A useful device

[gpmatthews]

Here is a useful device. I had an old pair of 19th century stage forceps of the type that could be mounted on a post on the microscope stage. Unfortunately, I had no means of mounting these, so I improvised using the top of an old roll-on deodorant bottle as a ball mount. This is now very handy for holding insects under a stereo microscope. It was necessary to pack the underside in such a way as to remove any slop in the ballmount. I used a tight fitting ring to hold a piece of cloth firmly against the ball. An old brass bezel was used to make a firm base.

You could use this type of ball mount for all sorts of things, such as miniature lamps (use an LED), other types of holder, maybe using a crocodile clip etc. I first saw this idea at a Quekett Microscopical Club gossip meeting.

[PeglegOS]

Now that's a great idea... And the thing won't stink either

[DaveW]

Graham

You can get photographic flash swivels that could be similarly adapted. I have two Rowi ones for mounting my flash guns on extension arms for macro. They are only 6cm high. You could fasten your subject needle to the top of these, plus they have a locking ball for stability.

They usually have a 1/4 Whitworth (tripod socket size) tapped hole in their base, so you could screw them to a wooden or metal base, or even George Dingwalls lab jack! There are mini camera tripod ball heads that are exactly the same, but simply have a 1/4 whitworth thread to fit a camera tripod socket. These too could be adapted.

Whether many camera shops still stock them I do not know, but this is what they look like:-

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... ype=search

If they are now discontinued, as the above link says, you may be able to pick one up secondhand by advertising for one. Or al least find something similar.

There are the mini tripod ball heads that are very similar as I said above:-

http://www.clamperpod.com/miniballhead.html

DaveW