Hello from North Carolina!

What is your microscopy history? What are your interests? What equipment do you use?
Post Reply
Message
Author
gillyj
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:50 am

Hello from North Carolina!

#1 Post by gillyj » Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:52 pm

Hello, My name is Jeff. I’m a newbie to microscopes and microscopy. I recently got into amateur mycology and realized a good quality compound microscope is needed for looking at spores and tissue samples when trying to identifying mushrooms to the species level.

After doing some online research, I decided a used microscope with a trinocular head (I want to take pictures) and viewing magnification of up to 1000x would fit my needs. I went the college surplus route via online auctions. After a few unsuccessful attempts bidding on Nikon and Olympus scopes, I ended up getting a duel head AO One-Ten series Microstar for my first microscope; one head was a trinocular, the other was a binocular. I don’t really need the binocular head or adapter, but now I have a spare head (with eye pieces). The microscope cost me $40, plus an additional $70 for pickup, packing and shipping.

I was a little nervous buying this way because it was an “As Is” purchase, and my decision was based on a few pictures and the description “was working when taken out of service”. However, I think it turned out to be a good deal. Although it didn’t come with a slide holder or 100x oil objective (I’ll look on ebay), everything appears to be intact and working.

To test the microscope, I set it up with the trinocular head. Then I did a mushroom spore print on a glass slide and placed it on the stage without a slide cover (I’m not sure how to create slides correctly). After cleaning the exterior of the eye pieces I was able to view spores going up to 400x pretty clearly. I did notice a lot of dust and a light haze inside the illumination path, so deep cleaning is probably in order; hopefully this is something I can do instead paying to have it serviced.

Now that I have a microscope to work with, I want to learn how to use and maintain it correctly. I also would like to set it up to measure spore size and capture images. It would be great if I could connect it directly to my laptop or phone for viewing, camera control, and storing pictures.

I’m still learning what the different components of a microscope are and what they do. To figure out what was included with my microscope purchase, I downloaded copies of the AO One-ten Sales Catalog, Reference Manual, Parts Manual and Service Manual. Then compared my microscope components to the components listed in the documents and compiled the following list.

My Microscope - AO One-Ten Microstar

Components List
Catalog # - Description/Option:
1111B - Dual Viewing Compact Head
1102 B - Binocular Head (part of 1111B)
1103 T - Trinocular Head
110 - Base Stand with Quintuple nose piece
1130A H In-base transformer and illuminator
1194 - ungraduated mechanical stage

Lenses
1017 - 4x N.A .12 Plan Achromatic
1021 - 10x N.A .25 Plan Achromatic
1022 - 20X N.A 0.5 Plan Achromatic
1023 - 40X N.A 0.60 Plan Achromatic
1016 - 50X N.A .80 Plan Achromatic with iris oil

Eye pieces:
180 - 10X W.F. Americote (for modes with Planachromatic Objectives) - 2 sets

Condenser and mounts:
1087 - Abbe Condenser, N. A. 1.25 for 4x through 100x with 1091
1091 - Auxiliary swing-in condenser X for 1087 and 1201
1092 - Condenser mount for 1087, 1087S, 1099, 1201, and 2110.

Polarizing accessories:
1152 - Analyzer Turret
1153 - Polarizer with Full wave retardation plate (for use with 1130 illuminator)

PeteM
Posts: 2983
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:22 am
Location: N. California

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#2 Post by PeteM » Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:07 pm

Good deal. Good scope. Hope you enjoy it.

User avatar
Rossf
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:39 am
Location: Victoria Australia

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#3 Post by Rossf » Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:06 am

Greetings Jeff-I so relate to the dreaded ”as is” description when considering a microscope purchase..I also study fungi spores (and all soil microbes) in relation to aerated compost tea-a sophisticated form of organic gardening/farming-I find all the different spores to be just as beautiful as diatoms-I get a chuckle when I see a small cilliate has somehow managed to ingest a large spore-sometimes the spore fights back, sprouts hyphae and just turns the table nicely-predator becomes prey-have fun with fungi and your new scope.
Regards ross

WhyMe
Posts: 147
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 10:04 pm
Location: Eastern USA

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#4 Post by WhyMe » Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:35 pm

Welcome to the forum!

charlie g
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:54 pm

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#5 Post by charlie g » Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:34 pm

Hello and welcome to a great community which Oliver Kim has developed. I urge you to obtain a low cost: micrometer measurement slide...and a micrometer reticule eyepiece...many low cost.

You need a Plan achro 100X oil objective to comfortably measure your target spore dimensions...these too are available low cost. In my clutered library I have an issue of: "Mushroom the Journal" which explains the basic microscopy for fungal ID, for spore measurement.


1) Is you scope with objective specs: 160 ? If so I have objectives..very low cost for your scope. You also might consider quality 12X occulars.


2) If you 'PM' me...I have low cost 160 mm TL scope/ trinoc head for your mycology...again , welcome to a terrific forum, Charlie guevara

Dave S
Posts: 280
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 11:06 am
Location: Suffolk, UK
Contact:

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#6 Post by Dave S » Fri Feb 14, 2020 12:51 pm

Hi Jeff, and welcome. :)
Suffolk, UK

gillyj
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2020 2:50 am

Re: Hello from North Carolina!

#7 Post by gillyj » Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:21 pm

charlie g wrote:
Thu Feb 13, 2020 9:34 pm
Hello and welcome to a great community which Oliver Kim has developed. I urge you to obtain a low cost: micrometer measurement slide...and a micrometer reticule eyepiece...many low cost.

You need a Plan achro 100X oil objective to comfortably measure your target spore dimensions...these too are available low cost. In my clutered library I have an issue of: "Mushroom the Journal" which explains the basic microscopy for fungal ID, for spore measurement.


1) Is you scope with objective specs: 160 ? If so I have objectives..very low cost for your scope. You also might consider quality 12X occulars.


2) If you 'PM' me...I have low cost 160 mm TL scope/ trinoc head for your mycology...again , welcome to a terrific forum, Charlie guevara
Hi Charlie g,
I'm new to microscopes and not that familiar with the objective specs other than the magnification and catalog numbers I mentioned. I did a little digging and according to what I saw on this link http://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Pers ... ctives.htm, it does not appear that 160 mm TL is compatible with my scope because it is infinity corrected. However, I do appreciate the offer.

Thanks,

Jeff

Post Reply