What do you use for stylus inspection?

[outlawmws]

I’m curious as to what people use to inspect their stylus for wear? I needed to inspect an older Grado cart I got with a TT on Monday, and hadn’t been having good results with prior methods.

After trying a stereo microscope, and several different powered loupes this is what I have found to be the best tool I own to inspect stylus needles. I need to make a little stand to allow the cart and/or head shell to be positioned, but after jury rigging one up, the 60X power of this one and its greater depth of focus works well.

http://www.startinternational.com/spanish/product.asp?id=457&type=prod

I can see the whole tip it is large enoght to see it clearly, and I can see the curvature of the tip due to the deep field of focus. :thmbsp: :thmbsp:

My stereo microscope has higher magnification available, but its depth of field of focus is way too narrow. You can’t see the whole tip clearly. The loupes aren’t powerful enough. (I tried 7X, 8x and 10x)

I picked this portable inspection microscope up at a yard sale years ago from a guy that had some other lab stuff as well, he claimed it was from his old business. The other gear lent credence to his story, but he sure sold it cheap. It was like 5 or 10 dollars as I recall.

I don’t have the factory supplied light, but a small LED penlight works very well for the purpose!

So what do other AK members use?

 

[the-real-mandak]

Try and read this thread: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87723
and this: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103733&page=1

 

[ozmoid]

You cannot see stylus wear, but just to check if the tip nice and shiny clean before touchdown I use an old 8mm projector lens - turn it backwards and look through the end that points at the screen. Very nice, and extremely cheap.

 

[outlawmws]

Try and read this thread: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87723
and this: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103733&page=1

Thanks for the links! VERY informative!

The key is to get light to both sides, which makes the wear spots glow, Working on my setup, and will join the fray in one or the other thread, soon. Not with Pics, through the scope, can’t afford (or justify) the extra cost, but having good results so far jury rigged! :thmbsp:

 

[the-real-mandak]

Well maybe you can join us with pics, the camera on my scope is just a webcam, so if you have one try with that - it is fun.

Another solution is if you have a digital camera, which might also work. A trick here is to use the timer function; make some kind of stand for the camera, focus, activate the count down and step back. This lets you take pictures with a slow shutter speed, and still make the sharp.

 

[ozmoid]

Barring an actual stylus scope, I think the metallurgical scopes are the best bet for new equipment with everything you need right out of the box, including top lighting for the stage. They are designed for opaque objects, as opposed to the transparent objects standard scopes are designed to view.

An entry level model with the lighting rig will run you over $1500, though - that may be a deal breaker for some folks. :scratch2:

 

[outlawmws]

We have the cameras, SLR, both film and digital, as well as point and shoot, (But no web cam) What I don't have is the body to lens adaptor, which usually takes the place of the lens, (It is this way with Telescope adaption) and closes off side light.

How are you shooting? Regular lens and through the eye piece?

 

[outlawmws]

Barring an actual stylus scope, I think the metallurgical scopes are the best bet for new equipment with everything you need right out of the box, including top lighting for the stage. They are designed for opaque objects, as opposed to the transparent objects standard scopes are designed to view.

An entry level model with the lighting rig will run you over $1500, though - that may be a deal breaker for some folks. :scratch2:

I also have a stereo microscope, and its original intent was electronics assembly, not lab and slide work although it can be used that way with a lighted stage. I don't like it for this though, because it is too high of magnification with too little depth of field, you can only focus on part of the tip, making for an interesting image, but very little detail.

I will give it a second try, now that I have the lighting requirements understood, but I’m not optimistic for its use…

 

[Parky50]

I use my "Loop" from my mining day's !!! :thmbsp:
Works great... :yes:

 

[Daravon]

Even though I got shut down for suggesting so last time I posted about it, you can buy a little handheld microscope at radioshack for 10 dollars or something, that works great for checking that the stylus is present and not damaged. Well worth having for those times you drop the tonearm and want to check the stylus before tearing up any vinyl with it.

 

[the-real-mandak]

How are you shooting? Regular lens and through the eye piece?

The webcam mounts on top of the scope, this instead of the eye piece. So I guess that the photo chip is at the focus point. But I think it is possible to mount a "point and shoot" digital camera on top of the eye piece, you just have to block any false light.

 

[jeeves]

I use my "Loop" from my mining day's !!! :thmbsp:
Works great... :yes:

What is the magnification of your loop?

 

[motorstereo]

Even though I got shut down for suggesting so last time I posted about it, you can buy a little handheld microscope at radioshack for 10 dollars or something, that works great for checking that the stylus is present and not damaged. Well worth having for those times you drop the tonearm and want to check the stylus before tearing up any vinyl with it.

I have one of those little guys and I can't believe no one else has mentioned it either. I have several loupes, large magnifying glasses and one large magnifying glass with a an extra high power spot in the middle of it. This little handheld beauty from RS out does em all. The only problem is you need a steady hand. For only $10 it provides me with all the details I need to see on my styluses.

 

[Parky50]

What is the magnification of your loop?

Pretty sure it's a 10X...:scratch2:

 

[ozmoid]

The point being raised in the other threads about loupes and magnifying glasses, pocket microscopes, etc. is the magnification level. To see stylus wear (the "flats" made by tracing the record groove for many hours) you really need around 200x.

For checking the tip for cleanliness, presence of diamond, etc. the lower powered magnifiers are just fine. I keep mine right by the cleaning supplies and check between each play for accumulated dust and crap on the stylus. My system is finally revealing enough that just a bit of gunk on the stylus is audible. If I can see it, I'll hear it.

 

[OvenMaster]

Me, I use one of two things:
1. I look through a half a pair of binoculars backwards, with my eye at one big lens and the stylus (or anything else that needs to be magnified) at the eyepiece.
2. I have an old eyepiece from a different set of broken binoculars that works rather just like a loupe. While I can't see the real tiny details, I can tell if the stylus is dirty, as well as details of construction. I was amazed at the difference between a "nude" Ortofon stylus and a "bonded" one.
Tom

 

[Doug G.]

I use a little hand-held tubular "Needle Checker" that I bought from Lafayette in the late sixties. Catalog number 99-1012.

It's either 50X (as it says on the unit itself) or 75X (as it says on the box).

Works well once you get used to it.

Of course, when I bought it, my eyesight was good and I could just put the stylus in front of it and look at it. Now I have to take my glasses off first and then can't see where to put the stylus real good. Sucks. I've gotten used to that too though. :^)

Doug

 

[Karma16]

Using a Stereo Lab Microscope for Styli

HI All,
To follow up on my previous threads concerning Stylus Microscopes (links provided below) I tried my new/used Olympus model CH laboratory stereo microscope for determining stylus wear. Here's what I discovered.

* Stereo is essentially useless for the job. Not needed or desirable. The solution is easy. Just block one eyepiece.

* My microscope has 10X eyepieces and four turret mounted objectives. The total magnification that come closest to the Shure Stylus Microscope's 200X was 100X and 400X.

* 100X showed the wear facets distinctly but they are quite small in the eyepiece. But it seemed to be a useful presentation. I preferred the Shure's 200X.

* The Shure's zoom eyepiece is very useful but the variable magnification provided by the turret on the Olympus worked fine. I preferred the Shure set-up. It's just easier to use.

* 400X was essentially useless. The extermely shallow depth of field makes this much magnification useless. Further, the focus distance from the stylus tip is so close that it is flat dangerous for the stylus. Don't use 400X.

* The 200X magnification provided by the Shure seems to provide the best tradeoff between adequate magnification and depth of field for stylus wear determination. I'm not surprised. After all, the Shure is purpose designed for the job.

* The lighting angle is semi-critical to allow the wear facets to properly fuction as mirror surfaces. Point source lighting works but makes the angle more critical. The up side is very good contrast but it's really not needed. Wider angle light sources work very well and are easier to use. The contrast is not as good but, again, that's not really a problem.

* The excellent X-Y adjustable stage on the Olympus is wonderful but probably overkill at 100X. It is far better than the one one provided by the Shure. However, the Shure's adjustable stage is adequate for the magnification.

Thanks to the-real-mandak for the links to the referenced threads. I borrowed them from his post above in this thread.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87723

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthr...=103733&page=1

All in all, the Shure microscope seems to have the best combination of trade-offs for this job. However, it is clear that a laboratory microscope can be made to work very well when provided with a good light source. I want to locate a 20X objective to give 200X total magnification to match the Shure's. The zoom eyepiece is nice but not essential as long as another method is available to provide variable magnification (in this case the turret).

Sparky

 

[WopOnTour]

Intel QX3 USB Microscope works AWESOME! 10X 60X 200X
They still come up frequently on eBay.
HTH
WOT

 

[Karma16]

HI WOT,
I suggest that you check out the referenced threads. I think your expectations are a bit low. What is shown on the thumbnails just is not useful for detemining wear. By checking out the threads you will gain an appreciation for the point-of-view and lighting angles you will need. But your magnification may be adequate. You need to take the next step.

Sparky