Fun With Micromanipulation

[KurtM]

As I'm (finally) learning how to handle diatom frustules on a one-by-one basis, I thought I'd share a few pics just for the fun of it. Charles' recent successes in micromanipulation, which proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back in my own procrastinating ways, are even more remarkable now that I'm fairly in the business. In a word, he makes it look easy - which means the man's a wizard. I feel like a bumbling fool, and have to keep reminding myself that this is only my second day!

Anyway, I took a few pictures along the way of today's adventures, and here they are.

Image 1: The basic set up. There's a 2"x3" slide in the slide carrier, and two standard slides on top of it (since the carrier can't handle two 1"x3" slides). One slide has the strew, the other is for the culled diatoms. The circles were drawn in Sharpie on the back of the slide using the homemade slide ringing table. The DIY micromanipulator is detailed here: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4800
Image 2: The pulled glass needle approaches the jumble of cleaned diatoms as I pick and choose which I want.
Image 3: Here are some Cymatopleura I've singled out and transferred.
Image 4: How they look through the microscope's 4x objective.
Image 5: And through the 16x/.35 objective on the Zeiss WL with DIC.

[zzffnn]

Great start, Kurt!
I like your sandwich slide idea.

[kit1980]

Interesting! Maybe I'll try it some day, not sure I have the patience needed...

Do you use a stereo microscope also for this, or only the biological one? It should be hard to manipulate looking in the biological one because of mirrored image, no?

[KurtM]

I urge you to read through this thread: viewtopic.php?f=12&t=4800 .

I have a nice selection of different style microscopes ... to choose from, and each of them has been duly considered. For reasons of my own I have chosen to start with my much-loved AO 120. I am not dogmatic, however, and equipment is very much subject to change should I think it advantageous.

...I have only begun to begin!

As the manipulator only moves up and down, mirror image is not a problem when picking up or setting frustules. Manipulating a mechanical stage correctly despite reversed eyepiece view should be second nature to anyone who has been using compound microscopes (and astronomical telescopes) for as long as I have (since 1980's).

Sufficient desire to accomplish a goal obviates impatience for the work required. It's how humans learn to play pianos.

[Charles]

Great! Nice start Kurt! It gets easier with practice.

Is that adhesive on your 'culled' slide?

Kudos to you being able to use a regular microscope. I had great difficulty with the mirrored image of regular microscope views. That's why I after trying for about a month, I turned to the inverted and finally settled on using the stereo scope. This way I don't need think so much!

[KurtM]

> It gets easier with practice.
Yes, I can already see that. All I got to say is - whew! (But seriously, sports fans: most things get easier with practice.)

> Is that adhesive on your 'culled' slide?
Yep. I placed a dozen Gyrosigma on the first circle on the slide, to the left in the pictures, but too much adhesive has 'em gobbed up and looking ugly. Not having that trouble with my little gang of Cymatopleura, but still the adhesive looks funky. This being only my second ever attempt, however, I'm hardly ready to throw in any towels just yet. Still lots to try ... and I have one more circle to play in on this slide.

> Kudos to you being able to use a regular microscope.
Maybe my "special talent" is that I'm dyslexic.

[rnabholz]

Hey, now that's pretty darn cool.

So how long until I can get one of those big snowflake arrangements?

Great inventiveness and progress. Congrats

Rod

[KurtM]

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.