Looking for a NICE dust cover
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Looking for a NICE dust cover
My microscope looks kind of cool and I'd hate to cover it with a "grocery bag" when I'm not using it.
Has anyone made a nice transparent dust cover?
Specifically looking for anything that doesn't turn my unit into an ugly pile of cloudy plastic.
Has anyone made a nice transparent dust cover?
Specifically looking for anything that doesn't turn my unit into an ugly pile of cloudy plastic.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I'm sure we can all relate to your quagmire. Spend hundreds if not thousands for a piece of equipment that you protect with a piece of crud.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
The lack of response to your post from others might indicate the number of viable solutions which have been found. ![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
My wife, the artist, says you need to take your mind off science and put it on art. Your dust covers could become R2D2, Astronauts, flower garden, a set of minions. She says prospects are endless dependant upon your personality.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Yeah, it looks like I'm going to have to come up with something; I just thought there'd be an obvious off-the-shelf solution besides a garbage bag.
Good thing we have some sewing skills in this household. Can you think of any useful features that would be worth having in a dust cover? Disco lighting? Soothing music? Integrated terrarium?
Good thing we have some sewing skills in this household. Can you think of any useful features that would be worth having in a dust cover? Disco lighting? Soothing music? Integrated terrarium?
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Sew a rectandular sack made of thick double-layer cotton. A colorful ornamental heavy upholstry cloth will do just fine. Can be bought by the meter. Make it tall enough to protect the camera (if there is one attached on top) as well. Then place it over the microscope. Not transparent, but it will not catch static charge so wo'nt catch dust. And it is permeable to air, so will not create a sauna around the scope in humid weather.
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
If you want to display it, get some Lexan or Plexiglas and make a display case for it. You could also find an appropriately sized fish tank and set it upside-down over your 'scope on a wooden platform. Just some suggestions.
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I use old pillow cases. Perfectly functional for keeping off dust. Much more durable than the thin plastic covers.
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I have Olympus dust covers and there is a lot less dust on my microscopes since I use these... It's a shame they are a bit ugly greyish white, as BHS is in the living room. Maybe it was white when it was new I don't know, I did wash it thoroughly when I first got it with various products.
Earlier I had one DIY black cloth cover for my GFL it looked better but more dust would enter.
Maybe transparent plexi display case might look great, but a bit impractical as it would need to be huge... Disco lights would make it a house party highlight...
maybe a drawing projector with a wide eyepiece projecting the image on the glass and a disco condenser would do...
Earlier I had one DIY black cloth cover for my GFL it looked better but more dust would enter.
Maybe transparent plexi display case might look great, but a bit impractical as it would need to be huge... Disco lights would make it a house party highlight...
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
Last edited by imkap on Tue Nov 08, 2022 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Although she is not elegant, it is simple to make and convenient to use
If anyone is interested, I can paste the drawing
If anyone is interested, I can paste the drawing
Micrographers from China, thanks to the forum for providing a platform for exchange
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I bought my dust covers off Amazon.com years ago. They are not transparent but semi, and are Leica brand which I do not see on Amazon now.
See you want transparent but I just thought of an easy cover that isn't.
In New Jersey single use plastic bags are not allowed at stores. Shop Rite grocery store sells these bags which are like less than 50 cents and made of a cloth type material similar to Tyvek but actually it is washable cloth. Perfect size also !
See you want transparent but I just thought of an easy cover that isn't.
In New Jersey single use plastic bags are not allowed at stores. Shop Rite grocery store sells these bags which are like less than 50 cents and made of a cloth type material similar to Tyvek but actually it is washable cloth. Perfect size also !
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
There are folks on Etsy who make and sell sewing machine dust covers of all different shapes and sizes, including from clear vinyl. It might be worthwhile contacting a few. If you find a person who does a nice job, let us know!
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
The German https://rotri.de/ makes dust covers to measure. You design them in the tool they have available on their web site, then after a few days you get them by mail.
They are neither transparent nor semi-transparent, but made of a relatively thin, grey non-woven synthetic cloth that seems to be made by pressing together loose fibers under heat. The surface is embossed with a regular dot pattern. The material is perhaps not the most resistant to wear, but it does its job. All seams and edges are sewn. I have at least three for some of my microscopes.
They are neither transparent nor semi-transparent, but made of a relatively thin, grey non-woven synthetic cloth that seems to be made by pressing together loose fibers under heat. The surface is embossed with a regular dot pattern. The material is perhaps not the most resistant to wear, but it does its job. All seams and edges are sewn. I have at least three for some of my microscopes.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I have considered a lighter alternative. Plexiglas (= acrylic) is quite heavy and a bit expensive, but the best DIY stores sell lightweight semi-transparent plastic panels with hollow internal channels (like the hollow-channel plastic roofing for greenhouses, but with smaller channels - the panels I mean are about 3 mm thick). The thing that made me stop these plans was the problem in finding a suitable plastic profile for the corners (to bind together the panels). There should be suitable plastic corner profiles, only I did not find them. Aluminium T-slot profile would work in principle, but is too heavy in practice.
- blekenbleu
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
US$60 for three, $25 for one, 18" W x 20" H, maximum circumference of 32":
![Image](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1265/2247/products/71BkS-CESOL._SL1169_1024x1024.jpg)
https://benzmicroscope.com/products/mic ... yl-bzdc-xl
![Image](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1265/2247/products/71BkS-CESOL._SL1169_1024x1024.jpg)
https://benzmicroscope.com/products/mic ... yl-bzdc-xl
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Finally bit the bullet and decided to make my own custom dust cover. You want to make one too? Here's what I did:
Step 1: Make a 1:1 outline of microscope profile. My optiphot is built like soviet era apartment complex and getting a profile was a little tricky. Some poster board and an extra long pencil fixed that. I threw on all the bell and whistles I owned onto the microscope for a worst case scenario:
Step 2: Draw a cover profile to fit and cut material accordingly. I used 16 guage clear PVC that you can buy at any fabric store; total cost w/ online coupon was about $12. Sure, it was pretty heavy duty but the added stiffness is actually quite nice and won't drape over the scope like a wet dish rag:
Step 3: Clip all of the edges together but DO NOT sew the bias tape and panels in one go. Doing so will cause loud uncontrolled swearing and result in a stern talking-to from the missus.
Step 4: Undo the crap sewing job you just wasted 2 hours on and do this instead (it's tedious but won't risk your relationship a lot): Hand stitch the seams together...yes, that's right. It's a PITA but makes for far easier feeding through the machine when applying the bias tape.
Step 5: Apply the 1/2" folded bias tape with two seams taking special care at corners and edges where 3 panels meet. It's not easy and will test your patience but the results will be worth it:
Step 1: Make a 1:1 outline of microscope profile. My optiphot is built like soviet era apartment complex and getting a profile was a little tricky. Some poster board and an extra long pencil fixed that. I threw on all the bell and whistles I owned onto the microscope for a worst case scenario:
Step 2: Draw a cover profile to fit and cut material accordingly. I used 16 guage clear PVC that you can buy at any fabric store; total cost w/ online coupon was about $12. Sure, it was pretty heavy duty but the added stiffness is actually quite nice and won't drape over the scope like a wet dish rag:
Step 3: Clip all of the edges together but DO NOT sew the bias tape and panels in one go. Doing so will cause loud uncontrolled swearing and result in a stern talking-to from the missus.
Step 4: Undo the crap sewing job you just wasted 2 hours on and do this instead (it's tedious but won't risk your relationship a lot): Hand stitch the seams together...yes, that's right. It's a PITA but makes for far easier feeding through the machine when applying the bias tape.
Step 5: Apply the 1/2" folded bias tape with two seams taking special care at corners and edges where 3 panels meet. It's not easy and will test your patience but the results will be worth it:
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Step 6: Cover your baby and contemplate installing a disco light or maybe a laser light show:
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Step -1, 6mm double sided tape and Bernina 930 with hands free.
For many layers of testy materials the basting stitch is good.
It skips a stitch but walks the material so the flywheel keeps good momentum.
Step -2, Check for ASD,got to love those special interests.
For many layers of testy materials the basting stitch is good.
It skips a stitch but walks the material so the flywheel keeps good momentum.
Step -2, Check for ASD,got to love those special interests.
- blekenbleu
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Filtrete 20x30x1 packages of 4 come wrapped in clear film
which if carefully opened at one end can be repurposed:
which if carefully opened at one end can be repurposed:
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
I'm in Bangkok. I found a place online that makes outdoor covers for grills and furniture, and also had a heavy clear material for taxi seat covers. I had them make me a cover for my scope, and one for my flat top. Total cost about US$12. I had it made with some extra room so that it would slip on and off without catching on anything.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Looks very nice. Could you give a link to the company? If postage to my place would be reasonable I am interested. However, the cover pattern/cutting instructions would be of great help. Could you provide also that?I found a place online that makes outdoor covers for grills and furniture, and also had a heavy clear material for taxi seat covers.
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Here is the website. It's in Thai. I'll ask my staff later for the details on my order, she handled it for me. As for pattern, I just had them make a box shape with draw string at the open-ended bottom. I measured width and depth of my scope and added some so it could cover components alongside.Leitzcycler wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:32 pmLooks very nice. Could you give a link to the company? If postage to my place would be reasonable I am interested. However, the cover pattern/cutting instructions would be of great help. Could you provide also that?I found a place online that makes outdoor covers for grills and furniture, and also had a heavy clear material for taxi seat covers.
https://www.acqthai.com
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Here's another view of it when it first arrived.
Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Hi, sure squints, neat thread you have going, terrific solutions. But I suggest you consider the application and removal of dust covers be part of a process.
Dust cover, plastic cups over eyepieces, and rubber air-puffer. At shut down, air-puff the oculars , air puff the cups, place the cups over oculars, air puff the stage and other surfaces, then place that dust cover over the stand.
Like dennis of NJ , I low cost purchased a variety of dust covers years ago from eBay. You really need to use a rubber air-puffer obsessively..part of aprocess. charlie g
Dust cover, plastic cups over eyepieces, and rubber air-puffer. At shut down, air-puff the oculars , air puff the cups, place the cups over oculars, air puff the stage and other surfaces, then place that dust cover over the stand.
Like dennis of NJ , I low cost purchased a variety of dust covers years ago from eBay. You really need to use a rubber air-puffer obsessively..part of aprocess. charlie g
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Holy cow, that's a screaming deal.macnmotion wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:30 pmI had them make me a cover for my scope, and one for my flat top. Total cost about US$12.
Charlie, you're absolutely right. Someone a while back also mentioned running an air ionizer in a scope room, to knock down airborne particulates, which makes a ton of sense. Ideally, I suppose you'd want a scope cover to act like a mini clean-room. In fact, I know that there are clean-room level static charge films that are used to control dust at chip fabrication facilities. How cool would it be to have a scope cover that attracts dust to its interior surfaces: cover your scope and give it a good jiggle, watch crap flee every surface of the microscope for the inside surface of the cover! Then, hose it out every 6 months.
- iconoclastica
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Re: Looking for a NICE dust cover
Ha! Generations after concrete lice have turned those apartment blocks to dust, your Optiphot will still stand proudly!Sure Squintsalot wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 5:04 amMy optiphot is built like soviet era apartment complex