Zeiss Standard gets a new home

[gekko]

charlie, I agree with 75RR: excellent progress indeed!

As to your image a little explanation as to what we are looking at would help as would details such as objective used

75RR, it is an image of pineleaf, and the objective used was a 40x .

[75RR]

75RR, it is an image of pineleaf, and the objective used was a 40x ;) .

Impressed by your psychic abilities. How are you with lottery numbers?

[gekko]

75RR, it is an image of pineleaf, and the objective used was a 40x .

Impressed by your psychic abilities. How are you with lottery numbers?

No psychic abilities. Experience, my friend, experience.

[Charles]

75RR, it is an image of pineleaf, and the objective used was a 40x .

Impressed by your psychic abilities. How are you with lottery numbers?

No psychic abilities. Experience, my friend, experience.

It's also easy if you read the fine print.

Charlie, You have it together. Great job! It's usually harder to take pictures with higher mag objectives since the depth of field is so shallow. Try some pictures using your 10X or 16X...What objectives do you have now with your scope?

[gekko]

It's also easy if you read the fine print.

Shucks Charles, you exposed my secret .

[charlie]

Have to admit you lost me on the chop sticks.

Those are part of my Zeiss tool kit. The bamboo skewers function as a spanner wrench to adjust the tension of the condenser assembly.

[charlie]

It's usually harder to take pictures with higher mag objectives since the depth of field is so shallow. Try some pictures using your 10X or 16X...What objectives do you have now with your scope?

2.5, 10, 40, 100 I really want a 63 & a 16. I suspect the camera is no where near correctly set up. I just needed to take a pic!

[75RR]

2.5, 10, 40, 100 I really want a 63 & a 16

My current turret has a 6.3x, 16x, 25x and a 40x, or at least it did.
A 63x would be nice. Be advised though that the working distance of a dry 63x is 0.09mm
In practical terms that means that you can normally switch from 6,3x to 16x to 25x to 40x but probably not to 63x as the working distance is so small.
To use the 63x you need an exceedingly low cover slip, which generally means bleeding the water under it with absorbent paper in order to lower it sufficiently to be able to use the 63x.
Not all subjects under observation can handle this well.

[charlie]

The time, money and aggravation finally got me to my meager goal. After all these weeks, I finally saw living creatures!!
Ya, they are outside the slide well but it still counts!

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nesis1.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nesis2.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nesis3.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nesis4.jpg

[Crater Eddie]

We have you now! You are hooked!
CE

[75RR]

After all these weeks, I finally ...

First off - don't forget the blue filter.

Secondly, you need to work on setting up Köhler correctly.

I think I already linked this. It is an excellent way to learn how to do it.

http://zeiss-campus.magnet.fsu.edu/tuto ... flash.html

Note: In the Zeiss Interactive Tutorial start with Align Filament first, then go to Align Condenser.

When attempting to set up Köhler on your microscope do not forget to swing out (remove from the light path) the low power objective lens that is located under the condenser.

[charlie]

I admit to repeatedly forgetting to set up kohler. (I also forget about the low power lens all the time.)

This filter was in. Is it correct?:
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... filter.jpg


One issue is that the PS is 6 volt. Here is a shot (still no kohler but filter still in) with a wall wart 12V, 1.4A PS.:
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... %2012A.jpg

[75RR]

This filter was in. Is it correct?: http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... filter.jpg

That is not a blue filter, it looks like a Grey Filter

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Business-Indust ... =100&rt=nc

Blue looks ... sort of ... blue
See link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-32mm-blue ... SwVFlUG01i

You should be ok in brightfield up to at least 10x with the 6v Power Supply.

Practice Köhler!

[Charles]

Yes, that is a neutral density filter and not a blue filter. I can send you one.

[75RR]

I would not recommend looking at living creatures until you have the microscope correctly set up.

I would suggest that you buy a Stage Micrometer, you will need one anyway, size does matter in microscopy, they are available on ebay from China and are not too expensive. Use that to practice on.

[charlie]

You got me to revisit the illuminator setup Glen. I forgot that I got stuck and never finished that.

I got past where I was stuck before and think we have found the reason that the centering screws on the illuminator are bent. I am betting the illuminator got wacked hard. Here is an image with the set screw caps off, both set screw springs are completely compressed and both centering screws are completely tightened. I felt no need to bend the centering screws more.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nation.jpg

Also, the screw on the tube is tight now but there is still about 1/16" movement at the back of the illuminator pivoting on set screw #8 in the 60W illuminator pdf.

So, what now?

I would not recommend looking at living creatures until you have the microscope correctly set up.

I would suggest that you buy a Stage Micrometer...

Lighten up, this ain't a job I am being paid for. (I did buy an Amscope stage micrometer.)

[Charles]

You got me to revisit the illuminator setup Glen. I forgot that I got stuck and never finished that.

I got past where I was stuck before and think we have found the reason that the centering screws on the illuminator are bent. I am betting the illuminator got wacked hard. Here is an image with the set screw caps off, both set screw springs are completely compressed and both centering screws are completely tightened. I felt no need to bend the centering screws more.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nation.jpg

Also, the screw on the tube is tight now but there is still about 1/16" movement at the back of the illuminator pivoting on set screw #8 in the 60W illuminator pdf.

So, what now?

I would not recommend looking at living creatures until you have the microscope correctly set up.

I would suggest that you buy a Stage Micrometer...

Lighten up, this ain't a job I am being paid for. (I did buy am Amscope stage micrometer.)

But those little animals might die!

[charlie]

But those little animals might die!

LOL

I maybe wasn't clear; I cannot move the image of the filament any further toward the front of the scope.

[75RR]

Here is an image with the set screw caps off, both set screw springs are completely compressed and both centering screws are completely tightened. I felt no need to bend the centering screws more. :-)

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... nation.jpg

Image is of the filament almost focused, almost square and almost centered. You are almost there!
Do not tighten any more, in fact loosen everything and start from there. Once you get a feel for the direction of movement it should move easily into position.
Previous owner was probably a bit heavy handed. The sort of person that should have been given a brick rather than a microscope.

Also, the screw on the tube is tight now but there is still about 1/16" movement at the back of the illuminator pivoting on set screw #8 in the 60W illuminator pdf.

There are two pins that are held in place by grub screws that together with the Set Screw center the illuminator. It would appear that they need to be adjusted.

Note: Do this first. It is probably why you can not center the filament.

Lighten up, this ain't a job I am being paid for.

:shock:

[charlie]

Here is the latest.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... ation2.jpg

[75RR]

Better. Should be directly under the objective.

[gekko]

I don't quite understand where the image of the filament is focused. Is the condenser removed? The image of the filament should not be visible at the level of the slide with the condenser in place. Apologies if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

[75RR]

I don't quite understand where the image of the filament is focused. Is the condenser removed? The image of the filament should not be visible at the level of the slide with the condenser in place. Apologies if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

At the moment we are trying to center the filament directly under the objective. Once that is done the next step is to use a slide to focus the filament at the Front Focal Plane.
You are correct in saying that the condenser should be removed and a transparent sheet of paper/tracing paper should be placed on top of the stage for this exercise. Image is a little too dark to tell but that should be the case.

Ok, managed to grab and lighten image:

[gekko]

I don't quite understand where the image of the filament is focused. Is the condenser removed? The image of the filament should not be visible at the level of the slide with the condenser in place. Apologies if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

At the moment we are trying to center the filament directly under the objective. Once that is done the next step is to use a slide to focus the filament at the Front Focal Plane.

Thank you!

[75RR]

This is my microscope with the condenser removed and a tracing paper placed over the stage. Notice how the filament is centered on the objective. It is a bit dark, should have turned more lights on.

[charlie]

This is my microscope with the condenser removed and a tracing paper placed over the stage. Notice how the filament is centered on the objective.

Thanks Glen, I was unsure of what it should look like although I suspected it would be as you have shown.

When set screw #8 in the 60W illuminator manual is loosened, a rotation of the illuminator assembly 180 degrees causes the following change.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... or%20A.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... or%20B.jpg

Here are the changes at 90 and 270 degrees.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... or%20C.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... or%20D.jpg

With the 270 degree one, I can get this close but it is still not centered.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... or%20E.jpg

[75RR]

The reason the filament moves in an ellipse as you rotate it rather than around its own axis is because it is not centered.
To center it you need to either screw in or unscrew the pins on the collecting tube - see images for their location and where they are accessed from.
If complete they consist in a grub screw on the outside and the pin further in.

[charlie]

The reason the filament moves in an ellipse as you rotate it rather than around its own axis is because it is not centered.

I was hoping I would finally make my dilemma clear. I was also hoping it was an easy fix. I feared bent stuff.

Thanks Glen. Now I should be able to get that Kohler thing down!

[75RR]

A couple more photos in case you are still having a little trouble.

The first one shows the illuminator joined to the collector tube.
If you remove it from the base it is easier to work on and one can see by eye if it is pretty much centered.



In the second image I have removed the socket wiring cover and unscrewed the threaded flange (first remove the small flat headed grub screw, then place a small screwdriver in each of the holes to give you some leverage)
This will expose the centering workings. You can see how it works and if it does so freely. If the centering screws are too bent to move properly you will need to remove them and straighten them as best you can. Wrapping the thread in leather should protect them from damage.



Note: If you are wondering what the two circular objects to the right of the illuminator are, one is the socket wiring cover, the other is a small roll of scotch tape into which I placed the grub screw so as not to lose it.

[charlie]

Thanks Glen

It looks like we are on the right track since the adjusters are not on the flats.

http://s585.photobucket.com/user/charli ... ort=4&o=20
http://s585.photobucket.com/user/charli ... 2.jpg.html

Not perfect but more like it:

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... /fixed.jpg
http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss29 ... better.jpg