what kind of loupe should i buy?

[Dottonedan]

The reason you may use the higher ones is for measuring dot size and comparing what your smallest dot is that can physically be achieved on a given mesh.  To go a step further, mine was about 700.00 when I got it 15 years ago or more.  Inside when viewing, it had a measuring guide that enabled me to count actual size of dots in microns. I'm lets you know apples to apples what you are dealing with and then you can adjust in your art. For example, you can read the negative dot printed on a shirt and know what size works on x mesh and then adjust your dot gain and art data accordingly so that all of your seps will have the ability to hold shadow detail all the time.

The above is the type of things that the high end shops go through to dial in their process and get the best of the best prints. Andy Anderson, Mark Coudray, Rick Roth, to name a few go to this degree.

This kind of detailed work, research is needed when you want to control the process in depth. I'm positive this level of research help build them more money in production just knowing where they are so they can build from there and direct where they want to go.

Don't size, mesh diameter, emulsion edge definition, printed dot wall/shape, body, opacity, etc.

This is what builds award winning prints and more importantly builds sales and production efficiency.

Where you have to draw the line is how much is too much. Know when to say, you just have to do a nice job and get it out the door and meet the deadlines.

From what I've seen, customers (high end custoners) will be more satisfied with the price and meeting deadlines over award winning quality. Sure, they want the quality, that's a given. All that is part of what you do, to get more sales. All in all, customers don't pay more by choice for your award winning level of quality. They will go to the next guy that is good, but has never won an award because he meets the deadline and is .20 cents cheaper. That's because if they have 12 jobs a year  to send out, at 5000 units each, that's 12,000.00 back in their Co. and looks good on reports.

Some people get too deep into making sure the project is perfect and either take a slight loss on profit over just getting it to a nice point and. Running with it. ROI is lower with scientific printers.

This is all the same same thing an artist has to face when doing an illustration.  I'm guilty all too often of spending too much time losing profits. What should have been a 30.00 per he job is now a 5.00 per he job. I look good, by work longer and for less pay.

Sorry, just a rant that kinda fell in line with the high end loops. They are good for knowledge, but I myself would not go to deep (too long), all the time.  Stay prosperous.

[Gilligan]

Here it's a great deal on one-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P8AUMU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_04Ehvb176TSX7

Go ahead and PM me your address if you don't want to buy one, I'll come over and kick your ass! For the price, that thing will handle 95% of what you could ever want.
Don't know if you guys remember, but maybe a year or so ago we had a "issue"(I an still not totally sold on the diagnosis from the ink company) with some neon orange discharge. I posted some real nice detailed pics of the pigments not adhering to the fabric. Now while I wanted everyone to think I have some $1k fancy microscope, truth is, it was a $10 one and a phone camera! Works killer on checking detail on screens too.

For $10 you can't afford not to have one!

That one is kind of junk.

First it came with dead batteries... which of course cost almost as much as the unit itself but it's also not that cool.  Sorry Alex. :p

[Dottonedan]

Here it's a great deal on one-
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P8AUMU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_04Ehvb176TSX7

Go ahead and PM me your address if you don't want to buy one, I'll come over and kick your ass! For the price, that thing will handle 95% of what you could ever want.
Don't know if you guys remember, but maybe a year or so ago we had a "issue"(I an still not totally sold on the diagnosis from the ink company) with some neon orange discharge. I posted some real nice detailed pics of the pigments not adhering to the fabric. Now while I wanted everyone to think I have some $1k fancy microscope, truth is, it was a $10 one and a phone camera! Works killer on checking detail on screens too.

For $10 you can't afford not to have one!

That one is kind of junk.

First it came with dead batteries... which of course cost almost as much as the unit itself but it's also not that cool.  Sorry Alex. :p

Giligan,
As you should know, one persons experience with a product should not be taken as a complete reflection on the product or Co/manufacturer. For excample, that  good deal on an external hard drive you sold me was a dud. Even after you sent it back to the manufacturer and got me another for free, that new one didn't work either.  Now you might think, then is the computer or usb connection, but everything else works fine in that same usb port.  I got another and no issues. Still have that in a closet somewhere.

That doesn't change the fact that the manufacturer may still be a good Co. To deal with and may make good products. Just that time, that unit, or batch may have been a dud. Then again, they were on sale for a good deal. Just like with cars, and watches, sometimes something can slip though and become a dud.

[Gilligan]

I agree... sorry you had that experience.  As you said, fluke, as I've been using several all this time.  One housed all our company data until we out grew it (on 24/7).

Sometimes though, you get what you pay for... products like this are ALWAYS cheap... there is typically a reason.  My batteries weren't just dead, they were corroded.  After replacing them, it's still not my goto loupe... in fact I don't even know where it is, I might have given it to the 5 year old.

I'm happier with a larger lens loupe and providing my own light source (my phone has rarely failed me.)  I did pick up a cheap usb based microscope... it works ok, but it's "calibration" is WAY off when you try to use it's "measuring" function.  But for the price I paid?  Pfft, no big deal.

[mk162]

also, we are confusing loupe with microscope.  the lighted one is a pocket illuminated microscope.  I have the old bulb style one.  It's great...I love it.

I love the 10x Carson Loupes way better.  I use those all the time and love them...best of all no batteries.

[ABuffington]

We use them to judge the exposure.  Typically 50x or our 100x with grids and measuring capability in microns.  Loupes are fine for most needs, but for halftone reproduction all the points Dan makes are valid.  Sidewall orientation, edge quality, under/over exposed.  One trick I can share is look at the edge of some halftones that print, not the negative ones that will be shirt color.  Look at them as enlarged as much as possible. If you see the inside edge of a printing halftone lighter than the printing edge and the light edge is inside the dark print edge line  when looking directly overhead with a scope, then it is over exposed.  If the edge is darker than surrounding emulsion and outside the print edge it is slightly underexposed.  When the edge is a very thin dark line you have good vertical side walls in the halftone.  Hard to magnify this area with anything less than a 50, we use a 100x to evaluate that area of the image.

The one I like the best is an electronic one connected to a computer to save the image.  Magnification is from 10-200x.  Provides documentation of the stencil halftone for repeating the print down line and checking that the stencil exposure time was correct.  Also a good loupe or microscope will show bubbles in the emulsion due to too fast a coating speed.  One of the main issues in screen making that causes pin holes on long runs.

Al

[alan802]

I tried to find the one we have but wasn't able to find a good pic.  I'll try again tomorrow but ours has a reticle and I much prefer having one with that capability even though it's not something that you would use all the time.  It comes in handy when you're comparing two different mesh counts or if you don't know what mesh count a screen is because the markings came off.  You can measure how thick a thread is with the reticle or how large an opening is. It's just one of those things that gives you a tad bit more info and doesn't have any negatives.