digital microscope for poor eyesight

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I have been thinking of fitting a digital microscope to my Taig lathe for a while now but am a bit stumped as to the working distances at various magnifications. The usual ads show the scope to be pretty close to the work which is something I would like to avoid. Any help will be gratefully received .

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Pepler Optics has a useful guide:

https://www.pepleroptics.com/infozone/category/guides/

MichaelG.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Over on the HSN Forum someone has highly recommended the Tomlov products.  Available on eBay at reasonable price.  Used for viewing work on a small precision lathe, appears to have quite a long focal distance.

[alecsParticipant @alecs]

Do you need a microscope for a lathe?

Perhaps a cheap USB camera plugged into your phone or tablet would give sufficient magnification even for horological work?

[alecs]

On alecs Said:

Do you need a microscope for a lathe?

 

maybe the OP has an extremely small lathe

[alecsParticipant @alecs]

Microscopically small???

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I have been offered the loan of one for a week or so to make some evaluations. Watch this space.

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Bernard, one thing to watch out for with digital microscopes is the lag between what is actually happening and what you see on the screen. It’s not a problem if you are using the device for inspection, but if you are actually going to use it to guide what you are doing, then the lag can be somewhere between irritating and dangerous.

One useful exercise is to try putting a small screw in its hole using tweezers under the microscope. It becomes very difficult if the device has any significant lag, and most of the cheaper ones do have quite a lot.

I don’t think its accidental that all the images you see of electronics assembly line in the far east still seem to use binocular optical microscopes.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I think it depends if you want it for setting up, or actual machining.
I built one using a car reversing camera, mounted to an adjustable DTI arm, and moved the lens to obtain the correct focusing distance.

I also bought one of these, which is mounted in a second hand bench microscope stand; I think mine came from a different supplier. It’s good for reading the writing on small taps etc, and would probably do for lining up a screwcutting tool to pick up on an existing thread, but not really suitable for machining.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365406534500

Bill

[Martin Johnson 1Participant @martinjohnson1]

There is some good practical advice on lathe (and mill)  digital microscopes here written by someone making his own pressure gauges here:

https://modeleng.proboards.com/thread/8680/help-speedy-valve-gear-issues?page=829

Reading a page or two eitheer side of the ljnk will be useful.

Martin

[DellParticipant @dell]

I have added a Tomlov digital microscope to my Pultra lathe & although it takes some getting used to looking at the screen & not the work, here is a video of my setup.

There is very minimal lag as can be seen from some of my other videos.

Dell

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Nice introductory video, Dell

I look forward to seeing how you get on with it.

MichaelG.

[DellParticipant @dell]

Thanks MichaelG

I have been using it as much as possible to get used to looking at the screen & not the work but the benefits I see with a digital microscope more than a normal scope is it’s possible to glance at both the work & screen, here is a video of me making a M1.6 screw for a clock.

Dell

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I can’t personally vouch for its performance, but this looks a very handy little magnifier:

product image grabbed from a Manchester Microscopical Society ‘meeting report’

a ‘Google Lens’ search will locate plenty of adverts

MichaelG.

.

 

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

I have tried a couple of different ones so far and the two biggest problems are working distance and vibration but ill keep trying. Maybe the rear view camera might be worth a go.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

A reversing-camera has a wide field of view but little magnification, and probably poor definition for close-in work. It’s designed for seeing the car parked behind yours, not the details of that car’s badge.

It may be simpler and just as effective to put a large magnifying-glass on a suitable stand, and use that!

(The biggest difficulties for me are reading those titchy ‘Mazak’ dials on the Myford ML7 and the markings on tools like taps, and using thread-gauges.)

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

Optivisor – best piece of workshop equipment I have ever spent money on next to the DRO.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

yes I have to agree I use mine a lot of the time perhaps I should forget the extra faff

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I’d suggest a decent webcam (that takes standard C-mount lenses, then you can choose along focal length lens and have it fitted some way from the work.

Something like a “SVBONY SV105 1.25″ Scope Camera Electronic Eyepiece Planetary Photography” would cost about £45 and would have very little lag with a good connection.

You could search “100X 40mm-250mm C-mount Glass Lens for Industry Lab Microscope CCD Video” as a potential lens choice – shorter focal length may be better.

Neil

[ChrisLHParticipant @chrislh]

I’ve never done anything about it but thought that those special telescopic glasses used by dentists and surgeons could be just the thing for getting close to the job. Probably optical so no delay problems but possibly second mortgage prices.

[Neil Wyatt]

On Neil Wyatt Said:

“SVBONY SV105 1.25″

The don’t seem to come with Cmount adaptors normally. Some say M28.5×0.6. C mount is 1″?

Is something needed to make SVBONY SV105 work with 100X 40mm-250mm C-mount Glass Lens ?

[DellParticipant @dell]

The nice thing about the Tomlov digital microscope is it’s above the work so not in the way so I can look at both the scope & work.

[jaCK Hobson]

On jaCK Hobson Said:

On Neil Wyatt Said:

“SVBONY SV105 1.25″

The don’t seem to come with Cmount adaptors normally. Some say M28.5×0.6. C mount is 1″?

Is something needed to make SVBONY SV105 work with 100X 40mm-250mm C-mount Glass Lens ?

Hi Jack, you are right, teh Svbony has a 1″ male thread on the front… I was confusing it with my more expensive ZWO camera which has an M42 insert with a c-mount threaded hole in the centre – often used for small wide-angle lenses.

Neil

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Neil’s Cmount suggestion got me interested. I was looking for separate camera and lens but I found a complete kit on amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DZHM79XP

I took a punt, as Amazon are really good about returns if you change your mind.

The thing works much better than the USB solution I have or the stand-alone scope+display which both lack colour quality.

This works in low light which allows more lighting options. It comes with a LED but that isn’t great for colour either.

The stand setup would be OK if mounted independently of whatever surface you are observing. It isn’t ‘great’ – particularly if you have to adjust the view angle etc, but OK and I’m glad I have it.

This lens is fixed, not zoom, so you have to adjust magnification by adjusting height away from subject. Cmount lens. Cmount lens adaptor included. I think the chosen lens is about right for fixed focal length for me.

Wires are annoying, and you need 2 plug sockets if you use the light… so 3 includind a monitor!

It plugs direct into an hdmi monitor which I like – no need for a computer. Errr… I don’t know how to plug this into a computer if I ever wanted to?

So far,so good, but I think I’d like a zoom lens and maybe mount this high up.

Most annouing is that the remote control has one of those battery-saving tabs for transport… but no battery?!

I’m keeping it.

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