Thread: Microscope?

Hi I was wondering if anybody knows where I can get a cheap microscope from to check out my razors?

RadioShack has a cheap mini microscope that is 60x-100x for $12.

Other than that Ebay maybe? I know people around here have found some good deals

This isnt cheap, but looks cool
ThinkGeek :: USB Digital Microscope and Stand

thinkgeek had, possibly still has one almost the same as the radio shack one. just uses different batteries and has an LED light, not sure if the radio shack one does. good for all kinds of stuff. look for a machinists microscope, to find similar ones.

You can always look at www.dealextreme.com they are very cheap and free shipping .

Guus

Depends on what you want to see. Do you just want to check for chips and nicks and gross stuff or do you really want to see detail. If its the gross stuff the radio shack mag will do fine. If you want to see more check out Deutche Optik. They aren't cheap but their stuff is quality.

Every now and then you'll find schools and colleges replacing their microscope collections, and you can pick one up for very little.

I just looked at a couple at Toys R Us today. Some had magnification up to 600x or even 900x. All less than $50. Decided not to pick one up today, but I'll think about it in the future.

Most very high magnification scopes are for biological examinations. They rely on shining light through an ultra-thin sample on a slide. If you try to use those magnifications on, say, a razor's edge, it will be difficult to provide enough incident lighting, especially if you want to take pictures.

The USB microscopes like the one Slarti linked seem to be good value for money, around £40/$60 on ebay for something with 200x magnification, 1.3 megapixel chip, and built in lights. Some have 8 LEDs, others only 4.