{"id":1029,"date":"2009-01-21T09:12:14","date_gmt":"2009-01-21T16:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/?p=1029"},"modified":"2022-12-28T12:41:32","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T20:41:32","slug":"new-stereo-zoom-microscope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/new-stereo-zoom-microscope\/","title":{"rendered":"New Stereo Zoom Microscope for my Electronics Lab!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soldering surface mount<\/a> (SMT) components is tricky, particularly if you can’t see what you are doing due to the small scale of most SMT parts.\u00a0 Since I started working with SMTs at home I have suffered with a 10x magnifier ring-light.\u00a0 It works, but it’s tricky to use, mainly because the working distance is so small that getting a soldering iron on a part and keeping that part in focus are almost mutually exclusive.<\/p>\n

The right tool for this job is a stereo microscope<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 Stereo microscopes use two separate optical paths to provide you with depth perception, very helpful for working with 3-dimensional objects like printed circuit boards.\u00a0 Even better is a stereo zoom microscope<\/em>, where the magnification factor can be changed by turning a knob instead of swapping out lenses.<\/p>\n

Until now I assumed that a stereo zoom microscope would be way out of my price range, at least several hundred or a thousand dollars for a very basic setup.\u00a0 However, some searching on eBay<\/a> showed that good deals can be had, and a used microscope with a boom stand suitable for surface mount work can be found for as little as $200-$300.\u00a0 New microscopes are available for $400-$500, although there is some debate<\/a> regarding the quality of low-cost imported microscopes.\u00a0 Caveat emptor.<\/p>\n

For surface mount soldering, 7-30x magnification is reasonable (that’s 10x eyepieces * a 0.7-3x objective), and a 4″ or greater working distance makes using tools under the microscope a lot easier.<\/p>\n

I ended up buying an American Optical (AO) model 569 with an illuminator and boom stand, shown below.\u00a0 Total cost was just over $200 with shipping.<\/p>\n

\"Stereo<\/p>\n

Combined with the PID controlled hotplate<\/a> I just put together this is a very powerful setup for doing rework of very tiny components – I could probably work with 0402’s, maybe even 0201’s if I was careful.\u00a0 Using this setup, 0805’s are easy. (and they look huge!)<\/p>\n

The scope is very old, it was made in the late 1970s, but it has survived in extremely good condition.\u00a0 Upon receiving it, I tightened some setscrews and regreased the slides and it’s as good as new, despite being over 30 years old!<\/p>\n

\"American<\/p>\n

There are a few more photos of the microscope setup on flickr<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The image quality is excellent.\u00a0 Here are a couple pictures of my SYBA USB-Audio Adapter<\/a> taken with the microscope and my Sony DSC-V1<\/a> digital camera.\u00a0 I held the camera up to one eyepiece, set it into macro mode, and snapped the shutter – these images are straight off the camera with no retouching.<\/p>\n

\"Microscope \"Microscope<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Soldering surface mount (SMT) components is tricky, particularly if you can’t see what you are doing due to the small scale of most SMT parts.\u00a0 Since I started working with SMTs at home I have suffered with a 10x magnifier ring-light.\u00a0 It works, but it’s tricky to use, mainly because the working distance is so … Continue reading New Stereo Zoom Microscope for my Electronics Lab!<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[147,152,32,153,148],"class_list":["post-1029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-electronics","tag-hotplate","tag-microscope","tag-pcb","tag-smt","tag-soldering"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pioCd-gB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3677,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/ao-stereostar-microscope-wiki-page\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":0},"title":"AO StereoStar Microscope Wiki Page","author":"Jeff","date":"February 27, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, while I was tweaking the microscope that I use for surface mount soldering, I realized that I have collected quite a bit of hard to find information about this circa~1975 model 569 American Optical StereoStar Stereoscopic Zoom Microscope (say that three times fast!). So, I made a wiki page\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Electronics"","block_context":{"text":"Electronics","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/electronics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/AO1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2493,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2009\/10\/improvements-to-my-microscope-setup-for-smt-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":1},"title":"Improvements to my microscope setup for SMT work","author":"Jeff","date":"October 26, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Why do I need a microscope for SMT? The single biggest challenge to doing \"real\" SMT work (0805 or smaller components and fine lead pitch ICs) at home is being able to actually see what you are doing.\u00a0 I know that there are many hobbyists (and maybe even some budget-conscious\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Electronics"","block_context":{"text":"Electronics","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/electronics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Stereo Zoom Microscope","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/files\/flickr\/3214065384_226b724e8a.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1010,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2009\/01\/diy-pid-controlled-soldering-hotplate\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":2},"title":"DIY PID Controlled Soldering Hotplate","author":"Jeff","date":"January 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"In preparation for my Arduino-based AVR HV Programmer boards coming back, I decided to step up my home lab surface mount soldering capabilities. Step one was to find a cheap stereo zoom microscope on ebay, with 7-32X magnification, perfect for working on surface mount devices.\u00a0 One of my biggest frustrations\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Electronics"","block_context":{"text":"Electronics","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/electronics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/3201234462_c0a761b898_o.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5238,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/smt-soldering-its-easier-than-you-think\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":3},"title":"SMT Soldering – It’s easier than you think!","author":"Jeff","date":"May 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Greg Peek and Dave Roberts made this awesome comic book to teach people how to solder surface mount components. \u00a0Nice work, guys! SMT Soldering was inspired by the Soldering is Easy comic book that I created with Mitch Altman and Andie Nordgren in 2011.","rel":"","context":"In "Electronics"","block_context":{"text":"Electronics","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/electronics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/SMT_Soldering_Its_Easier_Than_You_Think_EN_Page_01-386x500.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5831,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/cool-tools-metcal-mx-5211-soldering-station\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":4},"title":"Cool Tools: Metcal MX-5211 Soldering Station","author":"Jeff","date":"January 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This is it! This Metcal soldering station will make you put away your Weller or Hakko and never look back! The dual simultaneous iron feature means you no longer need to buy two Metcal base units in order to solder SMT components with both hands! At over $800, these cost\u00a0more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Books and Resources"","block_context":{"text":"Books and Resources","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/books-and-resources\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/81fb-NNmMqL._SL1500_.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1692,"url":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/2009\/04\/space-invaders-button\/","url_meta":{"origin":1029,"position":5},"title":"Space Invaders Button","author":"Jeff","date":"April 13, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Marcus at Interactive Matter made this awesome space invaders button, inspired by Alex Weber's 64pixels project.\u00a0 It uses almost entirely SMT components and an ATmega164P microcontroller. The PCB layout is gorgeous! Marcus provides schematics, source code, and some helpful notes about surface mount soldering. I really like to see SMT\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Electronics"","block_context":{"text":"Electronics","link":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/category\/electronics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1029"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15828,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1029\/revisions\/15828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mightyohm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}