Introduction: DIY Fully Articulated Desk Video Microscope
This Instructable is for a quick, easy and cheap DIY video microscope using a desk lamp and an Eyeclops toy.
Step 1: Gather the Materials
- Desk lamp with flexible neck and bullet style dome (see pic)
- Eyeclops toy microscope
- Monitor with component video input
Materials Needed
* I used one of the screens from a 7 inch dual display dvd player for a car
Tools needed
- Metal cutting shears (Tin snips)
- pipe clamp or duct tape
- soldering iron, flux, solder
Skills recommended
- soldering
- cutting metal
Optional
*I needed a 3mm (headphone) to component adapter for my 7 inch monitor
Step 2: Prepare the Lamp
- Take apart the lamp
- Remove the nut that secures the dome to the neck
- Remove the nut that secures the neck to the base
Step 3: Prepare the Desk Lamp
Discard the light fixture and cord or save for another project.
Step 4: Make Room for the Eyeclops
Cut and remove approx. 3 x 4 inch rectangle from the dome to make room for the handle of the Eyeclops
*if needed cut multiple 1 inch strips into the metal around the dome
Step 5: Prepare the Eyeclops
Take out the 4 Phillips head screws that surround the battery compartment.
Once opened you should find a module and a switch.
Step 6: Transfer Eyeclops Parts Into Lamp
disconnect the multicolor cable from the module
Starting from the Eyeclops eye / handle section feed the wire through the lamp in the following order
- nut
- washer
- dome
- flex neck
- base
- washer
- nut
Step 7: Reattach the Cables the Module
Multiple steps here
- Reattach the wires that were feed through the lamp to the module
- Cut off the extra wire and save to use from module to battery compartment
- Attach 2 of the multicolor wires within the extra wire to the battery input on the module to the battery compartment - remember the colors
- Attach 2 other colors to the video input on the module - remember the colors
Optional
*I used the lamp's switch instead of the switch that was found in the battery component. It's up to you if you do the same.
Soldering Tips
leave a small amount of the wires still attached so you would know the pin out (see pic).
Apply a small amount of flux to the ends of the wires before applying the solder.
Step 8: Reattach the Bottom of the Lamp
Once the connections are made make sure the module fits before replacing the bottom of the lamp.
I had to trim the module to make it fit.
...Just be careful not to cut any traces on the module if you need to do this
Step 9: Reattach the Battery Compartment
- Now, solder the 2 wires within the cable that you picked from the module's battery connections to the respective plus and minus on the battery compartment
- Next solder the 2 wires you picked used for the video to the component cable
- Close and replace the 4 screws into the battery compartment
Step 10: Plug the Video Component Into the Monitor
Enjoy your fully articulated video microscope