I've been making jewelry for over 20 years now and it's beginning to wear on my body a bit. This year I've gone to physical therapy to rehab my neck as well as learn new techniques and better posture for my workpace. In addition to PT, I started to investigate tools to help my eyes and my hands, that will help me prolong my jewelry making career.
The goal is to stop hunching over my work - jewelry making requires fine tools and lots of hand movements. One suggestion was to get some magnifiers so my head isn't tempted to get closer and closer to the worktable and strain my neck and back. I looked into eye visors, but found them heavy, uncomfortable and a barrier to what I like to do while I work - watch TV! I've researched a very cool product, Craftoptics, which are like bifocals for crafters, which combines magnifiers and regular glasses (whether you have a prescription or not) so you can easily switch between magnifying and regular vision. Craftoptics also has an optional light attachment, which is so vital to an optimized workspace. While I was debating whether to invest in Craftoptics, I received an email from Brighttech offering me a free sample of one of their magnifying lamps. It was perfect timing, as a desk magnifier was going to be my next option to try!
I choose to try the LightView XL Magnifying Glass Lamp that clips to a table. This lamp is articulated so you can adjust the viewer to your liking, has a dust cover to protect the magnifier (which I appreciate), and built-in lighting.
It took a while for me to work with the magnifier and find the right set up for work. At first, I tried having the magnifier flat/parallel to the table over my workspace and I could never get items to be in focus while I worked. Finally I figured out that the best way was to have the magnifier tilted vertically! Not only did this allow for more space for my hands to work but got the items in focus for me. The light, which is adjustable in intensity, is a warm white LED. I wish it were more of a full spectrum light, but it does provide a good amount of illumination.
I have yet to get used to using the lamp with every work project, however I'm finding it very helpful for doing intense and intricate work like stone setting.
You can read all the specs for the lamp pictured on the Brightech website. This link is an affiliate link, so if you visit the site and decide to purchase, I will receive a commission on the sale! If you have any questions, let me know in the comments! I hope this helps you make your workplace safer and easier
xoxo
Peggy
I was feeling guilty about the mess on my bench—not anymore! 😂
Good information on lamp. Time for me to replace mine.
Judi
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