Need magnifying glasses

[Bee-Bop]

What do us old folks need to see bee eggs when grafting ?

I am thinking along the lines of those adjustable head size band goggle type things,
they come adjustable to 10X magnification, some have lights attached.

Any recomendains ?

With a good magnifier, I will be able to actually see my shakey hands drop the egg   :'(

Thanks
Bee-Bop

[hardwood]

Magnifying desk lamp mounted to a "grafting desk" works great. The lamp is a 4" dia or larger lens surrounded by a fluorescent lamp. I picked one up at Lowes for $19.

Scott 

[deknow]

....reading glasses from the dollar store.  3.5x is what i use, and i'll say that i feel somewhat "seasick" if i'm not careful with them (i put them on when i'm in position, and take them off before i look away from the comb).

10x is very strong (too strong for me).

a grafting tool in one hand, and an led flashlight in the other does the job for me.

deknow

[Michael Bush]

A flashlight is very helpful...

[fish_stix]

An LED headlight from Walmart is even more helpful! Leaves one hand free to drink coffee, swat mosquitos, push the dog away, etc. BTW, I use 2x reading glasses from the drug store and have no problem seeing larva and eggs.

[tecumseh]

hardwood writes:
Magnifying desk lamp mounted to a "grafting desk" works great. The lamp is a 4" dia or larger lens surrounded by a fluorescent lamp. I picked one up at Lowes for $19.

tecumseh:
that is what I use.  for me it allows me to establish a focal length and maintain that distance plus the soft fluorescent light is nice plus.

[Bee-Bop]

Thanks for the replies;
I believe the magnifying desk lamp might be best, I've tried the drug store glasses and I cant seem to focus them in.

Thanks Again
Bee-Bop

[TwT]

Magnifying desk lamp mounted to a "grafting desk" works great. The lamp is a 4" dia or larger lens surrounded by a fluorescent lamp. I picked one up at Lowes for $19.

Scott 

GOOD CHOICE, i know about 4 beeks that use these, they love them

[BjornBee]

Ted,

Regardless of the light or magnifying lamp, your grafting will be much easier if you put your queen you selected as your breeder on black Peirco plastic foundation in the spring.

Picking out the eggs from black foundation is better than any help from light or magnifying lamp. I do suggest you use the light and magnifying lamp, but I'm suggesting selecting eggs on white wax is difficult no matter the equipment used.

Here is a picture of the lamp we use at Bjorn Apiaries.

www.nsqba.org

[Yuleluder]

At one time I used the magnifying light pictured by bjornbee  I have graduated to using the sun and the cab or tailgate of my pickup.

Here is a picture of the lamp we use at Bjorn Apiaries.

Bjorn,

That sure is a nice looking fellow in that photo, lol!

[BjornBee]

Yuleluder,

It does make you feel good to remember what one once looked like, many years ago, and 30 pounds lighter....  :lau:

About time you checked in here. Welcome to the forum.

[Acebird]

http://www.amazon.com/Donegan-OptiVisor-Headband-Magnifier-Magnification/dp/B0015IQC0S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1294074378&sr=8-3

I have a pair like these that are very useful if you wear corrective lenses.  You select the lens you like and it leaves your hands free to do other things.  You can add external lights but keeping the magnifier lens stable is key.

[deknow]

i have optivisors....yet, simple $1 reading glasses from the dollar store work just as well, cost $29 less ($25 less if you buy 5 pairs of reading glasses with different magnifications), are less cumbersome, are easier to put on and take off, store more easily etc.

deknow

[Acebird]

It sounds like you have already blown the $30 and have added $5 more for more articles to be stored away.  The desk magnifier is good for something that doesn't move (including your hands).  I don't think you will find one for a buck either.

When the lens is mounted to your face the focal distance doesn't change but it requires you to get in closer and closer as the magnification increases.  Readers are useless for someone that has bad eyes to begin with.  Options are better if your eyes are good.

[Kathyp]

anyone ever try the jewelers magnifiers?  they are probably spendy.  wonder if they can be found on ebay?

yup...all kinds of stuff on there!

[Acebird]

anyone ever try the jewelers magnifiers?

Lacks field of wiew.

[hardwood]

Kathy, I tried a jeweler's loupe (the kind you have to hold in place by scrinching your eye...like a monocle) and found it to be a real pain. Nothing wrong with field of view...a cell is only so big afterall, but the focal point is only a couple of inches so you tend to block your working light. The ones that clip on to glasses might be better.

Scott

[Sparky]

For our ageing eyes.

[REDBEE]

Down here in Texas we don't graft eggs for our queen bees ,we graft 12 hour old larva

[AllenF]

Ya'll need to remember that everything is bigger in Texas.