Reddit mentions of SE Illuminated Dual Lens Flip-In Head Magnifier - MH1047L

Get an electric nail filer and if you have difficulty seeing little nails, a head magnifier (I had one for crafting purposes but it works really well for baby nails).

[Try this]
(https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=pd_sbs_201_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XXFZXPWRHM9VGHASZF8G)

Smoke-stopper, they protect from serious screwups in soldering and wiring. https://youtu.be/4z7yRG56aKM

But don't sweat it man, just scream it out, grab a beer or a fat one and chill. We all have to make mistakes to learn, everyone here has dumb shit we can claim too. Some cost us more or less and some cost us in different ways. It sucks no matter what though, that never changes. Also get a simulator and a cable to connect your tx to your PC to control it or the simulator time will be useless. Use the sim to practice risky moves before actually trying them in a flight and also as a way to fly when you're grounded for repairs or whatever. It's not the same feeling, but the practice will pay off in saved components very quickly I can promise you. My last tip is to get a hands free magnifying lens: either something in a stand/clamps to your desk or a headmounted setup like this for $10 on Amazon Prime:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA

Magnifying head light. Less than $10 and I use it way more often than I would have thought.

I want to start off with this very important thing to remember, "take your time" while doing this model there was times I only sat down for a few minutes and times I was there for over an hour.
I would recommend practicing the techniques listed below on the sprues (the frame surrounding the parts of the model)

I over do the details,(lot of it you can't see in the pictures. I post) but I enjoy the painting and get satisfaction off of it, it can be toned down and still look good

I normally look over the book, Google the characters/vehicle down load multiple pictures to refer to and get an idea what colors I want before getting started. I also watch YouTube videos to see if there is something difficult I need to be aware of.

Sometimes it is easier to paint some of the details while the parts are still on the sprues, see the black in the chest plates I painted them before I cut them loose, it was easier to do them that way. But I always waited until I put section together (ex: chest, waste , arms , legs and head) to do the wash "weathering" this way they all blend together. With this one, I want it to look more weathered at the bottom and less as it went up

Some definitions:


Wash "weathering" this is how I made the "dirty look" i did not let it set for 10 mins. I applied small sections and wiped off what I did not want with a Q-tip. The darker parts, I just applied small amounts with with a fine tip brush.

Dry brush

As you can see here Dry brushing really gives the look of age /worn out.
you would be better off going to the link I provided and watching a few videos.

Variety of brushesif you buy the dirt cheap brushes, you will get a cheap paint job. The ones I linked are a good set to start with, they give you a wide variety of choices. Main thing to do is CLEAN...CLEAN CLEAN...them after each use. With thinner and soapy water. Do not leave them setting in the thinner or water, the points and edges with get messed up quick. Wipe them off with a paper towel, reform the ends when done.

Magnifing head set is the best way to get the small details, i have this set and they work okay, there are better sets out there.

Hope this helps

I use glasses kinda like this

Makes it much easier.

I really love small, cute things so I was happy to make her!

I find this light to be very effective, not to mention pretty cheap, and I like that it has a few different "temperatures" of light and has more than enough flexibility for me to get it in just the right spot.

​

I also rely heavily on this head magnifier as my vision isn't what it once was. It's super cheap and works great.

​

I find that Army Painter brushes work really well and cost much less than most of the other brushes I like. I particularly like their detail brushes. I don't think I could paint eyes without my beloved "The Psycho" brush.

​

I love this light box. Also very cheap (noticing a trend, I'm always looking for a deal, lol). These acrylic display boards fit nicely inside the light box and give photos a cool, polished look.

I bought all my materials from Amazon and I've done about 3 Mods.

Heres a little documentation of my 1st one.

Seiko 5 Mod; PAM Cali Dial & Sword Hands & some more photos

Some things that I suggest you get before starting.

• Magnifier Opposed to a Loupe this works well and is rather convenient with 3 magnifications
  
  
• Precision Tweezers You need, need this. Seriously
  
  
• Crystal Press Self explanatory
  
  
• Dust Blower Often times you get dust on your dial while it sits, so get this to get rid of it
  
  
• Hand Press I don't particularly like the hand remover included but it does the job just fine
  
  
• Cushioned Holder I used this to hold the movement taking it out of the case
  
  
• Silicone Grease Used to grease the gaskets for increased water resistance
  
  
• Caseback Ball One of the best things you can get to be honest, it removes most casebacks
  
  
• Movement Holder To uhh, hold the movement
  
  
• Precision Screwdrivers You need this to unscrew the movement from the holders, also good tool to use for when you take apart movements to learn
  
  
• Hypo Cement Used this for bezel attachments for when you change em up
  
  Let me know if you've any questions, I'd be willing to help you out and answer them to the best of my ability :)
  
  Cheers!

Oh, I feel your pain. Spider mites scare the shit outta me. They are so tiny, and travel about on little threads of silk, drifting through the air, ready to infest another plant. After a recent scare with those nasties, I now wear what I call my "Dr. Pimple Popper" glasses to inspect my plants when I water.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Meh, I don't really find it easier or better than just using a drill bit.

This thing on the other hand, is very helpful. Though it may be largely because I often do coils in the evening/nighttime and the lighting at my desk isn't very good.

and maybe something like this may help? https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_16?crid=14P7OOC4DPSD4&keywords=magnifier%2Bwith%2Blight&qid=1573913544&sprefix=magnifi%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-16&th=1

and i use this to hold components and board in place while soldering: https://www.amazon.com/June-Gold-Kneaded-Rubber-Erasers/dp/B074DC4F7G/ref=sr_1_12?crid=1QYF5TLM7IU2G&keywords=moldable+eraser&qid=1573913686&sprefix=moldable+%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-12

Or at least a Head Magnifier
Here's the Desk Magnifier w/light that I use.

Would love to hear some better recommendations though.

>I never could comprehend how you people who actually play tabletop pull this shit off.

I play tabletop games and I will now reveal the great and terrible eight-fold secrets of good miniatures painting:

1. https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA
   
2. Figure out your shading and highlighting BEFORE you start painting a model.
   
3. PRACTICE.
   
4. PATIENCE.
   
5. PRACTICE.
   
6. PATIENCE.
   
7. MORE PATIENCE.
   
8. EVEN MORE PATIENCE.
   
   Serious Version: Be confident, take your time, don't rush, don't stress, and don't worry. Channel your inner Bob Ross, and know that even a brushstroke made in grievous error is a step towards ultimate perfection. Miniature painting requires far less natural talent than other kinds of painting, but far more practice and patience.

I never put a loupe into my eyes. Maybe we're talking about a different type of loupe?

Something else that's worked quite well for me, I use it a lot when soldering but works fine for pens too is this. It's kind of cheap but has held out for about 6 years now. Much more useful for extended viewing.

A good place to get started is by watching videos on YouTube. There are several 25+ minute long videos of people disassembling, servicing, and reassembling pocket watches. Once you have watched some videos, then you can start google searching about watch repair for more information. Things such as how to properly oil a watch. The names of different components, how to put a watch "in beat", etc. The message boards at NAWCC.com are a GREAT help. Read, read, read. Study. If after you do this and still want to get into the hobby then read further. I have to note that you must be mechanically adept to do this. You'll need to be able to observe a mechanism and deduce exactly how it works. This is how you solve a problem that a timepiece may have.

Honestly, a lot of the "Getting started" guides out there recommend spending thousands of dollars on tools. 30 dollars for one single screwdriver, 300 dollars for this, that, etc. If you're wealthy, then go for it! The expensive tools are great, but it's not necessary to service movements that are worth less than a couple hundred bucks for hobby. I'm very financially poor, so I had to shop around for the least expensive tools I could find. Here are some of the tools I use. I did purchase them from amazon. You won't be able to do all repairs with these tools. There are repairs that will be a bit out of reach, such as balance staff replacement and component fabrications.

1)Screwdriver set. I get a ton of use out of these. They're Chinese made, but they work perfectly fine. Definitely a must.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JPXW0N8/

2) Magnifying eyeglasses. LED illuminated. I cannot live without mine, it really works great and takes regular AAA batteries. Human hands are capable of very fine motor movements, what limits us is our eyes. Watchmaking requires steady hands, and for that you'll need to see up close.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/

3)Movement holder. This is self explanatory.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005URKGDO/

4)Brass tweezers. You will need these to insert screws for installation, various pins, etc. Brass is a softer metal, and thus makes it less prone to scratch/damage steel parts such as the threads of screws. Learning to use tweezers can be quite difficult at first. You need to be very light fingered with them. Too much pressure, and your teeny tiny screw/pin/jewel will go flying across the room never to be seen again. Too little pressure, and you will drop the component. It takes practice.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RB7C5I/

5)Hand remover. Self explanatory.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I02NW82/

6)Watch oil. I use this Liberty brand oil. Seems to do the job just fine, and it's affordable.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CM19L5K/

7) Dremel. Harbor Freight sells a knockoff brand dremel for something like 10 bucks. It comes with several attachments. I mostly use mine for buffing cases.

8) Jewelry pliers. They sell these in craft stores and such. Basically a pair of needle nose pliers without teeth on them, they just have smooth round points. These come in handy for removing pins and canon pinions and such that the brass tweezers cannot remove.

9) Several clean cotton cloths. I buy mine at the automotive department in walmart.

10) Goof-Off cleaning solution and a toothbrush. Goof-Off contains a mixture of acetone and xylene. This works great for removing old oil, gunk, and dirt.

11) Toothpicks and a sharp knife. Wood toothpicks work great for pegging/cleaning out jewels and pivots. Sharpen the tip of a toothpick, insert it in said jewel, spin it around a bit, it'll come out gray. Then clean with the chemical solution.

Now you'll want a watch or two to work on. I highly recommend sticking with an 18 size or 16 size movement at first. Larger parts and such makes it easier. You'll be able to find them on eBay. Generally I can find good size 18 movements for 30 to 50 dollars. Sometimes it's a good idea to buy a watch that already runs, but needs fully disassembled and cleaned. That 1898 Hampden 18s 11j in my photo album? I paid $30 for it in an eBay auction. It needed fully disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, mainspring replacement, and the balance put in beat. I knew that if it had a problem which I could not cheaply repair then I could simply resell it and get my $30 or more back. Often times you'll be able to buy entire lots of uncased scrap movements for less than 50 dollars. Having a lot of scrap parts movements around comes very much in handy. Stay away from watches with broken balance staffs for now. If you buy a broken watch that cannot be repaired cheaply, simply resell it on eBay.

Take A LOT of photos while you tear down a watch! Before you start removing screws, take photos on your cell phone. This will help immensely with reassembly.

That's all I can think of now. Getting a bit sleepy so I'm sure I'll think up some more advice tomorrow. I hope watchmaking is still enticing to you after watching some youtube videos, it really is a most rewarding hobby.

When I first started painting minis a year ago I saw someone recommend this guy https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Super cheap. I've had it over a year and havent even had to change batteries on the light. It's not always the most comfortable, but I only wear it for the real fine details.

Check out the lamps that have a magnifier inside the light ring. Has a spring arm assembly to swing in and out of the way when not using it.

Personally, I picked up this illuminated headset from amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UCODIA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

For less than $9, they were a great addition. I don't wear glasses, but there should be enough space to have them on. The built-in LED is a bit weak, and the lenses are acrylic, but far, far better than shelling out more money on a new piece of gear.

sounds like you'll need one of these soon

If you have poor vision one option is to get some magnifying glasses like these. I have pretty decent vision but I still use these when working on electronics and small parts. If you are looking for someone else to do the work, and your ipod is no longer covered under warranty by applecare, you can take it to the store to see what they would charge. I've always fixed these types of issues myself so I can't recommend any online repair stores because I've never used them.

My eyesight isn't as good as it used to be and like you I took an approximately 20 year break from painting. I use this - https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1540999813&sr=8-4&keywords=jewelers+magnifying+headset

It really helps to see details while painting.

​

As far as the white goes, I'd recommend getting an airbrush. Then you can lay down a nice and smooth white basecoat on a squad in minutes. Then you just have to pick out the details. I used this basic airbrush setup -

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Multi-purpose-Dual-action-Compressor/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=sr_1_7?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1540999981&sr=1-7&keywords=master+airbrush

​

Welcome back to the hobby! Continue to keep us all in the loop with your progress.

Hi!

Quick tip when soldering: wear eye-protection!

When I was a child, I tried my hand at soldering under dad's supervision. I was near-sighted and did not wear eye protection. POP! Yes! Solder pops when rapidly heated (common occurrence when applying solder a large surface of the iron quickly)

I always wear this when soldering now (if you don't mind looking like a completely tool, whlist doing it)

I got a touch up pen from this website a few years ago and I was pretty happy with it. Get something like a dental pick and scrape the rust and crud off before you paint it. I use a magnifying glass to make sure I got everything completely clean. With all things paint, the result is completely dependent on the prep work.

I've just started painting as well, and I'll second that the initial investment is rather high. I'm probably in 50$+ in just painting gear now...

First. Watch some youtube tutorials. I found Miniature Painting 101 by Miniwargamer Jay to be very helpful.

I only went high end on the paints and washes that are my primary color scheme. They're a mix of P3 / Citadel paints. The pots are pricy, but they do go a long way.

I grabbed several brush sets and a 12 pack of basic color acrylic paints from a craft store. You'll want mainly fine tips a a few small flat brushes. These paints are more for mixing (white and black) and areas I only need a little paint.

I used a Krylon white primer for plastics, mainly because I had it. Just use very quick sprays to keep a very light coat.

I built a work-rack out of a piece of 2x6, some large nails, and some nickels as I didn't have the right size washers handy... Drill holes in wood large just enough to hold the nails, super-glue the nickels on top of the nail to give a larger base (I used Gorilla-glue). Then use sticky-tack to hold the miniature on. This lets you use the nail to hold and manuever the miniature during painting, then just set it in the wood to dry... Hopefully this link works:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202655502284955&set=pcb.782763288446523&type=1&theater

I got a set of Magnifying goggles from amazon for 8 dollars. Their not the most comfortable things to wear, but they really help with the fine detail work...

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multipower-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407928227&sr=8-2&keywords=magnifying+goggles

Overall, be patient, take your time, and enjoy, and you can make some beautiful pieces of art.

For the software side, your screen magnifier will do the job. For Linux, use gnome's zoom for screen magnification. So far gnome's zoom is better then others shells I have tried, especially compiz's zoom that would take a lot of cpu memory. I haven't tried out RedHat or Cent OS as a desktop, so it may have a good magnifier. And so far gnome's zoom doesn't support separate monitors and so it makes one large desktop basically, where I'd rather have different content on different monitors.

If you can do most of your work remotely/from your own station, you'll be fine with the screen magnifier. When at another person's computer, you might be able to turn on zoom via keyboard quickly and turn it off as needed, if setup. However, if you ever need JAWS type text to speech, it might be harder.

On the hardware side, it would really depend on how good your close up vision is. If you can use magnifiers to read and such, something like http://amzn.com/B003UCODIA or http://amzn.com/B00OK7ANB0 would help to deal with hardware. (Though the more powerful the magnification, the closer the object has to be.) As such, a bioptic might be an option for you. A bioptic is a lens that has a tiny monocular in it. You need more light then usual with it for close up work, but if you're like me, you need plenty of light already.

tldr; just do it. Nothing is holding you back but yourself.

I just went over to it and picked it up and was surprised by how light it is. I think the wider base gives it better stability than the old one I was using but the old one might actually be heavier. I just weighed them, the new one is 13.3 ounces, and the old is 12.2. So not much difference in weight, but the new one sits higher and has the wider base, that makes it more useful to me.

I just remembered this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/diypedals/comments/5fu93u/i_finally_bought_an_oscilloscope/

The helping hand in that picture might be worth pursuing. Whoever's desk this is has obviously spent a lot of time perfecting his workstation. I'd imagine he's gone through a few helping hands before settling on the one on his current desk.

I will say that this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

has been my single most useful DIY helper....

Sure. This is the one that I bought. $10. Inexpensive, and I love it. It's all plastic, and seemingly not the highest quality, but I haven't had any problems with it at all.

Yeah, that's the good stuff. Just keep practicing, you'll get better quickly.

Also, I use one of these, it's been very helpful:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UCODIA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got mine from Hobby Town for around $16 not sure the model. From China I am sure. They had a more expensive model too. Don't get the Harbor Freight one it is terrible. The magnifier is terrible, and the battery doors won't stay on. The cheaper one I got from Hobby Town works much better. For a gift the nicer model may be the way you might want to go.


Edit: This looks exactly like the one I got. Go figure it is less than I paid. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003UCODIA/ezheadbandmagnifiers-20

2 things that help immensely with old eyes. Cheap jewelers helmet and a cheap 510 base to work from. Although tonight I built a quad coil Cats RDA and it truly tested my patience. Helmet on, every light in the room on, and a flashlight held between my cheek and shoulder.

Check amazon for a magnifying set of glasses. Jeweler style. This is the one I use. magnifying headset

I just got one of these

Similar price, 3 different magnifying modes.

Just a magnifying visor and this aptly named brush

I don't work with anything smaller then 0603 resistors on drivers.

But hot air and solder paste is very forgiving. You get them close enough and the surface tension of the solder just sucks everything into place.

• EEVblog #346 - MLF/QFN SMD Reflow Soldering
  
• EEVblog #415 - SMD Stencil Reflow Soldering Tutorial
  
  ---------------------------
  
  I'm very nearsighted and I still use a $10 magnifying visor and this microscope thing I recently got for $30-ish on BG.

SE MH1047L Illuminated Multi-Power LED Head Magnifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_eMUMAbRS6S5BQ

A 1/4 the price, adjustable magnification and a built in LED

When I first got my machine it would get really cranky after 50+rows even with weights. I found I had to spray some lube on rag and wipe down the bed pretty often. The machine was so dry I needed to replace 20+ years of lubricant with fresh.


What weight yarn are you using? I believe this is a standard gauge machine, sport is the heaviest recommended weight. Start with a fingering weight like KP palette. You may want to get some inexpensive acrylic for your test runs. Michael's sells their "loops and threads" in fingering for $2.00 for ~400 yards. I like the Tamm Astracryl and Tamm Bebe yarns. Knit Knack Shop has them, though they have a terrible site.

Also check each needle, a broken latch will cause all kinds of problems. I bought this Magnifier for less then $10 It's a Godsend for checking needles and fixing dropped stitches.

The mechanical parts of the machine are extremely robust. It's most likely just tuning at this point.

very nice work on it, im building a near strait build of this same kit and am still finishing up the finer details on the weapons as i got most of the rest of it done. i am just really waiting on my MR. metallics paints i order to get here so i can finish blade as i want to make it into a black blade.

the line work is very nicely done on this mama mobile suit (after all Amida is a mother/hot mom/ word not appropriate for a discussion form that children may see.) what did you use to make them as i use this badass TAMIYA 87154 Tamiya HG Pointed Brush Extra Fine.

after having several problems doing lines with a gundam marker getting clogged up (i did not know you should top coat it first if you paint the kit, and at 29 years of age i was around for the first golden age of mecha kits in the united states, and how i miss those yea it was my first time lining, and i had built around 30 gunpla kits in that golden age and proceeded to break them, repeatedly playing with them but i was between the a immature 13-15 year old at the time. i had also built about 7ish zoid models under my belt as i dont quite remember what ones i had aside form liger zero X and the command wolf.

my gundam gusion rebake test colors was my first time lineing the kit and i didn not know you were supos to topcoat once before doing the lines with a GM(i am just getting a bit of irony form this) so ireally messed up the markers i was using. then i whent and used a gundam brush type marker on a straite build kit i had done and did not like how it turned and i had already bought this bad boyTAMIYA 87154 Tamiya HG Pointed Brush Extra Fine and if it was not both sacrilegious and against my religion i was religion i would paint this brush gold, mount it on an raised stone alter. i would then worship it as if it was the eternal god itself, i would bring animal sacrifices to it as well. but i am being a bit goofy cause my sleep meds are kicking in so i will need to retire soon but i want to finish my critique of your work..

you did a great job posing the you matched the box perfectly and i love the little stand you created for it. what did you use for a top coat? i am planing on looking into more kinds of coating to go with my mettle finish (i like my gundams to be so shiney they blind the enemy as the sun glints off them.

hears a few tips for your next strait build:
first off you should invest in a small amount atleast gold sliver and black paint, with any other color you happen to like. the silver is for the edge of the blade weapons. gold is nice to have around as you can paint the yellow plastics some kits have with it to give it better look the using just using the plastic. you really need to prime these parts first if you paint them, but if your painting the howl kit its a good idea to use primer first. as for the black well you can use it with the god of detail brush i have been talking about in this review
to get great lines on pritty much any kit. but it also serves a more intresting perpose. insted of useing the eye stickers you first paint the eyes black, then using what ever color you prefer that day paint in the eyes, however this does require a magnification device to really do this technique well. i recamend using a head magnafire as you dont have to be carful of bumbing magnafing glass as you work. this is the one i use http://smile.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00


if you end up buying this style i strongly recamend wearing a banana around your head for comfort reasons. magnification also makes doing lines easier.
sorry thins got goofy i cant wait to see what you do next.

I have this (or something very similar to it). I've enjoyed it very much.

https://www.amazon.com/Magnifying-PHIVE-Magnifier-Adjustable-Workbench/dp/B07MYXSW5V/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=desk+adjustable+magnifying+lamp&qid=1567711345&s=gateway&sr=8-11

But I also used these for quite a long time and for 10 bucks its worth a try.
https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3VAS1BS7X2RI7&keywords=jewelers+magnifying+glass&qid=1567711408&s=gateway&sprefix=jewelers+m%2Caps%2C192&sr=8-5

Must:

1. Variable temp (some times you need it really hot, sometimes hot melts everything or makes all the SMTs start moving- YIKES!)
   
2. solder WITH lead - lead free is impossible
   
3. rosin core (acid core is not for electronics
   Suggestions:
   
4. Get a cheap holder "third hand".
   
5. Get a visor magnifier (Like this: http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multipower-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405288738&sr=8-1&keywords=visor+magnifier) It makes it MUCH easier to see small solder joints.
   
6. Get a "copper scrubber" - like a copper brillo pad. It is the best way to clean tips. If you buy one "especially for soldering" it will be the same thing for 10 times the price.
   
7. Get some CELLULOSE sponges (not any other material). Slightly moistened, they can also keep your tip clean. I use the copper scrubber most of the time, though.
   
8. Get a "diagonal clipper". Also known as "dikes". Some people say you should spend a lot on a good one; I do not. There also some very light duty versions that are very handy.
   
9. Get some paste flux. Use a toothpick to apply to hard to solder things like plugs and jacks (impossible without it).
   
10. Get some de-soldering braid. We all make mistakes. Also, there are some techniques where oversoldering then clean-up is the preferred method (tell that to people if they make fun of you ;-) ).
    
11. A small fan (like a "muffin fan" from a computer helps keep the fumes out of your face (unless you like them?).
    Enough for now.
    73

I've never used it, so, I didn't want to just launch in with a bunch of advice. If it was me, I'd use a magnifying visor and little tools like that.

You may need to lubricate the tools so they don't stick to the green stuff. Water works for Plasticine, not sure about, epoxy. (E: as below, Vaseline for green stuff, apparently) First, I would smooth the overall shape. Use a concave tool for convex edges, like biceps, and a convex tool for concave edges like saddles. Then, I would take a skinny tool and incise simple details, like those scales. Incision also makes little ridges, so you need to smooth those down while you work. You may have a limited time, so rather than get caught up in details and then have it dry half done, I'd work the whole thing all at once and get increasingly granular.

At the end of the day, if my level of control was not good enough to get the contouring and texturing that I wanted, I would try to design a solution that would still look good with the shaping ability that I knew I had, which is why I suggested scars or something.

Again, this is clay, not sure about epoxy. Your overall design is rad. This will look bad ass when it's painted, no matter how close you get your sculpting to your desired result.

E: tutorial for green stuff which says pretty much what I did lubricate with Vaseline, not water.

This one. for $13. Works great!

https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA

Or... Better yet, a two-pack for $16.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-2-Illuminated-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B011O336YI

I agree the "helping hands" magnifier just wasn't cutting it.

This is the one I bought, it has 4 levels of magnification.

http://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Multi-Power-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I already wear glasses, so I use something like this.

You probably want to go back in and clean up your lines a bit. I can see some bleed from the tunic onto the left leg, from the arms onto the bands, and a few other places. Totally normal but I would strongly suggest some jewelry goggles. I use this one personally:

https://www.amazon.com/SE-Illuminated-Dual-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=jewelry+goggles&qid=1565111795&s=gateway&sr=8-15

Other than that good work. The wash and the dry brush on the tunic looks great. You did a great job on the wash and brush on the hands as well.

Try these bad boys out, or something like em