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Greybull River Rat

Does a magnifying glass/lamp help or get in the way?

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I use reading glasses that are about two sizes stronger than I need for reading. Focus length is pretty limited, but there's no huge thing in front of me, like with a manifying glass. I tried that once, but just couldn't operate my bobbin that way.

 

I don't tie any smaller than 22, and not much of that. On simple patterns, I could probably go smaller, but haven't tried, like on some caddis and scuds. The 2X reading glasses do a good job and you keep both hands free.

 

I recently bought a tying lamp with 300 lumens power (how ever much that is) that gives daylight type light. It makes a big difference in how a fly looks. I previously used a helluva extension lamp that was WAY more powerful, but I didn't like all that heat and radiation coming in on my face.

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Thanks everyone. I didn't expect all of the quality feed back. My plan is to tie a few #14 size hooks and buy reading glasses and bright light if I am struggling to see the detail. The last resort will be a magnifier and learning to get use to the problem with depth perception.

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Thanks everyone. I didn't expect all of the quality feed back. My plan is to tie a few #14 size hooks and buy reading glasses and bright light if I am struggling to see the detail. The last resort will be a magnifier and learning to get use to the problem with depth perception.

 

That does it for me and I'm 66 years old. If you decide to go with a magnifier, borrow one first. It's a really different experience.

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i like mine for both lense and as a light stand. I perch it over my fly and put my head lamp on it to shine through to the fly on a dim evening.

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Thanks again for the input. I also wear glasses all the time. The last tip regarding clip on magnifiyers from Cabelas looks like the way to go because I can get double duty out of them tying and fishing. It may look a little weird wearing a hat in the house. Oh well. What's one more weird habit to add to a long list if it works.

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Does a magnifying glass/lamp help or get in the way?

 

The answer to both is YES! Sometimes they help and sometimes they get in the way.

 

Amusing, but true response smile.png

 

For me the positives outweight the negatives, as the eyesight is going downhill at my age...

Sometimes I can get the positioning right, so that the lamp is not in the way too much, but the magnifier is ALWAYS a blessing. It makes things so much clearer for me. I can see what needs to go where. Getting my flies tied would be a lot more of a chore without my magnifying lamp.

 

It took me quite a while to search through all the various types of lamp, before I settled on one that suited me. Researching was a pain in the a**, but (for those still trying to find out what to get) this site gave some solid advice on what to look for: http://topleka.net/better-fly-tying-with-magnifying-lamps/

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The magnifier and lamp ? Even if it's in the way at first you can get used to it, Or I did. I can tie with just extra strength reading glasses but the magnifier enlarges the details so things like touching turns really stand out. In the end I use both. I've learned to tie on a shorter running line off the bobbin is all. We travel to Maine and rent cabins with less than ideal light, with the LED lights of my magnifier/lamp I always tie in about the same light no matter what cabin we stay in or even at home in the evening ( my wife likes lower intensity light in the house, her eyes are light sensitive).

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I know a guy that uses a light on his forehead when he is tying, i have the same kind of light in my van for fishing at night when i need to see changing flies, but haven't tried it for tying yet!

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I wear prescription lenses all the time. I got the progressives a couple of years ago and told the doc I was a fly tyer, and asked if I could get the bottom of the progressives beefed up a bit. He was glad to accommodate me.

Personal opinion, Lighting is more important than magnification. If you have trouble seeing the flies, go see an optometrist and get your eyes checked. Chances are, you are having trouble seeing other things, too.

I tried the big magnifier on the lamp thing, and had trouble getting everything lined up so both eyes were focusing thru the glass, and still be close enough to see and tie at the same time.

 

Kirk B.

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I use lots of light [giraffes], and lots of magnification even though my flies are big. There is a magnifying set of glasses from Orvis that are really nice. They come in 4x and 5x...very good. I use the 4x most of the time. I also had my optometrist make my progressives with tying in mind. This seems like overkill. But I couldn't get used to the swing away magnifiers. These glasses are a good option for someone that wants the magnification on their face. Ed

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Maybe it's just me, but I figure flies are imitations...at least for fishing. I don't know how flsh see flies and I don't tie for exhibiton, but if I ever catch a fish wearing magnifying glasses, I'll take to wearing powerful magnifying assistance over 1 1/2 mag, which I now wear...reading glasses. If I were tying for a contest or something, maybe, but I'm a minmalist and think trout are the same. They have a second or two vision and have to make a decison IF the fly floats in their field of vision.

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When I was setting up my bench, I looked for a lamp with a magnifying glass, thinking I would need it. I bought one with a magnifying glass because it was one of the least expensive options I could find.

I have used it for tying about 2% of the time ... mostly for a needle stick when sewing rubber legs in. Gets the needle started at exactly the right point.

I've been EXTREMELY glad I had it on several occasions. It's the best tool I have for finding and removing splinters and thorns from yard work.

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I have this Carson Magniflex.

 

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I tie mostly larger flies for panfish and bass and i rarely use this magnifier but it's pretty neat and works great when i do use it.It has three built in led's that do a great job lighting the flies and it plugs in or takes 3 batteries.Mounts to the table like a vise would and is easy to move out of the way.The glass is large enough that i have no problem looking through it with both eyes.I have had some that i had to look through with one eye.

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