Microscopes

[ammcoman2]

A while back I was working on a pretty small (for me, that is) model that had me squinting when working on my Taig mill, even with the aid of a binocular head piece. At the time the article in HSM by Jerry Kieffer in which he showed how he used a stereo microscope on his Sherline lathe got me thinking.

Well about a year ago my brother-in-law gave me a 20x monocular microscope that had a focusing point about 3" from the lense - just perfect. A flea market find of a clamp from a heavy duty magnetic base and some Delrin? cut-offs from an auction gave me no excuse to dither any longer.





I wanted to be able to swing the microscope out of the way but not to lose the focus point when needed. Came up with this and probably went a little on the robust side. Thinking was that heft equals steadiness, and it works well. The black plastic machined like a dream and left a really nice finish. After all the discussion recently on these types of plastic, I still don't know what it is but the swarf smells like fertilizer.

The plan is to make a mounting base on my Taig lathe table as well so I can use this apparatus on both machines. Who knows, maybe also on the big lathe and mill as declining years take their toll.

Regards,

Geoff

[wschoenbeck]

Geoff,
That looks very nice indeed. The little mono scope looks very light and is perfect for the application. I have an older B&L stereo zoom on a boom stand for soldering and pulling splinters. I'd like to build a mount for it for use with my SB9 or even the 8520 mill. One of these days.

Bill

[crancshafter]

Ammcoman
Leave your wig upstair you are getting close to the belt

[ammcoman2]

I'm "challenged" that way so that is not a problem!!!!

Geoff

[nheng]

If you're using a stereo microscope or mono, a 0.5x or other reducing lens is handy. A 0.5x will typically double the working distance, saving your wig

[BobWarfield]

Very nice!

Any cool pix of the teeny tiny parts you use it to make?

Best,

BW

[Pete H]

"but the swarf smells like fertilizer" -- Probably some kind of phenolic. Take a piece of scrap, heat up a nail pretty hot, and see if it melts the plastic. If it doesn't, it's phenolic. If it does, I'm stumped... been too many years since I had to identify different kinds of plastic, and there are too many new kinds.
Pete in NJ

[Too_Many_Tools]

Good solution for a common problem.

Thanks for sharing it.

TMT

[ammcoman2]

Sorry I didn't get back on this topic - I lost the thread when it went off the front page.

Nheng, I just checked the objective lense. It says 50mm and then "NAO 08" and Beck, London. I am not sure about the NAO 08 as it is a bit scratched. Could it be 0.8 power? I am using a 12.5x eyepiece with cross hairs. So now I am thinking it gives approx 10x with the advantage of being a reasonable distance from the work. Certainly further than the binocular headpiece I normally use.

Bob, I am working on the PM Research shaper and one of the operations is to put T-slots in the table and front apron. They are 0.125" wide in the T and the slot width is 0.075". Swarf buildup could/will break the cutter (a modified 1/8" endmill) so I figure this scope will help keep an eye on it so to speak.

I am now envious of those folk who can take OFF their specs and see an item up close. Being the opposite I need all the help I can get for closeup work.

Geoff

[Spin Doctor]

Would it be possible to hook one of these up to a small video/web camera and use a monitor to reduce eye strain. I know the "feel" would be different