Post subject: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:31 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
The best light source for the spectroscope would be a fiber optic light source, however I'm searching for a portable light source. I've heard about some very powerful flashlight providing some oriented light beam just like a fiber optic does, but I can't find it anywhere. Do you know about that kind of special flashlight?
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:27 am
Gold Member
Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 11:00 am Posts: 1133 Location: Monterey, CA
Any cheap incandescant flashlight (pen light) with a fresh battery. The filament of the flashlight is thicker than the width of the spectroscope slit. That is all the light you can get from any incandescent light source which is useful.
The problem lies in holding and orienting the stone relative to that bright beam. This has been easily solved with my Mini-Cube Concept.
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 2:02 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
well I have a maglite, I use it for spectroscopy, but in some case it's just way too weak. For instance for some dark garnet crystal that is almost completely opaque, a fiber optic on the crystal edges will do the trick (revealing the weak translucence of the edges), while the maglite wont (you need an intense light 'point' to make it through the edges). So I'm looking for something more powerful and more 'point focused' (I mean more condensed) than a maglite, but more portable than a fiberoptic light source. I heard there were such tools around...
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:36 pm
Active Member
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:56 am Posts: 89 Location: Topeka, KS
There are inexpensive fiberoptic attachments made for maglights which I have found very useful for condensing the flashlight's light when looking for curved lines in possible synthetic corundums outside the lab.
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:09 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
actually, my current problem is that I have no fiber optic (and I couldn't bring one with me in the field as it is rather bulky). All I have is a maglite, and I'm currently working with garnets crystals that are almost completely opaque, as these are worthless I crushed one into small chips which do show moderate translucense, but the maglite is still not powerful enough to put enough light through the chips so I could see something with the spectroscope. The maglite works for spectroscopy as long as the stones are rather transparent, but not for badly translucent stones. So I'm trying to find a portable alternative to the maglite flashlight with more power (and preferably with pin point like illumination, like in a fiberoptic). Any idea?
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:28 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:56 am Posts: 1284
I finally got my hands on some perfect portable light source for spectroscopy, which is much more functional than other flashlights. Also great for stone inclusions inspection.
very portable (2.5x3.5x8cm and features a belt clip). Halogen bulb (not led). Provides powerful beam illumination. Features a switch to chose either strong light beam (power consuming+heat) or low light beam (economic). Autonomy of 2.3h (in 6V) to 10h (in 4.5V). Recharge battery: you need a matching charger for the lamp (the charger is sold separately). Probably a good idea to buy one or two replacement lightbulbs too.
Post subject: Re: portable light source for spectroscope
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:23 pm
cascaillou wrote:
I finally got my hands on some perfect portable light source for spectroscopy, which is much more functional than other flashlights. Also great for stone inclusions inspection.
very portable (2.5x3.5x8cm and features a belt clip). Halogen bulb (not led). Provides powerful beam illumination. Features a switch to chose either strong light beam (power consuming+heat) or low light beam (economic). Autonomy of 2.3h (in 6V) to 10h (in 4.5V). Recharge battery: you need a matching charger for the lamp (the charger is sold separately). Probably a good idea to buy one or two replacement lightbulbs too.
I had to share because this is great tool.
OTOH, theres this (page 18 item 14). PDG (Pretty darned good )
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum