Search found 393 matches

by Sure Squintsalot
Sat Jan 27, 2024 4:52 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Under the 1/24 ice , mesocosm collection.
Replies: 26
Views: 1225

Re: Under the 1/24 ice , mesocosm collection.

It's cool that you have such easy access to a lively source of microbiology!
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Jan 21, 2024 5:05 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil
Replies: 121
Views: 8310

Re: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil

I have never taken apart that unit.....however, see if the lower barrel isn't just a cover and see if it unscrews. It may hide a very small lock screw.
by Sure Squintsalot
Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:52 am
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE game
Replies: 9
Views: 1880

Re: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE game

Hey this is good sport! Thanks for the challenge!
by Sure Squintsalot
Sat Jan 20, 2024 12:20 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Zeiss Cardiodid condenser fails with high NAs - peeling paint ?
Replies: 40
Views: 15259

Re: Zeiss Cardiodid condenser fails with high NAs - peeling paint ?

This is transmitted darkfield. The checkered scale bar is 10µm X 3µm, calculated as a fraction of the field of view, taken with a Zeiss stage micrometer. The dark line separating the striae looks to be about 200nm-300nm. Within each striae is a honeycomb network of puntae(?), of which there appear t...
by Sure Squintsalot
Fri Jan 19, 2024 11:52 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil
Replies: 121
Views: 8310

Re: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil

I have just just completed the dissasembly of an oil soaked 20x Nikon lens. It may have been used in an inverted scope in its previous life. When I got it, the image it produced was atrocious, yet there didn't seem to be anything obviously wrong with it; complete oil saturation and no bubbles looks ...
by Sure Squintsalot
Thu Jan 18, 2024 6:41 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Zeiss Cardiodid condenser fails with high NAs - peeling paint ?
Replies: 40
Views: 15259

Re: Zeiss Cardiodid condenser fails with high NAs - peeling paint ?

It would be interesting to compare our darkfield systems. I've cobbled together a similar system to look at diatoms at high magnification. Using glycerin immersion above and below my slide, at 100x, I can get about 200nm resolution, but only with very specific kinds of diatoms: only the thinnest lay...
by Sure Squintsalot
Wed Jan 17, 2024 7:05 am
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Doing Diatoms - part 2
Replies: 38
Views: 46601

Re: Doing Diatoms - part 2

Printed photos of diatoms do a poor job of conveying their beauty and complexity, unless you have an SEM . After wrestling with the problem of how best to show off these things, I thought it best to arrange within some sort of organic-looking large format framework: Screenshot 2024-01-16 233913.jpg ...
by Sure Squintsalot
Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:13 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Fossil diatom from Oamaru
Replies: 33
Views: 33228

Re: Fossil diatom from Oamaru

Wow! Aren't you lucky! I'll assume that the pumps came with it!

I'd have to throw out both the clothes dryer and washing machine if I'd have any hope at running all of that equipment in my basement.

I bet incidentals add up fast; sputtering sources are no joke!
by Sure Squintsalot
Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:25 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Fossil diatom from Oamaru
Replies: 33
Views: 33228

Re: Fossil diatom from Oamaru

Is that Carl ZEISS EVO LS 10 Lab6 your own or do you have regular access to it?

I've often wondered about a used table-top SEM.... seems that for the cost of a decent modern optical system, you could get lucky with a basic SEM.
by Sure Squintsalot
Mon Jan 15, 2024 9:12 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: A stupid question: any good practice in cover slip cleaning?
Replies: 7
Views: 1197

Re: A stupid question: any good practice in cover slip cleaning?

Dirty Cover slips are my bane. Preliminary cleaning: Wipe with a kleenex and generously applied methanol or isopropyl alcohol Final wet cleaning: Use a lens cloth and optical-grade lens cleaner Final Air cleaning: Blow off the contact surface with canned air before applying to slide. Lens cloth is f...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Jan 07, 2024 2:12 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Advices to improve my pictures
Replies: 11
Views: 7762

Re: Advices to improve my pictures

That Canon 5D is a pretty good camera and will capture almost anything you throw at it. It's useful to judge your images based on what you plan to do with them. It's hard to take lousy images at low magnification for viewing on your phone. On the other hand, a poster-sized print at 300dpi of somethi...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Jan 07, 2024 1:49 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Inverted scope
Replies: 14
Views: 12969

Re: Inverted scope

There's gotta be something to that configuration for Nikon to build their entire super-resolution line around it, in addition to their line-up of conventional inverted scopes . Screenshot 2024-01-06 183033.jpg I've made my own shallow deep-well slides to look at squishy things under my conventional ...
by Sure Squintsalot
Tue Jan 02, 2024 6:31 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Neurotransmitters
Replies: 5
Views: 3749

Re: Neurotransmitters

This post smells like clickbait.

I am NOT clicking a link to an external site, especially not facebook.

Furthermore, it is simply impolite to force a user to leave this site via link, with zero clue regarding the content of the link.
by Sure Squintsalot
Sat Dec 30, 2023 6:14 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Revolving nose piece
Replies: 8
Views: 4350

Re: Revolving nose piece

To clarify: petrographic microscopes have x-y alignment adjusters only for the objectives, critical for precise concerted alignment of rotating stage, Betrand/Amici lens, and z axis of a crystal, commonly used for mineral ID and and limited fabric orientation. Otherwise, conventional viewing allows ...
by Sure Squintsalot
Fri Dec 22, 2023 6:22 am
Forum: About the website, the magazine and this forum
Topic: New trouble uploading images...
Replies: 19
Views: 16162

Re: New trouble uploading images...

"The image file you tried to attach is invalid."

"The image file you tried to attach is invalid."

"The image file you tried to attach is invalid."

"The image file you tried to attach is invalid."
by Sure Squintsalot
Tue Dec 19, 2023 6:09 pm
Forum: Introduce yourself
Topic: Hello From Louisiana
Replies: 1
Views: 2327

Re: Hello From Louisiana

Nick.... Keep your eye out for Online and local goodwill auctions University and college surplus sites cloudy nights website classifieds Craigslist and estate sales I don't have a lot experience with branded starter scopes but I've read of some experiences where cheap units are more frustration than...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 11:43 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Doing Diatoms - part 2
Replies: 38
Views: 46601

Re: Doing Diatoms - part 2

Basic dark field is definitely an awesome technique for plankton and diatoms, especially with low RI media like formalin or methanol. I'm holding off on the DIC until I mount legitimate slides. These, by the way, are all stacked images from about 4-8 photos, heavily cleaned up in photoshop, though n...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 11:05 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Doing Diatoms - part 2
Replies: 38
Views: 46601

Re: Doing Diatoms - part 2

Funny you should mention... Getting plankton samples across borders is certainly not an issue if you're a research institution and have miles of associated paperwork. I had to improvise: Screenshot 2023-12-17 155923.jpg Each little bottle is a concentrated sample of microscopic stuff from several pl...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 10:52 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Doing Diatoms - part 2
Replies: 38
Views: 46601

Re: Doing Diatoms - part 2

Once at sea, I had to bribe a deck hand to get me out on the water in the zodiac while everyone else was under the water. Screenshot 2023-12-17 154304.jpg The trick is playing out the line while keeping tension and making sure the boat travels straight at never more than 1-2 knots. Measuring depth i...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 10:37 pm
Forum: Specimens, samples and slides
Topic: Doing Diatoms - part 2
Replies: 38
Views: 46601

Re: Doing Diatoms - part 2

A recent scuba trip to the Red Sea meant a plankton net upgrade, including a quantitative way to measure net depth when towing. First, a proper net requires shaping, ribs for strength, and endless scouring of the internet for images: Screenshot 2023-12-17 152156.jpg Followed by a lot of frustrating ...
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 10:16 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Loxophyllum ciliate
Replies: 8
Views: 2412

Re: Loxophyllum ciliate

nice..... what's the field of view?


....and some freshwater diatoms too.
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 7:15 pm
Forum: About the website, the magazine and this forum
Topic: New trouble uploading images...
Replies: 19
Views: 16162

Re: New trouble uploading images...

Me too. I guess it was just temporary.
by Sure Squintsalot
Sun Dec 17, 2023 6:06 am
Forum: About the website, the magazine and this forum
Topic: New trouble uploading images...
Replies: 19
Views: 16162

Re: New trouble uploading images...

Well....yeah.

That's from a book.


Mine are all photos.
by Sure Squintsalot
Sat Dec 16, 2023 4:54 pm
Forum: About the website, the magazine and this forum
Topic: New trouble uploading images...
Replies: 19
Views: 16162

Re: New trouble uploading images...

I've tried ALL formats, just to see....

But I only load .jpegs to this site and even the same images I've loaded to other threads on this site won't upload.
by Sure Squintsalot
Fri Dec 15, 2023 11:15 pm
Forum: About the website, the magazine and this forum
Topic: New trouble uploading images...
Replies: 19
Views: 16162

New trouble uploading images...

Nothing's working when trying to upload images within a post. It seems to upload, then I keep getting:

"The image file you tried to attach is invalid."

Anyone else seen or is getting this error?
by Sure Squintsalot
Fri Dec 15, 2023 12:03 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Catenula lemnae from my jar.
Replies: 1
Views: 955

Re: Catenula lemnae from my jar.

Where's it going?

What's it thinking?

Does it dream?

Does it hope?

Does it know of us?



...so many questions.
by Sure Squintsalot
Thu Dec 14, 2023 11:59 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Fossil diatom from Oamaru
Replies: 33
Views: 33228

Re: Fossil diatom from Oamaru

A beer says less than 2 fifty.

I suspect the scale bar wasn't recorded when it was scanned. Aesthetics or something.
by Sure Squintsalot
Thu Dec 14, 2023 7:14 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Fossil diatom from Oamaru
Replies: 33
Views: 33228

Re: Fossil diatom from Oamaru

What is the field of view on these images?
by Sure Squintsalot
Thu Dec 14, 2023 7:06 pm
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: Stages for Stereo microscope
Replies: 4
Views: 2782

Re: Stages for Stereo microscope

I made one for pennies using a doorknob protector and a piece of PVC.




And some double-sided tape.
by Sure Squintsalot
Thu Dec 14, 2023 6:52 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Stage Plate, Frosted or Clear?
Replies: 13
Views: 6803

Re: Stage Plate, Frosted or Clear?

I can't imagine what problem a frosted plate solves that a simple sheet of vellum or parchment paper couldn't solve for far cheaper.

Also, a clear plate underlain with un-illuminated black paper makes nice darkfield stereoscopy possible. Absolutely go with a clear plate.