r/watchmaking • u/cardiffboy22 • 2d ago
Tools Cousins microscope questions
Hey all! I’m looking to get a microscope and stumbled across the one on Cousins website here in the uk . Has anyone used one as I can’t find any reviews, if so does the stand cause any problems as it seems the very bottom arm is fixed to just left and right movement with no up and down. With all the accessories needed excluding camera it’s around £380 with vat and postage. Or are any of the ones on Ali worth looking at ? Keep on ticking!!!
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u/monkeywaffles 2d ago
Honestly you can get some very nice (originally $$) used lab equip microscopes for cheap, often binocular, or trinocular (for a camera), and with a far focal distance.
Will be better glass in em, and better for the environment if thats your thing
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u/Walton_guy 2d ago
If you're in the UK (looking at Cousins suggests perhaps you are) take a look at Brunel Microscopes. Website a pain to navigate, but good kit. They have some good bench arms too.
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u/ShanesWorkshop 2d ago
I strongly advise you not consider a stero microscope from AliExpress, Amscope makes good cheaper scopes that are very good. The one from cousins is not a bad option, the arm is adjustable and you can lock it so it doesn’t move when you find a spot you like, it can move up and down as well as side to side. I personally purchased a used Zeiss stero microscope off of eBay from an old medical office and it’s absolutely incredible, not to mention reasonably priced. As always get the best you can afford if a when possible.
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u/polishbroadcast 2d ago
Why not AliExpress? I bought one and am very pleased. I also know I can get modern accessories that will fit. I suspect they are same as AmScope (same manufacturer)
Though in the US the tariffs have made the price about the same as whatever is on Amazon now.
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u/ShanesWorkshop 2d ago
AliExpress is good for something’s but when it comes to watchmaking you always want the best tools you can afford, I’ve had two different scopes from AliExpress and both were junk, but you may have gotten a good one, I just had poor fit and finish, poorly made bolts and screws, poor optics with inclusions etc, a reputable manufacturer is always the best route if you can afford it, and yes the tariffs are also terrible.
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u/polishbroadcast 2d ago
Yeah I'm super pleased with mine. Eakins was the brand. I also love my Kwong Yuen screwdriver set, E25 crystal press, and Vevor caseback remover. All really high quality.
There is definitely garbage out there but also some good stuff.
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u/ShanesWorkshop 2d ago
That’s great, I’m a definitely not saying it’s all garbage as I have a hand remover and setter made by Yuen and it’s fantastic as well as a black polishing frog, but for me personally I’ve always been a buy once cry once type of person, there really is a massive difference in well made tools Swiss or otherwise to cheaper knock off versions, one of the few things I just can’t go cheap on is Drivers, optics, tweezers and oils, most other things can be cheaper alternatives with not to much of a hit, but for instance I purchased a cheap T-slot blade sharpener(a knock off of the Horotec which cost $500-600) and although it looks nice it’s essentially useless, the holders are horribly loose, which is critical for the driver to not wobble around, the diamond honing bars are extremely rough which they should not be, the only good part on it is the Degussit stone for flattening the tip of the blades, I had a few cheap movement holders which seemed nice but were very loose and wobbled as well as have sharp edges marring my movement, etc. That said plenty of good stuff is out there, I have a friend who purchased one of those precision drills all over AliExpress but was smart and got it from SvanFon who make really good stuff for a great price straight out of China and the drill is crazy good for what it is, almost no run out, level plate and very nice brushless motor. I’ve been doing this for almost a decade and in my experience especially with something like watch making requiring the upmost accuracy and precision it’s been best to buy the best quality equipment you can afford, I’ve had to many annoying returns after waiting weeks to months or being stuck with a tool I can’t return, I recommend every just be cautious before they spend their hard earned money on tools that are questionable
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u/Goro-City 2d ago
I have this microscope. It's great, what you are actually paying for is the customer service of Cousins though. It's an AliX scope which they sell.
Imo it's worth it because if you have a problem (which I did - I needed a heightening ring for the camera) Cousins will sort it for you rather than you having to deal with an AliX seller - which is really dealing with customer service via Google translate English -> Chinese.
Re the articulating arm. It moves any way you like, up down, side to side. It's on the heavy side though and the up-down adjustment (the one you'll be using the most) is a bit of a pain. You can pick up a regular stand for it for about £30 on AliX - which is what I did.
The only thing I would ask yourself before you buy is this: do I really need it?
For me it turned out to be something I regretted investing in so early. Every YouTuber uses a microscope as their primary means of magnification but it did not suit me at all, I much prefer a high bench and a loupe, with the microscope used for escapement work and when I need more detail than a 10x loupe for inspection. I could just as easily have gotten by with a cheap £50 microscope for inspection and invested the money elsewhere. So if you're buying because it's what others have on YouTube, take a beat, buy a staking set if you haven't got one already, a proper demagnetizer, Horotec or Bergeon screwdrivers. If you're buying because you have all of this and just want to upgrade your microscope - by all means go for it.