magnifier

Sometimes a head band magnifier. They are only good for about 2x with any distance from the lense to the work. For just under $ 200 a stereo microscope of about 10X like this one on ebay . It is good for 10 and 20 x but the 20 x is almost too small of a field of view. It does have about 9 inch distance from the lense to the work.

Are you suing a hot air station to do the work and the paste type solder ?

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I managed to get a really good Olympus stereo microscope through an eBay seller. (i asked questions about an item he listed on eBay, and ended up purchasing a different unit from him.) I was able to make my own mount for it, and that made it a lot cheaper, as most people want the mount with the scope. I now use a large lathe chuck as the base, and it holds a block with a section of MacPherson strut as the arm. What you want is a long working distance, so you can get lights, your hands and a soldering iron all under the scope at the same time. This is what makes these special. I'd say you want a minimum of 2" working distance for soldering.

There are a fair amount of these types of microscopes floating around, with a little luck you can get a good deal.

Jon

Got the same problem.

The Linear Tools 59-650-747 is ideal (about 25$) :

Multi-coated Acrylic Lenses offer a choice of 4 magnification powers via combination of fixed , flip-up and monocle lenses: 1.5, 3.0, 9.0 and 10.5 Adjustable light incorporated.

I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 pins Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board that needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced.

I thought that I could do it with the magnifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res TV camera with a varifocal

3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image large enough.

I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Lenny

>

The acrylic lens scares me. I've had plastic lens visors and always scratched them and spotted them with over spray from aggressive deflux chemicals. I admit that I haven't always been very careful.

I have two pairs of OptiVisors with the blue lens inserts. The blue lens are glass while the clear lens are acrylic, which explains the price difference. I have the number 7 inserts and am going to get a 10 as my eyes are aging.

With the Opti 7s, I can put in typical plasma scan buffer ICs with no problem.

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:18 PM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wr ote:

lace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 pin s Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board tha t needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the mag nifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res T V camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image la rge enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Lenn y

I also have a headset magnifier with a pair of acrylic lenses. There is so much optical distortion through the plastic though that they're just about worthless. I have a customer who does SMT repair work and I recently had him help me. I watched him replace an 8 pin SOT for me. He had a dual lens machine like something you might see on CSI.I don't know what the magnification was but when looking into this thing it appeared as though you were looking at an 8 inch by 8 inch field of view. It was really pretty impressive. The chip to ok up the entire field and the spaces between the legs were very well defin ed. With a small enough iron and a pick it was possible to first lift each lead one at a time, remove the chip with a slight twist and then tack the n ew one down. I was amazed at how easy it was with adequate magnification. I think the magnification was a lot more than 10X though. I also have a hea dset magnifier with glass lenses that I've used for years. It has about a s ix inch working distance and is just slightly better than reading glasses, but looking through this guy's machine was like seeing a whole new world. Lenny

Something like this is about as good as it's ever going to get:

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:18 PM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wr ote:

lace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 pin s Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board tha t needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the mag nifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res T V camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image la rge enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Lenn y

That's wonderful. Would you like to buy it for me? Lenny

What we really need is a dual lense optivisor type headwear. I would like at least a 12" working distance. Ebay has these but I don't know that two times magnification is enough and I don't see the focal distance.

Mikek

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:18 PM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wr ote:

lace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 pin s Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board tha t needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the mag nifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res T V camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image la rge enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Lenn y

These look like very good "reading " glasses. I don't think these would do the job.Lenny

Problem with that is the first magnification is ok, but as you get to the higher powers you have to almost have your nose on the circuit board. I use one and for some work it is ok, but for fine work something else is needed.

After about 3x the lenses put your eye so close to the work it is difficult to get the soldering equipment in without getting burnt.

On Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 10:51:18 PM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wr ote:

lace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 pin s Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board tha t needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the mag nifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res T V camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image la rge enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Lenn y

The dentist wears a headset rig that allows him to work from at least an ar ms length away. I've seen pictures of doctors wearing similar magnifiers. I don't know what the magnification of these things are though. Anyone know the specifics on those? Lenny

You can enlarge your video image with the appropriate software. You may end up seeing scan lines and have focus problems, but it will be larger. I have some software that came with a microscope camera that does this quite well. I don't recall the name right now.

I have fair collection of vision aids. All of them work for specific functions, but none of them work for every possible situation. Here's my list:

1. 3.25 diopter reading glasses. I get these at the dollar store for ummm.... /ea. They're junk and are treated accordingly. They're what I use most when I want to inspect a PCB. I also have some other power reading glasses for reading.
2. Surgical or dental loupe binoculars: I have a similar 3.5x-420mm binoculars that fit over my reading glasses. They're also available in: 2.5x-320mm 3.5x-320mm 2.5x-420mm 3.5x-420mm and maybe some other sizes. I also have an LED light that clips onto the glasses (or my hat).
3. USB camera/microscope something like this: Most of the specs are lies. Mine is 640x480. Here's some sample pics: What's important is the LED ring light, which produces shadow free illumination. I also have a ring light for my microscope.
4. Trincocular microscope. The 3rd pipe is for the USB camera. Be sure to get a camera with a 0.5x expander.
5. Inspection type binocular microscope. This one has about 2" working distance and should be usable for soldering SMT parts. However, I'm short on eye pieces, the boom needs work, and the optics need cleaning. No photos.
6. Assortment of Fresnel and convex magnifier lenses and hand magnifiers. Also, a few illuminated jewelers loops. I keep these in the car for service calls, where the larger devices would get in the way.
7. Various digital cameras with macro lenses or built in macro features. It's often easier to inspect or enhance a digital photo, than try to see detail through the lens.

Good luck...

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com 
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

See:

3.5x with a 420 mm (16.5") working distance. You can get them in other working distances.

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com 
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

Those are wide-field opera glasses; two small telescopes, mounted accurately to an eyeglass frame. It's a bit expensive, and you MUST have them custom-fitted, so it's hard to try before you buy. Designs for Vision is a supplier.

On Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11:35:11 AM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrot e:

eplace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 p ins Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board t hat needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the m agnifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res TV camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image large enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Le nny

arms length away. I've seen pictures of doctors wearing similar magnifiers. I don't know what the magnification of these things are though. Anyone kno w the specifics on those? Lenny

On Friday, March 25, 2016 at 11:35:11 AM UTC-4, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrot e:

eplace eproms and other small SMT's. I'm not looking to do LSI's with 150 p ins Etc. Just mostly smaller stuff. For instance I currently have a board t hat needs an 8 pin Eprom replaced. I thought that I could do it with the m agnifiers I have but the stuff is Just too small. I tried using a high res TV camera with a varifocal 3.5 to 8 mm lens but it doesn't make the image large enough. I was wondering what people are using to do this. Thanks, Le nny

arms length away. I've seen pictures of doctors wearing similar magnifiers. I don't know what the magnification of these things are though. Anyone kno w the specifics on those? Lenny

I bought a pair of those many years ago on ebay. They are 6.5X 420mm loupe s, and I've used them for inspection, but not for soldering. The working d istance is at least a foot, but the image is darker than the Opti-Visors I have and I just can't get used to working at that far a distance. Between the long distance between my eyes and my hands and the jittery aspect of th em I just leave them in their wooden felt lined box. Maybe if I used them m ore I can get used to them as a dentist would (he can't get inside a mouth after all). It's possible they may simply be too strong for what I need.

Funny that this subject has come up at the same time that I'm looking for a hobbyist-priced stereo microscope for SMD assembly and rework. A good stereo microscope seems indispensible now that almost everything electronic is getting so small that only robots are capable of handling and assembling it. I've been looking at the AmScope line of stereo microscopes, which are available directly form AmScope and Ebay, for similar prices. The ones I'm interested in are the model SE400X 5X-10X Stereo Boom Arm Microscope (Ebay item 140927802323) and the 7X-45X Trinocular Articulating Zoom Microscope + Ring Light (SKU: SM-6T-FRL on AmScope.com). The latter unit is on sale right now; regular price is $1100, sale price is $530. Pretty good discount. It's a trinocular microscope, with a port for a video camera. I'm trying to get some recommendations as to the camera resolution needed for SMD electronics work (megapixels). The former unit is advertised to have a 9" working distance (from lens to work). Reviews for the AmScope units seem to indicate that the 10X magnification is best for electronics work; higher magnification results in too small field of view. The trinocular unit from AmScope is a zoom unit, with 7X-40X magnification, well suited for a wide range of applications.

I haven't decided which model I want to buy yet... But AmScope seems to be the best bang for the buck for me.

Cheers, Dave M

A good bright light helps a lot. I often use one of the LED types that replace the common light bulb. I put in one of the reflectors that has a clamp on it . The LED puts out lots of light and is not hot like a 60 watt bulb would be.

I can understand a dentist wanting to be as far away as possible, but further than an arms's length?

Mike.