Stereoscopic microscopes with highly flexible articulated arm? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: SolderSucker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 03:58:11 pm
content: I'm currently looking for a good quality stereoscopic microscope - it does though need to have a highly flexible arm, partly due to my limited desk space and partly because I often work on large PCBs (often at least 12 to 16 inches wide by 8 to 10 inches deep) therefore I need to be able to place the board flat on the workbench and move the microscope's head over the board at ANY point. In other words those scopes with a single fixed arm and a small work area that's part of the stand wouldn't be of any use. I need to be able to locate the stand elsewhere, even if it means bolting it to the bench.Any suggestions please?Thanks

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 05:39:16 pm
content: I use things like:https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-CRAFT-HANDS-FREE-HEAD-MAGNIFIER-MAGNIFYING-LENS-GLASS-WITH-HEAD-LIGHT-VISOR/302324083438Cheap enough to suck-it-and-see, widely available, multiple magnifications, use at any orientation including peering into cabinets, use with any existing corrective spectacles.

author: igendel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 05:51:07 pm
content: Just a little warning:I have a very nice stereoscopic AmScope, with a long horizontal arm, that can be set up to anywhere over a considerable area.However, if you want to move itin real timeyou have to keep the locking screws loose, and if you do, any slight imbalance will cause the microscope head to tilt over. Not very practical.Perhaps there are models that overcome this issue, I'm not familiar with any.[Edit: Yes I do actually... the really high priced one that Dave has... Mantis?]

author: SolderSucker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 06:13:13 pm
content: Speaking of Amcope, funnily enough I just happened to stumble across this Louis Rossmann video of him setting up an Amscope on an articulating arm -This is the kind of setup which I'm thinking of, although from your comments perhaps something more sturdy and more easily adjustable with the arm?This looks good too -

author: igendel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 06:56:05 pm
content: Quote from: SolderSucker on November 05, 2018, 06:13:13 pmok, that's not the kind that I have and it may work (could use one myself actually but the money's already spent)

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 07:40:00 pm
content: QuoteI guess you have a single arm boom. The double boom uses two rods in parallel. I never lock my microscope. (I also only move it to push it out of the way when not using it, so it's not a massive advantage.)The Amscope double boom has about 10 inches of travel in/out. All the way out, there is about 14" of space between the focal point and the front of the base. If you want more clearance than that, you could make a platform to match the height of the base to slide the boards around on, so you could push the pcb all the way to the support rod. You'd gain another 5 1/2 inches. Some people use monitor stands to hold a microscope, but I imagine they oscillate like mad everytime you move or bump them. And they wouldn't maintain the same focal distance if you moved them around in the XY axes.All that said, I imagine you are going to be using the video camera port? Otherwise, it is way more practical to move the board than the microscope (and the human). The clearance or throat depth is the important bit, when direct-viewing, more so than the amount of in/out travel. You would be limited by how far a human can bend over a board/bench hitting them in the chest before their neck and back go bad. The travel distance on the Amscope is plenty more than needed to bend a human into a pretzel if direct-viewing, and is more useful for arranging the bench.

author: frozenfrogz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2018, 08:09:23 pm
content: I am using a Vision Engineering Mantis Elite with the universal arm. There is also an articulate arm option.The older Mantis should also be very usable. Field of view is awesome and everything is very evenly lit by the LED array.Only slightly negative point: There is no option for attaching a camera.Got mine for 700€ used with the X15 lens and bought an additional X4 lens.

author: rickmoll
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 07, 2018, 04:04:14 pm
content: I have an AmScope with the double boom and weighted base. I haven't tried an articulated microscope, but the double boom can be set up loosely so that it moves freely in a horizontal plane while maintaining a fixed focus height. It's pretty versatile -- you can set the base out in front of you, or off to the side. You can also turn the base around "backwards" to give yourself more range. That's how I have mine set up, "backwards" and off to my side. However I never pull it all the way out from the base, because it gets too tippy, even without a camera. You could however use a large C-clamp to attach the base to your bench. You could also probably fabricate a mounting plate and bolt it to your bench; or perhaps AmScope sells some sort of mounting plate. With the base "backwards", and with the boom extended all the way, the focal point it about 16 inches from the edge of the base.

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 04:03:22 pm
content: I have one of these no-name scopes that I randomly found on sale for a good price one day:http://a.co/d/2VNZx1kThe arm is sort of an I-beam shape, and rides on four ball bearings, so it slides in and out super smoothly, but is also plenty rigid against bending, without being nearly as bulky as the double boom style. The part that joins the arm to the post has brass bushings that allow it to swing nicely, and the entire head assembly is mounted on a second pivot so you can keep the tilt adjustment aligned to the eyepieces if that matters to you. A double-jointed arm would be a bit more flexible, and definitely better for shallow benches, but would also be a lot heavier since the segments require a lot of torsional rigidity.

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 06:00:43 pm
content: Quote from: ajb on November 08, 2018, 04:03:22 pmYour link it's not workingEdit:I tested from France with Safari/Ios

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2018, 06:54:30 pm
content: Quote from: perieanuo on November 08, 2018, 06:00:43 pmWorks for meCould be an issue with tapatalk or because it's an Amazon US link?Attached is a photo of the stand for reference.

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2018, 08:55:46 am
content: Quote from: ajb on November 08, 2018, 06:54:30 pmNot bad I was going to buy one similar.Height is?Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Tapatalk

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2018, 04:17:25 pm
content: It will put the bottom of the barlow lens about 140-330mm above the bench, not counting the focus adjustment.