Search found 353 matches

by wporter
Mon Jan 25, 2021 7:00 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Reichert received and a question
Replies: 39
Views: 12264

Re: Reichert received and a question

Haven't been watching the forum much lately so I missed this thread until now. But I've done this repair before and used these bearings from McMaster-Carr: Diastar or Microstar 4 focus cam follower: type R2-5-2Z (also known as R2-5-ZZ or Dynaroll Corp. SR2-5ZZ A5), McM-C stock number 57155K366, 440C...
by wporter
Wed Nov 11, 2020 7:49 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: What is this? Noobs first day!
Replies: 13
Views: 5864

Re: What is this? Noobs first day!

Forum member Apochronaut lives in Canada and may be able to assist you with finding a higher-grade used microscope for a good price.
by wporter
Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:55 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Understanding Microscope Patents
Replies: 60
Views: 17674

Re: Understanding Microscope Patents

Apo (if I can put words in his mouth) was talking about the wide light sources of old-time microscopes that used critical illumination: the sun, a cloud, an oil-lamp flame, or indeed, one of the older filaments seen in some light bulbs from the 50's-60's that were actually strips of tungsten that mi...
by wporter
Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:43 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Understanding Microscope Patents
Replies: 60
Views: 17674

Re: Understanding Microscope Patents

Right, it doesn't make any difference in critical illumination where the field iris is placed, if the illumination after the frosting is collimated. It could be 10 feet away. The frosting is placed as close to the lamp as possible to make it as bright as possible. The iris is after the frosting to c...
by wporter
Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:09 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Understanding Microscope Patents
Replies: 60
Views: 17674

Re: Understanding Microscope Patents

Apo is correct. If you have a frosted glass, you are using 'critical illumination', which is what the 410 uses: the frosted glass, making an evenly-lit field, is right before the field iris which is to be conjugate with the specimen. Look upon the frosted glass as 'the filament' in this kind of syst...
by wporter
Wed Oct 14, 2020 10:04 pm
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: A must have accessory, only 24.95.
Replies: 4
Views: 3057

Re: A must have accessory, only 24.95.

Certainly wins on cuteness...
by wporter
Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:18 pm
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: A must have accessory, only 24.95.
Replies: 4
Views: 3057

Re: A must have accessory, only 24.95.

Good find. Can apparently double as a specimen press, with that flat end. But for protecting objectives, these might have potential: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vortex-Defender-Flip-Cap-Objective-Lens-56-62-66mm-O-56/233350062006 A little large, but one can make an adapter, using, you guessed it, 3D pr...
by wporter
Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:00 am
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: How to prepare and preserve tardigrades on a slide
Replies: 14
Views: 7070

Re: How to prepare and preserve tardigrades on a slide

Our study showed that among the nine mounting methods tested, thermal inactivation of animals at 60 °C for 30 min followed by briefly pressing the coverslip with an entomological pin produced specimens fixed optimally for morphometry and imaging (i.e. maximally stretched and levelled but not deform...
by wporter
Fri Sep 25, 2020 2:56 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Comparative sizes of bacteria and ciliate
Replies: 5
Views: 2490

Re: Comparative sizes of bacteria and ciliate

Bacteria and ciliates both come in a wide-range of sizes. Though the relative sizes in your example may hold up more often than not, some bacteria are larger than some ciliates. Look up the bacteria Thiomargarita namibiensis, which you can see with the naked eye (up to 750 um diameter)!
by wporter
Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:54 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Balplan Phase COntrast Condenser
Replies: 1
Views: 1815

Re: Balplan Phase COntrast Condenser

The condenser in fig 12-1 has a lens below the iris.
by wporter
Sat Aug 08, 2020 11:08 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Illumination without diffusive elements
Replies: 17
Views: 6955

Re: Illumination without diffusive elements

it looks like this diagram is showing four separate illumination sources that can be directed in various combinations into the transmitted/reflected paths? With so-called 'mirror housing 4', yes. I have mirror-housing 2, so am limited to choices involving hbo/xbo (on the right side of the scope) an...
by wporter
Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:56 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Illumination without diffusive elements
Replies: 17
Views: 6955

Re: Illumination without diffusive elements

FWIW, here's a 'sketchy' diagram of the Univar optics, pun intended. The relay system is that horizontal path with the trapezoidal prism that loops up to the left & back.
Univar optics exploded-1024x1024.png
Univar optics exploded-1024x1024.png (231.57 KiB) Viewed 6753 times
by wporter
Wed Jul 08, 2020 2:38 am
Forum: Camera systems and imaging
Topic: Bausch & Lomb Balplan Camera Tube
Replies: 30
Views: 11896

Re: Bausch & Lomb Balplan Camera Tube

Actually, is there a lens on the bottom? No, no lens. It is just an adapter piece, apparently to another (aluminum) adapter that joins it all to the trino head. Then there is yet another adapter that would connect your camera to the top of the focus tube. You will probably never see any of these ad...
by wporter
Tue Jul 07, 2020 6:57 pm
Forum: Camera systems and imaging
Topic: Bausch & Lomb Balplan Camera Tube
Replies: 30
Views: 11896

Re: Bausch & Lomb Balplan Camera Tube

Here is the usual "focusing tube with shutter", 42-12-15, from the Balplan price list. Your shutter assembly has broken free of its mounting place; it is normally glued in via springy mounting pads to isolate the shutter action from affecting the exposure somewhat. The bottom inner tube, seen on the...
by wporter
Thu Jul 02, 2020 10:59 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

OK, mystery solved. 1) The 'epi-nosepiece' I have, with the clear annular ring around the common telescope lens, is indeed for epi-darkfield; i.e., the ring is not for general epi-illumination, but rather only for darkfield illumination. The light does pass down through the BF/DF objectives in the s...
by wporter
Thu Jul 02, 2020 4:43 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

There is confusion on my part as to how or whether epi can work without this epi-style nosepiece, because like you say, the BF/DF objectives are apparently more ubiquitous than that nosepiece, which doesn't seem to be referenced anywhere. So I will run some tests today with those objectives on a nor...
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:11 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.
Replies: 92
Views: 33080

Re: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.

Phil,
Yes, please look it up & post it here. I for one would very much appreciate it (a source for optical grade linear polarizers, since I've replaced several, and Edmund is not cheap.)
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:30 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

More:
IMG_20200701_074559-1024x1024.jpg
IMG_20200701_074559-1024x1024.jpg (121.4 KiB) Viewed 11184 times
IMG_20200701_074548-1024x1024.jpg
IMG_20200701_074548-1024x1024.jpg (132.05 KiB) Viewed 11184 times
IMG_20200701_074615-1024x1024.jpg
IMG_20200701_074615-1024x1024.jpg (93.13 KiB) Viewed 11184 times
IMG_20200701_074710-1024x1024.jpg
IMG_20200701_074710-1024x1024.jpg (186.59 KiB) Viewed 11184 times
IMG_20200701_074738-1024x1024.jpg
IMG_20200701_074738-1024x1024.jpg (176.11 KiB) Viewed 11184 times
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:26 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

Wow, confusion reigns. I'll let you sort it out. Here are pix of my normal 5-hole nosepiece, and the epi 4-hole, plus the objectives, and a thread view of one that's typical with the annular space around the core optics. I find it odd, too, that the manual for incident light makes no mention of this...
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 4:51 am
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter
Replies: 12
Views: 5563

Re: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter

No, it has a big lens on the wider end.
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:55 am
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter
Replies: 12
Views: 5563

Re: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter

Here are two of the B&L photo tubes (relay lens, shutter) mentioned by Apo, along with a 4x5 sheet film cone. This cone is made for the tube on the right. The tube on the left is the more modern one, and is shown with an adapter sleeve for who-knows-what. The more modern tube's small black end is lo...
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:22 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

The BF/DF met objectives also require an epi nosepiece, which has an annulus area surrounding what Phil calls the "common telescope lens" just above the objective(s). The annulus area may be a lens rather than plain glass, it is hard to tell.
by wporter
Wed Jul 01, 2020 1:46 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.
Replies: 92
Views: 33080

Re: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.

The large opening is 25.45mm, the smaller is 21.68mm. The support lips are 0.54mm thick. The IDs are both 19.27mm (inner edge of the lips). The linear pol filter OD from Edmund (#54-926, $37.00) is 24.86mm (nominally 25mm). It's not their best filter, but adequate.
by wporter
Tue Jun 30, 2020 9:25 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.
Replies: 92
Views: 33080

Re: Breaking the baffling B & L Balplan buffalo.

Yes, I have an analyzer slide, 31-57-86, that fits inside the holder-adapter 31-57-92. I got the slide on ebay somewhere, and it came with the pol filter missing (inner opening) but having the clear glass present in the outer opening. I got a replacement pol filter from Edmund (25mm) which drops in ...
by wporter
Tue Jun 30, 2020 8:57 pm
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter
Replies: 12
Views: 5563

Re: B&L Balplan Pol Adapter

OK, here's a big apology to all from me, I screwed up. I ran some more tests this morning on camera attachment methods to the Balplan, and found that shooting through the naked trino opening with a naked camera is not as good (at all) as through the naked eyepiece port using a 23mm eyepiece adapter ...
by wporter
Tue Jun 30, 2020 4:32 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

No. They are Planachromat, BF/DF Met.

I'll upload pix later of the epi lenses.
by wporter
Tue Jun 30, 2020 2:14 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Incident illumination
Replies: 37
Views: 14330

Re: Incident illumination

For a quick trial, try a rattle from an aerosol paint can; here in the U.S., they are often clear marbles of about 1 cm. They do have some bubbles.
by wporter
Sat Jun 27, 2020 4:47 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: What to do about coating damage in Ortholux trinoc head
Replies: 4
Views: 2736

Re: What to do about coating damage in Ortholux trinoc head

Removing a coating would be a difficult proposition, since typically the coating is harder than the glass it covers. Are you sure it's the coating that is causing the dusty-looking background? I have seen a lot of bad coatings and rarely have they caused a real bad effect on the image. It may indeed...
by wporter
Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:54 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Best DIC options?
Replies: 64
Views: 24797

Re: Best DIC options?

PeteM, I compared the Univar epi DIC to that of the Balplan yesterday, putting a slide with one of those tiny IC chips under each microscope, setting up comparable mags, tuning the illuminations, etc, and rolled my wheeled workshop stool back and forth from one scope to the other repeatedly to compa...
by wporter
Fri Jun 26, 2020 8:27 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: B&L Balplan
Replies: 27
Views: 11402

Re: B&K Balplan

I don't. In fact, I don't recommend using that photo adapter for anything. In my limited experience, the adapter picks out a very tiny bit of the center of the field to project onto the camera, and it is very blurry. Possibly it is the wrong adapter or I'm using it wrong. It was in the photo merely ...