Different bases on Amscope microscope

[HobGoblyn]

Hi all.

I want to buy a double boom stand for my microscope, I notice there appears to be two different designs for the bases.

Anyone got experience of both (or either for that matter)

Both are exactly the same price, both are from Amscope (one from their website,  one from their  Amazon store)

Personally I prefer the all flat one, but want to hear peoples experience with it.

Reason I’m upgrading from the single arm is I want to be able to easily move it out of the way when not in use etc.

Thanks

[Gyro]

I would go for the bottom one and turn the base around. You really want as big a 'throat depth' as you can so that you can get as far across a big board as possible. With the microscope pushed back out of the way, that space at the rear is wasted anyway. Add extra ballast to the base if necessary.

[HobGoblyn]

While true, wouldn’t it tip over the other way around?

[jfiresto]

While true, wouldn’t it tip over the other way around?

The second one looks like a counter-weighted stand. Turning it around would be like shifting the weight from the microscope's end to the other end of a see saw. (A good thing, I would think.)

EDIT: The tell is the fingered-arc off the right which would increase the horizontal clearance to a microscope and its specimen further off to the right. (My ideas are coming out a bit slow – it is getting late.)

[Gyro]

While true, wouldn’t it tip over the other way around?

I don't know, it depends how much solid there is in that casting [Edit: as jfiresto says, it looks counterweighted]. I have an old Meiji and I use it that way round. That's why I said add extra ballast if necessary though.

I suppose you could do the same with the flat base too (adding a lot of ballast). It would give an even deeper throat and probably more sideways stability, but at the expense of taking up a wider bench footprint.

[HobGoblyn]

That's why I said add extra ballast if necessary though
.

Completely missed that when I first read your comment, sorry.

If it’s anything like my single boom stand, it’s very heavy. Mind you, even with it the normal (as in the pics ) way around, when fully extended I could almost blow on the microscope and it will tip. Adding some sort of ballast is easily done.

My current single boom weighs 40 lbs

Both of the Double boom stands weigh the same, 50 lbs


The only reason I prefer the first pic is that with a large flat base, I can easily store other things on it

[jfiresto]

As someone who rightly fears tipping over a microscope, I think Amscope (or their CM) made a couple possibly grievous errors with the second stand.

The first is not putting their brand name in large letters on the rear counterweight. Reading that would not only stroke the advertising folk like contented cats, it would make clear when the arm is the wrong way around. The second is not having a key and cradle on the rear shaft block and vertical shaft stop/safety ring: to limit the horizontal swing to, say, ±45 degrees.

[HobGoblyn]

Was changing my mind and thinking of getting the one you all recommended.

Today Amscope have sent me an Earth Week 15% off site wide deal.

Mind you, Amscope as a company and after sales support have some really bad reviews on the web, so I’m wondering whether to buy from Amazon as Amazon UK will take anything back with virtually zero hassle.

Still personally think that £284.99 for a stand is overpriced but it’s no cheaper (after postage) anywhere else.

I’m currently putting together a new (and hopefully uncramped) lab in our spare room, and the ability to quickly move the microscope out of the way is going to make a huge difference, so even if I think it’s overpriced for what it is, if it helps me as much as I’m hoping it will, my wife will buy it for my birthday

It’s amazing how a few things can really get in the way.

My desk lamp was like the first pic, the base was very large, fixed that by buying a £10 desk clamp from Amazon (last pic)

One of the biggest pains is my hot air station, really wished the pipe came out on the right, not the left (second pic) but while it works perfectly for my use, wherever I put it, the hose always seems to manage to get in the way.

Last pic is of my new lab in its unfinished state, I’m hoping I can simply slide the microscope to the left (or diagonally to the left) when not in use

[thm_w]

The second stand will tip over if its backwards and boom is fully extended yes. But I would clamp or screw the base to secure it to your desk. Then the second more compact one is preferred since it takes up less space.

$284 is a bit high for the stand alone, you can usually get the stand + microscope for ~$400 or less. But looks like you have the microscope already.

[jfiresto]

My vote would also be for a microscope stand that clamps on to the back of the table. Your microscope slides onto a 20mm carrier post? That is not an uncommon size, so I wonder if you can find a higher quality stand – if you want or need that – new or used, perhaps (just guessing) from Meiji Techno? Wild Heerbrugg started with 20mm, but switched to 25 in the 1970s, another common size. Perhaps you could fashion or adapt a 20mm post+coupler to a stand you might find.

Here is one I fashioned to slide on to an otherwise complete boom stand. I made it using DIN standard parts, a tapped-to-order hardened shaft, and then not much more than a drill press:

[KE5FX]

You want an articulating boom.  Those fixed stands suck.

[HobGoblyn]

There’s a few YouTube vids saying to avoid the articulating ones at all costs

For example

https://youtu.be/dFdrTsDIw24?feature=shared

[jfiresto]

I would you really like to know what the microscope will be used for, before I would include or exclude a type of stand. I would also like to know how representative of its type, a particular example might be. I know a couple physicians who are quite happy with their articulated stands which makes me wonder if getting one right takes some care and a fair bit of money.

You probably noticed as that youtuber talked and played with the microscope, that his "Thor's Hammer", double-arm boom stand was wiggling in its base. Perhaps he has not used it for something, to notice or to experience a deal breaker.

[HobGoblyn]

I’m just using it for examining circuit boards and smd soldering etc.  Only as a hobby, fixing the odd friends phone etc.

My current stand isn’t exactly bad, it just gets in the way when not in use.

From what I’ve seen on the web, with the double boom, I can have the stand to the left of me and easily slide it out when needed, sort of like in this pic (although he has it on the right).



I had serious health problems last year, had entire stomach removed due to cancer (am now cancer free yay)  then 3 days after being discharged, one of my lungs collapsed and they couldn’t get it to re inflate and I also got sepsis at the same time. Following an emergency op, 12 days  in intensive care and another 18 days in hospital, I was finally well enough to go home again.

That was 6 months ago and it takes up to 12 months to recover from my original op, yet alone my lung problems.  Been told that I will have chronic pain in my lungs for life.  Standing, lifting anything slightly heavy, coughing etc causes me severe pain, I’m already taking a silly amount of tablets a day plus fentanyl patch plus oral morphine, and that’s to cope with every day pain, not the worse pain I get from coughing, lifting, standing etc,

Only reason I’m telling you this is, I’m trying to explain what I’m trying to do.  As I can’t stand for very long, I can’t lift anything heavy (by heavy I mean a bag of groceries/shopping which is a lot lighter than my microscope) my wife (or I phone friends) has to move things where I want them.  I simply can’t do it.  This is why I’m now allowed to set up my lab in the spare room, as it gives me a bit more space to hopefully have everything laid out in a way where I don’t have to need constant help needing anything heavy moved.

If I  use my current stand, as it’s only one arm, as soon as I loosen it to push it back, it also rotates, and it was always a struggle/pain to get it back level before I had my health problems. I simply couldn’t do it now, hence looking into the double boom option.

I also must now keep fumes away from my lungs hence also need room for a fume extractor, which I will have coming up the back (bench is 2.5 inches or approx 65mm away from the wall) hence want the microscope to the left.

Building my own fume extractor very similar to the below link. Have the two boxes and the fans arriving tomorrow. I haven’t decided yet how to do the actual filters, the way he did it in the vid seems a little clumsy to me, still thinking about that one.  Will probably have it connected to a foot switch so I can turn it on and off while soldering.

https://youtu.be/JdrFsuAcm48?si=uBxvxBnlhS7Y6_Q4


Edit, just had a response from Amscope saying they don’t know why there’s two different pictures as they only do one base, they sent me the pdf of the manual to show me the correct stand, and said the website is the correct pic, they don’t know why it’s wrong on Amazon.

However, the manual they sent me had the smaller stand like the ones on Amazon and not like the ones on their website, so I’m none the wiser lol.

[thm_w]

I wouldn't bother with a foot switch. Power sensing outlet that turns on when the soldering iron is on costs maybe $10 and is super straightforward. You'll never forget to turn it on or off.

Be aware with the boom arm to adjust up/down beyond the focusing rack range, you'll have to lift the weight of the microscope head and the arm, which is quite heavy.
But if you can get it setup where it is focused at desk level, that might be good enough for 99% of stuff.

To avoid that you could use a gas spring style arm, but, most people don't like those (more shake).

[jfiresto]

I wonder if a surplus medical microscope stand (or its upper bits) might be the ticket, something like this one for the attached microscope. Perhaps the next time you are in for test or procedure you can find someone who will let you try one: to judge its ergonomics and maximum useful magnification.

[Psi]

I have one very similar to the 2nd one, if not the same.
Keep in mine if you turn the base around (so the majority of the base sticks out the back) then it is 1 hair away from toppling over when the microscope (with cam) is extended all the way out.
For me this wasn't an issue, I have my thermaltronics soldering station sitting on the rear part of the stand. It adds lots of weight and totally fixes that issue.
But it's a thing to be aware of.

You can also flip around the bit that holds the microscope so the whole microscope sits higher or lower.  Then adjust the bar higher or lower as needed.
I find this gave me a better setup with the bar higher up and the microscope at a good height for 0.5 barlow config.

[voltsandjolts]

You may need this info at some point in the near future:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/amscope-double-boom-replacement-bearings/

[HobGoblyn]

Many thanks everyone.

I’ve ordered the double boom direct from Amscope as this week they have a 15% off deal, so it’s cost me £242 delivered.

I queried again about which base I would get, they responded with

————————
 
It is confirmed by our product manager: our website is the correct image. The pictures in Amazon must be updated.

Thank you for pointing that out.

Feel free to contact us again any time for further assistance.

————————

Their website has the larger flat  base as shown in the first pic of my OP.  So they must have changed the design, mind you, who wants to place bets that when it arrives, it’s like  the second pic lol.

That’s interesting voltsandjolts, hopefully they have improved things, but I’ve bookmarked it just in case.

[KE5FX]

There’s a few YouTube vids saying to avoid the articulating ones at all costs

For example

https://youtu.be/dFdrTsDIw24?feature=shared

Right next to the YouTube vids saying that COVID-19 vaccines will improve your 5G reception, the Apollo landings were filmed by Stanley Kubrick, Donald Trump should be re-elected as President, and steak tastes best when marinated in used motor oil. 

[SteveyG]

There’s a few YouTube vids saying to avoid the articulating ones at all costs

For example

https://youtu.be/dFdrTsDIw24?feature=shared

The articulating ones are perfectly fine so long as you don't use a camera as the vibrations are easily seen.

The double boom type is certainly the best though.

[Psi]

Yes articulating ones have serious vibration issues.
Which is obvious, you have a heavy weight at the end of a long arm with multiple joints.

Any time you bump them the microscope shakes for ages.

[Psi]

A nice thing to do with the double boom arm stands, is get a flexible hose around 7cm diameter and attach it at the back rear of where the microscope head is.
Run the hose back to your fume extractor, which are often dual port anyway so you have a spare port.

It works great to have a fume extractor fixed mounted to the back of the microscope wherever you move it to

[KE5FX]

Any time you bump them the microscope shakes for ages.

So don't do that.

[Psi]

Any time you bump them the microscope shakes for ages.

So don't do that.

The trouble is you bump it every time you touch your face to the objectives.

[jfiresto]

Objectives or do mean oculars? If oculars, what about a pair of modern, high eyepoint oculars?

[KE5FX]

Any time you bump them the microscope shakes for ages.

So don't do that.

The trouble is you bump it every time you touch your face to the objectives.

Not an issue in real-life usage.  At higher powers, sure.  But for SMD work?!  C'mon.

Meanwhile, the ability to put the microscope exactly where you want it, instantly, at any height desired, with near-zero effort, as well as to swing it away completely when desired, is a game-changer.

[jfiresto]

Not an issue in real-life usage.  At higher powers, sure.  But for SMD work?!  C'mon.

Meanwhile, the ability to put the microscope exactly where you want it, instantly, at any height desired, with near-zero effort, as well as to swing it away completely when desired, is a game-changer.

It is also not an issue with a critically damped or overdamped, articulated stand. I had a ear/nose/throat specialist demonstrate that to me, by checking an ear in just a few seconds. Good grief, could he fling his microscope.

[HobGoblyn]

I think a really really good articulating arm with decent damping would be much better than the double boom I’ve ordered, but i think it would be well over £1000.  I don’t think Amscopes articulating arm would be up to the job.

Amscope articulating arm that clamps on to the desk is  £264 and doesn’t look that great to me

https://amscope.co.uk/collections/microscope-parts-accessories/products/amscope-articulating-stand-w-post-clamp-and-focusing-rack-for-stereo-microscopes

If I want the same arm but on a base rather than clamping to the desk, it’s a whopping £517

https://amscope.co.uk/collections/microscope-parts-accessories/products/amscope-articulating-arm-for-stereo-microscopes-with-cast-steel-base-plate


I have an articulating arm on my 38” PC monitor, monitor weighs 9kg, stand says it does up to 49” and 15kg. It’s OK but not brilliant, amount of times I have to tighten the bolts, especially to stop the monitor tilting, it’s fine as I rarely move it, but would be useless if i repositioned it all the time.  Sure it was a cheap stand, but while Amscope are 5 times the price, they actually look slightly worse designed than my monitor arm.

If in a couple of years I find my double boom not good enough, I might look into getting a decent (not Amscope) articulating arm, but there’s no way I can spend that sort of money at the moment.

Thanks

[KE5FX]

The arm itself is fine, but yes, that clamp is not great.  I mounted mine with a couple of heavy carriage bolts:



If I had clamped it to the edge of the workbench, rather than securing it directly to the surface where two benches are strapped together, it would probably be shaky enough to bother me, as the 'workbenches' are just folding tables.   (It would also rip the edge off and fall to its death sooner or later.)

Another disadvantage of the articulating boom is that you can't really parfocus the microscope, because it doesn't end up in the same horizontal plane every time you reposition it.  That's probably my biggest complaint, but it is what it is.  The advantages overcome the annoyances by a big margin.

[HobGoblyn]

Stand has arrived from Germany.

As you can see from pic, it does now come with the much larger flat stand that is very heavy.



The vertical pillar attaches to the base by 3 bolts.  I unpacked it and it shipped with the  3 bolts  screwed into the vertical pillar.

I unscrewed them with the supplied Allan key, a little stiff but that’s no bad thing.

Then I turned the vertical pillar so that the 3 holes were at the bottom and rust powder fell out of the 3 holes.

Attached is a pic of the 3 holes before I cleaned them, doesn’t look too bad but I’ve also attached a pic of the amount of cotton buds I use on just one of the holes.






Looking at it, I think the bolts that they used had rusted a bit rather than the pillar.  Pic below.



Looking at the rest of the stand, everything looks great.  It’s a shame they used cheap bolts for the pillar and also it must have got damp at some point?

Anyway, I’ll assemble it tomorrow and see if I’ve got any stainless steel bolts that I can use instead.

[HobGoblyn]

You may need this info at some point in the near future:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/amscope-double-boom-replacement-bearings/

I think I might end up needing that link.

Before I put the microscope on it glided back and forwards as smooth as it could possibly be, a slight touch and it would glide away.

As soon as I put the microscope on, it no longer glided.  It isn’t hard to push and pull but I can tell the microscope weight is causing it to slight grind on the bearings.

I sprayed silicon oil on the bars and it now moves a lot easier but still nothing like before I added the microscope.

Here’s a short vid on me moving it in and out after I had sprayed it with the silicon (ignore mess, lab still in process of being set up)


https://youtu.be/gNCPHhj4AOY?si=6SLf6s_vIFaEFH7L

[jfiresto]

... The vertical pillar attaches to the base by 3 bolts.  I unpacked it and it shipped with the  3 bolts  screwed into the vertical pillar.

I unscrewed them with the supplied Allan key, a little stiff but that’s no bad thing.

Then I turned the vertical pillar so that the 3 holes were at the bottom and rust powder fell out of the 3 holes....

This is not really my area, but from your photos and description, I tend to the notion that the manufacturer did not blow out the three holes after tapping them, and left to rust, a mixture of steel cuttings and water-diluted cutting oil.

[Svgeesus]

I have the non-flat one (but pale grey, not the black pictured). It seems very stable, and I regularly swing the head out of the way and back as needed.