The3rd Earl Of Derby wrote:
T i m wrote:

Hi All,

A mate was trying to change his CPU fan and in the process dropped the
mobo onto the case a chivvied up a couple of the very fine tracks on
the bottom of the board and from then on it didn't work (yes really!).
;-)

He asked if I could do something with it before he ordered a new one
and I managed with the aid of my strongest glasses and a thick
magnifying lens taped to one of those little clip on low voltage
bendy shaft lamps (just to make a stand) see clearly enough to effect
a repair luckily. (I could then see the job ok, but my finest point
tipped soldering iron looked like a length of scaffold pole and finest
solder like a fire hose!). ;-(

Anyroad up, that got me thinking about getting one of those round
fluorescent magnifying lamp things and my first few Google hits
suggested they were ~ 100 quid!

Maplins have one at £29 odd and I wondered if anyone here had one (if
so what are they like please) or could offer an alternative from a
regular (Nt London) store etc?

http://tinyurl.com/nbjwo

According to the Maplin site it is:

High quality 125mm (5 inch) 3 dioptre glass lens (1.75 x Mag) .

The question is: would 1.75 x be enough' for that sort of work (being
the worst case etc) do you think please?

If not, can you get 'stronger' ones please (without spending a fortune
that is)? ;-)


What I use is a cheap Palm Video Camera on a makeshift stand pointing
downwards over the subject and look at a 14" monitor to repair anything
with detail.
The VC can go into the subject a lot better than magnifier.

Similar to what I do. I use a mini camera on a child's microscope,
modified to work over a large area. Works brilliantly, once you get used
to looking at a TV screen, instead of what you are working on. One big
improvement might be a small powered laser to pin point the centre of
the view. That way, you can set up your tools within the point of focus
and then home on into it, when you look to the screen.

Going back to the O.P. What you need is a very narrow soldering iron tip
that is tapered to a point, that way, it looks a bit less than a
scaffold pole.

HTH

Dave