Using a magnifier/microscope on metallic paint?

[wolfe]

I just picked up a lighted magnifier/microscope to inspect some rail dust I can`t seem to get rid of. I got one from radio shack, and heard I should have been looking for a 30x. The only one I found on their website and in the store was 5x, or 60-100x so I went for the latter.



My problem is, when I look through it with the light off, I can`t see anything. When I turn it`s little light on, the metallic paint reflects the light and it`s hard to see anything else than all these bright little dots.



Any tips or tricks for using one of these?



Thanks!

[Accumulator]

I just picked up a lighted magnifier/microscope to inspect some rail dust I can`t seem to get rid of. I got one from radio shack, and heard I should have been looking for a 30x. The only one I found on their website and in the store was 5x, or 60-100x so I went for the latter.



My problem is, when I look through it with the light off, I can`t see anything. When I turn it`s little light on, the metallic paint reflects the light and it`s hard to see anything else than all these bright little dots.



Any tips or tricks for using one of these?

Sorry to say that IMO the biggest trick is getting the right magnification



I have a bit of trouble using the 30X one for this, can`t imagine using the 60X-up one.



The one I like best is 15x but the 30X one is OK once you get the hang of it. Not sure you`ll ever get the hang of one with really high power.

[Setec Astronomy]

Not to repeat an old story (well, actually, to repeat an old story), when Rod Kraft of Meguiar`s does his detailing class, he shows everyone his 30X Radio Shack magnifier, and lets them look at a defect thru it. Invariably, everyone runs out after the class to buy one. Problem is, they don`t sell that one anymore, now they have that 60-100X one. Using that is an invitation to madness. The field of view is so small that it takes a lot of work just to get the magnifier over the defect, and then it looks like the Grand Canyon (it should look like some smaller canyon), and as you mentioned, the metal flake looks enourmous and drowns out everything in the reflections.

[velobard]

Photography stores usually carry a 10x loupe for darkroom work and focusing the old box cameras.

[wolfe]

Thanks for the replies



I`ve been messing around with it, and I had some success at dusk, when it wasn`t so bright outside.



It did take a while to `find` the rail dust marks with the microscope, but once found I could see the shape of them very clearly.



On all the ones I looked at, I didn`t spot a dark area which I`d assume to be the metal particle itself, all I saw was the pin-head sized rust stains. I removed these with a claybar then looked again, and assuming I lined it back up correctly, the area underneath looked the same as an area with no rail dust.



I`m not really sure what this signifies, since I know it will come back again in the same places.