Over on a different thread, the topic of a simplified version of the v7 microscope for manual operation came up. To avoid further thread creep I am starting this new topic on the manual v7.
The microscope is most capable when motorised, and when also using a Raspberry Pi camera so that the white balance and lens shading can be adjusted for the best images. However sometimes motorisation is not needed, and the image quality of a modified simple USB webcam is enough. The standard v7 body is not particularly comfortable for manual operation, and simpler legs can be appropriate when there is no Pi to enclose in the stand.
Because of the quality of the v7 code revisions led by @j.stirling, making a dedicated manual version required remarkably little development. This is not released option, and probably will not make it into the v7.0 release, so only use it if you are happy that there may be problems with the parts and the parts may change without notice. It is available from the merge request number 333, where you can access the parts in the instructions from the view app button
. The manual body and simple leg stand are linked from the Customisations and alternatives page, at the bottom. There are no additional instructions, the manual main body is prepared and built into a microscope in the same way as for the motorised versions.
The manual body, printed here in ‘this is a test’ yellow, can sit on the microscope_stand_no_pi.stl for a very stable base.
I have also started on a more simple post mount that is much quicker to print and makes the smallest footprint while still being stable in use.
Printed in ‘this is a test’ yellow again, it makes a very compact overall system.
This is currently in a sub-branch while I work out what to call it. Again there is a view app button to see the built parts. I think the best name would be ‘simple post mount’. The microscope already uses ‘leg’, which refers to the actuator legs of the main stage, and ‘foot’ which refers to the parts at the base of the actuators.
