RZielin

My Feedback: (1)

Besides showing off, I'd like to check members' interest in having one of these. My brother fabricated this for me for Christmas! It is entirely hand made, a custom design and one of a kind. However, he would make more if there is adequate interest in purchasing them. (I did post this on another forum, waiting for RCU file upload to work).

Details: This modeling scope is approx 2.5 X. The lower power is adequate magnification for most modeling tasks, and allows a very nice depth of useable focus, about 1 inch or so. It's also very comfortable to use, both for long periods and for quick repetitive peeps, even with old eyes. (Most products on the market are way too powerful (10 X and up), giving them a very tiresome and impractical depth of focus of a few millimeters at best. You can see the molecule they're focused on, and nothing else. That's after fussing with the focus on that molecule.) Many tend to be very low quality, with simple single plastic magnifying lenses rather than glass compound lens systems such as this.

The focal point is about 5.5 inches from the objective lenses. I find that it is useable with eyes quite far back from the eyepieces, perhaps even 4-5 inches away, but good binocular/stereo views are better with eyes up close. It's very forgiving of various eye distances though.

While I just got it and haven't actually put it to use on a project, I believe the light weight and adjustable stand will allow plenty of positioning options. It could easily be adapted to other stands, perhaps even an articulated arm such as on drafting lamps and dentist lights. An LED light source can easily be incorporated, and my brother could certainly work on one.

Now my brother complains that this scope uses an ancient and simple lens system resulting in mediocre optics. Maybe so, but he's VERY PICKY (as you can deduce from his photos and workmanship). There is some artifact and blurring at the periphery of the field. None the less, the simple design allows compactness, light weight, and keeps the cost down. I think the optics are more than good enough for our uses, and FAR superior to any magnifying lens. The workmanship is magnificent, with fine finishes on machined aluminum. Great to look through and great to look at.

Anyone have any products they use for this? I bought a totally useless pair of clip on magnifiers for eyeglasses, with several different power lenses. The lowest power is almost useable, but not really. They're VERY tiring to use, requiring exact head placement, and maddening searches for the sweet spot of my progressive lenses. This scope will be far more pleasant and useable.

I'm also interested in your thoughts about modifications, and ESPECIALLY what you'd consider paying for one of these. (If you're really interested in purchase, please post a price range you'd actually payas opposed to "think about" or "consider fair"so that he can gauge the practicality of making more of these. My brother is certainly not interested in getting rich here, and would make these for (what I think is) a surprisingly reasonable price. []

DMOne

Hey that thing looks pretty well made i just got into modding stuff and my eyesight is not the greatest any more one of these could help me get a clearer look into the Mill case for timing, but im not sure.

DMOne

Hey just looking at the pics again you could use some type of jig to hold whatever your looking at so it does'nt wander all over or fall off the platform how big is this those look like the things out of my sons star gazer thingamagig.

Tampatexan

My Feedback: (86)

The workmanship looks outstanding!! (Which means I probably can't afford one..)

RZielin

My Feedback: (1)

The base is 4 X 6 inches, and the vertical shaft rises 11 inches off the table. The "star gazer look like things" are the size of spools of thread. The focal point is actually a couple inches from the base, so you'd need a separate "handy jig" or something to hold a work piece. Mostly, you'd just leave the piece on the table and move the base and lens bar to focus on it.


The workmanship is indeed outstanding. I'm hoping he's capable of downgrading the finish quality from "lunatic" to "excellent" to make these more affordable. The question is, would anyone want one for something in the ballpark of $200 (given a lesser finish)? The horizontal bar with eyepieces alone could easily be made with a threaded hole for a small camera tripod or gooseneck. That would be doable for less. If a few people are serious, I'm sure he would be willing to discuss options to meet your needs and price range. We're just putting out feelers to see what people think, what people want, and how many might buy something like this at a price that's worth his effort. This prototype is really a showpiece, and worth much more than $200at least to a person who enjoys useful art objects. I'll try to get some enlarged pics to show the finish detail and quality. It's just luscious to touch.

Joystick TX

I spent a lot of time in 1971-72using one of these magnifinglampstowork onanalog computers.

From a marketing standpoint, it would be hard to compete with these.

RZielin

My Feedback: (1)

Joystick,
You're right, hard to beat the marketing as it is so cheap to mass manufacture, and works a bit. These single lenses however do have LOTS of aberrations, catch reflections like crazy and do not magnify much (despite what they claim). They are basically like holding a magnifying glass. Actually they are exactly like holding a magnifying glasswhich anyone is welcome to do, but it doesn't work in practice as well as it seems it would.

The optics on a proper binocular scope are simply far superior. They give a crisper detailed view, and are less fatiguing to use. We think they are worth the higher cost for those who need or enjoy good optics.

Our hope is to offer good binocular optics of appropriate power on a moveable arm or stand at the right angle, and at the right size and weight for modeling use. Nothing like that exists on the market now. (Those that do exist are made to look straight down, while the eyepieces are at a comfortable angle. They don't work at the angles and distances we need). Perhaps scale modelers would be the right market for such a product?

Joystick TX

The eyestrain with thatbig lens was a problem when using it forlongperiods on such detailed parts due to all the drawbacks you mentioned. I could only repair two or three computers a week because it took 12 to 20 hours of viewing through that magnifier for each oneand it was hard to do that every day. Ihadtokeep theroom lights dark to keep the reflectionsdown.The ring light was good for parts that didn't move, but it caused a strobe effect on the moving parts. it made counting small gear teeth very difficult. Another problem was the shallow depth of field.

It would have been great to have a side by side comparison of the two magnifiers.

rcairflr

My Feedback: (44)

Since you asked, I am going to give you my honest answer. There is 0% chance that I would spend $200 for a magnifier like that. (even though it looks very nce)

So far in this thread there are 0 other people who have stepped up and said they would want one. So I think at least so far, you have your answer

RZielin

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, seems so. Can't say I understand it though. Thought there would be a bit more interest. We love tools, and many of us do spend on quality tools. A set of Snap On or Mac wrenches is no cheaper. People spend many hundreds on magnetic building tables, which seems to me a much smaller market. This is a useful tool for most builders. I gotta believe someone would want one (if we could present the real product at a firm price). Perhaps only the micro and scale builders, or the guys with magnetic building tables. I also suspect this is an item that needs to be seen, touched and looked through to appreciate its usefulness and beauty. It won't cost us a fortune to work up an improved prototype which could sell for well under $200. Fun to try anyway.

rcairflr

My Feedback: (44)

[quote]ORIGINAL: RZielin


Yes, seems so. Can't say I understand it though. Thought there would be a bit more interest. We love tools, and many of us do spend on quality tools. A set of Snap On or Mac wrenches is no cheaper. People spend many hundreds on magnetic building tables, which seems to me a much smaller market. This is a useful tool for most builders. I gotta believe someone would want one (if we could present the real product at a firm price). Perhaps only the micro and scale builders, or the guys with magnetic building tables. I also suspect this is an item that needs to be seen, touched and looked through to appreciate its usefulness and beauty. It won't cost us a fortune to work up an improved prototype which could sell for well under $200. Fun to try anyway.
[/quote

There is no harm in trying to keep improving it and getting the cost down. Good luck in your venture..