Centering Scopes?

Over the years, a couple of people have mentioned being very fond of their centering scopes. I've been thinking of getting one to use on my mill. They seem to come in a range of powers, from 15X to 45X. There is also the issue of Cheaper Chinese vs more expensive US or European units. Never having used one, I have no idea what sort of alignment or focussing issues there might be with different designs/brands. The one thing I would like is something fairly short so I don't have to crank the table up & down a lot swapping it in & out.

So, I'm opening the floor for discussion. Ideas, suggestions, comments, etc.?

Thanks!

Doug White

Reply to
Doug White
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I've been satisfied with my Chinese 45X from Enco:

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Reply to
Don Foreman

Ditto. Or maybe a little more satisfied, since I got mine on sale. Mine was made in Korea, BTW, Skoal brand.

It's short, maybe 3" from the top of the 3/8" stub to the bottom of the lens. Alignment and focussing are easy, though focussing is tight enough that you have to use the fine downfeed. Lens to work surface distance (focal length?) is appx 1".

Tove

Reply to
Tove Momerathsson

Reply to
Mark

I believe that's for an optical centering *punch*, which is an entirely different animal.

Reply to
DeepDiver

I have one, just used it 5 min agao, remember seeing this post and thought I would add my 2 cents....I love it and just like having a cell phone, if I lost it I would feel uncomfortable until I replaced it...as far as I am concerned, it is a "must have" tool. I got my HECO on ebay for something like $75, new-like shape.

John

Reply to
CAMCOMPCO

replying to CAMCOMPCO, sdejesus13 wrote: Just got a Heco and like it very much. Be forewarned though that you may have access issues with it depending on your mill. You have to be able to rotate it

180 degrees and get your eye up to it in both positions in order to align it. Some online discussions mention mills where this is difficult or impossible. Other than that, it was dead easy to align and looks like it will be very accurate.
Reply to
sdejesus13

replying to sdejesus13, Hopefuldave wrote: Mine's a Japanese-made Moor Precision 50x with a 0.001" graticle, I find it

*very* useful, considering it was rescued from the dumpster at work (everything has gone Metric...) The body length is about 4.5" from rear of the clamp-on--an-inch-and-eighth socket plus about 1" clear space (the focal length) under it, so you'd be looking at 5.5" from spindle face! It brings the eyepiece out about 6" from centre and 4.5" above the work surface, so it's not too awkward in use.

Dave H (the engineer formerly known as Homeless, who has lost his login details and can't remember which email he had then...)

Reply to
Hopefuldave

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