USB Microscope Adjustable Base

thingiverse

I designed an adjustable base for my USB digital microscope that can move up and down by 7-1/2 inches. The base consists of two steel rods with a diameter of 1/2 inch, which are used as the main structural elements. To secure the rods in place, I ground a 'whistlestop' on each end to accommodate #10-24 setscrews. I attached the microscope unit to an aluminum plate, but it can also be mounted to a piece of wood if needed. All mounting holes were designed with #10-24 threads, which allow for easy assembly and secure attachment of the microscope. Before assembling the base, I used a #10-24 tap to clean up the threads in each hole. The shaft that holds the gear is threaded on one end with #10-24, and a screw with a washer should be inserted to lock it in place. The scope mounting clip makes it easy to quickly remove the microscope if you need to hold larger objects by hand.