brightonpete
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Posts: 5,110 
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Post by brightonpete on Jan 25, 2020 20:35:46 GMT
Here is my most recently purchased tool, a Precision US Specialty Multi-Gauge. It has come in handy on a number of occasions, especially for classic era stamps. It is basically an updated version of the old Phil-A-Meter gauge with a lot more bells and whistles. That's what I thought I was buying - a fancy perf & measuring gauge. But it ended up being the SG Instanta Gauge. Which is pretty basic compared to that one that coastwatcher has. Chris Green Stamps in Ottawa probably has them. I'll see when I get a chance too go up sometime when the weather is nice. |
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angore
Member 
Posts: 5,698
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jan 26, 2020 12:03:58 GMT
On the Instanta Guage, what is the distance between the perf 11 to perf 15. On my Scott, it is 60mm and looking for a more gradual gradation.
I also have the Precision guage but do not like the perforation checking aspect. The perf 11 to 15 is around 30mm so small movements of stamps leads to jumping large number of marks.
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jan 26, 2020 17:33:17 GMT
Near as I can tell, it's 93 mm... |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,698
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jan 26, 2020 23:47:21 GMT
Thanks. I think I will pick up one sometime.
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jpotx113
Member
Posts: 460
What I collect: USA, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Machins, misc. WW
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Post by jpotx113 on Jan 27, 2020 0:57:50 GMT
coastwatcher I have that one, too. I admit that I have not put it to much use yet.
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Jan 27, 2020 1:11:10 GMT
I use this the most  though I find it easier to flip the stamp over so the image ins't in play. I also have the Showgard Philatelic Gauge which the blue on white background sometimes is easier, although I've not yet come across any 1/4 perfs (and the mount gauge is helpful too!) |
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mikeclevenger
Member
Inactive
Posts: 887
What I collect: Ohio Tax Stamps, Ohio & Georgia Revenues, US Revenues, US FDC's, & Germany Classics
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Post by mikeclevenger on Jan 27, 2020 10:16:03 GMT
Here is my most recently purchased tool, a Precision US Specialty Multi-Gauge. It has come in handy on a number of occasions, especially for classic era stamps. It is basically an updated version of the old Phil-A-Meter gauge with a lot more bells and whistles. The gauge is actually clear, but I have it laying on a white background for more clarity in the photo. Anyone interested in getting one of these gauges, can purchase one on eBay. (Please note that I am in no way affiliated with this seller but, this is where I got mine.) This is the one I use most of the time it seems. I love it.
Have a great day.
Mike.
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 12, 2020 2:43:30 GMT
Does anyone use this link ? what do you think? |
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tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Feb 12, 2020 6:55:40 GMT
This I have to try. 👍😊
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Feb 12, 2020 13:41:49 GMT
Interesting. A quick way to get the perf of a stamp. I might buy it and see how it works.
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Feb 12, 2020 13:57:54 GMT
Nothing is easy measuring "perfs" and those software products (I have one - no link) give all kinds of reading depending on the quality of the scan you put into it with 4 measurements that do not match, so which one(s) (measurement) do you choose  |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,698
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Feb 12, 2020 14:11:57 GMT
Tools Used a lot Tongs (tweezers for some) 20x magnifier mount cutter Scott multi-gauge perforation guage UV lamps Less used Watermark fluid USB microscope Often used References google
Scott catalogs (worldwide set) SG Concise SG 1840-1970 Stampworld.com (visual assist) Adminware machin web site philatelic forums |
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Feb 12, 2020 14:40:54 GMT
On checking that Stamp Analyser app, I noted a few other apps, including Stanley Gibbons digital catalogues. I thought I'd check that out and see what they are like, but alas, there are NO sample pages to view. Considering Scott's pitiful offering some years ago, I'm not buying in until I see. I'll have to email them. But does anyone have that iOS app for their catalogues? Any insights on it?
There was also an app to ID any stamp, or at least 700,000 in their database. Take a photo & it'll give you the info on that stamp. Any experiences with this one? "Stamp Scanner" is its name. I'll download it and see. You get 25 freebies before your have to pay. There has never been an update, so how old is it? Also no website. When there isn't an online presence, or just the App Store site, I'm a bit leery about buying yet another app.
TIA...
Peter
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renden
Member
Posts: 9,162
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
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Post by renden on Feb 12, 2020 15:23:43 GMT
There was also an app to ID any stamp, or at least 700,000 in their database. Take a photo & it'll give you the info on that stamp. Any experiences with this one? "Stamp Scanner" is its name. I'll download it and see. You get 25 freebies before your have to pay. There has never been an update, so how old is it? Also no website. When there isn't an online presence, or just the App Store site, I'm a bit leery about buying yet another app. Peter Pete, I have this one and the link is: ezstamp.com/software/stamp-perforation-software/free demoRené |
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 12, 2020 16:01:10 GMT
I took the bait on Stamp Analyzer.... and I'm already in contact with the owner/developer- strange results, but it could be something I am doing. i got an immediate response, so that's a good sign. I'll let you all know as this develops
signed
the Guinea Pig
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Post by dermmd on Feb 12, 2020 20:52:05 GMT
My most helpful tool is the electronic Scott catalog. It is the 2009 version which I think I got in 2008. The pages are in pdf which makes searching for stamps relatively easy. Searching for a word on the stamp or the description of the stamp usually brings it up on the screen. Scott only sold these downloadable catalogs for a year or two. It would be nice to be able to buy the 2020 version without having to pay for an expensive online subscription (if that still exists) which apparently does not have a very good search function.
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Feb 12, 2020 22:17:18 GMT
My most helpful tool is the electronic Scott catalog. It is the 2009 version which I think I got in 2008. The pages are in pdf which makes searching for stamps relatively easy. Searching for a word on the stamp or the description of the stamp usually brings it up on the screen. Scott only sold these downloadable catalogs for a year or two. It would be nice to be able to buy the 2020 version without having to pay for an expensive online subscription (if that still exists) which apparently does not have a very good search function. I wish they'd bring that back as well. I bought into their app for iOS some years ago, and it was abysmal! Jut awful. I sent them a bunch of suggestions & received a reply saying they'd look into it. But they never did. I managed to get my money back from Apple. They really need to get something decent one can use on iOS! I've bought the pages of a few countries & turned them into pdf's, but I agree, just too expensive to buy a set of catalogues! |
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Post by dermmd on Feb 13, 2020 1:08:24 GMT
I think Scott is still living in the 20th century.
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 13, 2020 1:30:58 GMT
The Guinea pig has survived!!
Stamp Analyzer- works great - I was initially scanning at too high a resolution 300 - 600 seems to work fine-
perforation, and height/width of stamp "image" frame to frame... and fast
accepts .tif and .jpg
for $4.99 handy for my upcoming Sower endeavor
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brightonpete
Departed
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Feb 13, 2020 1:40:56 GMT
Thanks for that, Stan. Maybe I buy it too.
I tried Stamp Finder for identifying stamps. You can't use previous photo's or scans unfortunately, only take a photo of the stamp with the app.
It works OK on most mint stamps, but cancels seem to through it off. Most used stamps with too much of a cancel means no ID. Also, some obscure stamps aren't found, and photos taken of the computer monitor didn't work either. You can save the stamps it does identify in a database, but it is displayed in a mixed order. Maybe if you aren't a member here on TSF, or you just have a large pile of unidentified stamps it might come in handy. I don't think I'll bother with it.
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 13, 2020 2:06:09 GMT
Stamp Fix users..... suddenly when I do a batch, it separates them, I save..... but I'll be damned if I can find where they are being saved too
They are not going to my default folder on my desktop (which is where I have to place the initial "group" scan to load into batch
it was working so well.... I even reloaded Mac 1.11
anybody have any ideas? a search by *.tif doesn't show anything and the source was .tif... searched .jpg I'm baffled
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Post by PostmasterGS on Feb 13, 2020 7:20:42 GMT
stainlessb , Click the Batch Settings button, then check your settings at the bottom right. Update the output location and make sure the target box is checked. 
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 13, 2020 14:18:07 GMT
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tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Feb 13, 2020 17:35:24 GMT
This tool was relay worth the money. The top bar show an overall analyse of the stamp. It's so easy to use, just drop your cropped images of your stamps where my stamp is now. Drop the next on top of that.  |
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 13, 2020 20:34:12 GMT
Stamp Analyzer- per the developer 300 dpi is optimal
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stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,906
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Feb 13, 2020 21:16:05 GMT
and this just in!! (from my conversation with the developer)
Did you know : You can set the Stamp Analyzer crop mode to ON; then drag and drop the multiple stamp image into the stamp analyzer; then crop and analyze each stamp.
very useful, though I wonder if I have repeatedly have to drag the group scan in after each cropping?
I will try when I get home
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tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Feb 14, 2020 6:43:50 GMT
I know this but have not tested it. One of the videoes on the publishers site sgow this function.
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brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Feb 14, 2020 14:06:32 GMT
I just bought Stamp Analyzer for my iMac. Seems to work pretty good, but needs scans, not photo's. Photo's need exacting levelling of the camera/phone. And with the way I am always moving, as scan is a requirement.
Just another tool to fiddle with...
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philatelia
Member
Captain Jack - my best kiloware find ever!
Posts: 3,655
What I collect: Ireland, Japan, Scandy, USA, Venezuela, Vatican, Bermuda, Austria
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Post by philatelia on Feb 28, 2020 3:08:14 GMT
My new lighted 40x loupe arrived and it is just awesome! The amount of detail visible at this level of magnification is amazing. The lens is a decent size, too. I bought it to help find USA micro printing and for flyspecking Irish and it makes those super easy to see. It also has a UV lamp and was only $11 from amazon. I still use the iPad to blow up pics to examine stamps, but for quickly checking piles of stamps, a loupe is faster.  |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,698
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Feb 28, 2020 11:06:17 GMT
The loupe looks interesting.
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