Help, please: Need help with microscope

Don H

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Joined
Feb 25, 2009
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27
Hello all. My name is Don Hansen and I'm new to the forum and engraving. I've just completed my third practice plate and enjoying the new learning experience. I feel I'm making progress, but its been a little like "engraving with Ray Charles". I'm having trouble seeing as well as I'd like to be able to. I'm currently using the #5 optivisor I use for checkering gun stocks. Coupled with my no-line old-guy glasses It's hard to stay focused on the work. I can see much better if I remove my glasses and use the optivisor, but have to place my nose about two inches from the work. Not good for the back and neck! This brings me to my question. I'm thinking I may be a candidate for a microscope but don't know what one needs for engraving. I've searched the archives and have found some information, but not the specifics I need, such as distance needed between objective and work, magnification, specific brands and models (the tips section did have an article about this, but would like another opinion), and if one can buy just the head and make a stand. I have a fairly complete machine shop so should be able to make a usable stand. If I've left any thing out that is pertinent, please let me know. While I'm not crazy about spending more money I am serious about learning how to do this and I'd prefer to spend the money one time and get it right. I know buying more stuff won't make me an engraver, but it would at least be nice to be able to see that I'm not doing a very good job! Thanks in advance for your patience and help. I know I'll need a lot more before this is over.... Thanks again, Don.
 

rhenrichs

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Nov 11, 2006
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Fargo, ND
A few suggestions. First stay away from the off shore clones. I learned the hard way and after a year or so I was upgrading to a better quality scope. You get what you pay for. Meiji EMZ is somewhat a standard in the engraving industry as the bottom line for microscope. There are probably other well known manufactures of quality microscopes that work equaly as well as the Meiji and then there are high end scopes that are better than the Meiji. I have 10x SWF eye pieces and .44 barlow or reduction lense. Most engravers use a .5 reduction lense but with the .44 lense you get a little more clearance and still have adequate magnification.
I got my EMZ on line, at a very good price, from a distrubutor located in International Fall, Minn.

Roger
 

Arnaud Van Tilburgh

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welcome Don, perhaps you missed this tread

http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3450&highlight=leitz

The Zeiss is probably the best but the expecive
http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3450&highlight=leitz

I use a Novex Holland, with a x50 so I have a working distance about 15 cm, depending on the zoom factor witch the Zeiss don't have. No mather the zoom, the working distance remains the same.
But its price is almost double or tripple of an regular good scope

But I can't work without a scope, use it for engraving, stone setting, watch repair, spot welding, and everything I wish I could see like when I was 16

arnaud
 

jetta77

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Jul 19, 2008
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St. George Ut
I bought a meiji emz-5 and my engraving has gone light years ahead of what I thought I was capable of. It makes you sit nice and straight and is the best thing since easy cheese. Youll need a turntable w your vise to center your work, but if you can afford it it will do wonders for your engraving, it's really amazing how much better youll be almost over night.
Optivisors are good for some things but theres nothing like a scope.
Jeff
 

Andrew Biggs

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Nov 10, 2006
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Hi Don

And welcome to the forum.

I'm pretty hopeless on the actual technical side of microscopes. But, from personal experience I can tell you that you are far better off going for a good one (read more expensive) than saving a few dollars on a cheaper one.

I brought one down here with the mistaken idea that they should all be about the same. They are not. It wasn't till I went to America for the first time and had a look therough a Mejei microscope that I realised what the differences are. The price is in the clarity of the optics and the zoom range remaining the same.

You are far better off saving your money till you can afford something like a Mejei. I know the price can make your eyes water a bit but it will be money very well spent. You will be spending hours at a time looking through it so you may as well do your eyes a favour and buy a good one.

The working distance should be about 4 inches or more. Making your own stand is quite possible if you know what you are doing ..................but if I had to go back and spend the money all over again............. I would buy a Mejei microscope (or better) and GRS acrobat stand simply because it is so versatile.

Cheers
Andrew
 

KCSteve

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Kansas City, MO
I was in a similar situation so I went the easy route with a Meji & Acrobat Stand from GRS (plus their new LED ring light).

Set up was easy and it works great!

I know that I could have saved some money with careful shopping around but the problem is I didn't (don't) know enough to do it right, and I don't know if I would have saved enough to be worth the effort anyway.
 

ian morrison

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Aug 16, 2007
Messages
28
Location
Georgia
I think that my microscope helped my skill level more than anything else (besides taking a class at GRS). You will need a turn table for you ball vice to sit on. Here is a picture of the one that I had made. I thought that you might want an idea for the turn table. It's a little rusty, but it works great. Hope this helps.
 

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Don H

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Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
27
Thanks for all the replys. The Meiji or better does seem to be the ticket. I guess I'm a little slow but I don't understand the function of the turn table. I thought I'd need some sort of X/Y axis adjustment to center the work under the microscope. How would a turn table accomplish that function? Had thought of making a vise similar the the one Lynton McKenzie used in his video. Had also thought about making a microscope holder similar to his. I guess I'm to cheap to buy things I can make, even though at times I spend close to the same amount of money making them. At least it helps convince the wife I really do NEED all the machine tools I have aquired! Thanks again, Don.
 

KCSteve

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Basically you center your microscope over the center of the turntable and then slide your vise around on top of it to keep the part you're working on centered.

You lock the vise so it won't spin and just use the turntable for rotation.
 

monk

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i was a bit reluctant to buy a scope, at first. but several members somehow convinced me it was the thing to do. it took me a few hours to acclimate to it, but in no time, i was glad i bought it. at least for me, it allows work that i otherwise couldn't possibly do, such as carving hobo nickels.
i'm not going to engage in a "scope war". i got a used scope for 500 bucks. i got lucky. great optics, stays in focus, flat field, all that you look for in a scope. but remember-- i said i got lucky ! you could get lucky, or------------. if you do buy used, make absolutely sure the place allows return if not satisfied. better yet, with the meiji, you wont need luck.
 

Kevin P.

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Nambe, NM
Don, I bought the Meiji and the acrobat stand. I'm very pleased with both.
As for the turntable it depends on what engraving vise you buy. I bought the GRS Positioning vise. It allows some repositioning.
A microscope is a must. The next thing is a dual action sharpening fixture. If you don't have a sharp graver you're making it very difficult for yourself. Steve Lindsay also has a template system for sharpening.
It can be confusing so if you can find someone to talk to in person, it would be very helpful. I'm of the school that you buy the best tools you can. And if you can't afford them wait until you can.
Kevin P.
 

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