DIY Poor man's Mantis scope - a soldering workbench with magnification - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: FlashEF
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 02:34:20 pm
content: Hello everyone, this is my first post here so I'd like to introduce myself. I'm from Poland and I am a student of the 4-th year of Automatic and Robotics on Gdansk University of Technology.This project was inspired by the capabilities of Mantis scope Dave shown us. I wanted to be able to solder with magnification, while sitting straight in a comfortable position.My father salvaged a large lens assembly from an old photo enlarging machine (fully analog tape type) a few years ago. I found several beautiful 130 mm lenses in there. They looked perfect for the job, since I got clear sharp image from them while holding them as far as 10 cm from the desk. Moreover the distance from your eyes to the lens doesn't matter – you can sit with you head 30 cm from the device and see what is under it perfectly. The main lens I am using here is so large, that you can see the object you are working on with both eyes, with depth. It always annoyed me when I had to close one eye to use a magnification lens. Just like with Mantis scope, you just sit in front of it, and peer through. Not your head angle nor the distance between your eyes and the lens matter too much.Overall photos:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/right.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/left_back.jpgMagnification:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/lens.jpgThe lens carrier is able to hold multiple lenses and accessories like a lamp on the aluminum rails. It moves on a pair of drawer rails. Those are quite nice, as they have ball bearings and move smoothly. To lock it in place you use a screw that pulls T shape nut into the back of the rail support posts, locking the mechanism in a new position.Locking screw:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/locker_front.jpgT-shape nut:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/locker_back.jpgRails:I've also added a 120 mm fan for fume extraction. It sits on a rubber window seal, which is very soft and has excellent grip and vibration damping. The fan is mounted via an folding arm that lock in the home position. Other positions relie on the weight on the fan pressing down on the mentioned earlier seal. So far it proved to be a good solution.Half folded:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/Flash_EF/SolderingBench/fan_tilt1.jpgOne more trick I'd like to mention. All the black parts are coated with special heat resistant paint. The heat resistance up to 690 C doesn't matter so much, cause I am not going to burn the parts with my iron all the time, it helps avoid accidental damage thought. Te cool part is that this kind of paint behaves much like powder coating. It dries in less than an hour, because it is just a spray-on powder with little bit of solvent added. After it has dried you need to put it in an oven for about 3 minutes in reasonably high temperature, to harden it by melting the particles together (about 250-300 C). It creates a beautiful mat finish which is essentially a thin coat of plastic. Not only you can paint something in about 1,5 h instead of waiting 24 h to dry it, you get very hard and durable coat in the end - to my experience much stronger than any "scratch resistant" paint. It is also possible to rush it and burn wet paint - it turns out the same but creates slightly more smoke in the process.This is work in progress. I am going to add fan driver and some power LED lightning. So far I figured there is enough room for the control board under the table

author: Nirios
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 03:14:19 pm
content: Nice build.What's the name of the paint you used?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 05:23:34 pm
content: You could also have bought one of these:http://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-902-109-Magnifier-Workbench-White/dp/B0012XG6TS/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0Still doesn't measure up to a Mantis but it allows to use both eyes to look at something.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 05:40:18 pm
content: nice build, +1 for the paint's name.

author: FlashEF
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 05:49:22 pm
content: This particular paint is Dupli-Color brand, order number: 651458.Manufacturer's website:http://www.motipdupli.de/?L=2&id=693In Poland it is available in almost any hardware store. In other countries you are probably best off just searching for a heat resistant paint and reading the description - if it dries quickly and needs hardening by some sort of burn-in it should be pretty similar.I could buy a mag-lamp but I had those huge lenses laying around, and my only cost was some extra aluminum hardware and some paint. I did not exceed around 50$ with this thing. Since the workbench itself is made of glass painted with this heat resistant paint, I guess it makes working safer also.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 08:56:21 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on July 31, 2012, 05:23:34 pmI have investigated those and even bought one, but such desk magnifiers have very low magnification making them only a marginal improvement over the unassisted eye.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 09:08:16 pm
content: You mean the working base is from glass? Did you check whether that glass is heat resistant? Glass can do weird things (including breaking vionlently) when heated locally.@IanB: you can buy these desk magnifiers in various magnifications. For electronics you need 4X to 8X but 6X is ideal. I've worked a lot with a real Mantis and I must say the desk maginifier ain't that bad.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 09:13:13 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on July 31, 2012, 09:08:16 pmThe magnifier you linked is 2.25x, which is comparable with the other magnifiers I have found. I'd like to find a 5x desk magnifier, but the ones I have seen have been 1.5x or 2.5x.

author: FlashEF
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 09:18:26 pm
content: The base is made of glass taken from and old scanner. I knew it might shatter, so I tested it before use. Both by shocking it with hot soldering iron and hot air gun. Plus I had to bake the paint on it. If it went through all that without problems I guess its just fine. I wanted a durable isolating material for my workspace, and glass seemed the best in this category. We'll see if it works out well. Suggestions for other materials would be great

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2012, 01:44:21 am
content: The cheapest maglamps are just plain POS, i have one that i bought for 35SGD and it's just POS!The lens is big yes but there is so much moire on the sides that i have to close one eye!

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 01, 2012, 09:55:02 am
content: @IanB:I have this magnifier lamp which has 3X magnification:http://gsmserver.com/shop/equipment/optic_lamp/magnification_lamp/pro_skit_8pk_f1205cb_magnifier_workbench_lamp.php@FlashEF:You better use an anti-static mat to work on. Glass isn't ESD safe.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 01, 2012, 11:47:19 am
content: Very nice build indeed, well done.Dave.