Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

Here you can discuss DIY adaptations to the microscope.
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DonSchaeffer
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Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:06 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

#1 Post by DonSchaeffer » Mon Dec 06, 2021 1:19 pm

A below the specimen light source really made my digital microscope much more useful. These inexpensive scopes usually illuminate from above. I did add an additional upper light to increase illumination. But I also now added a below-specimen light. I used a flat led flashlight. I glued a translucent coffee can lid to the LED lights to act as a diffuser and a kind of stage. The result is well lit images for transparent or translucent subjects at about the same magnification as a stereo microscope.
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(sorry for the extra images--I still can't figure out the system)
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Greg Howald
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Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

#2 Post by Greg Howald » Tue Dec 07, 2021 2:35 pm

Very innovative Don. I did similar stuff with mine as well. If your specimen is transparent or translucent polarization also works well.
Greg

DonSchaeffer
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Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:06 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Re: Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

#3 Post by DonSchaeffer » Wed Dec 15, 2021 9:15 pm

I haven't tried polarization. Thanks. What does your set up look like?

Greg Howald
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Re: Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

#4 Post by Greg Howald » Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:08 pm

The base light is a dimmable LED that is 4 inches in diameter. Other than that I have the exact Tomlov scope in your photos. The base lamp is an inch thick, so using pipe fittings screwed into the stem of the scope, I raised the scope one inch to compensate and make the working distance comparable to the original length. It works very well and I am using the scope to create a data base for my rock and mineral collection.
😃 Greg

DonSchaeffer
Posts: 3274
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:06 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Re: Making My Digital Microscope Twice as Ueful

#5 Post by DonSchaeffer » Wed May 11, 2022 3:32 pm

Inspiring!

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