Stereo Microscope

[LittleWatchShop]

5 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

If you have a workbench that is appropriate for watch work with an eye loupe it will be too high for a microscope.

Indeed.  I have the traditional watchbenches, so I put my microscope on my electronics workbench.  I only use the microscope for fine work (balance, hairspring, etc.) and inspection.

[clockboy]

This guy does make errors and to perfectly honest I was not listening to the magnification quotes but he does show how to achieve a good working space without  purchasing a specific microscope by using a Barlow lens. Wish I had known that before I purchased another scope!!.

The main point he is making is that owning a scope improves your your watch repairs. Parts that you thought were clean are not, hairsprings that you think are breathing perfectly are not etc etc.

Edited September 27, 2022 by clockboy

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, clockboy said:

 

The main point he is making is that owning a scope improves your your watch repairs. Parts that you thought were clean are not, hairsprings that you think are breathing perfectly are not etc etc.

Absolutely true. A lot of us say this all the time to beginners that are struggling. # can you actually see what you are doing ? # . Personally i think it SHOULD be one of the first purchases when starting, exactly as Alex stated. We all make mistakes as we are all human, Alex is great at what he does and provides fantastic information for beginners regardless of the odd hiccup.

[spectre6000]

8 hours ago, CJMiller said:

This has probably been answered at some point in this thread, but I cant find it.

Anyway, how high is the eyepiece from the surface of the workbench? Will I be able to keep my current workbench and chair, or will I need a lower surface to put the eyepiece at a comfortable height? Thanks.

At a normal table height, it's good. I'm on the short side (5'6" / 1.6m), and I have to sit up straighter than I normally would, but that's probably a good thing. I could also just raise my chair a little...

To answer your other question, it varies depending on what you're doing. I'm currently set up with the 0.5X Barlow for maximum working distance, and 20X eyepiece (non-watchmaking work) but the height changes from there for focusing. I took a tape measure to it just now, and the center of they eyepiece (so eye height) 15 1/4" / 38.7cm.

Also, echoing the comments about his magnification math double counting the eyepieces. 45X is the quoted magnification as configured on the AmScope site with 10X eyepieces. The maximum magnification available with that scope head and without looking around for extra special lenses is 180X (2X Barlow, 20X eyepieces). That's just enough to see some of the larger microfauna (i.e. tardigrades), but not enough to see anything like bacteria. Long story short, it's the wrong tool for the job. A chef's knife where you need a scalpel and vice versa.

Edited September 27, 2022 by spectre6000

[dadistic]

Yeah, he certainly blew it when stating the magnification.  I hate it when videos spread bogus info, even if it's an honest mistake.  Makes it so much more confusing for people that are trying to figure this stuff out. 

Rather than hovering in front of the eyepieces, I got some eyecups for mine. Since I also have eyepieces that that have diopter adjustments,  I don't have to wear my glasses when using the scope. Makes it much more comfortable. The eyecups are not expensive, and I find the scope much more comfortable to use this way.

As to bench height, a watchmaker bench at 38 -40 inches is too tall, unless you have a very tall chair or are standing up. I set my adjustable bench at 30", it's lowest setting, and that works OK. I still have to adjust my chair height sometimes, depending on how I have the scope set up. 

Cheers!

[gbyleveldt]

9 hours ago, HectorLooi said:

No. Zoom magnification range is 0.7 - 4.5. Multiplied by eyepiece magnification of 10X gives 7 - 45.

Heh, true as nuts you’re right. I went to go check my scope (I have the same head as his, just with the double arm). 

6 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Morning Gert, how are you matey ? Loved your latest video on the drowned seiko.  I will say though i prefer your verbal as opposed to the subtitles. I think your humor shows through better and your accent is great. Keep 'em coming 

Evening my man, going good hey. Just running around as it’s payday which suck if it’s your own business haha.

Yeah, I did a poll on my channel a few days ago and 80% of people wanted me yapping so I guess that’s what I’ll do on the next vid (which I’m busy with now). But thank you bud, much appreciated!

 

8 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

I'd  prefer to stay away from amscope as not great reviews,  the one i use is a swift but its the same as the amscope alex does not recommend.

The proper optical Amscopes are great. I’ve had mine for 7 years and no issues hey

13 minutes ago, dadistic said:

Rather than hovering in front of the eyepieces, I got some eyecups for mine. Since I also have eyepieces that that have diopter adjustments,  I don't have to wear my glasses when using the scope. Makes it much more comfortable. The eyecups are not expensive, and I find the scope much more comfortable to use this way.

100% agree on the eye cups, I use them as well. Perfect reference to rest my fore head against in despair when a freshly cleaned cap jewel joins its friends in never-to-be-found-again-ville.

[Neverenoughwatches]

59 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

Evening my man, going good hey. Just running around as it’s payday which suck if it’s your own business haha.

Lol yep tell me about it, mine was yesterday. But now i have a large wad of cash in my back pocket to buy some more cool tools. I do need a better scope though and i am looking towards the one Alex reviewed, I'm just not keen on the amscope brand. But anything besides of good quality is going to empty that back pocket

1 hour ago, gbyleveldt said:

The proper optical Amscopes are great. I’ve had mine for 7 years and no issues hey

Which model matey ?

[gbyleveldt]

24 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Which model matey ?

The previous generation of this one hey:

https://amscope.com/collections/stereo-microscope/products/sm-4t-v203

[Neverenoughwatches]

34 minutes ago, gbyleveldt said:

The previous generation of this one hey:

https://amscope.com/collections/stereo-microscope/products/sm-4t-v203

Cheers Gert. This is what i was looking at a while ago, not so sure now,  if they have changed the quality. The working distance is really low compared to mine. I have 250mm through all magnifcations. Only want to change as the x5 mag eyepiece has the same field of view as the x10 around 20mm . The x20 has half that. Not sure why the x5 doesn't give 40mm field of view ?

[VWatchie]

2 hours ago, dadistic said:

I hate it when videos spread bogus info, even if it's an honest mistake.  Makes it so much more confusing for people that are trying to figure this stuff out. 

Couldn't agree more! IMO, you do have a moral responsibility to check and double-check before you publish. It drives me nuts not being able to understand something despite giving it time and thought only to later find out it was all wrong. Especially when the information is presented with a tone of authority. If there's one thing I've learnt it is that if someone sounds like they really know what they're talking about, watch out!

[Neverenoughwatches]

35 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Couldn't agree more! IMO, you do have a moral responsibility to check and double-check before you publish. It drives me nuts not being able to understand something despite giving it time and thought only to later find out it was all wrong. Especially when the information is presented with a tone of authority. If there's one thing I've learnt it is that if someone sounds like they really know what they're talking about, watch out!

That makes me perfectly ok then

3 hours ago, dadistic said:

Yeah, he certainly blew it when stating the magnification.  I hate it when videos spread bogus info, even if it's an honest mistake. 

a little harsh Dave, we all make mistakes mate.  Lets not affect anyone's reputation shall we. 

[dadistic]

We all do. I make plenty, but I try to correct them, and I appreciate it when I'm educated by others.

These videos live forever,  very few are ever fixed.

If someone is watching these for "entertainment", no harm done. If, however, they are like me, and trying to educate themselves, then watching a video that is supposedly for educational purposes and the information that is presented is wrong,  then I get really annoyed. 

I spent a very long time trying to wade through all of the scattered and unhelpful info on these inspection scopes before I finally purchased one.  I was out of the electronics and electronics repair field before they were routinely used and available, so I had no experience with these types of microscopes. 

Trying to figure out how the lenses all worked together to get  a certain level of magnification, field of view, and working distance was not easy. I think I got it right, but it took me *years* before I was ready to pull the trigger. I didn't have, and certainly don't have now, the kind of money where I can afford to make a mistake on an expensive piece of equipment like a good scope. 

Muddying the waters is not helpful

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

15 minutes ago, dadistic said:

We all do. I make plenty, but I try to correct them, and I appreciate it when I'm educated by others.

These videos live forever,  very few are ever fixed.

If someone is watching these for "entertainment", no harm done. If, however, they are like me, and trying to educate themselves, then watching a video that is supposedly for educational purposes and the information that is presented is wrong,  then I get really annoyed. 

I spent a very long time trying to wade through all of the scattered and unhelpful info on these inspection scopes before I finally purchased one.  I was out of the electronics and electronics repair field before they were routinely used and available, so I had no experience with these types of microscopes. 

Trying to figure out how the lenses all worked together to get  a certain level of magnification, field of view, and working distance was not easy. I think I got it right, but it took me *years* before I was ready to pull the trigger. I didn't have, and certainly don't have now, the kind of money where I can afford to make a mistake on an expensive piece of equipment like a good scope. 

Muddying the waters is not helpful

 

I get that and you are right choosing a scope is not easy, I'm on with that at the moment and i wont go until i know i have it right. There is some very misleading info and video out there, my first big mistake came from just that. I would just hate to see any harm done when Alex made a simple boo boo. Anyway enough said lets us let this error disappear .

[gbyleveldt]

5 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Cheers Gert. This is what i was looking at a while ago, not so sure now,  if they have changed the quality. The working distance is really low compared to mine. I have 250mm through all magnifcations. Only want to change as the x5 mag eyepiece has the same field of view as the x10 around 20mm . The x20 has half that. Not sure why the x5 doesn't give 40mm field of view ?

Yeah so mine came with 10x eye pieces as standard, but I did have to add the 0.5x Barlow lens at the bottom to give me the 200mm working distance (a critical item missing from the package I linked earlier). This whole combination gives me 3.5-22.5x in total (thanks @HectorLooifor making me check to make sure) and fully zoomed out I have around 50’ish mm FoV at 200m working distance. I posted pics in this thread a few months ago where I measured it.

[Neverenoughwatches]

3 hours ago, gbyleveldt said:

Yeah so mine came with 10x eye pieces as standard, but I did have to add the 0.5x Barlow lens at the bottom to give me the 200mm working distance (a critical item missing from the package I linked earlier). This whole combination gives me 3.5-22.5x in total (thanks @HectorLooifor making me check to make sure) and fully zoomed out I have around 50’ish mm FoV at 200m working distance. I posted pics in this thread a few months ago where I measured it.

That sounds like the ideal working situation. Cheers matey. Unless something else spectacular pops up on ebay at an impossible to turn down price, I'm happy now to along with one like Alex and you use. 

[gbyleveldt]

2 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

That sounds like the ideal working situation. Cheers matey. Unless something else spectacular pops up on ebay at an impossible to turn down price, I'm happy now to along with one like Alex and you use. 

I think I mentioned it somewhere here, but I've been using this exact setup for my electronics repair business where I work with even smaller parts than you'd find in a typical watch. Having decent working height is critical here. It made my transition to this hobby pretty painless (as far as working under magnification). I've tried various loupes but geesh I think I would've called it quits with this hobby long ago if that was all that was available to me. The biggest benefit is depth perception using a stereo microsocope, something you don't have with a loupe (which refuses to stay in my eye socket in any case).

Edited September 28, 2022 by gbyleveldt

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, gbyleveldt said:

I think I mentioned it somewhere here, but I've been using this exact setup for my electronics repair business where I work with even smaller parts than you'd find in a typical watch. Having decent working height is critical here. It made my transition to this hobby pretty painless (as far as working under magnification). I've tried various loupes but geesh I think I would've called it quits with this hobby long ago if that was all that was available to me. The biggest benefit is depth perception using a stereo microsocope, something you don't have with a loupe (which refuses to stay in my eye socket in any case).

Same issue with me. A head wire for the loupe ?

Just now, Neverenoughwatches said:

Same issue with me. A head wire for the loupe ?

Two loupes and two wires ?

[gbyleveldt]

1 hour ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Same issue with me. A head wire for the loupe 

Haha, I do use that but I can never get it to sit right. Maybe I'm just an idiot, or maybe I'm just trying to look for an excuse hahahaha

[dadistic]

One thing that I am happy about is that I went with the twin boom stand, many degrees of freedom and very stable. The base is heavy, and will give you a good workout when you move it. 

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 hours ago, gbyleveldt said:

Haha, I do use that but I can never get it to sit right. Maybe I'm just an idiot, or maybe I'm just trying to look for an excuse hahahaha

Nah you're not an idiot, but you do know at least one , you're talking to him

Edited September 28, 2022 by Neverenoughwatches

[spectre6000]

18 hours ago, dadistic said:

the twin boom stand... will give you a good workout when you move it. 

Hear hear!

What are people using for eyecups? I keep thinking about getting some, but getting derailed by (a billion freaking things). They definitely seem like they'd help. @dadisticfor bringing it up most recently.

[dadistic]

These are what I have -

https://amscope.com/products/eg-sm?variant=40285331095727

[LittleWatchShop]

Just to throw my 2 cents in...on my trip to the boundary waters earlier this month, I stopped by to meet and visit with@dadistic.  I must say, he has a setup "to die for."  His microscope and stand is on my list of additions...as well as his adjustable table!!

[dadistic]

Thanks

I have to admit, it is a far cry from where I started, sitting on a low stool and working at our dining room table. 

[spectre6000]

4 hours ago, dadistic said:

These are what I have -

https://amscope.com/products/eg-sm?variant=40285331095727

Ordered! Thank you!