Trouble Seeing Up Close? You Need This Lamp

Last month I took my son to the NYC Maker Faire in Brooklyn, NY.  We saw so many wonderful creations people made with their hands, tools, and technology.  It was really inspiring. 

As mentioned in my Maker Faire recap, during the Faire, my son and I decided to sit down and learn how to cross stitch.  Did I think my son would want to take it up as a hobby?  No, I just wanted to expose him to what is involved.

Immediately, he found a pattern he liked, a volunteer helped us get all of our needed threads and a needle and we were off.  By the time I finally got my needle threaded, my son was already done with his first row of cross stitch.

But then I looked more closely at the tiny squares I was supposed to work in and I was doomed.  I realized there was no way I was going to be able to cross stitch my project.  I simply could not tell where the next square was once I put thread into one of the them.  I was having trouble seeing up close.

Now I do fairly well reading a menu and small print.  I’m far from perfect, but generally, I do not need reader glasses.  Attempting to cross stitch my project “opened my eyes” to some of the fine details I have been missing with things.

It came to me that if I wanted to continue with cross stitch I have two choices.  Use bigger grids and make things that are not as detailed or get readers for seeing up close.  But even with readers, with a project so intricate, there likely wouldn’t be enough light on the subject.

The Brightech LightView XL can be used as a desk lamp or a floor lamp.

But there is another choice.  After the Maker Faire, I have been using the Brightech LightView XL  LightView XL 2in1 lamp.  It’s a lamp that can be used as a desk lamp or floor lamp and comes with a 2.25x Magnification lens, which means it magnifies an object by 250%!  Talk about seeing up close!

I love that the LightView XL 2in1 lamp has an extra large viewing lens.  From what I found online, it’s the largest available in the market.  It opens it up to a wide variety of uses…

Seeing Up Close

Uses:

• soldering circuit boards
• needlepoint & embroidery
• pulling out splinters
• reading the fine print on contracts
• reading pill bottles
• working on HO scale model railroad kits
• doing beading and embroidery work
• sewing, cross stitch, etc.
• working on intricate woodworking
• fine tuning small scale models
• detailing paintings and projects
• painting your nails (yes, I tried it and found it surprisingly helpful!)

I used the LightView XL 2in1 lamp in a variety of ways.  I took it out to my garage workshop and used it when I was cutting a small hole in a PVC pipe I was making. 

I could see the hole very well and was able to cut the hole very precisely.  Finally, seeing up close was easy!

As I cut my whole in the PVC, small plastic pieces began to fly.  Without the lamp, I felt the pieces fly to my face, but with the lamp I was shielded and could see the hole better. 

As the magnifying glass is made from glass, the plastic pieces did not harm it.

I also used the lamp with the fine sanding to create an edge on a piece of wood.  It allowed me to see up close and ensure my freehand sanding was even and as uniform as possible across the wood’s edge.

I found that the LightView XL 2in1 lamp was an incredible ally in threading my cross stitch and sewing needles.  Although I don’t intend to take up cross stitching, I did try the project I brought home from the Maker Faire to see how it compared using the lamp.  It was a TON better.  I could see those tiny squares extremely well.

I also don’t sew much, but being able to thread a needle so easily it make it less of a chore the next time I need to sew.

Lastly, I used the LightView XL 2-in-1 lamp to work on some small circuit projects.  The wires are so small to work with but using the lamp, I felt the project went smoother and faster since I was seeing up close.

I loved the light the lamp brings to this project.  In the past, I had shadows using the lights I normally use.

Features:

• Highly adjustable, allowing you to customize the height of your lamp
• Incorporates a very large glass viewer measuring 6” wide by 4.5” long, with 225% magnification 
• Uses only 9 watts, will last up to 100,000 hours
• Utilizes 60 embedded LED lights for adjustable brightness without generating heat
• The LED light produces 900 lumens, which is equivalent to a  65W incandescent bulb
• Easily convert from a desk lamp to a floor lamp by including the straight pole between the flex arm and the base
• Arm pivots in any direction
• Includes a 5-year warranty

Pros:

• I love the flexibility of this lamp.  It can be used as a desk lamp or table lamp with quick assembly
• The elongated viewing frame makes the most sense in working on projects over a round frame
• The lamp is made of high quality materials and is very stable with its weighted base, I’ve never been worried that it would tip over
• Light is versatile – can turn about 280 degrees, almost all around so you can turn the light upwards in addition to downwards, dependent upon your needs
• With its convenient knob, you can adjust the neck of the lamp the way you want it and turn the knob to keep the position in place (and not slip)
• You can adjust the lighting to be brighter or less bright according to your eyes sensitivity
• The no glare magnifying glass frame works really well for close-up work and is scratch-resistant
• Nowadays, a 5-year satisfaction guarantee is unheard of, this gives assurance to the quality of Brightech products
• For a more focused light, you can close the lid when the magnifier frame is not being used

Cons:

• The cord needs to be longer to allow flexibility as to where it’s plugged in
• It’s a little heavy, but that’s also a pro because it ensures the lamp doesn’t tip over

The LightView XL 2in1 is available directly through Brightech is currently discounted 10% at $89.99 with free shipping.  Best yet, with a 5-year guarantee, you can feel good about your purchase.

A Mom’s Perspective

Even though I do not need readers (reading glasses) for seeing up close most of the time, there are times where I am lost without some magnification and light.  I found the Lightview XL 2in1 to be very helpful when doing detailed work.

I can solder a circuit board with my son, but once I used the Lightview XL 2in1 to work on circuit boards, I was amazed at the detail I was seeing and how much more precise I could be.

I love the bright light the LightView XL 2-in-1 lamp gives and that it isn’t a heated light.  The LED lights are cool to the touch, but they bring an intensity of light that you don’t get from ceiling or table lamps.  And the fact that you can turn down the intensity of light is appealing so you can get the best setting for your eyes at any time of day or night.

The flexibility of the arms of the lamp not only helps you to get light and magnification to where you need it, but it folds up pretty tight for the times you don’t need it. 

Couple this with the fact you can easily make it into a floor lamp, the Brightech LightView XL 2in1 offers a great value for your money.  Seeing up close is as easy as turning on a light and positioning your LightView lamp.