A magnifying glass can come in handy when cutting intricate fretwork. I have used a few different magnifiers and never found the perfect setup for me. While I was on vacation last week I visited
Workshop Tools in Sevierville TN. They sell a large selection of both quality and not so high quality tools. I found this Clip-On magnifying glass(ML3089L-1.5X) for $10. The quality to the touch seemed better than the price would indicate so I bought a couple just to give them a test.
I spent a few minutes testing it out on my Excalibur saw tonight and here are my thoughts.
The feature I like best is the rimless lens. I have always been annoyed with the large rims around the lens on most magnifiers. This lens is decent quality. It gives little distortion and is very clear. It is only a 1.5X magnifier so if you need more look elsewhere. For me the 1.5X is just about right.
The flexible goose neck is strong and holds the lens in place well. It's only 18 inches long so it has to be positioned pretty close the the spot you want to use it. The clip that attaches the magnifier is acceptable but not as strong as I might like. The goose neck screws into the clip so I'll probably end up making some modification and add a stronger clip. This clip works but it could be stronger. Of course if you are cutting larger patterns clipping it to the saw table might not be an option.
The piece that attaches the lens to the goose neck might be the weakest link of the tool. There is a small screw that goes through the plastic and the lens. I suspect that is the most likely breakage point if you drop the magnifier.
If you are looking for a magnifying glass for your saw or just general use in the shop this might be a decent choice. Your not spending a large amount of money so don't expect commercial quality here.
I could not find the tool on the Workshop Tools website so I went searching on-line and found it on Amazon. The Amazon price was $5 more than at Workshop Tools but that's still a decent price. Here is the
link to the tool on Amazon.
You may be able to call Workshop Tools at the number on their website and order the tool but I did not try that personally.
UPDATE:
Here is a
link on Amazon for the same magnifier with 2X magnification. It is listed at $12. I suspect it's the same tool just listed with different specs. That's pretty common on Amazon from different sellers. It's funny but the seller for this one on Amazon is Workshop Tools.
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