searching wheats what equipment do i need

[TJ]

i am about to start searching some wheats and thought i would ask what i need?

light : desk lamp -w- 100 watt bulb?

glass : magnifying or a loup? what power?

anything else?

thanks,
TJ

[eagames]

That will get you started.

I like a stronger loup. I stack a few lenses so I don't know the final mag but it's high. I use the regular ones for grading.

At some point you might want a scope and a camera.

Some books or use the die search function on here to see what there is for each date.
It works best if you group the coins by date then look at them after you see what to look for on each date.

[TJ]

Ed,
thanks for the help.i appreciate it.

i have the new vol.1 cherrypickers guide & i plan to order Mr. Daughtrey's book, i just haven't gotten around to it yet.

i would also like to add a scope & camera but, i have no idea where or what to look for with either of those items.

thanks again,
TJ

[coop]

I use a scope and a book light I altered with more power and a better bulb. Does the best for me.
(Note the zoom on the scope. With the infinite zoom you get more of the shots you really want.)

[Dick]

My setup is similar to Coop's. Mine is a fixed 20X/40X scope, with a Canon A590 IS, mounted on the moveable portion of the focus adjustment. the camera is adjusted to view thru the eyepiece od the scope. and will five very high magnification, in either level. I also have 4X optical zoom on the camera, so i can get about 33% of the face.
EVEN with solid mounting on the scope, I still have to secure the anchor of the camera,and shutter button when I shoot, to reduce the blur!
The camera is set up for automatic white balance, so my pictures do come out half-way decent. My first ones, YUCK! Check the testing section for a photo.
Hope this helps,
Dick

[Dick]

Check the testing section, now.
Dick

[eagames]

Some people search with a scope but for me the searching goes faster with only a good loup and a light.

I mostly use the scope to find markers to attribute the finds or to verify if they're really a doubled die or RPM.

For the most part if I can't see that it's "something" with the loup then it's probably so minor I don't care about it.

You'll find that with a loup or with a scope that lighting matters a lot. Bad lighting will make nothing look like something or miss something real. One of the biggest mistakes people make is start with bad lighting and chase reflections and get frustrated when other people tell them "it's not real". You need to try different things to get something that works for you. It can be almost anything, a bulb or whatever with something to diffuse the light and try different angles for the light and sometimes angles for the coin.

[Dick]

Excellent advice! lighting is everything!

[TJ]

uh-oh...i stepped into the deep end.i am totally lost reguarding the scope.i see i need alot more research before i try to discuss them

as far as lighting...would a 100 watt incandesent be fine or do i need a halogen? if i would be better off with a halogen - what wattage?

thanks for all the help.i really appreciate it.
TJ

[Dick]

TJ, there are many members here, who are very much more versed than I in that respect. I use the existing light that came with the scope. Chusk, and Coop, among others have modified that light, to another setup, and are happy with their results.
FWIW, If you get to the camera/scope setup, like mine, I would suggest you turn OFF the flash, and use the existing light on the scope. Also put the white balance on auto, if you don't know how to program the camera software for that puirpose. (I don't, so I use the"easy" setting)> what ever gets a decent picture to look at. Thwe reason being is that in most cases, one will magnify the image to see the details on tha pgotograph., without having the coin in hand.

In case you wonder about my "text, and it's variety of not correct letters, it is because i am legally blind,and have no depth perception, and not being a typist, make many typos. i have tried to "proof-eead, but it comes our worse than before, so i generally leave it, and hope it is legible.

[eagames]

As far as a desk lamp you can use a 100W, you'll be moving the lamp around (or coin) until it works for you.

If you use a scope you'll probably be using a lower wattage bulb but it's a lot closer to the coin.

I see everyone using different set-ups... some use small incandescent bulbs or the new LED lights, some use the circular fluorescent ones that come with scopes or fiber optics. Most people that are more into it seem to make up their own using plastic diffusers or fabric or paper or anything.
Be sure whatever you use doesn't melt or burn if left on.

I like the square "Numis" tube in Coops set-up.

[coop]

There is a hard quarter tube on the outside. A Cent one on the inside with black tape on the top edge of the cent tube to block light from coming in a direction of unwanted light. I use a sheet of facial tissue with tape on it/piece of white paper with tape/an object to blow light when I'm trying to remove a secondary unwanted light that falls on the coin while taking images. Also a plastic grocery bag makes a good difuser to remove glare as a cover for non warm surfaces/a curtain to remove the dreaded glare on the surface of BU/proof coins.

[TJ]

thanks to everybody for all the help & advice.i appreciate it.

i know i'll have alot more questions about scopes when i decide to take the plunge and buy one.

thanks again,
TJ

[Dick]

TJ, along with all the good advice you are, and will get, as you learn miore about the hobby, think of this:

You can get the good lighting if you take your shots in daylight. NOT in the direct sunlight. That has the best balance for the money. fewer reflections, and less glare. There are those who swear by it. I avoid the sun. Too many blisters!

[PALH1]