Scope advice

[RhoTu]

Noob here. Just getting started and have made/acquired equipment and have been doing daily practice pieces for the last week now. Turns out that my friend has an old B&L stereo 4 that he doesn't use with 10x eye pieces and a micro lite FL3000 light ring. Optics are good and has about 3.5" of working space. Gears are metal and smooth but the base is for microscope usage. This model does not have any threads for a barlow(50mm OD) and the base will need to be replaced with a boom stand to be used for engraving. So...not sure yet whether I am cut out for this as a hobby so I don't want to invest in a quality scope until I know I want to pursue further and yet know I will want/need a scope to get better. Is there a work around for the barlow ( I have an extensive shop and 3d printer so I can make an adapter if there isn't a straight up solution)?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated!

RT

 

[monk]

barlows , .3 to .5 can be found on the bay. these can be hot melted in place. ugly as h, but will give sufficient working room for your hands. they will run around 30 us bucks or so. don't use super glue as the fumes can deposit on the glass. a total bummer !

 

[John B.]

The first scope I had was a B&L, a good American scope.
Mine had threads for the Barlow lens but Monks suggestion will work.
B&L made some good products. Best of luck with your scope.

 

[SamW]

Have you tried an Optivisor? That is what I use and have for over 40 years. I find a 'scope to be limiting in body movement. I like to put a little body English into my cutting.

 

[John B.]

What Sam said.
I find I use an Optivisor 10 to one more than my scopes..

 

[Grayson]

Some B&L's have spring clips on the bottom instead of threads. These clips will lock a Barlow with 2 studs into place. All the B&L Barlows I have seen have both threads and studs A Barlow and swing arm stand can usually be found on EBay for a reasonable sum. The 4X and 3X B&L's are decent scopes (I used to teach microscopy at a Univ. where we had dozens of them), but I would avoid the white-topped 7X. If you upgrade (or quit) later, you can sell it for about what you paid.

 

[Chujybear]

I used a plastic lens first. Got it from an eye dr. Either plus 3 or negative 3 diopter. I fit it into a piece of pvc and taped it to my scope. Worked. Little bit of chromatic aberration, but not so that it interferes with carving.

 

[Winstonklein]

I believe that B&L is a somewhat decent microscope for a beginner but limited for a professional who is 8 to 10 hours a day on one of those.

 

[RhoTu]

Thank you one and all for the tips and advice! I have been using an Optivisor with a #2 lens and am getting better but having used my brothers scope for a few days I think I would like to have that available. The B&L that fell in my lap would take quite a bit of modification to make it work without losing the fine adjustment mechanism and the cost to buy a boom or make a decent one makes me think I should keep looking for another deal.
Again, thanks one and all for the info.

RT

 

[tortlieb@verizon.net]

monk gave me that hot glue trick so many years ago, I can't remember when it was. I'm still using it