The microscope most in need of competent rescuing. I don't know exactly what it can do, and it is currently in pieces, yet I have a burning desire to get it up and running. I think it will be really a good one for me. Because it is so rare/impossible to find information about and since I am a rookie, I hope someone here recognizes it as a rebranded something else, so I can start to sort it out. I know it's from Japan and I think might be early 60s.
Lest anyone think that this is a joke microscope, perhaps between dental students, take a look at the careful branding, the build and the style. Denticator is a real company, a big one. They produce dental tools and supplies, fancy plastic toothpicks and on up to medicines and beyond. They do not make microscopes, but clearly once did. Would someone kindly give me a real idea about basic useability of this thing?
I got mine in Canada, without any optics and with a stage welded stuck. Here is the link to the four photos I have of it when I bought it: https://imgur.com/a/QU5b8tS.
ONE time I found a post about another one and here is what that ad said:
Denticator Microscope Plak-a-Scope Dental Vintage RARE LAB Estate Item: Denticator Microscope Plak-a-Scope Dental Vintage RARE LAB ITEM w20x-14mm Eye with two Phase 720113. Denticator 4 0.15 13 1/2" ht 5 1/2 wide Has working light. Two optics besides eye Great condition for age feel free to ask questions
Even with the above list, I don't know which to buy, from whom, etc. I am open and would be grateful for some guidance.
This links to pics from today, showing it in pieces https://imgur.com/a/Ug0utr1. It is apart to unstick the stage, clean it up, get it going. The focus mechanism and stage are mangled (came that way) and I would think it needs to be remanufactured at least in part.
Pardon me for bombarding with questions. I hope you like it too, because despite all the flaws I do like it much!
Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
Re: Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
The nosepiece is reminiscent of the first Bausch & Lomb "Galen" - which was built by OLympus and derived from their KHC model. The x-y stage is a standard-for-the time Japanese make - pretty generic. The focus looks familiar - but don't recall from where.
If you want to use it, see if you can get 45mm parfocal objectives in there. Looks like there is room. If not, you'll have to use something like the short barrel Olympus of the time. Some student scopes have slightly smaller diameter eyepieces. Failing that, you might adapt an eyepiece corrected for whatever objectives you settle on - turn down the diameter, adapt a top part, etc. While it's kind of cool, the scope doesn't have a proper condenser, likely not Kohler illumination, just the single tube, etc. Might make a nice travel/field scope if you put a LED lamp down below?
On edit: stumbled across this listing looking for something else. The arm, focus, and nosepiece might have a bit of the same DNA as yours . . . https://www.ebay.com/itm/Home-Science-T ... 000%7C7000
If you want to use it, see if you can get 45mm parfocal objectives in there. Looks like there is room. If not, you'll have to use something like the short barrel Olympus of the time. Some student scopes have slightly smaller diameter eyepieces. Failing that, you might adapt an eyepiece corrected for whatever objectives you settle on - turn down the diameter, adapt a top part, etc. While it's kind of cool, the scope doesn't have a proper condenser, likely not Kohler illumination, just the single tube, etc. Might make a nice travel/field scope if you put a LED lamp down below?
On edit: stumbled across this listing looking for something else. The arm, focus, and nosepiece might have a bit of the same DNA as yours . . . https://www.ebay.com/itm/Home-Science-T ... 000%7C7000
Re: Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
Thank you Pete. I am curious about the diaphragm and all it's mini-options. It's for phase, or? Those pics are in my second link.
I did look at the ebAY link which reminds me of the Amscope M500 series. I have one but not too crazy about it. On Thursday my mom (84 years old) knocked the Amscope off my desk so hard I found the eyepiece in my coffee 10 feet away. Last night I thought to check it out further and the entire tube holding the nosepiece has been rotated a good 80 degrees from front, and doesn't want to go back. It made me laugh, it looks so funny that way - not that there's anything funny about destroying microscopes.
I did look at the ebAY link which reminds me of the Amscope M500 series. I have one but not too crazy about it. On Thursday my mom (84 years old) knocked the Amscope off my desk so hard I found the eyepiece in my coffee 10 feet away. Last night I thought to check it out further and the entire tube holding the nosepiece has been rotated a good 80 degrees from front, and doesn't want to go back. It made me laugh, it looks so funny that way - not that there's anything funny about destroying microscopes.
Re: Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
Also, not sure if this is any kind of clue, but the focus mechanism, the fine focus particularly, wasn't something I'd ever encountered. It was almost web-like, in that it had super tiny strands of - brass, I guess, or something stronger - fine yellow-colored metal threads woven like fabric threads, running here and running there. It had all been snapped by the time I got it, some balled up, jamming things. The little balls felt like wool or cotton. Also, there were a bunch of teensy screws inside the rack, I think as anchor points for the threads. What was unusual to me about them is that the heads were not really screw heads, they were tiny magnets.
Re: Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
The sub-stage diaphragm is a crude (compared to the iris of a condenser) way to block extraneous light from entering an objective. Gives better contrast. Stopped still further down, better depth of field in a trade-off with resolution. Toy scopes have nothing there. This is better than that.
Your scope also looks a bit like a Japan-made B&L academic scope. If the fine focus is trashed, I personally wouldn't spend much time trying to bring this scope back to life. Would keep the x-y stage -might come in handy on another scope.
Your scope also looks a bit like a Japan-made B&L academic scope. If the fine focus is trashed, I personally wouldn't spend much time trying to bring this scope back to life. Would keep the x-y stage -might come in handy on another scope.
Re: Here's another - Denticator Plak-A-Scope
Thanks. I wondered if that wasn't the case. I was hooked on the novelty. Now I can focus on my real microscopes lol.