hlp me identify this...

[erik]

Hi, My name is Erik and I am a jeweler and have been
working in the trade for around 17+ years. I now
specialize in CAD design and milling. I have always
loved hand engraving and it is the one discipline
missing from my skill set.

I do alot of pave' and small stone setting and am
ready to start using a microscope. I use the
microscope on a laser welder to check my work but I
really need a bench microscope. I have been lurking
around to see what everyone else is using but I'm a
little confused as to what I need. When I search ebay
its hard to compare apples to apples and oranges to
oranges.

I am attaching some pics of a microscope my dad has.
First question is...What is it. And second question
is what do I need to do to make it suitable to use at
my bench (besides a grs acrobat boom stand)

Thanks so much for any info as to whether or not I can
use this scope in any way. Erik

 

[Tira]

Hello Erik, The first thing is to upgrade the stand. I would call and make sure the diameter of the scope will fit into the stand you intend to buy before you buy it. It looks like it will, but it would be a bummer if it did not. The second thing you need to determine is the working distance for that scope. You need to hold it still out of the original base and see if you can get your hands under it at a comfortable distance while maintaining focus. If it is set up to focus too close to the lens then you won't have enough distance to get your hands/tools under it to work. If you seem to have enough room to work then it should work as any other scope would on a more flexible stand.

 

[DakotaDocMartin]

Adapter

I would call and make sure the diameter of the scope will fit into the stand you intend to buy before you buy it. It looks like it will, but it would be a bummer if it did not.

If the diameter is a little bit small to fit the ring on the Acrobat stand as it was with mine you can have a machinist make you an adapter ring. That's what I did and it works just fine.

 

[rocketpilot]

eric: does it zoom? it says 3X on the side of the objective area, which leads me to believe it is a fixed focus scope. you need a scope that zooms for engraving. you also need one that will accept a .5 objective auxiliary lens to get a nice working distance of about 5-6 inches. these lenses screw onto the scope on the bottom end (nearest to vise). the eye pieces should be 10X and not 20X or 30X like some scientists use. most of the older scopes found on e-bay have a 4 to 1 zoom ratio which is ok for your use. newer scopes can go up to 10 to 1 or more which is nice if you can afford it, but not necessary for engraving. you can find a good name brand japanese scope on e-bay for under $500. if you buy nikon or olympus, you wont be dissapointed.
craig

 

[erik]

Thanks for the replies. The focal length is most definitely to close to work at a bench with. The focal field is really small to (not big enough to see your hands) What effects the focal length? Is it the eyepieces or the lens? What are some of the specs that are important to make this appropriate for bench work? From the pics are you able to tell the make or model? There is a plate on the bottom that says "made in japan" which is a good sign! thanks Erik

 

[John B.]

Erik.
It looks as if your Dad's scope is a fixed power, not a sterio zoom like most of us use for engraving.
It appears to have 10 power eyepieces and a 3 power objective lens.
This would give you a fixed 30 power and probably a short working distance and a small field of view.
You need to examine this to see if it fits your needs before you put money into a boom stand for this scope.
30 power is OK for very fine details but is too limiting and strong for most general engraving IMO.
That's why most of us like an adjustable power scope so that we can select the power for the job at hand.
Just my thoughts, others know more about scopes than I do.
Best of luck, John B.

 

[monk]

specifically you want a stereo- zoom scope with a .5 objective lens. the .5 lens will give you the working distance tira mentioned. 10x wide field eye pieces are preferred. for any work most engravers do, the combination of the .5 lens and 10x eyepiece gives sufficient power. if thats not enough power, then go wit 15 or 20x wide field eye pieces. but stick with the .5 objective lenses. e-bay will save you money, but make sure the seller will allow return if not happy. you would also want to get yourself a grs turntable to use with the scope. this gadget makes it way easier to use ! i once was reluctant to buy one of the scopes, but after an hour or two, you will wonder why you never bought one years ago. jm2cw

 

[erik]

Thanks guys. Looks like my dads scope will not work. I was hoping to save a few bucks but oh well... If anyone sees a killer deal on ebay let me know. thanks again