Welding with a Stereoscope or Microscope - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Yaro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 04:37:19 pm
content: I've a limited budget an I'd like to buy something to help me with smd soldering. With you experience, what do you advice. A Chinese Stereoscope likehttps://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/Akq8LC4? or a ADSM302?I know how is good a Stereoscope microscope, but I've tried 600++ dollar models. Where I've also tried 50dollar usb microscope.I don't know if 40x Chinese 100 dollar Stereoscope is just trash.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 05:28:29 pm
content: I recently bought an Amscope (clone?) complete with barlow lenses And I should have bought it 10 years ago.A slight problem may be that total costs after shipping and taxes were about EUR 360 after delivery.The microscope you are pointing to has 2 fixed zoom settings of 20x and 40x. I think even 20x is too much for most electonics work.A zoom factor of 10x is probably best for most electronics work, and maybe upto 20x for detailed work.With lower magnification, the quality of the optics also are less critical, and you are more likely to have a usable microscope for a low budget.High magnification is counterproductive if the picture is vague and fuzzy!For low budget:What sort of phone do you (or your parentshave, and does it have a zoom function?There are applications for phones to use the camera as a magnifying glass, and this may work reasonably well, depending on the quality of your phone. If it's usable, then make something to hold the phone steady. This can be anything from made out of cardboard to an old fixture of a desk lamp.I much prefer the stereo view of my microscope, but some people apparently can get used to working under mono view.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 05:43:03 pm
content: Chrome won't follow the cross-domain 302... Here's what that URL tries to redirect to:https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843602152/32843602152.html?tt=Copy+to+Clipboard&aff_platform=default&cpt=1555780458374&sk=Akq8LC4&aff_trace_key=6d537820df0c4e94bf431d7fcebacbff-1555780458374-00604-Akq8LC4&terminal_id=d9e8265b092741ce8dda79017573fa851. Way too high magnification. Aim for 5-10X for SMD work - this is easily accomplished with just 10X eyepieces and 0.5X Barlow lens. Combine it with say a 1X/3X lens and you can switch between 5 and 15X. 15X is really high magnification.2. The higher the magnification the better illumination you will need. With just 5X any inexpensive ring LED is perfectly fine, while at 15X you'll probably want a little more. Since you will almost never use 15X (typically the result of bumping the head) it doesn't matter.3. You don't want to work on a base - you're not dissecting a frog. You want the microscope to be repositionable over your actual work and you want to be able to hold a small PCB or part under scope and turn it around to look at it from various angles.See for example:https://youtu.be/1JBa3T0_-d8That'sthis AmScopewith a 0.5X barlow and the cheapest CFL ring light they offer (I think), so around $350-375 all in all. Obviously at 10X it's using the eyepieces only since the lens is 1X - I forget if it even puts a plain sheet of glass in the optical path to maintain optical distance, I think it does. So you get 5X, super crisp and clear. At 15X it's still fine, but no longer has that clarity and crispness. The video port is sh*ite - in part because the prism used is plastic, in part because their optical adapter is crap. Not usable even for documentation, and not worth paying for. (I tried adapting a Nikon D800E, frankly it would work much better to just stick it to an eyepiece and just crop the center circle.) But at 5X, for general electronic use it's easily a 5 star piece of equipment.

author: Yaro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 09:20:44 pm
content: AmScope is really cool, but unfortunately 300e is too much for my budget.A Chinese scope like the one I've posted is more affordable, but I can't find any review. About ADSM302 is very good, I suppose since I've tried low cost counterpart.But I've welded with camera but not with a stereoscope, there are huge difference? I mean, without depth perception, is still good if trained?

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 09:29:19 pm
content: Quote from: Yaro on April 20, 2019, 09:20:44 pmWelding and soldering seem to be often confused by some nationalities, but they're two different processes. Welding melts the base metal, while soldering just melts the metal connecting the materials. You weld steel plates, but solder PTH components to a PCB.

author: rbm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2019, 09:44:22 pm
content: Misuse of the English term welding instead of soldering can be rooted in the word translation process from one language to another. In any case, we understand the intent of the question.Yaro, have you checked out any microscopes available on the local used market, through classified ad boards? I bought my Meiji EMF-1 stereo microscope from a local seller for $100, so bargains are out there to be had.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2019, 01:26:57 am
content: Quote from: rbm on April 20, 2019, 09:44:22 pmEven the off chance of somebody thinking welding with a microscope is a good idea is too much. I shudder at the thought what that could do to an eye.

author: Yaro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2019, 09:02:27 am
content: Thanks for the tip. I know the correct meaning but with Chinese resellers I sometimes mix them.

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 21, 2019, 03:59:48 pm
content: AmScope SE400-Z supposedly isn't half bad.Gesendet von meinem Nokia 6.1 mit Tapatalk

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2019, 04:14:08 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on April 20, 2019, 09:29:19 pmI don't think anyone is mistaking them, they are only mistaking the words in English.In Spanish "soldar" covers soldering, brazing and welding. (From Latin "solidare"", to make solid, consolidate.)

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 22, 2019, 01:41:44 am
content: Quote from: soldar on April 21, 2019, 04:14:08 pmAh - thanks for that explanation. Now I that understand where such usage stems from, it won't irritate me as much. (I admit it. My skills in languages other than English are pretty poor.)