Question: Ideal lighting for microscope? Beginning with power?

[RS55]

I am attempting to learn and build skills engraving and with hammer and chisel/graver have found my old eyes need help. I am about to order a GRS Acrobat stand for Meiji EMZ-5 microscope, and would appreciate some input on the ideal light for this setup.
From low to high prices I am confused with Flourescent, LED, FO, etc. Can anybody set me straight on what is ideal?

Additionally, although I would love a Lindsay unit, or GRS Gravermach, I purchased a Foredom 2293 PowerGraver. Seems to me to be underpowered, and was using a Lidsay 116degree graver I sharpened with templates. Any thoughts on this as well?

Rick Saunders

 

[monk]

i've never personally used a ringlight, so many of the members however, have them, i would think they work fine. i cheat now, i found a small gooseneck led light at target-- 12 us bucks. i cut the base off and works well for me-- seems close to natural daylight in color. i like the fact that it's easily re positioned if i want to do so. for me it's handy to change the lighting direction which allows me to better see a certain detail. i would guess the ringlights give a very uniform illumination without glare.

 

[silverchip]

I sure like the ring light that came on my new Lieca A60 scope from Tira~!!!!!

 

[RS55]

Thank you. As a young man I remember the importance in adequate lighting for using a microscope for biological work and in engraving I would assume that low light and indirect lighting (causing shadows) would be terrible. I think I will probably experiment a little before I make an investment.

 

[Sam]

I'm a fluorescent ring light guy and had to use an LED ring light for a week overseas and I absolutely HATED it. Harsh light with distracting pinpoint light reflections on my work. For me the diffused soft light of a fluorescent is much better. I've tried to like LED because I love the technology, but for a microscope ring light I'm sticking with my fluorescent.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Not fond of the LEDs either. Flourescent with 6500K bulbs (if you can find them) is what I've used for the past 15 years.

I use a ring, 2 side goosenecks, a Dazor over the top, and a double tube 4 foot unit directly over the bench. There is a seldom used double fiber optic under the bench.

All are 6500K.

I don't use them all at once... whatever it takes to see well on the particular job.

So much of what I engrave has way too high a polish to run them all! I'm close enough to blind without speeding it up...


Brian


Oh, I forgot - there's a battery powered gooseneck clamp-on LED light that I had to use two or three times during power failures. Don't like it, but no choice then.

 

[James Roettger]

My favorite is the LED goose-neck clip light (I clip it right on the scope stand) purchased from Target for $19.99. I flank my scope with two $20 swing arm desk lamps with 23W daylight compact fluorescent colored bulbs. I also have the GRS LED ring light for about $125.00. The GRS ring light has the most glare and is the least useful, often being left off because of blinding glare from it's directly overhead location. The light needs to skim the surface, coming in from the side to prevent blinding glare.

 

[Sam]

I should add that I have LED side lights on my benches which are great. I do like LED lights...just not for a microscope ring light. I've also tried diffusing the LED ring light with frosted plastic and while it worked, it reduced the brightness by a lot, so that didn't accomplish much. I would also say that if you're working on non-shiny surfaces the LED might be fine, but on shiny metal it was really a pain. Your mileage may vary

 

[GTJC460]

I like the fluorescent ring lights. I bought one on eBay from amscope. I think it was around $20 or $30 all up including postage.

I find that it's not always the greatest when working from a wax transfer though. Side light seems best for this particular application.

 

[scott99]

HI, I use the LED ring light on my scope and am very pleased with it,I also have an florescent light that I can use for side lighting. Both from GRS. If the ring light is too bright I simply turn down the power with the adjustment wheel on the light ring. The set up covers all my problems up to now.

scott99

 

[Mike Fennell]

I agree entirely with Sam's assessment. Occasionally I use supplemental gooseneck halogen lights as sidelights when needed.

 

[K Frei]

AM Scope sells a LED light ring for about 36 dollars on amazon with a built in dimmer; I haven't used it to engrave yet but I love it for jewelry work... The dimmer is nice when you are getting bad reflections from graver cuts when you are bead setting and after you've polished inside of a crown, so I would imagine it would be great when engraving

 

[RS55]

Thank you all for sharing what works for you. It is always a personal matter with equipment and what works best for one is not necessarily for all. When I was younger I could thread a needle in a dark closet (not that I ever did), and today I need a lot of light and my magnavisor. Should have bought that extended warranty.