MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Ok fellows, maybe I am just being a dunce here, but I can't seem to make this work. Obviously I can move both ends of the capturing mechanism back and forth, but I can't seem to get it to grip the slide properly. I am beginning to wonder if I have a mismatched set.
Am I missing something?
CE

I don't think the specimen holder is designed for a slide. The geometry of the spring finger is 90 degrees off. I think it is designed for a special configuration, but what I think does not necessarily make it so.

lorez

Looks like it can hold the giant square slides or even a conventional slide 'the other way around' (lengthwise that is) - looks like 'whole plate' holder to me....

Hmm

Mind you - still doesn't look like that would work either - only one side would be held....

You've a fine puzzle here my friend!

Adjust the two knurled set screws and nearby screws of the slide holder, maybe? Or it could be just like what Lorez said.

Thanks for the comments everyone. The knurled set screws just loosen and tighten the two ends of the slide holder allowing them to be adjusted farther apart and / or closer together. The other screws just hold things together. I think that either this is designed for something other than a "standard" slide, as some suggested, or someone assembled this from random parts and didn't notice that the two ends didn't match.
Heck
CE

Try moving the slide holder further apart and use the square area further back? Don't know if you would have better slide support from the right side since it does not have a notched out area for the slide to grip.

It would seem that you have an extra piece below the slide holder pincer that raises it too far, can you remove it and place the pincer directly on the rail as in this image?

Note: The extra piece most likely goes on the other side as an alternative to the one placed there now in order to allow different slide height positioning. (you need to flip it)

Is this what you meant 75? That could work, though the "pincer" wouldn't really be doing anything. Another problem is that the end with the mount and slide for the rail is pinned and the screw hole countersunk for the original configuration. To screw it back together this way I would have to do some machining on it.
Dang it.



Here it is back in the original configuration but with the pincer removed.
CE

No, as in the previous image I posted. There is an extra piece that does not go where it is now.
Place the pincer on its own on the back rail.

Oh! I see what you mean now.
But without that piece there is no way to mount the pincer to the rail. The holes in the gib that fits in the rail do not line up with the holes in the pincer.
CE

The holes in the gib that fits in the rail do not line up with the holes in the pincer.

Pity. Yet now that I look at it again it would seem to need somewhere for the slide to rest on the pincer side...

Yes, I agree. I might be able to fabricate a replacement plate of a size and shape that would work.
CE

Here is a modification I made on a similar stage. This one is from an Orthoplan. The slide holder was salvaged from a generic Chinese microscope and within its limitations it works very well.

In the spirit of Lorez's do-it-yourself photo, I present:



PC board material to the rescue! I put this together during my lunch break. I originally intended it as a mock-up, testing an idea for a "real" one, but this works so well I might just use it as is. I need to trim the length of the support stump to straighten the slide, but otherwise what's not to like?
CE

To preserve the metal bodies of the original carrier, I had been thinking of this and will pass it on anyway.


The claw on this is unusually large and must have been made to grip some larger type of specimen carrier. The right hand( as per the pictures) jaw could be redrilled( two holes)and set back , so that the horizontal slide rest on it is level with the forward horizontal slide rest on the left jaw. This might provide poor geometry for the contact between the claw and the slide. I don't have it in hand, so I can't really determine that but if so, it may work better to set it back even further, to be equal with the middle horizontal slide rest on the left jaw. In both scenarios, it probably makes sense to cut off the overhang at the rear of the right hand jaw and dress it with a fine file and some emery paper.

PC board material to the rescue!

Pretty neat!

If you drop the pincer section towards the rail as in the photo on the left, then there is no need to cut anything.

CE,

My solution was probably easier, but yours is certainly more creative. Way to go !!!

It works well the way it is, I think I'll just use it like this for a while and see how it goes. The extra length of the claw doesn't bother me, no need to trim it. If I end up "fine tuning" it later I might drop the mount back a bit as 75 suggests.
I had thought about re-drilling the right-hand plate as per Apo's suggestion, but this seems to work well enough for now.
Thanks to everyone for the comments and suggestions.
Something interesting about this stage, it has an insert that comes out to open up a large oval opening, take a look:



I wonder what that would be used for?
CE

I also have a stage that has a removable insert (sorry no photo at the moment), not quite sure why it does either.
If anyone knows what the reason or theory behind this is do let us know.
Not losing any sleep over this but it would be interesting to fill that knowledge gap. :)

My (likely wrong) guess is that would allow you to put in a different insert, such as one that blocks light from beneath for reflected top light (that way condenser top lens won't produce reflection).

Hi CE,

I have seen(if memory serves me correctly)a stage like that on a microscope set up to hold large slides for observing geological samples.. The slides were 2x2" or 3x3"...


BillT

Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.
CE