hola kiddies,

okay, so I'm not blind *yet* but I'm definitely approaching a
presbyopic precipice.  and since I detest shopping both IRL and
online, I'd like a researcher to preshop an item for me.  I already
have reading glasses but I need more magnification for certain items
like the miniscule print in phone books or the unabridged dictionary
I'm using.  yes, I know, the internet probably has the information I
need.  it's just that I'm only online periodically and sometimes a
book is a quicker and handier resourse.  let's hear it for books!

I'm thinking about a page magnifier that boosts the text up to at
least 6X might do the trick.  I'm not interested in those contraptions
that you wear around your neck for needlepoint.  I barely get my
clothes on in the morning.  A magnifying glass would be okay but it
needs to have a huge handle as I've already lost a few of these puppies already.

cheapskate that I am, I'm looking for the most bang for my buck that
fills the bill as I'm on an *extremely* tight budget.  could you
shopping researchers please find something like this for me?

although your beautiful verbiage is always a welcome part of these
answers, it's totally uncessary for this customer, so just a list of
about 5-10 potential websites in a list will be perfect.  if you run
onto anything else that might fit my purpose, feel free to expand the
list.

please, *please,* no 'organizational' lectures.  I get those from my
mom on a routine basis.

if you find me what I've asked for, I will forever be in your debt and
may consider washing your socks as additional compensation, although
I'm not sure how Google would arrange this.  please, make this as easy
on yourselves as possible and that will make me a contented bovine.

go ahead, make me moo, and thank you muchly.

yours truly,
grandmabing

The difficulty with your request is that most general use magnifiers
don't seem to go much higher than 3x, so 6x magnifiers are generally
for use by jewelers. However, I did come up with a few things for you.
If these aren't what you're looking for, though, please ask me for a
clarification and I'll see what else I can find.

Here's a site with a good selection of magnifying products within a
fairly reasonable price range:

http://www.shopallenbeys.com/magnifying-glass-magnifiers-magnify-special-needs.html

Specifically, the following two might be what you're looking for.

This one is what I'm thinking is the closest to what you're looking
for, taking into account both your needs and your price range. It's
$19.95, and it's lighted, 2x with a 6x bifocal. It's a folding
handheld, with a big handle:

http://www.shopallenbeys.com/lighted-2x-6x-bifocal-magnifier-magnifying-magnifiers-magnify-p-ej-454441-9.html

Here's a page magnifier for $12.95 that seems like it may fit the
bill, but it doesn't specify the strength, so I'm assuming it's 2x:

http://www.shopallenbeys.com/full-page-magnifier-magnifying-magnifiers-magnify-p-ej-454447-12.html

Here's another general site with a good variety and reasonable prices:

http://www.ultraoptix.com/

Here are their generic magnifying glasses:

http://www.ultraoptix.com/magnifiers/magnifying.html

Here are their super-cheap Fresnel lenses, which you could buy in
quantities if you tend to lose them (No judgement here, no lectures.
I'm thinking of getting a homing device for my glasses.):

http://www.ultraoptix.com/magnifiers/fresnellens.html

This site only seems to offer magnifications up to 4x, but they're
very inexpensive, and offer the added benefit that you can also order
3D glasses from them:

http://www.ultraoptix.com/magnifiers/fresnellens.html

Here's a simple handheld 10x magnifying glass for $10.99:

http://www.delpozzo.com/magnifiers/Classic10xW.htm

Others available from this site are at:

http://www.delpozzo.com/magnifiers.htm

Here's a $10 page magnifier, but it doesn't specify the magnification:

http://www.wemagnify.com/Qstore/p000047.htm

Finally, if you're feeling adventurous, or if you'd like to try buying
in such bulk that there's always a magnifier at arm's length when you
need one, you could try American Science and Surplus. As the name
implies, they specialize in surplus scientific, uh, stuff (apologies
for all alliteration), and they have an Optics section. A quick glance
shows a bag of 25 simple magnifying lenses for $7.50 and a set of
three achromat lenses (those heavy paperweight types you can sit
directly on the page) for $3.00 on their main optics page at:

http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=21

You can also order a full catalog of their optical products for $1
from the second page of their optics section:

http://www.sciplus.com/category.cfm?subsection=21&category=188

So, that's what I came up with for now. As I said, if this doesn't
meet your needs, or if you have any questions, please ask for
clarification, and I'll try again.

Good luck,
Lisa.

---

Clarification of Answer by lisarea-ga on 15 Jun 2002 17:10 PDT

Oops. I forgot to include my search terms.

I did a broad search on "magnification," then on "page magnifiers,"
and, although I don't entirely understand what a Fresnel lens is, I
also tried "Fresnel magnifier."

---

Request for Answer Clarification by badabing-ga on 15 Jun 2002 18:04 PDT

oh, yea, I'm knee-deep in magnification options!  I have one of those
hand-held jobbies with the 6X bifocal magnification but it's like
bifocal eyeglasses; it's hard to find the "sweet spot." That's why I
wanted an entire 6X surface.  guess I may have to settle for 4X or
change professions and become a jeweler.  thanks for these links. 
I'll rate your answer and tell you which one I decided on tomorrow. 
thanks for finding these!

{hugs} from grannybing, muchacha

---

Request for Answer Clarification by badabing-ga on 16 Jun 2002 19:39 PDT

Hi Lisa,

I'm gonna give this Fresnel Page Magnifier a whirl for $10.
http://www.wemagnify.com/Qstore/p000047.htm but the one I really want
is this 6X one:  http://www.wemagnify.com/Qstore/c000019_1.htm  I also
gave those flip-up magnifiers that attach to your glasses a look but
thought they might be a pain.

guess I'll hafta to save up for it to indulge my expensive tastes. 
I'd get a job as a researcher if my eyes weren't falling outta my head
from my day job, but I'd have you do all my shopping research.  you
gave me some good links here and I appreciate your efforts.

Here's the long and the short scoop on those Frensel lenses if you're
interested: http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Fresnel.html
http://acept.la.asu.edu/PiN/rdg/fresnel/fresnel.shtml

Appreciatively,
grannybing

---

Clarification of Answer by lisarea-ga on 17 Jun 2002 08:58 PDT

Here's one more option that I hadn't even imagined.

This library in Florida offers assistive reading devices for loan, and
for use at the library.

http://www.lee-county.com/library/progserv/ssvcs/ad1.htm

And here's the Library of Congress' list of US libraries, sorted by
state, that offer some kind of assistive technology for readers. (I'm
assuming you're in the US. Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/directories/resources2000.html

I was surprised at the number of libraries that have some sort of
reading aids available for loan. I'd be a little scared myself,
because I would probably lose the smaller items, but if your local
library has a large stand magnifier or something, it might be worth a
try, and you could borrow one from them while you're shopping for
something more permanent.

Also, I can't believe I forgot to look at Edmund's! Edmund's has lots
of cool science stuff, including a couple of magnifiers that might
work, including:

http://www.scientificsonline.com/Products/ListProducts.cfm?catid=159
The third item from the bottom, a small 8X magnifier with a clear
base, so you can run it along the page for $5.95

http://www.scientificsonline.com/Products/DisplayProduct.cfm?productid=252
This says it's 'giant,' but that's a relative term. It does look like
it's at least an inch in diameter. It's a 5x magnifier for $5.95,
again with a clear base like the previous one.


Again, good luck. Let's keep you reading.

Lisa.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by badabing-ga on 17 Jun 2002 18:03 PDT

Lisa darling,

You're an absolute gem!  There was no library loan in my area but this
info might help someone reading this.  I certainly didn't know
libraries loaned those to people.  I'm with you, though, I'd rather
own something for fear of losing it.

The Edmund's site is the best yet!  I've never seen one of those stand
magnifiers.  Very cool.  I'm gonna get that one you suggested @ $5.95.
 At that price, I can get two.  Plus they have a 30-day money-back
guarantee.  I'm SO excited!  I owe you a year's worth of sock washing
for all your diligence and I'd give you 6 stars if I could.

Thanks, dear heart!
GB

Researcher went beyond the call of duty here and found me exactly what
I wanted.  I felt like I had my own personal shopper with Lisarea. 
What a luxury!  You have a great little service here, Google.  Keep up
the good work!

Thank you so much, Granny Bing!

No sock washing necessary (even if I could find an intact pair of
socks). Your comments absolutely made my day.

Lisa.

grannybing now accepting spillover from yreka's comment section.  be
civilized or I'll hit you with my cane.