when i still couldn’t see comfortably with the #7, i did think to get
an extra light source. at the moment i have one of those duplex
lights: both a florescent and an incandescent light (i’m using an 60w
halogen) that i can pull above my work. but it still hasn’t been
enough. i had wondered about getting a stronger halogen light on a
flex arm.
i do use a scribe. i go back over the carbon drawing with the
scribe. i had tried ink, but i had tried getting it down into the
scribed line (it didn’t work.) instead of putting it on the surface.
the straw/pen tube is an excellent idea! with the higher
magnification lenses you can’t just blow the swarf because your mouth
isn’t in the right position. you have to look refocus outside the
optivisor, move your head, blow, refocus using the optivisor. this
really interrupts the process since you have to do it so often to see
your line. i had thought about asking what people did to solve this
problem but thought my question was too trivial. thank you for
volunteering your solution.
i’ll let you know how i do with an extra light source and the ink on
the surface of the metal.
i’m a retired baby boomer myself. although i’m thinking i need to
get another job to finance all my tool purchases. plus, i have a 1987
vw, so i’m going to have to buy a new car one of these days too. i
didn’t like having a car payment 10 years ago when i was still
working. i’m really not going to like it now.
But try this - get a small incandesent light source ( I
use an old tensor lamp )
G’day; don’t know what a tensor lamp is, but you can buy really high
intensity very small, focused quartz-halogen lamps from lighting
shops, complete with stand - I wouldn’t be without mine and it is (of
course) in a home made stand and shade.
I usr a old drinking straw, or sometimes an old ballpoint pen
tube without the inner part in it, to place between my lips and
blow away the swarf .
I bought some 3mm thin wall brass tube from a modeller’s shop, and
having annealed it, bent it round my saw frame and strapped it in
place with copper wire, attaching a piece of rubber tube to the end
near the handle. A cheap aquarium pump supplies quite enough air to
blow away swarf and dust as you work. I have a picture for anyone who
really needs it. And no, the rubber tube doesn’t get in the way. –
Cheers now,
I am comfortable with the point of the bench pin at my collar
bone. Sue
I am puzzled by the several comments like this one. I went out to my
studio and moved my bench pin to a higher surface, bringing it up to
“heart level” or thereabouts, and I can’t understand the attraction.
Even with the pin set with the angled side up, I don’t feel that I
can see what I’m doing when I saw or file, looking at an angle
instead of the top. Plus, it’s too close for me to focus comfortably,
even with glasses. Table level is too low, but this seems too high.
It’s great for stone setting, wearing an optivisor, but I don’t saw
or file with that on. Do you? Please, enlighten me,
if possible-- you can’t all be wrong! Noel
Hello Noel: When it comes to personal preference everyone else in the
world “can” be wrong. That’s the beauty of opinion. If you work at a
bench 8 hours a day 5 days a week, then hunching over your work will
be the end of your back and neck over time. Standing over your
soldering will be the end of your lungs and health. Proper posture is
very important to our trade and our ability to continue in our trade.
I saw and do everything wearing my #4 optivisor. I have my bench pin
with the flat side up. Do what feels right until it doesn’t feel
right anymore and then adjust. Just my Opinion.
Michael R. Mathews Sr. Victoria,Texas USA JACMBJ
Hi Noel, Yes, I work with the bench pin at collarbone height for
filing, sawing, carving and more. I find having my bench pin up this
high keeps me sitting up straight and breathing better. When my pin
was lower I had horrible neck and shoulder pain and TMJ problems.
With my bench pin up a an ideal height all those problems were gone
within two weeks. HTH, Kate Wolf, Portland, Maine offering workshops
by the bay. http://www.katewolfdesigns.com
Noel, Heart height is a normal bench height. Maybe you should give it
a change so you can get used to it. It should help you see what you
are doing better and also is much better for your back.
I never learned it any other way, so to me it is a natural position.