USB Microscope Recommendation

[Rafael Herrera]

You can't expect much for $25. Bad apps and shaky mounts are not an obstacle to get a useful picture.

It takes some fiddling to get the object under the microscope in focus and the light just right to see the desired details. Once one gets the hang of it, it doesn't take long.

This being metal and reflective does not lend itself to being easy to photograph, but it's not impossible. Whether you're photographing the bevel side or the flat side, it also takes different fiddling to get something useful.

I found some of the pictures I took with mine. I placed a ruler for reference and scale (which I think are the 1/64" marks) in a couple of pictures. I don't remember what I was looking at, but besides the scale and the burr on one of the pictures, these are just sharp edges. It's kind of cool to see the edges up close, but without a plan for what to do with these images there is not much one can benefit from them.

2023-11-06 19h 14m 05s___1_s.jpg2023-11-06 19h 40m 25s___1_s.jpg2023-11-06 19h 40m 42s___1_s.jpg2023-11-06 19h 40m 25s___1_s.jpg

[Alan Rutherford]

I have both a USB microscope and a jeweler's loupe (14x) and agree that the microscope is overkill for sharpening while the magnifier is very useful. Also a lot more convenient. I haven't used the microscope in a while but for the $100 or so it cost, I think it's great. Mine has a viewing screen or will connect to the PC. It has a stand. It will focus from very close to farther away than the height of the stand, which means you can just hold it over something for an enlarged view. Power goes down as the distance goes up. I gave them to some teenage relatives for Christmas and they were a big hit.

[Rafael Herrera]

Here's another tip. If convenience store reading glasses work for you, getting a pair with 2X or so magnification is useful to check your progress while sharpening. Also, in combination with a jeweler's loupe, you get an extra boost.

[David Carroll]

We have a nice, but older USB microscope at work, that I have commandeered to look at edges that I was sharpening. It was okay. It's pretty high resolution, but the image quality isn't great, despite it being a pretty good one. The reason I bought it was that you can take a photo of whatever you are looking at, which comes in very handy.

I saw today that LV was selling an inexpensive pocket microscope for roughly the price of a round of domestic beer for you and a buddy. It's not USB, just analog, but it is lit with LEDS and given the price point, I might take a chance on that.

I recently bought one of those Optivisors. I now use it all the time! It helps with saw filing, dovetailing, and lot's more. The one I got had a lamp attachment, but the lamp is low power, and not particularly useful, not for me at least. So I would skip that and just set up task lighting.

Now that I'm in my 60s, I find that good lighting, and magnification are a necessity.

DC

[Frederick Skelly]

Lee Valley was advertising this one today: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...MX%2C1G0CH%2C1

[Tom M King]

I never even look at the edge.

[Jim Koepke]

Lee Valley was advertising this one today: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...MX%2C1G0CH%2C1

Only one problem:

Pocket Microscope.png

If that is September of 2024, that is six months away.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

Only one problem:

Pocket Microscope.png

If that is September of 2024, that is six months away.

jtk

Yeah, looks like I missed that Jim. Dang strange they were advertising it in this week’s email, when it isn’t available for months. Dunno.

[Mike Henderson]

Only one problem:

Pocket Microscope.png

If that is September of 2024, that is six months away.

jtk

The first batch probably sold out.

Mike

[Bob Jones 5443]

I can’t seem to copy the Amazon link with my iPad, but this little gem has worked well for me when I want to “have a little fun” at the sharpening table:

Carson MicroBrite Plus 60x-120x LED Lighted Pocket Microscope for Kids and Adults, STEM Educational Mini Microscope (MM-300)


In stock, $14.99.

You can’t take photos with it, but how important is that?

[Cameron Wood]

I have an old-school 40x pocket microscope that I use to look at edges occasionally- the size of a stubby ball point pen.

The image is upside down so awkward to use.

[William Fretwell]

I have a good jewellers loupe (10x), a stereo microscope (10-70 times) and of course a microscope. The jewellers loupe is very useful for teaching yourself how to remove burrs etc. The 3D image of the stereoscope is pure luxury at 40x. No squinting, every detail in view.
I would not bother with a USB anything. A good loupe will reveal so much with no hassle.

[Mike Henderson]

The reason for the USB microscope is to take pictures of the subject. Can't do that with a loupe.

Mike