Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Turning back to our discussion we had about microscopes, has anyone seen like a microscope HUD that allows you to insert your multimeter's readings in the eyepieces' field of view so you don't have to look away from the micro when taking measurements ? I'd find something like that infinitely useful ! I even envision something like a VirtualBoy or an Oculus Rift in place of the eyepieces that would also allow glasses wearers to use the microscope more easily AND have the HUD. I used to have a small toy microscope when I was a kid and my glasses always hit the eyepiece, no matter how careful I thought I was and I kept getting smudges all over them

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Turning back to our discussion we had about microscopes, has anyone seen like a microscope HUD that allows you to insert your multimeter's readings in the eyepieces' field of view so you don't have to look away from the micro when taking measurements ? I'd find something like that infinitely useful ! I even envision something like a VirtualBoy or an Oculus Rift in place of the eyepieces that would also allow glasses wearers to use the microscope more easily AND have the HUD. I used to have a small toy microscope when I was a kid and my glasses always hit the eyepiece, no matter how careful I thought I was and I kept getting smudges all over them

I had thought of something similar for multimeter readings, however it's not that hard to hold probes and glance at my meter whilst using my microscope.
The minor inconvenience far outweighs the practicalities of implementing it I think.
It seems there are microscopes with a HUD, but they are expensive medical devices.
I own a stereo microscope, nice working position with my head free to move and i can focus on anything. With a VR helmet my head is weighed down, the resolution is poor and where does the camera go ? How do you see where your parts and tools are ?

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Ok, the VR helmet was just a description of the type of device I'd see attached to the microscope, not an actual thing you'd wear while on the microscope, so I think a pair of ski goggles would be a closer match as far as shape is concerned. It's pretty unrelated to the HUD part though - there could be a display in there even without the goggles part....

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Ok, the VR helmet was just a description of the type of device I'd see attached to the microscope, not an actual thing you'd wear while on the microscope, so I think a pair of ski goggles would be a closer match as far as shape is concerned. It's pretty unrelated to the HUD part though - there could be a display in there even without the goggles part....

If it was manufactured into the body of the microscope it could work.
What's the purpose of the goggles ?

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

True, my idea somehow ended up combining something for a person wearing glasses like myself and the HUD thing. My idea of the goggles (the way I imagine) is to act as a "rest" and let me shove my face and forehead in it in one go, along with my glasses, which keeps my face steady relative to the eyepieces, instead of having to look through the "bare" eyepieces which I can't place my eyes against because my lenses are in the way, so my head might shift a bit....I'm a bit of a nutter and come up with "inventions" like this on the spot I've never used a binocular microscope before, so I don't know how steady your head must be....

The HUD thing: I'm not sure it would be possible to make something like this as an add-on to a regular microscope though...I imagine there are too many delicate and precision parts in there to even get remotely close to just shoving a screen in there AND expecting it to STILL work after all that !

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Ahh, kind of how the rubber eye cups are for non glasses wearers. I removed mine and find I can move my head quite a bit.

I found this earlier https://www.reddit.com/r/Optics/comm...ptical_engine/ but not much else on the DIY front.

There might be space in a modern trinocular perhaps but not in my vintage Kyowa.

[stj]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

you could just get a bluetooth or serial enabled multimeter and get the pc to "read" the values to you.

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

you could just get a bluetooth or serial enabled multimeter and get the pc to "read" the values to you.

Yes, I was considering that too at one point, but it's pretty silly I don't have a microscope at the moment anyway, so that's the least of our worries....still, it would be nice to know someone else thought of this HUD idea.

[dicky96]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

@dannyX
if you never used a binocular microscope then you don't know what you are missing mate. My first thoughts when I got mine a week ago was Oh WOW!

Yet I am having the same problem as others mention with my new microscope and wearing glasses

I can take my glasses off and use the rubber eyecups and I guess because the microscope basically contains lenses i can set it to get a perfectly focused image in my eyes and the image stays good if i move my head a bit.

But when I look away from the microscope to grab my soldering iron or whatever i need to work my eyesight is so bad I struggle to see anything and working like this taking my glasses off and on gives me a headache. I hadn't even considered the fact I would not be able to read my multimeter without my glasses on!

I've tried with my glasses on and without the rubber eyepieces but it's like looking down a tunnel and a slightest movement of my head i lose the image in one eye or both

So far I have been practicing drag soldering with the microscope and no glasses but I can see now that this is going to be completely impractical for taking readings on the meter.

How are other glasses wearers using these microscopes? Is there some sort of eye cups that work with glasses? After all many people do wear glasses

My other option is to wear contacts but I only tend to do that when out socially as I can see a lot better close up with varifocals when working

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Glad to hear you finally got your new toy, so this would be a perfect time to tell us your experience (and maybe a model and specs of the thing), since I'm basically in the same boat.

I'd probably have the same issue. I can't see worth sh!t without my specs (nearsighted) and I don't wear contacts either (don't think I could bare the idea of putting something in my eye and I'd freak out). When you look at someone working though one in an YT video it looks simple - piece of cake even - and it makes me want to try it straight away, but I imagine the learning curve is very steep when you try it yourself for the first time, especially for us 4-eyed dudes...

The only other idea I'd have when all else fails is to use a screen and a camera (if it's trinocular)...it sucks, yes, but would probably be less annoying and fatiguing to work with in the long run, plus if you've never worked with one, like I haven't, I imagine you would get used to it more quickly since you'll have nothing else to compare it to. Hell, I was thrilled at the idea that I can use an SD handycam placed against a magnifying glass to get some decent close-ups and was ready to roll with that

[dicky96]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

I'll answer briefly because it's dinner time then will give full response tomorrow

The whole drag soldering thing that looks so easy under a microscope... isn't. It could be a learning curve thing or it could be the tools I am using. I've just ordered several different flux, some 0.2mm solder and a KSGER T12 with alloy handle a shit load of tips (because I spotted a bargain on ebay that I think someone mis-listed)

The BGA machine has been far easier to learn to use.

Even though I have to learn to use the trinocular microscope I still think the Andonstar ADSM 302 that I already have is pretty much useless for soldering due to loss of stereo vision

OK off to eat

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

I made a HUD last night, I just look up slightly to see the measurement.

I know a couple of glasses wearers freaked out by thought of touching their eyes. I never had and issue when I wore them.

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Pfffttt Before enlarging the photo I was like WOW, but then I was like "insert troll here" Good one. I have that same meter BTW

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Hey !! No intentional trolling from me, look, it's mounted properly.

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Hmm...that's actually not a bad idea, though I have some other large-ass meters which would look rather silly up there One of my Uni-Ts in particular does serial out and can spit its readings directly on my monitor, so that's actually where the whole HUD idea came from. I wonder if I can get like a really tiny VGA/HDMI display and hook it up as a secondary display to my PC to have just the readout part near the eyepieces like that....*brain starts working*

[diif]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

There is this I found https://www.instructables.com/id/Ard...My-Multimeter/ however when I made a mock display the same size I realised it was too small. Scaling up I realised I had a display of the ideal size already connected to a meter.

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Yeah, something like that, except I'd probably attempt to build it into the microscope....somehow Personally, I find interfacing with the meter the most challenging part, but then again I'm a software noob who learns as he goes, so to others it may not be anything spectacular...

[dicky96]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

OK the long version

The microscope I ordered was this package from this supplier AMSZOOM. The same seller also uses thee store name YKINS

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3292...27424c4dzPbHUz

I specifically wanted a simulfocal trinocular with the camera as I have an intended use for that facility in the near future. I specifically wanted the double boom stand for it's stability having taken recommendations from several videos I have watched. I also purchased mine on 11.11 or better known as 'singles day' and I got a significant discount on the current price. I ordered a white microscope but the seller contacted me shortly afterwards to say they only had black ones remaining in stock due to high 11.11 sales volumes. I took the black one at the same price to save waiting for a white one to come available. I am quite happy with the black one, it looks fine on the bench.

I eventually received the microscope on 15th December after it had been stuck in customs for some time. I had to pay some import duty but it was a small amount (duty here in the Canary Islands is really low compared to the UK)

It came with no instructions and I had to look at the pics on the sellers site to work out how to put it together. First impressions are... very impressive!

The image is really clear and the depth of field is good as well as the working distance. The difference between a stereo microscope and something like the ADSM 302 which I already own are remarkable. You honestly have to see it to believe it. It's as striking as seeing a film at the cinema in 3D compared to 2D

I've had three small problems with it. Firstly it comes with 2x 12V 1A power supplies, one for the camera and the other for the LED ring light

On the day it arrived I put it together and it worked but I didn't connect the camera as I was leaving the workshop shortly after so didn't have time to properly test it

The next day I rearranged my workbench to accommodate the microscope (it takes a considerable amount of space with the double boom!)

I put it all back together and neither the camera nor the LED ring would come on. Having messed around a bit to ensure I actually had power to the PSUs I swapped them around. The camera then came on but the ring light didn't. I tested the PSU going to the ring light and found that the polarity of the PSU was reversed - negative to the centre pin!

I instantly assumed that it was a incorrectly wired PSU and told the vendor. My assumption was the wrongly wired PSU had damaged the ring light, but not the camera which probably had an input diode to protect it. I also tried the LED ring on my bench PSU and it was drawing no power at 12V

The vendor replied that the ring light uses a custom PSU that has reversed polarity (even though the two are physically interchangeable) and told me not to interchange them again.

Even though it was my fault he then said he would ship me a replacement LED ring at no cost. I am still waiting for that to arrive.

Anyway the next day I tried the LED ring on my bench PSU with negative to the centre - and it worked! I then tried on the reversed PSU again, which I had to retrieve from the trash bin where I threw it, and it also worked this time. So it looks like I will get s spare LED ring as well

The second problem I spotted after a few days, teh image on my monitor is much more magnified than through the eyepiece. As posted on another thread here the vendor has told me I need to by a 0.5x tube. As you will see on the microscope link above it comes with a 1x tube. As the 0.5x tube is only €10 more than the 1x, and it is necessary for the camera to work properly, I have no idea why that was not included in the first place. Anyway for approx €20 I have ordered the correct one form the same vendor and I am not gonna make a fuss about it.

The third problem was not really a problem at all. At first I thought the camera was not working, but it turns out you need to adjust the height off the 1x tube on the microscope to get an image on the monitor. Once i figured that out by trail and error it was easily sorted.

Regards a microscope like the Andonstar 302 I would say don't buy one. Unless you want to buy mine as i am seriously considering selling it! IMHO these are useless for soldering though they are pretty decent for inspection - until you want to examine something like an ATX motherboard and find the stand is not deep enough for you to see the middle section of the board.

I am pretty sure some folks are gonna seriously disagree with this opinion, all I would ask is, if you do disagree, have you also tried soldering under proper stereo microscope?

For a similar price to the ADSM 302 you could buy something like this
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285...chweb201603_53

or this
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3281...chweb201603_53

plus a 0.5x or even a 0.3x Barlow lens (as you are really going to use 3.5x-7x magnification most of the time)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3299...chweb201603_53

And then DIY a suitable stand.


The issue with wearing specs I still have not found the best option - and this is a problem to me. I would really like some good advice myself

Regards contact lenses by the way, I thought the same as you - that it means you have to get used to the discomfort of something being in your eye

Nothing can be further from the truth. You can't feel them at all even when you first try - especially with the daily 'disposable' contact lenses. The 30 days ones you can feel a little bit at first though they are not uncomfortable but you have all the hassle of cleaning them with peroxide overnight then rinsing. DON'T EVER rinse with peroxide and then put them in. If you do I can guarantee from personal experience that you will only ever do it once! You will never make the mistake again!

Also the surface of the eye is actually no more sensitive to something in contact with it than your skin is. I know that sounds counter-intuitive but it is true.

If you have a local optician who offers a free contact lens trial go and have a go. You will be really surprised.

Yesterday my other new toy arrived - the Quick 861DW, also ordered 11.11 arrived 03.01.

I have plugged it in and had a quick play with it. More on that next week :-)

[stj]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

you could use an arduino-nano or blue-pill to translate from the meter to a 0.96" oled display.

[Dannyx]

Re: Soldering station thoughts and guidelines

Sounds great. I think I came across that very same package myself. That's the "deluxe" version which comes with everything you need, including the camera. Very expensive though, so I wanted to start off with the minimalist version which only has the scope, the light and the stand, since I don't have use for a camera right away anyway. I was even thinking of taking it one step further and just get the microscope head and make my own stand for it somehow, my old man being a bit of a tech nutter himself who comes up with all sorts of contraptions and off-label uses for things, but the price difference is not that great, so might as well get the real deal instead of skimping on details. I was mostly interested to see what specs it had. So it's a 3.5 to 90x one. How's the work distance on it btw ? Numbers don't mean a lot to me - I usually listen to others people's advice, like Louis.

Now about those eye pieces and lenses because that's always confused me a bit: the page says you get 10x and 20x eyepieces - does that mean you have 4 all together (two for each, since there's two bloody eyes in a human ! ). Do they screw into the tubes at the top or they just rest in them ? Same with those lenses: a 2.0x lens and a 0.5x one. Do these go over the main lens of the scope or are these THE lenses for the scope ?

Referring back to my Oculus Rift/VR box rig idea, I imagine if you had a headrest like that and properly managed to attach it to the top of the microscope AND perfectly align the eyepieces inside of it somehow, you could rest your forehead against it and your eyes would be in the right spot - like when you put on a VR helmet and your eyes align with the two lenses inside. Side-story: a colleague at my old shop once brought his Oculus Rift at work to play and I had a go with it myself. Since my myopia is pretty high, the adjustment slider on the thing were not enough to compensate for my defect and make the picture clear, so I had a go without my glasses first and then with them. It was all blurry without (which is what myopia feels like for those who don't know), so I couldn't focus on what was going on - I was constantly squinting. Then with my specs: it was a tight fit and my glasses got shoved into my face past the point where I wear them comfortably, so it was rather uncomfortable, but that was only because of the pretty restrictive head strap - if I were to just HOLD the goggles against my face, the glasses themselves could fit inside perfectly. I'm not optics expert, so I don't know how hard something like this would be to achieve properly, without using duct tape

The toy microscope I had had something pretty similar to this idea, though it's only now that I realise what it was for, as I could never work it out when I had it, since ironically it wasn't mentioned the manual ! !. It was like a box on top of a small piece of pipe which replaced the ocular. Supposedly, you could look through this box with BOTH eyes and you'd still see down into the tube of the microscope, since it was a monocular one (if that what it's called). On a stereo one, I think they'd have to attach the eyepieces to the bottom part of the headgear, so you'd then insert the ends of the eyepieces into their holes like normal. Better yet, have prisms and mirrors and lenses and sh!t in there to accommodate a HUD as well....