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Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:13 am
by Cfloridanus
Hello,

I am a PhD student just starting at the University of Vienna. Born in Mobile Alabama. It has been quite a journey to get here. I got my masters at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln last year. My field of study is geology, but my specialty is calcareous nannoplankton. I like identifying and counting critters at 5-15 microns.

The reason I've searched out this forum: I have just received my research scope for the next three years or so. Its a beat up Leitz Orthoplan. Serial number is 792081, which I think puts it at 1970 date of manufacture. I doubt it has been cleaned or serviced in 40 years. The university of wien has a specialist to look after their microscopes, but he has not been doing the job. They also do not have enough funding to afford a Leitz specialist to come in and service this beast.

It is all down to me. I'm going to be teaching myself how to clean and service this scope. I used an Olympus Bx-51 with a DP71 camera for my masters research. I was spoiled back then and just didn't know it. Now I've got to get this Leitz into decent shape, and I am completely utterly lost. So far out of my depth its not even funny.

The plan is to start a topic under microscopes on this forum and slowly document my experiences with making this scope research ready. I do this for you, and for me. If I screw something up I'll have a written record showing that I tried, (maybe the university won't crucify me if I break it).

I am of course open to any advice, knowledge, insults, data, guides, manuals, or encouragement you all can give me.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:09 am
by 75RR
Hi Cfloridanus, welcome
I have just received my research scope for the next three years or so. Its a beat up Leitz Orthoplan.
Photos please!
It is all down to me. I'm going to be teaching myself how to clean and service this scope.
You might well find that this will turn out to be a rewarding experience.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:53 am
by Hobbyst46
Good luck with your microscope mission and research. I understand you feeling about the microscope, yet the Orthoplan is still a respectable instrument.
Possibly, once you get initial promising results, that are new and interesting at PhD level, it might be easier to apply for a grant for state-of-the-art equipment. It often works like this in academic research. You only need to demonstrate the definite advantage gained by switching to a modern microscope, especially for image analysis. I assume - maybe erroneously - that identification and counting plankton will be much facilitated with software.
What camera will you install on the Orthoplan?
Somewhere in the midpoint of Mariahilfer St, near H&M, there is a friendly hardware store where one can find Wiha screwdrivers and other professional tools. To my dismay, I did not find a 2nd hand microscope store in Vienna...

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:53 pm
by Cfloridanus
Photos please!
As you wish. I'll post more in the coming days as I get this project going.

Also I have been reading Mike Andre's online publication: Leitz Orthoplan, a brief illustrated history. As well as: http://www.leitz-ortholux.de/forum/Bert ... Repair.pdf

Sorry if some of the pictures are disproportionate, I had to resize them on the fly.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:05 pm
by Cfloridanus
Hobbyst46 wrote:Somewhere in the midpoint of Mariahilfer St, near H&M, there is a friendly hardware store where one can find Wiha screwdrivers and other professional tools. To my dismay, I did not find a 2nd hand microscope store in Vienna...
What an incredible world we live in. I went to that store last Friday. Its called Technik Modern. I picked up a rocket compressed air bottle, two sets of precision screwdrivers: one philips and flathead, a dental mirror and dental tweezers, and needle nose pliers. Still looking for an inexpensive telescoping magnet. I then went to Bipa and picked up some cotton q-tips and 5 L of distilled water.

I've got three boxes of Kimtech wipes coming in the mail tomorrow. I'm still trying to figure out the best solvents to use. Either liquid xylene or +90% isopropyl alcohol. Both need to be ordered through our head lab technician.

There is a hobby microscope store in Vienna, called teleskop-austria. They are a Lacerta dealer, and offered to sell me one for 3000 Euros. I did not buy it because A.) don't have 3000 Euros, and B) I'd rather save up and get an Olympus or Zeiss for a personal research scope. And that might be a while down the road.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:29 pm
by 75RR
Was expecting cobwebs! It actually looks in very good condition.

What are the problems that you have identified so far?

The Clean Microscope:
https://microscopy.duke.edu/sites/micro ... scsope.pdf

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:54 pm
by Hobbyst46
Cfloridanus wrote:I'm still trying to figure out the best solvents to use. Either liquid xylene or +90% isopropyl alcohol...
IPA is preferable, IMO, but both may be required, depending on the problem. Also, I would use them VERY sparingly. The microscope looks great! No wonder they did not turn it to Surplus!

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 3:20 pm
by Cfloridanus
Wow! I have been searching for a manual on microscope cleaning/servicing and the best I have come across is a couple of youtube videos! Thank you for that!

I have not been able to do much other than a diagnostic glance over. The eyepieces are the first problem. Both are 10x-m, which is (I think) 30mm. The left eyepiece has a lot of dots (dust). The right eyepiece has lines and dots which could signify scratches. Put them together and you can't see a thing in bright field. Darkfield I can see my nannofossils, but they are extremely blurry. I can't tell if the objective is also dirty.

I have other eyepieces which I plan to try out on Monday. I've got a pair of 12.5x eyepieces, and one 10x. they have been stored in a cardboard box for the last 15 years, and it is covered in dust.

The oil objective is next. I'll detail the specs tomorrow. I doubt it has been cleaned in some time. The immersion oil provided is brown, and has been described as extremely old yet serviceable. I know with time immersion oil changes viscosity and increases its attractiveness to dust and other pariticles.

I have yet to check the lamp housing, but it has a flimsy connection to the transformer and is held on by duct tape.

I know the scope has a FSA-50 nosetube, but I do not know the condition of the control wire of the bertrand lens.

The camera is from a leica. I think I can get it attached, as it currently sits on another Leitz Orthoplan which is set up for catholuminiscence photography.

That's all I have for now. It's heartening to hear that at first glance the scope is in decent condition. The transition from the Olympus to the Leitz was shocking. My first impression was that it was a wreck. I chalk this to my inexperience at working on microscopes. This is a excellent learning experience for me and I am excited to get started.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 3:31 pm
by Hobbyst46
The immersion oil provided is brown,
Fluorescence-free immersion oil from Merck is superb. And colorless of course.
dust
I would start every cleaning with a good blow of air from a rubber hand pump, or clean compressed air, before applying cleaning liquids.

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:45 pm
by admin
Hello Cfloridanus!

I am the administrator of this forum and also want to welcome you personally - because I also studied at the University of Vienna (Microbiology). I now live in Upper Austria and hope that you enjoy your stay here in Austria.

At this point I also want to "advertise" my Youtube Channel, which is about microscopy, of course: www.youtube.com/c/microbehunter

Oliver

Re: Hello, from Vienna, Austria -(Technically Mobile, Alabama USA)

Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2019 10:12 pm
by einman
Wow. I too was waiting to see a crusted over dirty mess. It actually looks to be in very good condition.