How vise height can affect microscope use

It would be great if we could simply use any vise and not have to worry about the microscope, but unfortunately that's not the case. This is especially true for people of short to medium height.

The first illustration shows a comfortable sitting position. Many people prefer to tilt the head slightly when looking into the microscope.

The second illustration shows a taller engraving vise. This additional height forces the microscope to be raised. To see through the scope, the user must 1.) stretch his neck or 2.) lower the vise. Since lowering the vise can result in it hitting the legs, this might not be an option. If the engraver raises his chair to reach the eyepieces, this can result in an awkward and uncomfortable posture (ideally your thighs should be parallel to the floor).

Keep these things in mind when selecting a vise for use with a microscope. Measure the working distance of your scope, then add the total height of the vise your considering, and you should be able to tell if it'll work for you.

AHA Sammy...but if you use a drill press stand you can raise and lower the vice without adjusting the microscope. This is also very handy when you engrave different shaped objects that fit into the vice in creative ways.

I think the drill press stand is excellent, and I plan to have one someday soon. Do you think the hassles with taller vises are less with this type of stand? You still have to keep it low enough to see through the scope, and if the vise is a tall one and/or the person is short, it seems like it could still be awkard.

Quick change Adjustable Gravers Block

Ya'll have just given me another Great Idea to try.
Sometime the setting position is not the ideal position I prefer.
My brother gave me a pair of the binocuars they use in dental work.
They have adjustable magnification and easy to focus, but you have to hold you position.
I like the idea of having to be able to have an adjustable gravering block I can stand or set and use w/microscope or stand and use the binoculars.
I like the idea of a drill press stand...
Let you know how I like it.
If you tried it let me know...
Thanks Sam,
JL

Hi Sam.
Like Marty and Rex, I have a drill press set-up too.
And I'm just as short as a person gets and is still allowed to vote!!!
I extended my drill press table forward to have plenty of room to swing long pieces.
With an adapter I made, the scope column extend above the drill press column.
The vise can sit easily between my knees if I sit in a slightly un-lady like position.
This is the most comfortable for me anyway.
With my set-up I can use any vise with no problem.
I just select the one that matches the job best.
For small or medium items I really like the GRS standard block.
Any of the bigger ones work for heavier or long pieces.
As you and Andrew say, a good adjustable, supportive chair is a must.
John B.

I went the drill press route Sam and I haven't regreted for a moment. It cost a fair amount but I managed to recoupe a bit by selling on the drill via Ebay.

Posture really needs to be considered too. The arching forward of the neck and looking down into the scope should be avoided. Keep as straight a neck as possible. Head rests are a great help as they help relieve the neck and shoulder muscles during periods at the scope. Above all take plenty of breaks and don't work for more than 20 - 30 minutes before moving away from the scope and straightening up and stretching.

The ideal position for me would be if I could drop the vise another 6 - 8 inches and still keep the scope in focus, the shoulders would really be loose and the position would be more like being at a keyboard. Any ideas anyone?

Neck Pain

Marcus,
You have said something very importance for young and old...
We jewelers and anyone bending their neck down will cause problems later in life, we as jewelers and also watch makers now suffer from bad neck pain in later years...
Keep the posture as straight as you can and get in the habit...
Pay attention to to OLD ONES...
Sorry I took a shower the last 15min and missed the knife on ebay... Someday...
JL

I think the vise problem is limited more toward Italians or at least ones built like me. Long legs and the rest of me is short. I can only go so far down and the platform hits my legs. With the Magna block and a turntable I'm already up over 8" from the platform. I manage but I think for me a low profile vise would be much more comfortable.
Mike

vise height

sam said:

It would be great if we could simply use any vise and not have to worry about the microscope, but unfortunately that's not the case. This is especially true for people of short to medium height.

The first illustration shows a comfortable sitting position. Many people prefer to tilt the head slightly when looking into the microscope.

The second illustration shows a taller engraving vise. This additional height forces the microscope to be raised. To see through the scope, the user must 1.) stretch his neck or 2.) lower the vise. Since lowering the vise can result in it hitting the legs, this might not be an option. If the engraver raises his chair to reach the eyepieces, this can result in an awkward and uncomfortable posture (ideally your thighs should be parallel to the floor).

Keep these things in mind when selecting a vise for use with a microscope. Measure the working distance of your scope, then add the total height of the vise your considering, and you should be able to tell if it'll work for you.

Click to expand...

ah, you have given me much to think about. i have a zoomer coming in here this week. i may have to do more fiddlin around than i once thought.all my goodies- magnablock, powerhone, etc, etc are all on roll-around stands that end up parked under my benches when not in use. the only practical way for me to mount my scope will be to fabricate a ceiling mount to support the scope from above. this could be swung out of the way when not in use.

Scope/drill press base.

Gonna try to attach a couple of photographs of my set-up.
John B.

Hey John

Now that looks very familiar to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Cheers
Andrew

Yep Andrew.
As Abigail would say, you did a little "whittling" at it during your visit.
I've taken the knobs off the turntable since them though.
Just one of my ideas that didn't work out.
Best regards. John B.

John, I really like your setup! Can we get some more detail? How did you get the microscope stand post fixed in the drill press column? Do you experience vibration of the work with the table extended?

Thanks
Gary

I also have a drill press stand and find no problem with it. I am fairly tall however.
I find even if I have a real tall object, I can just lower the table. My stand had a nice round 11" table and with the addition of a thrust bearing, it turns nicely.

Hi all,
Not for any lack of being a tool head. But I just haven't gotten round to drill press vice thing yet.
Plus the GRS acrobat has done a few thing that are really nice on the setting bench, like fold away
when not in use. I have a purely engraving bench that has the old stand and my Russian scope.
This has a type of bench pan platform shape like a T. The actual pan is made of two peices of 3/4
ply wood that are glued and screwed together to make a inch and half of wood for support.
This type of laminent is quite rigid. I use peices of wood to raise the vice to correct height.
This also allows me to scoot the positioning vice around till it's centered under the scope.
I did my first Buck knife with this set up and it fit quite nicely. If your not ready to use the drill
press table, yet. This system could work nicely for you also. Added benafit is it's cheap to make.

Hi John,

I also would like to know more about how you attached the microscope stand to the drill press post. What is the platform on top of the drill press post and how did you attach it?

Thanks,

Steece

Hi Steece and Tall Gary.
Thanks for your questions and interest.
To fix the scope stand column to the drill press column I took a piece of steel about the same diameter as the outside of the DP column and roughly 4 inches long.
Turn down about 3 1/2 inches of it to be a slide fit in the inside of the DP column.
This leaves a flange about 1/2 inch thick which rests on the top of the DP column.
Center drill it slightly oversize for a 5 inch long bolt with threads to fit the scope column post.
Attach the scope stand to the adapter using the 5 inch bolt.
Now drill and tap the DP column in three places around the diameter about an inch below the top for some cap screws, I used 1/4 inch but it doesn't matter.
Slide the adapter into the drill press column with the scope column attached and tighten the set screws.
Attach the rest of your scope mount and scope and you're good to go.
This adapter could be made of hardwood if you can't get your hands on steel.
It could be made of two pieces, a body and flange, if a lathe is not available, out of wood, alum. or steel.
I cut the top off of my drill press column to suit my need to mount the scope base column to it.
Mine is 37 inches high to the top of the adapter flange where the stand column attaches.
But this could vary slightly by your personal size.
I'm about 5/7 and Andrew Biggs is about 6/1 and it adjusts to fit us both very well.
The drill press table was replaced with a 1/2 inch thick aluminium plate about 6 inches wide by 20 inches long.
This is covered by a Formica top 3/4 inch thick by 10 1/2 inches wide including the side rails which are 2 1/2 inches deep. The top is screwed to the alum. plate from below.
My turntable mounts to this and overhangs the sides. It overhangs the end by several inches, depending on your turntable diameter.
With the vise centered on the turntable I have about 20-21 inches to the drill press column.
This is enough to swing most long things including many rifle barrels.
I have two 25 pound bags of lead shot added to the drill press base and have no vibration in the scope.
Hope this answers your questions or PM me if you need more.
John B.

John, Thank you for the very complete description. You have sparked several ideas for me and this design should fulfill my desire for a change in work supporting -- move away from my concrete block vise support to an adjustable table.

Thank you again.
Gary

More drillpress/scope pictures.

Here a some more picture of the details Tall Gary and Steece asked about.
There is one of the full length outfit, the top of the drillpress column, the column adapter and the method of adding an extra little table.
The extra table is a pre-made round white plastic covered top from Home Depot with a small block of high density polyscrewed to it and drilled to fit. A thumb sets it where you want it.
I use it for extra tools or lights or to hold my gooseneck microscope camera.
Hope this helps. John B.

The complete extra little table is shown in the previous pictures.
The Velcro straps secure the gooseneck camera.