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)? ;-)

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:40:24 UTC, T i m wrote:

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!

CPC have one at about 15 quid. I find it useful, in conjunction with my
glasses (I have a longsighted right eye, corrected with glasses, and
non-functioning central vision in the left eye). Not sure of strength,
but it has an addition 'high mag' area in it too.
--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

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.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

On 30 Jul 2006 19:00:58 GMT, "Bob Eager" wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 18:40:24 UTC, T i m wrote:

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!

CPC have one at about 15 quid.

This is the nearest I can find to my description at your price /
description?

http://tinyurl.com/ouh7v

I find it useful, in conjunction with my
glasses (I have a longsighted right eye, corrected with glasses, and
non-functioning central vision in the left eye).

I was also wearing my 3.25 x 'Ready Specs' (though I guess I aught to
get some real glasses ... one day .. ) ;-)


Not sure of strength,
but it has an addition 'high mag' area in it too.

The one I found has x5 and x10 apparently?

With it's flat desk mount and little 12W flouro it seems the best so
far . ;-)

Do they do mail order though?

All the best ..

T i m

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:26:18 UTC, T i m wrote:

CPC have one at about 15 quid.

This is the nearest I can find to my description at your price /
description?

http://tinyurl.com/ouh7v

That's the one. If you use part number LA0252727 it's 13.45 plus VAT
(until 11th August; if it's after then, ask me again).

The one I found has x5 and x10 apparently?

Yes, so it has!

Do they do mail order though?

They *are* mail order but you'll pay 3.95 postage (I think) if the total
order is 35 quid.

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:12:06 GMT, "The3rd Earl Of Derby"
wrote:


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.

Hmm, nice bit of lateral thinking there .. ;-)


The VC can go into the subject a lot better than magnifier.

The only thing is it's a bit less 'portable' than say a magnifying
lamp and may add a bit more difficulty as you aren't looking 'through'
the magnifying system as you would with a glass?

I dare say you get used to the 'fix-by-wire' in time?

All the best ..

T i m

On 30 Jul 2006 19:39:31 GMT, "Bob Eager" wrote:

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:26:18 UTC, T i m wrote:

CPC have one at about 15 quid.

This is the nearest I can find to my description at your price /
description?

http://tinyurl.com/ouh7v

That's the one. If you use part number LA0252727 it's 13.45 plus VAT
(until 11th August; if it's after then, ask me again).

Erm, I can't find anything under that code Bob, any chance of a link
or do you have to be a registered user etc?

Do they do mail order though?

They *are* mail order but you'll pay 3.95 postage (I think) if the total
order is 35 quid.

Might order one for my mate then ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

It happens that T i m formulated :
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)? ;-)

The Maplin one is the one I have used for a few years and it is perfect
for dealing with fine PCB tracks. Too high a magnification can be
tiring on the eyes.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 21:05:46 +0100, John Weston
wrote:


I've got one of these - but it's the older, cheaper, model
that was recalled for a wiring problem (which I fixed...).

Doh!

It's OK when you can get the object under the lens.

Good point. ;-)

To do what you are trying, I prefer a head loupe, since it is
more flexible and goes with where you are looking :-)

Ok ..

As an
example, see http://makeashorterlink.com/?U21C51C7D on eBay
(not connected, etc.)

Ah, ok, have seen them about but not tried one ...

The light is c**p but I see Draper now
do one with a LED light that might be better, but is twice the
price...

Or I might be able to use a std flexy light etc?

I might get one of those as-well then .. you never know when such
things come in handy .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. Why do folk use 'make a shorter link' (in itself a long link
compared with Tinyurl) and you get that delay while it 'redirects you'
...?

http://tinyurl.com/fww7n

http://makeashorterlink.com/?U21C51C7D

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 19:51:42 UTC, T i m wrote:

That's the one. If you use part number LA0252727 it's 13.45 plus VAT
(until 11th August; if it's after then, ask me again).

Erm, I can't find anything under that code Bob, any chance of a link
or do you have to be a registered user etc?

You have to be a registered customer anyway, but that's easy...as long
as you don't want a credit account. The code won't show up online except
if you type it into the order boxes...it's from one of their frequent
paper flyers.

They *are* mail order but you'll pay 3.95 postage (I think) if the total
order is 35 quid.

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 21:32:19 +0100, Harry Bloomfield
wrote:

It happens that T i m formulated :
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)? ;-)

The Maplin one is the one I have used for a few years and it is perfect
for dealing with fine PCB tracks. Too high a magnification can be
tiring on the eyes.

Hi Harry,

Another good point.

I have no idea what the magnification the lens was we used the other
day (it was glass, about 2.5" diameter and a good 1" thick (one face
flat)) but even with my 3.25's on I could have done with it 'bigger'
to see the tracks clearly and look for solder whiskers etc.

I take your point re eye comfort though .. with this rig up you had to
get everything right then find the 'sweet spot' where it was all in
view and in focus etc ...

I suppose it's like having a set of golf clubs .. each one right for
it's own job .. like my 1.75 reading glasses for general close up
looking (PC screen, reading etc. The 3.25's for 'close up work'
(fixing their jewelry, soldering small objects, reading 'small print')
etc. Then there would be the extra magnification for that PCB repair
(he was pretty sure I couldn't do it as the tracks were *very* fine
and densely populated) and real tiny stuff?

All the best ..

T i m

"T i m" wrote in message
...
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)? ;-)



http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010812040 is similar. I've had
one for a number years and it has been invaluable at times. My real problem
for close work is varifocals :-( (I'm afraid it's your age sir, says my 27
year old optician) ...never mind her turn will come :-)

Peter

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

"Peter Andrews" wrote in
k:

My real problem for close work is varifocals :-( (I'm afraid it's your
age sir, says my 27 year old optician) ...never mind her turn will
come :-)

My young lady eyetester accused me of trimming my eyelashes, -which I do; a
difficult and chancy task - and when I said I had to, otherwise it was like
peering through a thicket, she implied it only happened because I'd lived
too long.

( I think she was upset because she was working absolutely to Boots script,
and I kept side-tracking her; well you've got to have *some* fun) ;-)

mike

In article ,
T i m wrote:
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?

I've got an RS one and find it pretty useless. For a start, the light
isn't bright enough. And the glass is invariably dirty when you need it.

I have a pair of powerful 'ready read' glasses for such things and use my
100 watt QH anglepoise as the light source. Of course if you're already
long sighted you may not be able to buy ready made glasses powerful
enough. But +5 works pretty well for those with near normal sight.

--
*Save the whale - I'll have it for my supper*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:14:43 +0100, Dave
wrote:


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.

That was the bit I thought might get some 'getting used to' ;-)

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.

Sounds like nanobot construction! ;-)

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.

Well in the flesh this is the 'pointyest' soldering iron tip I've ever
used but the tip diameter was still probably 2x the width of each of
these tracks? 1 strand of some thin multicore copper wire was the same
size as the tracks?

Interesting stuff though ...

All the best ..

T i m

mike wrote:

"Peter Andrews" wrote in
k:


My real problem for close work is varifocals :-( (I'm afraid it's your
age sir, says my 27 year old optician) ...never mind her turn will
come :-)


My young lady eyetester accused me of trimming my eyelashes, -which I do; a
difficult and chancy task - and when I said I had to, otherwise it was like
peering through a thicket, she implied it only happened because I'd lived
too long.

( I think she was upset because she was working absolutely to Boots script,
and I kept side-tracking her; well you've got to have *some* fun) ;-)

But more importantly, get her off the script :-)

You know your eye history better than she does. She is only there for
the eye test of the day. (assuming that you have used them for several
years)

I have used the same optician for the last 28 years and they never go
into a script. I just don't let them.

Dave

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 21:13:11 GMT, "Peter Andrews"
wrote:


http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010812040 is similar.


Hi Peter,

That does look similar all be it a touch more expensive ... tho easier
for me to get to a MM than Maplins ;-)

I've had
one for a number years and it has been invaluable at times.

I bet .. gone are the days I could read the small print on batters
and the like unaided ;-(

My real problem
for close work is varifocals :-( (I'm afraid it's your age sir, says my 27
year old optician) ...never mind her turn will come :-)

I heard similar when I had some eye troubles at 40 or so. Turned out
to be some macular distortion in my left eye (that comes and goes).
At nearly 50 I can still get away with these 'Ready Specs' (£9.99 or
summat) and I would be terrified being responsible for glasses costing
any more (knowing how often these end up on the floor or sat on) ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:38:59 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
T i m wrote:
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?

I've got an RS one and find it pretty useless. For a start, the light
isn't bright enough. And the glass is invariably dirty when you need it.

Hmm, ok .. ;-(

I have a pair of powerful 'ready read' glasses for such things and use my
100 watt QH anglepoise as the light source.

Bright! I hope you don't work on an SM gear as it might de-solder
them! ;-)

Of course if you're already
long sighted you may not be able to buy ready made glasses powerful
enough.

If you mean my arms are too short to read things properly .. then you
are right! ;-)

But +5 works pretty well for those with near normal sight.

When I first started using 1.5's for semi regular reading etc the
3.25's made me giddy and dis-orientated. I can now deal with them
much easier but anything more than .5m away is blurred. Not tried any
5's yet .. might pop in and see if they have any tomorrow. ;-)

All the best ...

T i m

On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 22:20:06 UTC, T i m wrote:

I heard similar when I had some eye troubles at 40 or so. Turned out
to be some macular distortion in my left eye (that comes and goes).

I have the same distortion, only it's getting dimmer too (result of
radiotherapy following a malignant melanoma in the eye). I have lots of
glasses stashed in startegic places!

At nearly 50 I can still get away with these 'Ready Specs' (£9.99 or
summat) and I would be terrified being responsible for glasses costing
any more (knowing how often these end up on the floor or sat on) ;-(

I get cheap prescription specs (any old prescription for the bad eye
right now, until it settles down and I want a match for the remaining
peripheral vision). www.glassesdirect.co.uk will do prescription specs
for about 15 quid plus postage.

--
The information contained in this post is copyright the
poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by
Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk

In article ,
T i m wrote:
But +5 works pretty well for those with near normal sight.

When I first started using 1.5's for semi regular reading etc the
3.25's made me giddy and dis-orientated. I can now deal with them
much easier but anything more than .5m away is blurred. Not tried any
5's yet .. might pop in and see if they have any tomorrow. ;-)

Obviously only to be used for those 'find the crack in the PCB' moments.

--
*Organized Crime Is Alive And Well; It's Called Auto Insurance.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 02:18:30 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
T i m wrote:
But +5 works pretty well for those with near normal sight.

When I first started using 1.5's for semi regular reading etc the
3.25's made me giddy and dis-orientated. I can now deal with them
much easier but anything more than .5m away is blurred. Not tried any
5's yet .. might pop in and see if they have any tomorrow. ;-)

Obviously only to be used for those 'find the crack in the PCB' moments.

Yeah, ok .. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

In uk.d-i-y, T i m wrote:
When I first started using 1.5's for semi regular reading etc the
3.25's made me giddy and dis-orientated. I can now deal with them
much easier but anything more than .5m away is blurred. Not tried any
5's yet .. might pop in and see if they have any tomorrow. ;-)

You can always wear two pairs. I wear two 1.5s when one isn't enough.
And 1.5 + 3.25 = 4.75: worth a try.

--
Mike Barnes

In uk.d-i-y, T i m wrote:
On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 21:13:11 GMT, "Peter Andrews"
wrote:


http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010812040 is similar.


Hi Peter,

That does look similar all be it a touch more expensive ... tho easier
for me to get to a MM than Maplins ;-)

I have one of those, and although the optics and lighting are good, it's
not without its drawbacks. :-(

(1) The spring balancing doesn't actually work very well. It's usually a
struggle to get the head assembly to stay put where I want it, and even
more of a struggle to get it to stay "parked" in the fully-folded
position when I've finished with it.

(2) The rectangular base sits rather loosely on the clamp assembly,
using a tapered pin located in a socket and held there by gravity alone.
The pin is rather too short for the sideways forces exerted on it. Over
time, especially with protracted attempts to get the springs to work as
they should, the pin works its way out of the socket and eventually the
whole thing just falls off. It's bloody heavy, and, because of all the
springs etc, hard to catch.

(3) The clamp is designed for a narrow but thick edge. Looking at the
"G", the height is 65 mm, but the width (from edge of clamp to centre of
screw) is only 15 mm. With the inevitable sloppiness of that long screw
in its short thread, I find it impossible to get a good purchase on my
20 mm softwood window-sill. The forces are considerable and you really
do need this lamp to be solidly fixed. Consider carefully what you're
going to fix it to.

Suffice it to say, although I own and have used the Clarke lamp for many
years, I'm going to order one of the cheap CPC models suggested
upthread, to see if it's any more usable.

Or how about one of these?

http://tinyurl.com/mmm65

:-)

--
Mike Barnes