Cheap Magnifying Headset

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Cheap Magnifying Headset

https://retrorgb.com/cheap-magnifying-headset.html

You don’t need a $500 microscope to solder tiny components—just a $20 headset designed for watchmakers. Yes, really.

This little gem from mlogiroa was made to fix pocket watches, not PCBs—but its lightweight, flip-up design and interchangeable lenses (2.5x and 4x) make it a surprisingly great hack for casual modders. No heavy stands, no cluttered bench—just pop it on and zoom in on those finicky 0201 resistors. Bonus: you can mix lenses per eye (left=2.5x, right=4x) for depth perception, something fancy visors won’t let you do.

Sure, it’s not lab-grade. The plastic feels like it survived a toddler’s toy box. But for $20? It outperforms half the “soldering aids” on Amazon that cost 10x more and don’t let you flip one lens up while sipping coffee.

Pro tip: Skip the watch repair attachments—they force your nose into the solder joint. Just use the basic lenses and enjoy the freedom to lean back… or at least not sweat through your shirt.

If you’re tinkering on a budget, this is the sneaky upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

(P.S. Still dreaming of that $300 microscope… but this? This is my new BFF.)