Best two purchases made for your workbench:

Up untill a few years ago, I  could "detail the crap " out of a kit with just my eye's !

Now I "HAVE" to use an Opti-Visor !

The other tool I could not live without is my set of Pin-vice's.

I also consider a good, positionable light about my most important tool  I use one of those fluorescent ring lights with a big magnifying lens in the middle.  I love it except for one big problem.  The switches all go bad in about two years. I guess the arcing from the starter is just too much for third world switch designers/makers these days.  So I would like to find a good, bright LED lamp with a magnifier built on.

I use readers for eye magnification.  Recently had cataract surgery, which made the eyes more uniform, and I can now go up over two diopters now.  When I look through the magnifier with those readers I get more magnification than I can use with my increasingly fumble fingers :-(

My magnifiers and LED lamp are the two most important workbench purchases. Without these invaluable tools I would not be able to do the modifications that I do in 1/72.

The LED is a Snap on unit rated at 2000 lumins. I made a fully adjustable stand for it.

These are the two magnifiers I use. My favorite is the one with the square lens by  EdnaLite Corp. with high quality optics , built in light and multi articulating arm.

Phil,

I have the same lamp as you and could not agree with you more. The best bench light.

2. Angled Tweezers Reverse Action

The lamp and visor, also.  Those I need for working on a kit.  The handyest addition for me would be the fishing tackle tray.   All my tools are put away after each sitting.  Each time I sit down I grab the tray, it has 2 compartments of files, felix and metal.  One for the various tweezers. One for tube cement, still my basic. And a compartment for the knifes. 

I have 3 my new round 92 led swing arm lamp I found at Amazon a pair of micro fine tweezers and my Touch and Flow really helped my glueing.    ACESES5        

Could not work without this light and magnifying glass

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FC2DMIM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These cutters are indespensible. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010PG73J4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My vote goes for lighting and opti visoR. Couldn't do squat without either.  

I'm finding that I'm using this more and more while working on or cleaning/painting small parts.

https://www.squadron.com/Squadron-Tools-2-Deluxe-Part-Holder-p/sq10256.htm

RX7850

My magnifiers and LED lamp are the two most important workbench purchases. Without these invaluable tools I would not be able to do the modifications that I do in 1/72.

The LED is a Snap on unit rated at 2000 lumins. I made a fully adjustable stand for it.

These are the two magnifiers I use. My favorite is the one with the square lens by  EdnaLite Corp. with high quality optics , built in light and multi articulating arm.

 

My two are pretty pedestrian. First, I bought two four tube T-8 fixtures with daylight temperature bulbs for overall lighting in my 12' x 12' modeling space which made a huge differance from the crappy lighting I had before. Those plus an incadescent/flourescent drafting lamp directly over the table really make modelling easier.

The second item is almost ludicrous. Some time in the distant past I acquired a high school biology dissecting kit which has a scalpel (spelling?) blade holder, some very precise tweezers, two pointed probes which sharpened easily to clean dust out of panel lines, and a well balanced hook tool that has become a very useful scriber.

Mike

Two things.

One is another vote for a fluorescent ring light with magnifying lens.

I've had several of these over the years and had problems with all of them. Either the arm/swivel mechanism breaks or the part that attaches the arm to your workbench breaks.

This one is a floor standing model. Much more heavy duty. Metal gears and rachets instead of springs. Glass lens. heavy duty light switch. Also, the focus range is much better than others I've had. Looks like something from the 50/60's. Could be from a jeweller or dentist.

$8 at Goodwill! $6 for new bulb.

Two is another light. This is one of those leds that you see some guys attach to the bill of a baseball cap. Very small and light weight. I did have to mount it upside-down to optivisor-like head set to get the light to shine on the work area.

These both do double duty in my electronics repair hobby.