3 old microscopes

What equipment do you use? Post pictures and descriptions of your microscope(s) here!
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jicajim
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Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2020 3:07 pm

3 old microscopes

#1 Post by jicajim » Mon Dec 21, 2020 2:18 pm

I have 3 microscopes. An oldish Prior trinocular compound, an old Russian MBC-10 stereo and old damaged student compound that I have modified to take a Teslong branded pencil sized USB digital microscope.
The trinocular has a 2mp USB eyepiece 10x digital camera in the third position. I have recently fitted a ring illuminator to the Russian stereo. To both the stereo and old student microscope I have fitted slide calipers on adaptor plates so that the calipers can be rotated to align slides. The old student had been dropped, both the eyepiece assembly and the turret were broken. I removed both damaged parts and turned up guides for the Teslong digital microscope.
In addition to the microscopes I have a simple home made microtome that can be used with single edged razor blades. The raising screw has a 1mm pitch with a hand wheel that can be rotated in 1/40 of a turn ie giving about 25 micron slices.
To make life a little easier I have converted and old office chair into a moveable microscope table for the Prior and the Russian microscopes.
Because the eyepiece camera on the Prior is 10x I have replaced the 10x eyepieces in the binocular head with 20x. This means that when connecting the eyepiece camera to my computer what I see on the screen is the same as through the eyepieces.

Timor
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Location: Norfolk, UK

Re: 3 old microscopes

#2 Post by Timor » Tue Dec 22, 2020 1:41 pm

Sounds like an interesting collection. (Pictures would be nice though!)
Do you find the 20x eyepieces usable? The strongest I use are 16x and I find them very tiring to use even for short periods, always on the verge of 'empty magnification'. It's always a relief to go back to the 10x.
But I see your point about keeping the same field of view.
Tim

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#3 Post by jicajim » Mon Jan 04, 2021 4:10 pm

Dear Tim,
I find the 20x eyepieces OK but I have changed the 40x object lens with a 2x. The turret has 4 stations so the turret has a 2x, 4x, 10x and a 20x. This is OK for most things that I want to look at.
The microscope that I play with the most is the old student compound that I have fitted the Teslong USB digital camera to. The Teslong has a built in light source but I have cobbled up an external light which I find better, additionally I have found that I can use the condenser and the Teslong works very well with transient light. The focusing of the Teslong is not that good but the fine adjustment on the old frame makes all the difference. I roughly adjust the Teslong and use the fine control to get exact focus.
Regards Jim

jicajim
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Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2020 3:07 pm

Re: 3 old microscopes

#4 Post by jicajim » Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:09 am

Dear Tim,
PS to my previous note. I would love to send you some photos but I am still working out how to get jpeg pics into a format to upload,
Regards, Jim

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#5 Post by jicajim » Fri Jan 08, 2021 12:35 pm

Dear Tm,
I have looked at getting photos up to microbehunter with a view to using Flickr. No way. They want money for it. I presume other platforms also want money.
I can send you a photo or two of my microscope set up by email. If you are interested we can email each other but I would need your email address.
Let me Know.
Regards, Jim

Timor
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Location: Norfolk, UK

Re: 3 old microscopes

#6 Post by Timor » Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:23 am

Hi Jim,
I'm afraid I can't help much with the photos, but I know it's possible. Before I did attach photos to a couple of posts and it was very straightforward for small photos, but I don't remember the exact procedure. There's a little image icon at the top of the box where you type your message, and I think that allows you to insert an image?
And if you want to use a larger image I'm sure there are still hosting sites that don't charge, although I don't have personal experience of them. If you search this site for 'posting images' or something similar I know there have been posts that explain the procedure with more detail than I can provide.
Cheers,
Tim

MicroBob
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#7 Post by MicroBob » Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:31 am

jicajim wrote:
Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:09 am
I am still working out how to get jpeg pics into a format to upload
Hi Jim,
they have have a max. size of 1024 pixels on the long side and no more than 500kB. I use Irfan View to cut and downsize the images, just a few clicks. Then you click on "Attatchments" below and then "Add files".
One problem with external image hosts is that they give up one after the other and the images are lost. Remeber Geocities or the Photobucket photo hijack? This lets the forum posts without images. In many cases these posts will be interesting in the future as others look for the same information.
So in my view for general use the forum image host is best, but for full resolution photos it makes sense to post them additionally somewhere else - best of both worlds is true.

When you have Irfan View installed I could lead you through the process with Teamviewer.

Bob

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Roldorf
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#8 Post by Roldorf » Wed Jan 13, 2021 2:16 pm

Hi Jim try this website for hosting your images https://postimages.org/ it's free and you can create a hi resolution image link that can be pasted into the forum to display the image here. It doesn't affect the allowance that microbhunter gives you.
See this post : viewtopic.php?f=6&t=11616
Don't forget though to save the original images offline, just in case as microbob points out, that these services can sometimes shut down without any warning.
Location: Northern Germany

Unknown Brand: Optika SFX 91: Bresser Science Infinity: Canon 4000d
ImageImage

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#9 Post by jicajim » Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:44 pm

Thank you for your help. I have take a couple of photos of my setup and will do my best to get them on line somehow.
I tried the attachment route below but it tells me the photos are too large. Will try and shrink them.
Regards, Jim

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#10 Post by jicajim » Thu Jan 14, 2021 4:34 pm

Dear Tim and Bob,
Have managed to upload a photo to postimages. The link is https://i.postimg.cc/SRJMHQbq/IMG-2388.jpg
It's a photo of the modified student microscope with the Teslong digital microscope.
If you get this photo OK I will havev a go at getting others of my setup to you.
Jim

Timor
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#11 Post by Timor » Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:33 pm

Hi Jim,
Yes, I can see that photo fine. (Sorry for the late response, I don't seem to have much time to visit the site lately.)
The stage is interesting. Is that the original mechanism from the microscope remounted on a rotating plate? Or does the adapter plate just sit on the stage?
Tim

MicroBob
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#12 Post by MicroBob » Sat Jan 23, 2021 6:41 pm

Hi Jim,
I can see the uploaded image. Nice mofification! Did you make the metal parts yourself?

Bob

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#13 Post by jicajim » Sun Jan 24, 2021 11:54 am

Dear Tim and Bob,
Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
As I said the frame is was a damaged student monocular compound microscope that had been dropped. Both the eyepiece head and the turret were shattered. The eyepiece head screwed in as did the turret. I unscrewed the remains of the 2 pieces and turned up 2 bushes with holes through that would take the teslong camera. The bottom bush I fitted with a 3mm finger screw to secure the camera. All the remaining parts of the microscope were in tact including the condenser. The additional bits that I made from scraps in my workshop. I used a strip of 3mm aluminium to make a holder for a torch to shine onto the mirror / condenser. The rotating addition to the stage is also made from 3mm aluminium. Because it was only 3mm thick I used 2 thicknesses. The original stage has a round hole, the hole is in line with the centre of the vertical head of the microscope’s frame. I used that hole as a locator for a boss in the centre of the 2 aluminium plates. The plates rotates in that hole. To the upper surface of the plates I fitted a cheap slide caliper. There is a hole through the plates so that slides can be illuminated from below. I have step recessed the top plate so that I can drop in filters etc.
I have made a similar arrangement for my old Russian MBC-10 microscope.
You might be able to tell that I have an engineering background and when I retired I fixed myself up with a reasonable workshop for both metal and wood working.
I hope that you can interpret my description.
I will try again to upload some photos.
Best wishes Jim

jicajim
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#14 Post by jicajim » Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:09 pm

PS to above.
There should be a photo on this link. https://postimg.cc/SJrMcK5y
Regards Jim

MicroBob
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Re: 3 old microscopes

#15 Post by MicroBob » Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:25 pm

Hi Jim,
it is very valuable to be able to make repairs and additions for the microscope and surrounding equipment. Cheap new and professional used equipment is often 90% good but needs the last 10% rectified.

Bob

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