5 I'll give these a try. How much did the package weigh? It seems like shipping would be almost half the selling price.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-02-08 05:29
    Working distance is a real factor. I use a pair that have 10x magnification as they are more in the comfort zone of what I work with... with a soldering iron.

    I don't really care that someone might think the glasses are funny, but I do dislike having no peripheral vision.
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    edited 2013-02-08 05:38
    RDL2004,

    "What kind of working distance do these have?" - Very close...about two inches clearance. These are only used in special circumstances, I have another pair of glasses that are 3x for general work, but in my latest use, the inductors were about 2.5mm diameter and the wire I had to repair was super fine.
  • blittledblittled Posts: 681
    edited 2013-02-08 06:00
    I wonder if they used those glasses as a prop in the movie National Treasure. They used glasses like those that Ben Franklin made to see secret markings on the Constitution.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2013-02-08 13:19
    The ultimate in up-close gear:

    Don't forget you also need a helmet and headlights.

    -- Gordon
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2013-02-08 13:36
    I bought a clip on 5x loupe a few years back which really helps. The funny thing were the reviews on Amazon.com because goggles and loupes are apparently popular for Steam punk cosplay. So most of them were about how they looked with various Victorian era clothes, and the other items purchased were corsets, top hats, and such.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2013-02-09 08:06
    Guess that is why my loupes were a good bit more. Working distance 18 inches. Yes, ebay, originally sold by u.u. Surgical.

    FF

    Yeah, the word medical is a significant multiplier.

    Beau Schwabe (Parallax) wrote: »
    RDL2004,

    "What kind of working distance do these have?" - Very close...about two inches clearance. These are only used in special circumstances, I have another pair of glasses that are 3x for general work, but in my latest use, the inductors were about 2.5mm diameter and the wire I had to repair was super fine.
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,243
    edited 2013-02-09 09:30
    What you see in my avatar is Optivisor LX Magnifiers. I have the DA-10 lenses and am very pleased with them. The working distance is about 4 inches and the magnification is 3.5x.
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    edited 2013-02-09 10:19
    doggiedoc,

    "The working distance is about 4 inches and the magnification is 3.5x." - That sounds about right if the X20 with the removed secondary lenses reduce the magnification to something less than X10 giving me about 2 inches of working distance..
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2013-02-09 10:32
    Isn't there anything out there which would make it possible to see details and still work from (hm, transforming from metric..) around 12 inches distance? I'm extremely uncomfortable working with my nose down where I'm soldering (still recovering from the last surface mount soldering I did - I really wish I could have used something which would a) let me keep some distance, and b) move my head around to see both sides. I used a monovision lab scope for this. I would have liked to simply have some kind of small binocular-glasses where a normal distance could be maintained).

    -Tor
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    edited 2013-02-09 10:47
    Tor wrote: »
    Isn't there anything out there which would make it possible to see details and still work from (hm, transforming from metric..) around 12 inches distance? I'm extremely uncomfortable working with my nose down where I'm soldering (still recovering from the last surface mount soldering I did - I really wish I could have used something which would a) let me keep some distance, and b) move my head around to see both sides. I used a monovision lab scope for this. I would have liked to simply have some kind of small binocular-glasses where a normal distance could be maintained).

    -Tor

    I have the Optivisor DA-5 and a swivel loupe - they are expensive compared to the ones Beau mentioned

    The Optivisor magnifiers have the following specs



    Item No
    Focal Length
    Magnification


    DA-2
    20"
    1.5x


    DA-3
    14"
    1.75x


    DA-4
    10"
    2x


    DA-5
    8"
    2.5x


    DA-7
    6"
    2.75x


    DA-10
    4"
    2.5x

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-02-09 10:57
    LEDs & batteries included? US seller? Help for aging eyes? Dorky look? Sold!
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    edited 2013-02-09 11:15
    +1 erco ... yes batteries included.

    You guys are so funny, these are only $6 ... for the number of little things my daughters have handed me to fix, including removing a splinter (the kind you think you got, but as soon as you ever so lightly brush against something the wrong way, you definitely know it's still there) ... so far they have more than payed for themselves. Theses glasses are more of a novelty than anything else, but at the same time very useful ... around our household anyway.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2013-02-09 11:45
    Isn't there anything out there which would make it possible to see details and still work from (hm, transforming from metric..) around 12 inches distance?

    Yes, the surgical loupes Frank mentioned will do this, as will a Mantis from Vision Engineering (they're as not cheap though).
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2013-02-09 12:44
    Yep, my loupes from U.S. Surgical were 2.5x@ 14-18" working distance. Bought on ebay from a dental graduate who no doubt went on to spend > 700.00+ for new ones or stopped using them. You can find various working distances and mags with a fair range of prices. Personally, I would hsve liked 3.0 rsther than the 2.5x but then they would have a smaller field of view. Mine can flip up out of the way, my dentists are fixed in place, meaning special order and pricier as well. His chief complaint is having to either constantly look around them or take them off when they are not needed. There seems to be two major types of optics and powers. Tradeoffs abound here, weight, FOV, mag, etc. Hardest thing to get used to for me at least was working over a foot away from the actual device. But that was a nice trade for not having to cram everything in the one to two inches under a magnifier lamp with an inch or two of clearance.

    If you consider the cost over 5+ years it actually can be justified to your controller. Just have him/her look at it like getting glasses.

    FF
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-02-09 16:40
    Myself I have an idea that will not require any head gaer. I have a 50X CCTV Box Camera that I am going to mount on a moveable arm over my work bench. I have a spare 19 inch LCD monitor that I am going to mount on the wall at eye level over my workbench. I will then be able to work on pretty much anything without haveing glasses or a magnifier in the way of the work area. As soon as I get around to this project and have it completed I will post pics.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2013-02-10 18:19
    The view should be great, but I will be curious to find out how well working with mono-vision does.
    FF
  • ZetsuZetsu Posts: 186
    edited 2013-02-10 18:30
    Beau Schwabe (Parallax) wrote: »
    Ok, so don't laugh... I bought a pair of these so I can see some of the small detail when working with surface mount electronic components, and they are excellent by the way for removing splinters. For $6 free shipping they are a steal. I did have to remove the secondary lens on each eye piece, as 20X was way to strong. (the lenses just unscrew) ... optical alignment/convergence is a bit of trial and error, but once you get used to it, it's not so bad. There's almost no way to get dual convergence when you have that much hands free magnification, you just have to pick one eye or the other. Each eyepiece does flip up and out of the way also.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/130722739917?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

    $T2eC16RHJH8E9qSEVnlQBQY!ROS8Yw~~60_12.JPG


    Recently, I accidentally dropped my touch pad and it hit the floor and flew apart. Usually this wouldn't be such a big deal since it just snaps back together. However it hit just right and broke a surface mount inductor inside that is part of the display driver (instead of going completely black it went full white, except when I pushed or torqued the tablet just right ... This only worked a few times before it was a steady washout) ... Anyway, these glasses came to the rescue, and I was able to identify the broken component and make a repair .... I unwound one of the turns on the inductor, and stripped and re-tinned it ... for a $6 pair of funny glasses, surgery was a success!!

    awesome I thought about picking a pair of these up, but thought they looked kinda of cheep. Glad they are not, gonna order a pair tonight. Although I will probably use them more for painting then smd work...
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2013-02-11 09:16
    doggiedoc wrote: »
    What you see in my avatar is Optivisor LX Magnifiers. I have the DA-10 lenses and am very pleased with them. The working distance is about 4 inches and the magnification is 3.5x.

    All along I thought these were those psychedelic diffraction grating glasses popular from the 60s!

    Other kinds of diffraction grating glasses allowed us to have X-ray vision and see through clothes. Amazing stuff they no longer sell!

    I was never good at soldering, period, but especially small stuff. I don't see (literally) how people do it. The smallest I get is using +3 diopter reading glasses, so basically small -- but not surface mount -- stuff.

    -- Gordon
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-02-11 12:24
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    I was never good at soldering, period -- Gordon

    That's very surprising to hear, Mr. RBB! This little girl's soldering skills sure came in handy at the science fair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2CxMm0ksJ8Y#t=207s
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2013-02-12 03:11
    Tor wrote: »
    Isn't there anything out there which would make it possible to see details and still work from (hm, transforming from metric..) around 12 inches distance? I'm extremely uncomfortable working with my nose down where I'm soldering (still recovering from the last surface mount soldering I did - I really wish I could have used something which would a) let me keep some distance, and b) move my head around to see both sides. I used a monovision lab scope for this. I would have liked to simply have some kind of small binocular-glasses where a normal distance could be maintained).

    -Tor

    Try these cheap headmount lenses:
    http://biltema.no/no/Kontor---Teknikk/Kontorutstyr/Maskiner/Hodelupe-19712/
    (59NOK, about $11 )
    Max magnification is 4.8X

    Good enough that I managed to solder the SMTs on the RAMPS 1.4 controller board for my Prusa Mendel printer.
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    edited 2013-02-12 06:02
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    Try these cheap headmount lenses:
    http://biltema.no/no/Kontor---Teknikk/Kontorutstyr/Maskiner/Hodelupe-19712/ (59NOK, about $11 )
    Max magnification is 4.8X
    Good enough that I managed to solder the SMTs on the RAMPS 1.4 controller board for my Prusa Mendel printer.
    What's the viewing distance? The problem I've had with the type pictured in the URL is that they just have a single lens, thus requiring me to put my nose close to what I'm soldering (the bigger magnification the closer). I'm trying to find something which will keep the item in focus at something like 30cm (12") or so..

    -Tor
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