Re: [photo-3d] Homemade viewer bulb

["John Goodman" <jgood@xxxxxxxx>]

Dr.T wrote:

> Question:  Why even bother with an Iloca viewer 
> when you have so much better viewers to use?

Two reasons: curiosity at first, then abiding love for the design 
and mechanical execution. Having drooled at your finely 
presented example on eBay (which I guessed would go for a 
higher price than I'd be willing to pay), I was happy when I saw 
an even fresher-looking one for auction a few weeks later. l bid 
enough to get that one and was not disappointed with its 
condition when it arrived.

You're perfectly right about the optical performance, though. A 
good red-button, Revere, etc. offers a brighter, wider, more 
inviting view, not to mention the de Wijs or other European 
viewers. But still, the Iloca is a nice battery viewer: it's light, 
compact, durable, has auto-on, auto-off, and well-designed 
controls that are pleasant to use.

The design details and craftsmanship evident in the Iloca viewer 
simply astound me. It has a highly complex but lightweight 
(diecast?) metal body, 15 accurately located and finely tapped 
holes for various machine screws, two special springs, a robust 
electrical system using heavy-gauge soldered wire, durable 
contacts and various fiber insulating parts, and a complex but 
sturdy system for lever focusing and dial interocular 
adjustment. What's provided sounds pretty much like the usual 
drill for any good battery viewer, but believe me, it's designed 
like a watch and built like a tank. The original box had a price 
tag showing $17.50, knocked down to $13.13. (!)  

[screw-in halogens are too tall for the Iloca viewer]

> This is hard to believe... I was under the impression that
> once you trim the top and bottom, the halogen bulb is as tall
> as an ordinary no. 14 bulb....

Believe me, I tried my best with one of the bulbs I got from 
you. With practically .all. the lead filed away, and the top sprue 
ground down to the limit, it was still way too high to allow the 
cover to fit back on.

> This viewer appears to have single-element lenses so that's
> why I asked who you want to use it. 

I didn't take the lenses out or remove the lens mounts from the 
adjustment mechanism. The lenses do appear rather thin. On 
the other hand, I think I notice a very slight cloudiness or "fine 
ground glass" effect when looking through them obliquely at a 
bright light source, this after thoroughly cleaning the outer 
surfaces. This optical behavior I thought might be consistent 
with slightly deteriorated cement between two elements.

I think the lenses are secured by a circlip, not a threaded ring. 
A future project might be to shoehorn better optics into the 18 
mm diameter holders. Say, twin achromats?  :>)

jeg


 

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