Hallo from Holland - introduction post

[Galf]

Hi all,


As a kid in the '70ties I was given a little toy microscope and a nice booklet. The toy didn't survive that long but the book contained a picture of the then quite luxury and probably fastly expensive Leitz SM-LUX for 'the advanced amateur' and that picture hold on. Then I studied geology and extensively used polarization- and stereoscopes but fate decided I would become something in IT.
Now the fantastic part of the story: a couple of years ago I got the exact old black Leitz SM-POL microscope, up till the serial no. that I used in petrology lab plus a complete Wild M5 stereoscope in exchange for a bottle of whisky. A couple of weeks before we also got a complete Bresser Junior thingy with camera in a plastic case for my son. The seed was planted and I got myself my grail-ish SM-LUX that I still remembered. Of course I could have done better, but this was on my mind.

The Bresser is practically unused and will soon be handed over to the boy. I tried several times to get used to it but it is optically and mechanically no match to either Leitz of which the POL is more than half a century older. Then the gear ended up stowed away and I almost forgot it was there...
Lately, while working half of the time from home I discovered that a microscope next to the pc is an excellent way to relief your eyes by staring into the distance every so many minutes as advised by health instructions for homeworkers. Brilliant match I might say! And while searching for info and parts I end up all the time on this forum so I decided to enlist.

For now, I am more a techy trying to refurbish the gear to the best standards possible and enjoy the view on good already prepared slides or thin-sections. Making my own slides will follow later on I think.

Current setup I'm working on is the SM-LUX which is already pumped a bit with internal LED, bigger Ortholux stage, 402a phaco/dark-field condenser, a simple aftermarket pol-set and an almost complete set of Leitz NPl Phaco objectives (only one missing but hard to find).


Best regards and I hope to contribute to this forum,
Theo

[MichaelG.]

Welcome, Theo !!

MichaelG.

[janvangastel]

Goeiemorgen Theo,

I am also from The netherlands.
Jan.

[Galf]

Hi Jan,

Almost neighbours I see, Almere here...

Grtz,
Theo

[janvangastel]

Yes, that's very close. I am often in Almere-Haven, at Sterrenwacht Almere. For astronomy, one of my other hobby's.