A Microscope Repair.

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Pete W.:
Hi there, all,

:update: :update: :update: :update: :update: :update:

I'm hoping I'm on the home straight with this project now. I'm ready to try assembling all the sub-stage components onto the new spindle in the sub-stage bracket.
So today has been a living room dining table session rather than a workshop session. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Here's the bracket with all the components that have to go on the spindle between the two bracket lugs (see previous post for a picture of just the spindle in the bracket):

Assembling all that lot was tricky - I felt I could have done with two extra hands, round corners vision and no gravity! :scratch: :bang: :bang: :scratch:

It was a good move to lengthen the lower spigot (I explained that in a previous post). Still, eventually they were all together. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Adding the polariser unit with its washer & fixing nut and the upper filter holder and the collar got me to here:

I then fitted the bracket to the microscope and inserted the condenser into its mounting which got me to here:

Compare that photo with the one in the opening post which was of someone else's microscope.

That's all I had time for today. I do intend to make another collar, the one I showed in these photos is too thick. I may also make a thinner washer to put under the tapered section of the spindle.

However, I'm planning to attend a microscope club meeting this coming Saturday and the microscope is now sufficiently together to take along and show to the other members.

awemawson:
Well done Pete it's coming along nicely

A Microscope Club intrigues me - is the interest in the microscopes or the objects being magnified ?

Pete W.:
Hi there, Andrew,

I hope that you are well.
Thank you for your post - I was beginning to fear I was talking to myself! :lol: :lol: :lol:

--- Quote from: awemawson on March 03, 2015, 03:16:38 PM ---Well done Pete it's coming along nicely

A Microscope Club intrigues me - is the interest in the microscopes or the objects being magnified ?

--- End quote ---

There are lots of clubs and societies for microscopists, e.g. http://www.quekett.org/ . Members' interests range across a wide spectrum (no pun intended!), some are interested in the microscope itself as an instrument, others (including my lovely but shy assistant) in pond life, there's a lot of interest in trying to resolve the finest details on diatoms, many microscopists make their own slides and others collect historic slides made by famous mounters. Photomicrography is an active interest of many. Most of us have too many microscopes though not many will admit to being merely 'a collector'!!!

One organisation of interest is the Postal Microscopical Society which has two grades of membership, 'on-circuit' and 'off-circuit'. For the 'on-circuit' members, a box of slides is launched into their circuit by Post and the members view the slides and then post the box on to the next member of the circuit. Each box is accompanied by a notebook in which members note their comments. The Society has several circuits. Both 'on-circuit' and 'off-circuit' members receive a quarterly magazine published by the Society.

The UK's membership of the EU is having an influence on microscopists. Historically, microscope illumination was by lamps that employed bulbs with flat mat tungsten filaments. Rather like slide projector bulbs. They tend to have short lives. These have now been outlawed by the EU and are hard to find, consequently their prices have been driven sky-high! Some more recent microscopes with internal illumination use tungsten halogen bulbs but retro-fitting tungsten halogen into an older lamp can be difficult. I read that the EU now have tungsten halogen bulbs on their embargo list! Some microscopists are moving to high power white LEDs but these have a 'bumpy' spectrum and, particularly for polarising microscopes, are not entirely satisfactory; you can't get the full range of colour in the image if it's missing from the illuminator. LEDs, being semiconductors, don't emit as much heat as a tungsten halogen bulb but they can't tolerate as high a temperature either - the heat-sink can complicate getting the light source to where the optics need it to be!!

philf:
Hi Pete,

Nice repair.

A long time ago I acquired an Olympus binocular microscope but the entire condenser holder and slide was missing. It was a challenge to make a new dovetail slide including the focussing rack and centering mount for the condenser but very satisfying when it was done.

I have too many microscopes and need to rationalise my collection. I'm watching a Baker Interference on eBay at the moment. I have a complete one sat in its box in our dining room which I regularly get earache about. (I think when they were new in the 1950s they cost something like £400). The analyser needs the polarising element replacing which will be interesting. It is something like a pie with a hole in the middle and then a 90 degree portion taken out. I was thinking of buying a polarised camera filter and modifying it but that will probably mean making a diamond core drill to put the central hole in and a diamond saw to take out the 90 degree slice - hence why I've not got round to doing it!

I have seen the price that some microscope lamps go for. I have several spares for my Wild M20 and M40 which I will hang on to.

What do you use to take photos through the microscope - a digicam, webcam or dedicated adaptor (or even a film camera)? It's something I'd like to have a go at.

I too find pond creatures fascinating.

:beer:

Phil.

awemawson:
Pete I suspect many have been following your posts, myself included, but not making comments.

I'm interested in your illumination comments - I have just brought into service a 'centring scope' that projects it's image onto a 3" ground glass screen - illumination being a 6v 15 watt 210 lumen microscope bulb. Although there seems to be no problem sourcing spares (quoted life is 100 hours) where I am using it (*) it would be far more convenient were it battery powered and brighter. To this end I have on order a small LED torch that I hope to modify. Torch is powered by a 3.6 volt 3000 mA /hr Lithium Ion rechargeable Seller claims 2200 lumens, but the LED manufacturer (CREE) seem to imply 220 is nearer the mark !

(* I'm using this device in the Traub lathe to measure tool height to be able to set them on centre, so it goes in a collet in the main spindle)

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