Soldering magnifying glass

[nnam]

I need to do some soldering and 5x or more would be good. My phone can do 5x no problem. But products advised 8x and 30x barely do 2x. I know, for the phone, it's too close and also I need it to be hold down to free my hand for soldering.

I don't want to spend a lot of money for this, but I need something that works, like true 5x magnification would be great.

Thanks!

 

[SLK001]

I do a lot of SMD soldering on PC boards. I use a 7-30X microscope to view the action. I've spent many hours sweating over a hot microscope!

 

[Winegrower]

AmScope, among others, makes binocular microscopes in the 10x TO 40x that are not very expensive. The stereo effect really simplifies any manipulation like soldering, or more likely for me, splinter removal.

For example: https://amscope.com/collections/stereo-microscope/products/se304r-p

 

[MikeInOr]

I use the following magnifier for soldering. It only goes up to 3.5x but does a great job for soldering surface mount pcb's for me. I really appreciate the lamp on it too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H8808H6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use an old Panavise that I bought used for holding the pcb I am working on:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/panavise/201/166719?utm_adgroup=Vises&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping_Product_Tools_NEW&utm_term=&utm_content=Vises&gclid=CjwKCAjwyaWZBhBGEiwACslQo85gJ05a-keyQk0U3p5g3v15MsMtxrXIDegB8yC-qW6QVI1bdorQNxoC0rwQAvD_BwE

 

[wachuko]

I use the following magnifier for soldering. It only goes up to 3.5x but does a great job for soldering surface mount pcb's for me. I really appreciate the lamp on it too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H8808H6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am using a similar one... well, same one, different branding...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W115T2R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[tweinke]

I use the following magnifier for soldering. It only goes up to 3.5x but does a great job for soldering surface mount pcb's for me. I really appreciate the lamp on it too.

So does that work if you must wear glasses? looking for something to use soldering my Clough42 parts. Or being I have to have the glasses would it be better to get a magnifying lamp to set on the bench?

 

[MikeInOr]

So does that work if you must wear glasses? looking for something to use soldering my Clough42 parts. Or being I have to have the glasses would it be better to get a magnifying lamp to set on the bench?

I have a magnifying lamp. I prefer to use the magnifying headset. For longer soldering jobs I can move my head around with the headset but you are kind of in a fixed position with the magnifying lamp.

I use mine with glasses. The distance from the lens to your pupils is adjustable so I can also use them without glasses and still focus them. The included headband works easier with glasses but I also use it with the over your ear arms with my glasses too.

I have no clue what a Clough42 is???

 

[tghsmith]

I use an optivisor for model and micro work, different lenses are available,, the visor works well with my glasses.....

 

[WobblyHand]

AmScope, among others, makes binocular microscopes in the 10x TO 40x that are not very expensive. The stereo effect really simplifies any manipulation like soldering, or more likely for me, splinter removal.

For example: https://amscope.com/collections/stereo-microscope/products/se304r-p

Big thumbs up for this. Makes soldering and working with tiny stuff pretty easy. Takes up a bit of desk space, but I swivel mine away from the desk when not in use. Recommend a LED ring for shadow-less lighting, makes a big difference. My ELS boards will be assembled under this microscope. I recommend you also get the Barlow reducing lens, it slightly reduces magnification, but gives you a larger working distance. So you can fit your big clumsy hands and soldering iron under the microscope!

If you are doing small SMD stuff, do yourself a favor and get a hot air gun made for this. You can control the temperature and air flow. You can dial in the correct temperature, and flow rate. High flow rates will blow your components off the board! Low ones will not. Makes soldering those tiny surface mount devices easy as long as you are using solder paste. Soldering SMD devices with solder wire is difficult, use solder paste.

 

[Boswell]

If you are doing small SMD stuff, do yourself a favor and get a hot air gun made for this.

You can also use a toaster oven to reflow solder the entire board at once instead of one component at a time. I started doing this several years ago and it has been (mostly) trouble free. Took me a little while to dial in the temp profile but now it's easy peasy. For smaller boards, I can reflow 4 or 5 at a time in my toaster oven. The board shop I use would include a metal solder stencil at no extra charge. so it is pretty easy to be able to squeegee on solder paste and then put the SMD components in place with a tweezer or one of those little pencil size vacuum manipulators. I use the hot air workstation for repairs.