Homebrew PCBs

Most newer devices I'm using like FPGAs come in PQFP packages with 0.5 mm
spacing so I'm looking around for a suitable microscope to help with
assembly. A boom-mounted stereo zoom microscope would be ideal, but they are
quite expensive, even second-hand on Ebay, so I'm thinking of buying a
low-cost stereo microscope and making my own boom mount. I don't need as
much clearance under the objective as the expensive units offer, so I
thought that something like the Konus Delta unit here (bottom of page):

http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/konus_microscope/konus_microscopes_fs.htm

at 79 GBP will be adequate. The 20x magnification is ideal for my purposes.
I can manage all the other parts like 0805 Rs and Cs and chips with wider
spaced leads (like 0.65 mm) without any problems using an ordinary bench
magnifier.

Has anyone got any other suggestions.

I don't make these PCBs at home, of course.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
Email: aqzf13@...
My low-cost Philips LPC210x ARM development system:
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller/lpc2104.html