Search found 101 matches

by Bryan
Fri Feb 16, 2024 7:20 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Dry Mounted Insect
Replies: 6
Views: 894

Re: Dry Mounted Insect

A desiccant would not help, no effect on the lipids; would cause more problems. If the insect is dry when mounted then moisture not a problem, cell is sealed. Another way would be to remove all the lipids before mounting, soaking in acetone (or something similar) for about 24 hrs would work. Aceton...
by Bryan
Fri Feb 16, 2024 6:04 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Dry Mounted Insect
Replies: 6
Views: 894

Re: Dry Mounted Insect

Excellent. Just one suggestion. Over time the oils/fats in the wasp will vaporize and condense on to the cover slip; a slow process but you would likely start seeing it on the coverslip within a year; it gets worse! The solution is to mount the coverslip with a water-soluble glue so that when it ge...
by Bryan
Fri Feb 16, 2024 5:58 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Dry Mounted Insect
Replies: 6
Views: 894

Re: Dry Mounted Insect

Hi Bryan, It is some type of wasp. Peter. Thanks Peter! I did a little more research and I think it may be a Scambus Wasp, a type of parasitic wasp. I did find an obscure article that lists them as native to the Pacific Northwest, but they do not seem to be common here. It's very hard to find any o...
by Bryan
Fri Feb 16, 2024 2:49 am
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Dry Mounted Insect
Replies: 6
Views: 894

Dry Mounted Insect

I've been toying with this idea for a "permanent" dry mount for a while. I'm not really sure how permanent this one will be, I didn't do any preparation on it besides the fact that it was trapped in my wood burning stove and had dried out on its own. I guess time will tell. I didn't use my stove thi...
by Bryan
Thu Aug 03, 2023 3:15 am
Forum: Identification help
Topic: Microbial Mat?
Replies: 1
Views: 745

Re: Microbial Mat?

This is an interesting article on the stresses that may be causing the striped pattern in my sample. The pool is a harsh environment with flowing water.

https://engineering.princeton.edu/news ... g-patterns
by Bryan
Sun Jul 30, 2023 10:58 pm
Forum: Identification help
Topic: Microbial Mat?
Replies: 1
Views: 745

Microbial Mat?

I collected this sample from our swimming pool. It's a film or microbial mat that seems to just be growing on certain surfaces like around the edges where the intake and jets are mounted. Maybe it likes the gasket material. The chemistry in the pool is good, we just had it checked, so it's not a ces...
by Bryan
Fri Apr 29, 2022 7:05 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Macro photography
Replies: 41
Views: 6867

Re: Macro photography

Nice job Frank! I also enjoy macro photography. Most of what I do is shot on film using extension tubes or lens adapters. I have a Helios 44-2 in M42 mount that I enjoy using. They are very popular for their bokeh. This is about as close as I've gotten with it not using extension tubes. https://live...
by Bryan
Fri Apr 29, 2022 6:53 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Giant trees - tiny blossoms
Replies: 7
Views: 1767

Re: Giant trees - tiny blossoms

Great work on those sections, I need to start learning how to do that. I live in the Pacific Northwest, near Seattle but I was just down in the Redwoods of California a few weeks ago, it's always impressive. There is a very large Sequoia in my neighborhood, I'm not sure how it got there, they are no...
by Bryan
Mon Feb 01, 2021 5:07 am
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Clear nail polish
Replies: 31
Views: 12720

Re: Clear nail polish

I’ve been using the synthetic Canada Balsam but it seem to dry out in the bottle before I can use it all. Does anyone add more Xylene to get it to a workable viscosity? If so how much would I need to add? I realize that depends on how much I have and how dry it is so maybe I should just add a few dr...
by Bryan
Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:40 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Bent centering screw
Replies: 13
Views: 4333

Re: Bent centering screw

I used the wood block in a vise method that BramHuntingNematodes recommended and it's now centered! I only had to straighten the one with reverse threads to get it centered. It still binds a little but since I got it where I want it I'm going to leave well enough alone before I break something. Than...
by Bryan
Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:26 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Bent centering screw
Replies: 13
Views: 4333

Re: Bent centering screw

I have a large metal vise, nothing soft about it but I can try that with some wood blocks.
by Bryan
Tue Dec 29, 2020 4:54 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Bent centering screw
Replies: 13
Views: 4333

Bent centering screw

I recently picked up a Leitz rotating stage that works well with my SM microscope. Everything functions great except the centering screws are both slightly bent. They only go in to a point where they bind up. One screw is normal thread the other has reverse threads, both have a ball bearing in the t...
by Bryan
Sun Dec 20, 2020 1:01 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Leitz SM Medical Microscope
Replies: 31
Views: 21612

Re: Leitz SM Medical Microscope

It’s too short to be those, definitely an SM based on the height of the body.
by Bryan
Fri Dec 18, 2020 3:10 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Leitz SM Medical Microscope
Replies: 31
Views: 21612

Re: Leitz SM Medical Microscope

Great looking scope But why do you think it is a SM-M? There is a pdf on the web that has, on the last page, what looks like a Leitz document showing the black microscope series and years they were made or available. It seems all the scopes in the SM section show the front surface of the focusing b...
by Bryan
Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:55 pm
Forum: Home-made microscope adaptations
Topic: Wood Microscope storage box plans/ideas
Replies: 4
Views: 3266

Re: Wood Microscope storage box plans/ideas

I have a nice wood box that my Leitz SM microscope came in. It's fitted to hold the microscope securely so it's not bouncing around in the box. It also has holes for extra eyepieces and objectives and a storage compartment for other stuff. It's the box that the microscope came in when it was new. A ...
by Bryan
Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:22 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.
Replies: 5
Views: 2862

Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

I went through the same confusion when I was looking for a trinocular head for my Leitz SM medical microscope. Everything worked out well for me, maybe the thread below will have some helpful information. http://www.microbehunter.com/microscopy-forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6453&p=58899&hilit=leitz+tri...
by Bryan
Fri Jun 12, 2020 3:47 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Where did the bubbles go?
Replies: 4
Views: 2939

Re: Where did the bubbles go?

DonSchaeffer wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 8:45 pm
Hmm! Lovely slide.
Thanks Don, I'm having fun learning this process, the bugs around my house aren't enjoying it much though.
by Bryan
Thu Jun 11, 2020 4:09 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Where did the bubbles go?
Replies: 4
Views: 2939

Re: Where did the bubbles go?

Not sure why the first picture is getting flipped around above they are all the same direction on my computer. Here are the last two.
IMG_6834s.jpg
IMG_6834s.jpg (68.66 KiB) Viewed 2938 times
IMG_6835s.jpg
IMG_6835s.jpg (81.82 KiB) Viewed 2938 times
by Bryan
Thu Jun 11, 2020 4:07 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Where did the bubbles go?
Replies: 4
Views: 2939

Where did the bubbles go?

I recently made a microscope slide of a macerated insect in a deep well slide. I was kind of upset at the bubbles but set it aside to dry. It takes a while for these dry, if they ever fully dry. When I came back to it the bubbles were gone. On the next slide I made sure enough there were bubbles aga...
by Bryan
Sat May 16, 2020 8:10 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bugs on film
Replies: 6
Views: 2648

Re: Bugs on film

Like the look of your Leica III and the focusing on the Focaslide is pretty nifty. I will probably end up with something like your setup on the Leitz SM with the 4x5 camera if the vibrations from my Olympus E-P2 (as I expect they will) prove troublesome when I try Direct Projection. The way I avoid...
by Bryan
Sat May 16, 2020 7:09 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bugs on film
Replies: 6
Views: 2648

Re: Bugs on film

This is the 4X5 camera atached to the top of my Leitz SM microscope.
P6161182+.JPG
P6161182+.JPG (76.13 KiB) Viewed 2639 times
by Bryan
Sat May 16, 2020 6:59 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bugs on film
Replies: 6
Views: 2648

Re: Bugs on film

These slide mounts are too large to fit the whole insect into the field of view, even with my stereo scope. I shot these on 35mm black and white film using a Leica III rangefinder camera attached to a Leitz Focaslide, extension tubes and a Leitz Elmar 50mm lens. The Focaslide has a ground glass for ...
by Bryan
Sat May 16, 2020 6:29 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bugs on film
Replies: 6
Views: 2648

Bugs on film

For the shot below I modified a lens board on a 4X5 press camera to adapt to my Leitz MIKAS microscope adapter. The MIKAS is designed to adapt a Leica 35mm rangefinder camera to a microscope but it’s easy to make modifications for just about any camera including digital. With the bellows on the pres...
by Bryan
Wed Apr 29, 2020 3:54 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers
Replies: 65
Views: 35886

Re: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers

apochronaut wrote:
Tue Apr 28, 2020 1:37 pm
Here are some photos, as well.
Thanks for getting back to me on that, I’m watching a few on the evil auction site.
by Bryan
Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:37 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Olympus VT-II Stereo Microscope
Replies: 7
Views: 8086

Re: Olympus VT-II Stereo Microscope

Dear Brian, I would ask you for a favour: Would you please measure the internal part of the ring that holds the main part of the microscope. I need this piece and I have seen I can get it at Internet, but I don't know it fits in my microscope. If you can provide a photo with a metre will be much ap...
by Bryan
Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:47 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers
Replies: 65
Views: 35886

Re: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers

I'm not exactly sure of the era of the objectives, probably from about the first W.W. to the early 50's but the design is a split shroud, with a lens section below a knurled ring and a blank section with rear baffle only above it. You unthread the baffle section and replace it with the iris as an a...
by Bryan
Fri Apr 24, 2020 12:11 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers
Replies: 65
Views: 35886

Re: Dark field illumination: Questions and answers

I'm bringing back this old thread because I just obtained a Leitz Immersion dark field condenser the same as one mentioned earlier in this thread. It came with the iris adapter pictured below and mentioned on the last page of the linked instructions. What I don't have is the objective head to attach...
by Bryan
Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:59 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: reflected light silicon chip die
Replies: 39
Views: 22181

Re: reflected light silicon chip die

I have some chips similar in size that I mounted to slides without a cover glass. I find it difficult to photograph them because of the clear coating. Jb89, do you have any techniques you can share? Could you post some of your pictures? This is one I just took with my phone held to the eyepiece on ...
by Bryan
Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:37 am
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: reflected light silicon chip die
Replies: 39
Views: 22181

Re: reflected light silicon chip die

I have some chips similar in size that I mounted to slides without a cover glass. I find it difficult to photograph them because of the clear coating. Jb89, do you have any techniques you can share?
by Bryan
Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:17 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Leitz binocular head teardown
Replies: 9
Views: 5720

Re: Leitz binocular head teardown

A half and half mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia will dissolve lens mold. Do this in a well ventilated area. If the mold etched the glass you will still have the etch but sometimes you luck out ant it all goes away. If it’s between cemented elements then you’re out of luck.