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Micro-Vu Optical Comparator

crashtestdummy

Hot Rolled
Joined
Apr 25, 2006
Location
Cedar City, Utah
I have a Micro-Vu Optical Comparator that I can get cheap, but I am unfamiliar with it's use. It appears that the only way to measure distance is with the dial indicators, is this correct? In other threads I've read about lens powers. Does this just make the object larger on the screen?

What is there to worry about on these? The only name or ID that I can find on this machine is the name Micro-Vu on the screen (or what ever it's called). It's a 10" diameter screen.

Any other words of wisdom or warnings?

PB051800Large.jpg
 
Smaller details require larger magnification.Mine came with 3 different lenses. I got mine cheap but the digital readout box is missing. So far the closest I've had to measure, I was able to use a calipers on the screen. The one we have at work has a large diameter micrometer head on it that reads .0001.
The indicators with a gage block set or an end rod measuring set will work fine.
Bulbs for the Jones and Lampsons are quite expensive.
You will need a hood or be able to turn the lights out over it.
Dave
 
I believe that may be a Model 400HP.

With a 10x lens each square in the grid represents .005". With a 20x lens each would be .0025".

The lenses move in and out if you loosen the set screw and you use a gauge block on the stage, I use .250", and adjust the lens until the projected shadow shows .250".

There is a pair of V-block/centers for those as well. You might see if they are with it as they are fairly expensive, even on eBay.

I mainly work with smaller parts, so I seldom use the indicators and just use the screen as I'm mainly after angles and radii.

Mine is a 12" and also has surface illumination, which some of the 10" and early 12" did not.

Micro-Vu is still in business and have numerous dealers around the country. I'm in a small town, and damned if there wasn't a dealer about 30 miles away that I bought a manual from. They also will calibrate and certify them.

PB050084.jpg
 
It appears that the only way to measure distance is with the dial indicators, is this correct? In other threads I've read about lens powers. Does this just make the object larger on the screen?

Any other words of wisdom or warnings?

Yes, and yes.

A cardboard hood over the top makes the image easier to see as the light source is basically an automobile taillight bulb.

As noted by Glen put a gage pin on the stage and measure the shadow with some cailpers, moving the lens to calibrate.
Once the lens is calibrated you can print an overlay on a inkjet printer on transparency (clear) film and put this on the screen to check your part.

Since the up/down is a rack and pinion if you place an object with any kind of weight on it the stage may drop by itself. There are set screws on the gib you can tighten for drag but that makes it harder to move the stage up and down.

These are low end comparators, not to be confused with J&Ls, OGPs, STs or Mits but they are very handy and you can pick them up with one hand and put them anywhere you want.

As with any optical comparator do not touch the mirror when cleaning.
Get some foaming glass cleaner, place some paper towels below the mirror, spray it on and let it drip off onto the paper towels. Repeat as needed.
Streaks and smudges on the mirror won't affect performance. If there is a stubborn spot of dirt dab at it with a cotton ball. Don't "wipe" the mirror.

Bob
 
This all makes sense so far. The model that I have only has radius marks on 1/4 of the screen, and the rest is blank, except for the cross lines. I assume that I would need a separate screen to measure anything other than radii and angles.
 
You can check just about anything you can see the profile of using the crosshairs and indicators.

Say you have a bolt of unknown pitch.
Turn the screen so one line is on the flank, zero the indicator, move over to the next flank and read the indicator. (Actually to get closer when doing this I'll move over 10 threads then divide the indicator reading by 10).

Right after a micrometer and a height gauge I consider one of these a "must have" for any machine shop.
Bob
 
Ahh!

I see the difference now.

Mine has a grid as well as radius and radial lines. I thought yours had the same.

Mine also has reflector type halogen lamps whereas the earlier models did just have incandescent lamps.

The same only different applies again!
 
Just a note of caution.

They recommend only using Ivory soap on your hands to clean the screen as the markings will easily come off if you use any form of cloth and strong cleaner.

The mirror only gets swabbed with cotton balls soaked in Denatured Alcohol.

They used to have a retrofit kit for halogen lamps on the earlier models, but I'm not sure if it is still available or not.

The problem is that if you have to start adding thinsg to it, it's probably cheaper to just find one ready to go. I paid $250 for mine from Reliable Tool on eBay, and it had everything, and was just what I needed...

Dunno what the going rate for them is, but it seemed OK to me!
 
Optical comparators are the cats meow for old eyes. I used to like rules with 1/50 grads, now I need 1/16.
 
I like having a few Optivisors at different areas in the shop.
Am constantly misplacing them :)
 
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The virtue of the older MicroVu is its suited for the open shop. It's crude, simple, light, and bullet proof. I keep mine near the grinder to check out threading tool angles, Acme tool tip widths etc. I use the #16 screen which has cross lines and a protractor circle. 10 and 20 x is about as strong as you ned for work like this. I use travel indicators exclusively for linear measurement and the protractor and cross lines for angles. Radii I check by rectangular coordinates if accuracy is paramount otherwise I match up a draftman's plastic circle template and work the math. I have a set of stage centers but I seldom use them. I recently converted it to LED illumination. It makes brighter images on the screen you can see in ambient light.

A further advantage to the MicroVu is it's light and rugged. You can move it around the shop where you need it. Mine works in projection mode and reflection. I have yet to use projection for anything serious but it works great for finding little slivers.

If you calibrate it as suggested above and make printer overlays on transparent film you can almost cuplicate the accuracy and convenience for inspecting small part configurations found in higher end non-electronic models.

Higher end optical comparators belong in the inspection room where their many features can be better exploited.

If you're looking for a 10" or 12" comparator for open shop use look closely at an older lower end MicroVu.

If you require one-placement whole part silhouette inspection hold out for a better class of comparator. MicroVu's optics and stage motions are not up to 0.0001" resolution.

Theres an outfit in Las Vegas that sells ands services optical comparators: http://www.gaging.com/st.htm

There's no point is even contacting MicroVu for assistance with their older models. They will not help you. Period.

These people have screens: http://www.jlmetrology.com/charts.html There's many like this you can Google under "optical comparator screens" If you have a glass screen and wish different graduations on it you can send it in for reprinting and save a hundred bucks.
 
I like having a few Optivisors at different areas in the shop.
Am constantly misplacing them :)

I finally went to reading glasses from Walgreens. They are cheap, and come in some pretty powerfull magnifications. I have about five of them, but I can only find two right now.:D
 
Have you considered a DRO scale retrofit? That might, as suggested earlier, jack the price up to the range of a new unit but I haven't priced DRO's in quite a long time.
If you go that way, you can get real fancy and get a readout that does all sorts of trig functions like angles and bolt hole patterns and such. You can even plug in the correct multiplier for lens power changes.
 
I finally went to reading glasses from Walgreens. They are cheap, and come in some pretty powerfull magnifications. I have about five of them, but I can only find two right now.:D

Me too, but I found that even when wearing the lowest power ones that helped when I take them off I can't see anything small clearly for and hour or so.

I bought safety glasses with built in reading lenses and that seems to work a little better as you are not always looking through the magnifiers.

Sucks getting old.
Bob
 
How well do Opti-visors work with bifocals?
The Optivisor is designed so that the lens sits in front of any glasses the user may wear. There's plenty of clearance.

I've used Optivisors for eons, as a substitute for reading glasses as well as general-purpose magnifiers.
I think they're great. I wear them almost constantly when I'm in the office.

The lenses are available in many different powers.
You can probably find one that works in place of your bifocals, so you could just look over the bifocals and through the Optivisor.

Lenses are available in two types: plastic and glass. The glass ones are more expensive. Plastic was introduced some years ago as a less-expensive alternative.
Both are of excellent optical quality. I prefer glass.

- Leigh
 
The virtue of the older MicroVu is its suited for the open shop. It's crude, simple, light, and bullet proof. I keep mine near the grinder to check out threading tool angles, Acme tool tip widths etc. I use the #16 screen which has cross lines and a protractor circle. 10 and 20 x is about as strong as you ned for work like this. I use travel indicators exclusively for linear measurement and the protractor and cross lines for angles. Radii I check by rectangular coordinates if accuracy is paramount otherwise I match up a draftman's plastic circle template and work the math. I have a set of stage centers but I seldom use them. I recently converted it to LED illumination. It makes brighter images on the screen you can see in ambient light.

A further advantage to the MicroVu is it's light and rugged. You can move it around the shop where you need it. Mine works in projection mode and reflection. I have yet to use projection for anything serious but it works great for finding little slivers.

If you calibrate it as suggested above and make printer overlays on transparent film you can almost cuplicate the accuracy and convenience for inspecting small part configurations found in higher end non-electronic models.

Higher end optical comparators belong in the inspection room where their many features can be better exploited.

If you're looking for a 10" or 12" comparator for open shop use look closely at an older lower end MicroVu.

If you require one-placement whole part silhouette inspection hold out for a better class of comparator. MicroVu's optics and stage motions are not up to 0.0001" resolution.

Theres an outfit in Las Vegas that sells ands services optical comparators: http://www.gaging.com/st.htm

There's no point is even contacting MicroVu for assistance with their older models. They will not help you. Period.

These people have screens: Optical Comparator - J&L Metrology Optical Comparator, Sales, Service, Parts, New and Recertified Optical Comparators. There's many like this you can Google under "optical comparator screens" If you have a glass screen and wish different graduations on it you can send it in for reprinting and save a hundred bucks.
1st time posting.
We just got a nice 20" Gage Master comparator. It has a frosted glass, with no templates. Am planning to buy a plastic, about .05" thick, from Visual Precision and my question is. Do I get clear or frosted?
 
1st time posting.
We just got a nice 20" Gage Master comparator. It has a frosted glass, with no templates. Am planning to buy a plastic, about .05" thick, from Visual Precision and my question is. Do I get clear or frosted?

If you are buying a plastic overlay chart you want clear.
These are placed on top of your frosted glass screen and held with the screen clips.

If you want to replace the entire screen you need to buy the frosted glass versions.
Bob
 








 
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