Levelling My Microscope

[DonSchaeffer]

When observing liquid subjects, I noticed that after a few minutes all the organisms and flotsam starting streaming out of the cover glass. I bought a small circular spirit level and put it on the stage of the microscope. I was able to add shims under the microscope to make it essentially perfectly level. The tilt was very slight, but it makes a huge difference to level it out.

[Hobbyst46]

Could it be that the amount of water in your wet-mount slides is excessive ? it should just fill the space between the two glass surfaces, at minimum thickness.

When the amount of water between the slide and coverslip is just sufficient, the factors that affect motion of the water are mainly evaporation and surface tension. Gravity has little, if any, influence. In old microscopes, the arm was connected to the base by means of a rotation axis, hence the slide could be tilted by many degrees, to serve several purposes. They did not have any attached level (AFAIK).

To inhibit evaporation, the rims of the coverslip can be temporarily sealed with petroleum jelly.

[DonSchaeffer]

Those are things I never thought of. Thanks. I'm going to buy some jelly.

[deBult]

Don,

Please refer to viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9693#p82554 scroll down to the description of the micro aquarium.

[BramHuntingNematodes]

Incredible! I might try that as well.