Loupe From Coffee Cup

A Loupe (pronounced loop) is a type of magnification device used to see small details more closely and  can be found in many industries that require close examination of small details. Jewelery experts use them to inspect gems, in printing they are used to check colour and quality of prints, and back-yard entomologists can use them to examine creepy-crawlies without them scurrying away.

The loupe shown here is made from a reused paper coffee cup. While you may not be using this to check out the Star of Africa anytime soon you can still see what bugs are hiding in your garden, up close!
This instructable was entered in the Coffee Cup Contest

Enough talk, let's loupe!

To make your own loupe you will need:

• hobby knife
• plastic magnifying sheet (found at dollar store)
• any size paper cup

Using a sharp hobby knife, carefully remove the bottom of he paper cup.

Place your cup on your magnification sheet and trace opening outline, once traced cut out. As seen in the picture, I left 'fins' on my magnification sheet cut-out to allow for a friction fit into the cup.
With the lens is cut slightly larger than the opening no glue is required.

Some magnification sheets have less distortion at the centre than at the edges, choose the location for your cut-out carefully.

To help illuminate the object we are examining light channels are cut near the lip. These channels allow light to enter into the chamber without being dulled by the opacity of the cup.