Lots going on in my life, so it's good to get a way if only in my head and in the workshop. A while back I purchased a microscope, and finally got it up and running properly. Here's a look, with cat for scale:
It does a nice job, for essentially inexpensive optics. In case you are wondering, here's it's magnification
Strange that it looks perfectly in focus with my eyes, I bet the added distance with my cell phone camera made it slightly off....
You can see there happens to be a S2+ at the back. I was looking for a ring light (expensive!), and ended up noticing that a S2 fits perfectly in a hole meant probably for wires. So this won't be a wonderfully complex build, but here we go anyway. That blue S2+ is not what I'm using, I purchased a simple gray S2 for the actual build.
The o-ring works, until you actually touch the light. I need a collar that holds it in place, so I can change light levels without moving the focal length of the torch.
I'd wanted originally to do aluminum, but had a chunk of delrin. It's so easy to machine with my lathe, like butta' !!
A quick drill n tap for a 8/32 knob that I found, and I think we are in business.
I do have to sand the angle just slightly, so it sits flush with the microscope body, but it works nicely.
Next step, making the S2 into a triple. I know Mtn Electronics sells the pill adapter, but I do have a lathe and some copper.
With any luck, I'll use up this copper soon. I purchased 100% copper, and it's so gummy/ grabby....
Still, I won't have to worry about being under-heatsinked.
Here's the stack. A simple 4k triple, and a MTN fet driver.
I know I don't actually need the lens because of the optic, but it's not causing any issues.
In the next few days, I'll solder up the guts, and that should be it! I'll post as I get this completed.
~D
It does a nice job, for essentially inexpensive optics. In case you are wondering, here's it's magnification
Strange that it looks perfectly in focus with my eyes, I bet the added distance with my cell phone camera made it slightly off....
You can see there happens to be a S2+ at the back. I was looking for a ring light (expensive!), and ended up noticing that a S2 fits perfectly in a hole meant probably for wires. So this won't be a wonderfully complex build, but here we go anyway. That blue S2+ is not what I'm using, I purchased a simple gray S2 for the actual build.
The o-ring works, until you actually touch the light. I need a collar that holds it in place, so I can change light levels without moving the focal length of the torch.
I'd wanted originally to do aluminum, but had a chunk of delrin. It's so easy to machine with my lathe, like butta' !!
A quick drill n tap for a 8/32 knob that I found, and I think we are in business.
I do have to sand the angle just slightly, so it sits flush with the microscope body, but it works nicely.
Next step, making the S2 into a triple. I know Mtn Electronics sells the pill adapter, but I do have a lathe and some copper.
With any luck, I'll use up this copper soon. I purchased 100% copper, and it's so gummy/ grabby....
Still, I won't have to worry about being under-heatsinked.
Here's the stack. A simple 4k triple, and a MTN fet driver.
I know I don't actually need the lens because of the optic, but it's not causing any issues.
In the next few days, I'll solder up the guts, and that should be it! I'll post as I get this completed.
~D
