Microscope advice

Date 01-29-2014 20:45

I have very limited lab time but if I was looking for a microscope, you should be aware that it is really a Metallurgical microscope you need and not a biological one like your link references.Brunel microscopes are good as are Olympus.

http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/Metallurgical.html

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-29-2014 22:34

46.00,
Thanks for the advice and link.
Never realized there was any difference.
So much for the $500.00 budget I originally had in mind. Anyone in the market for a well used kidney...

By 46.00

Date 01-29-2014 23:17

Metallurgical Microscopes are capable of generating a light source from above the specimen, whereas Biological Microscopes usually project a light source thru the specimen relying on the opacity of the item being viewed. They also do not usually require quite so high magnification rates. Having said that, there are many different types now and I'm sure you could find a very good used item within your budget.

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 07:17 Edited 01-30-2014 08:36

46.00

I will start my research tonight on these and other differences between Bio and Metal Microscopes. I truly need versatility if possible on a major purchase such as this.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 00:44

Just curious, what or why are you doing whatever you are doing that you need a microscope?

Personal investigation? Proving a point?

Just curious about such an investment.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 07:11 Edited 01-30-2014 08:45

Brent,
All the above and so many more reasons fuel this purchase.
With my 28/28 day rotation, this leaves me ample time to reawaken my passion for the Blacksmithing arts and Knife making, AND the steady income to support this. Years ago, I was a self taught, semiprofessional knife maker. Since those days, I have researched and conferred with some world class and famous artisan/craftsmen. Many are quite knowledgeable in certain aspects of steel metallurgy, yet have some questionable techniques that are time and money consuming, so I question the validity on many of the myths and personal tricks of the trade. Heat treatment and resultant grain structures is one of those. I've always approached what ever it may be that I am building is to the best of my knowledge and abilities. I have developed some procedures that may or may not be beneficial yet have stood up to torture tests. I know of two World famous men who practice triple annealing prior to a triple quench, and then finally a triple tempering. One in particular is claiming to exceed some ASTM grain sizes he claims to be beyond the theoretical limit. I've yet to look into this data.
Yep iron is in my blood (literally) and can't seem to get away from the metal work even when off duty.

Besides the metal inspection as a hobbyist's and QC Professional tool, spending a quiet winter evening viewing self prepared slides of the biological wonders in my new back yard sounds very entertaining to me.
I'll also be purchasing a Rockwell hardness tester, Paragon oven and a myriad of other cool tools.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 12:56

Blacksmithing !

We need to talk sir...

I have always dreamed of sitting at the feet of a real blacksmith.

I built this forge back in Wisconsin but left it there, and am scheming to design a new one this spring with any luck.

I don't have the dicipline or the arm strength anymore to really go at the hammer... But its fun for my artwork.

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 15:38

Larry,

I'm wanting make some more of these tools.
I read the Alexander Weygers books and went from there.
My anvil was sculpted from a railroad track. The forge was built from a wheel rim and exhaust pipe salvaged from my Dodge Dart. The fire and air blast was powered by a hair dryer, controlled by a rheostat (light dimmer switch) and coal fired.

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By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 18:09

Nice work there.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By unclematt (***)

Date 01-31-2014 11:58

Hello John;
That is some mighty fine looking work there.

Have a good one;
Matt

By MRWeldSoCal (***)

Date 01-31-2014 16:25

shes a beauty! how hot does she get? on propane?

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-31-2014 17:48

Ya know I havent measured..... But it will make it has made all my work yellow hot if I want it to. In fact for most work I can turn off the second jet once the thing gets going for a while if I keep the door shut and just use the little hole cut into the bottom.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 18:07

Interesting. Now, you will have to keep us appraised of the outcomes of these investigations. I am truly interested in your findings.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 18:17 Edited 01-30-2014 18:21

Brent,

I hope to submit foto micrographs in the future for peer review.

Here's something I posted back in 2008...

"Just can't have one tool that does it all!
When I was a custom knifemaker, I always had to hear the "story" about Grandad's knife. It goes like this... He forged it himself as a kid from one of the tires he took off the Conestoga wagon and a meteorite he found along the trail out West in the Dakota Teritory. One fine day with out being resharpened, he cleaned 12 buffalo, pryed open a Wells Fargo strongbox for Butch Cassidy, cut a dragline cable into foot long pieces and then he shaved with it before proposing marriage to my Grandma ! "Can you make me a blade like that, it was shaped just like this.........?"

I STILL want to make such a legendary blade!

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 19:50

Yeah, and when I was I boy I had to walk 5 miles to school in snow up to your shoulder blades and it was uphill both ways. :lol:

My how things, perspectives, reality changes when we get older.

A couple years back I took my wife and we met up with my folks back in IA to see family and friends who I had not seen in about 35 years and were getting older and starting to die off. It was amazing how small that community was and neighbors I thought lived 10 miles away were about 1/2 mile across the field, literally. The small farming towns were a lot closer together than I had remembered and the town I was born in (Burlington) was less than 20 minutes from my grandfathers farm when I was sure it was an hour and a half to get there.

Then, the stories that get told. Yeah, well, good luck with that blade. You may want some lessons from Luke Skywalker, Jim Bowie, and all the other legends real and fictional that you can pull together.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 19:58

"I had to walk 5 miles to school in snow up to your shoulder blades " It could have been that deep. You were just shorter then...

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 01-30-2014 21:00

What do you mean??!! I resemble that remark! You think it's funny to crack jokes about short people?? Just because I'm vertically challenged... :lol:

All in fun guys. Yes, I'm a whopping 5'5" tall. My son that works with me is a whole 5' 2" tall. Doesn't bother us. Just giving John a bad time, in humor, about the "just shorter" comment.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-31-2014 04:33 Edited 01-31-2014 04:52

Your son is taller than my daughter...

By ctacker (****)

Date 01-30-2014 02:59 Edited 01-30-2014 03:03

I have used one of these for looking at numerous things, including porosity (measuring) & macros.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=510-2273&PMPXNO=8915841&PARTPG=INSRHI

EDIT: you may find something close to your budget here: http://www.amscope.com/highpower-metallurgical.html?gclid=COCTmY_0pLwCFdFffgodJ3sAMA

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 07:12

ctacker,

Thanks for that. I have some Fowler tools AND and Enco account.
My "shopping cart is starting to get heavy... as in Expensive!

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 08:57

Al,

I got hacked on Pay Pal many years ago and have not been on E-Bay since.
Do you have any advice on where to find some online training so I may understand what to look for and interpret what I'm seeing under these higher powers (>100X)?

I'm also thinking that a Biological scope can be retrofitted for Metallurgical use easier than a metallurgical one can for Bio work. What are your thoughts on such a Kludge?
Being poor, I am hoping to have a "one scope do it all".

By 803056

Date 01-30-2014 15:38

ASM offers public courses at their Ohio facility. Use asm.org as a link to their site or search "American Society of Materials."

You have to have the right tools for the right jobs. The tool does little good if you don't know how to use it.

As a CWI, it will be difficult to justify the expense of equipment that will be used infrequently. Metallurgical equipment is expensive and takes floor space that is just as expensive. It is often more economical to send the work to a lab that specializes in metallurgical evaluations. They have the equipment and the proper personnel to do the work.

There are other ways to pay for items purchased through E-bay and there are other venues. I mentioned E-bay because it give you a means of determining the range of equipment available and the approximate price you can expec to pay. Industrial auctions are one additional venue to think about.

Best regards -Al

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-30-2014 15:51 Edited 01-30-2014 15:57

Al,

Thank you for your help.
I doubt the microscope will ever be used for CWI work. But if it does, I'll be able to charge appropriately for my services. To me it is like that 2010 D1.1 I bought and have only used a couple of times.
Some purchases are worth their weight in gold for theraputic use.
Here is a prime example of some fine tools that keep me well balanced in my spare time yet only one has ever been used for it's intended design. That would be the S/S bbl. bench rest .22 leaning in the corner.

Hopefully, I can find something like NDT.org's online training through ASM or other entity.

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By CWI555

Date 01-31-2014 01:17

Haven't seen a calico in a long time. How is it working for you?

By Superflux (****)

Date 01-31-2014 04:32

Reliable but they must have a 20# trigger on them.

By CWI555

Date 02-02-2014 03:45

I have some bushmaster xm 17 bullpups pre clinton ban model. It's trigger is horrendous, but it was a firearm before it's time. It's gas piston instead of gas tube. It has yet to fail me. In fact, the hand guards will so hot you can't hold it before it fails. I believe they could have done a better job on the transfer bar leverage, but for what it is, I'll live with it due to it's reliability.