MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Yes, the mountant's something else to consider, although I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with LOCA. When I started using it, I compared with one commercial mountant (I forget which) and several home-made recipes, and the LOCA was best out of the ones I tried. For my purpose, at least...

Thanks Pete, will do. Although I have a feeling it'll be a long time before I find the BH2 slider, I don't remember ever noticing one for sale.
Tim

Hi Pete, I'll keep my eyes open for a Hoffman objective, although only a 60x or 100x would be of use. I need to read a bit more about that system. I've never had a chance to try reflected microscopy, but I've never heard of anyone using it for this purpose. I think there's probably a reason for that...

Peter, Thanks for your thoughts, I'm sure you're right. I always use a bit of oblique, with partially crossed polars, and in truth I don't think lack of contrast is my problem. It's just it would be nice if I could squeeze slightly more resolution. I should probably put more work into improving my s...

Didn't Swift make a scope with built-in Rheinberg illumination, using a special condenser? Maybe that's what they called it.
Seem to think I read about it at some time, but I don't remember any details.
Tim

Hi, I read a lot about DIC these days, and I've also read that it offers no real advantage over phase with birefringent objects. I have been struggling with the identification of calcareous nannofossils, due mostly to their size and condition (usually covered with calcite overgrowth, and near the re...

Thanks, both.
Scarodatyl, I looked there before, don't know how I missed it.
Life's never simple though, the email I want to use is 'already in use'. I must have had a different account previously.
May have to find another mail account and resort to Louise's method.
Cheers,
Tim

Is there any way of changing the email address I gave when registering for this forum? I can no longer access that account.
Thanks for any help,
Tim

As others have said, 'floaters' are very common. But you really will get used to them. I didn't notice mine until I upgraded my scope a few years ago, and at first I found it impossible to use 40x objectives or above. Now I rarely notice them at any magnification. Having said that, if you are worrie...

75RR,
I don't have a working camera at the moment but mine are exactly like the one ImperatorRex just posted, same serial number. The one in the first photo you posted looks the same too. Allowing for slight inaccuracy on my part, the measurement looks about the same as well.
Tim

My measurement came out at 34.5mm, but that's with a plastic ruler and very old eyes. I'm sure someone will confirm with more accuracy.
Tim

Hi Jim,
Yes, I can see that photo fine. (Sorry for the late response, I don't seem to have much time to visit the site lately.)
The stage is interesting. Is that the original mechanism from the microscope remounted on a rotating plate? Or does the adapter plate just sit on the stage?
Tim

Hi Jim, I'm afraid I can't help much with the photos, but I know it's possible. Before I did attach photos to a couple of posts and it was very straightforward for small photos, but I don't remember the exact procedure. There's a little image icon at the top of the box where you type your message, a...

Sounds like an interesting collection. (Pictures would be nice though!) Do you find the 20x eyepieces usable? The strongest I use are 16x and I find them very tiring to use even for short periods, always on the verge of 'empty magnification'. It's always a relief to go back to the 10x. But I see you...

Pete - Just re-read your reply (0.025 and not 0.25 as I thought) and, trying to visualize the mechanism, I think probably it is just what I was hoping for. For me, neither the pleochroism checking or other purposes need great accuracy. Used with care, so as to not completely 'lose' the item of inter...

Thanks for the answer Pete.
Yes, maybe good enough for my purpose. Only way to know for sure is to try one I suppose. Even if imperfect, at least it would give me another option.
Cheers,
Tim

I believe both the BH2 and Optiphot allow some degree of rotation of the stage. Does anyone know if this rotation is around the optical axis, as in a petrological microscope, or is it just for convenience of viewing? My intended use would be a rough and ready check for pleochromism, and maybe to var...

Thanks, 75RR
I see. I have a graticule that fits in the tube, so I'll find some way to support it under the diaghragm and see if it focuses ok.
Cheers,Tim

Hi, I have a pair of these eyepieces (Zeiss KPL 10x/20) and I wanted to fit a graticule to one of them. I thought the middle section (with the writing) would simply unscrew from the lower part (23mm tube) but I can't get it to budge. There are 3 grubscrews on the knurled focusing ring at the top, I ...

what I have done is replace 2 of the hex grub screws with two thumbscrews and you have a quick change nosepiece. Thanks Phil, lots of food for thought there. Any idea of the thread size of those screws? I've not had much luck so far replacing AO screws. Please PM me if you'd rather not derail this ...

Nice work, apochronaut!
I often regret the lack of affordable, more 'interesting' lenses coming out of China.
I wonder if the Olympus version would work to any extent on an AO 120 infinity stand (not parfocal of course)?

Tim

Mark,
Don't know if this thread would be any help, if you're still thinking about it:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5907&hilit=industrial+camera

Couple of years ago, lower resolution, but looks a similar type of thing.
(I haven't read the thread btw)
Tim

Just a quick update - Finally got around to spending some time on this, and it turned out to be a very simple thing. The mechanism itself was fine, but the little micrometer indicator at the side of the stage must have been bumped at some time and was contacting the side of the stage at a certain po...

Just a quick update for anyone who has the same problem: In the end I decided to risk using oil. I basically followed apochronaut's method and applied one small drop of oil to top and bottom of collar, and worked it back and forward. Difficult to judge the amount of oil, but using a needle helped ke...

Yes, useful information!
(Very useful considering the price of Nye oil here in the UK)
Tim

Thanks PeteM for the link, and Apochronaut for the detailed reply. Very useful information for me and I'm sure for many others. Good to know that the careful use of oil is not necessarly a bad thing. As my objectives do function, I'm going to try them on the scope and see how I get on with them in a...

Thanks everyone for the thoughts and suggestions. It's good to have somewhere like this to get advice. The consensus seems to be to try gentle heat and avoid the use of oil, particularly WD40, so I'll do that. 75RR, I think my oven may be a bit less clean than yours, it doesn't. look a very objectiv...

Another maintenance question, don't know if anyone can help with this. I have a couple of AO iris diaphragm objectives, 50x and 100x (#1016 and 1014). The collars which open and close the iris move smoothly enough, but the 100x in particular needs a fair bit of force. When I tried it on the scope, I...

Bryan and MicroBob, Thanks for the suggestions. I'm afraid I didn't clean the old lubricants off carefully, so it seems likely that may be the cause or at least a contributing factor. As it had been working fine I assumed a slight adjustment of the pinion would put things right, and I didn't spend a...

Hi to all. I've had a couple of attempts at servicing the stage of my AO 120 to stop it binding. It is usable as it is but every few days it starts to stiffen slightly at certain points in it's travel. Are there any 'magic bullets' to solve this? The mechanism is a fairly straightforward rack and pi...