American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

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dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

#1 Post by dtsh » Thu Dec 22, 2022 2:31 am

There should be no surprise given the title.

I happened to have a spare mirror from an unknown microscope that just barely fits between the feet of the AO10 and since I happen to like mirrors because then I can use any illuminator, such as my AO model 370 (if you happen to have spare filters for one, please drop me a note). I don't have any of the original mirror mounts for the AO10 and after some half-hearted searching I decided I'd just make one.

Here's the mirror, I think it might be from a PZO, but I don't know for sure; it's for an AO10 now. The smaller diameter shaft is 4mm and the larger portion is 8mm and the mount holes provide a nice fit with a comfortable level of drag.
mirror1.jpg
mirror1.jpg (168.83 KiB) Viewed 2238 times
Here's a picture of the mount, not really much to it. I had most of the measurements from my LED conversion already in some CAD models, so it was mostly just a matter of copying the mounting dimensions and gathering a few more measurements.
mirror2.jpg
mirror2.jpg (94.44 KiB) Viewed 2238 times
And here it is mounted in a test scope.
mirror3.jpg
mirror3.jpg (88.64 KiB) Viewed 2238 times
The mirror just barely clears the tabletop when fully vertical (and useless for illumination).

Not exactly difficult, but I haven't posted in a while and thought I'd share something. I didn't bother sharing the model since I don't think it will be especially useful to anyone else, but if someone wants it I can share.
Perhaps after a bit I'll get around to testing it in action, but there's not much to a mirror.

GerryR
Posts: 183
Joined: Sun May 22, 2022 11:44 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

#2 Post by GerryR » Thu Dec 22, 2022 7:17 pm

Very nice!! Are there any other advantages to using a mirror besides illumination flexibility?

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

#3 Post by dtsh » Fri Dec 23, 2022 5:10 pm

GerryR wrote:
Thu Dec 22, 2022 7:17 pm
Very nice!! Are there any other advantages to using a mirror besides illumination flexibility?
I can't think of any myself, but I'm sure someone here likely knows some other benefits.
My motivation was mostly to make it usable as I have more stands than illluminators.

Chas
Posts: 422
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2021 3:11 pm

Re: American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

#4 Post by Chas » Sat Dec 24, 2022 4:53 pm

For me the No.1 benefit is being able to use a portable light source ..any table..anywhere. (Domestic resistance, excepted, of course)
But nearly as nice is the ability to conjure up oblique lighting by twisting the mirror.
(mostly using the curved side of the mirror):
oblique lomo amoeba.jpg
oblique lomo amoeba.jpg (37.84 KiB) Viewed 2122 times
For some reason the extra lens that is attached to, and below, the condenser of Lomo's makes this very smooth and gradual ; a ~20 degree tilt of the mirror to go from smooth oblique from one direction, to its opposite.

Having the mirror mounted very low as in dtsh's setup (or the Lomo) also makes it easy to hold/adjust the mirror using both hands.

apochronaut
Posts: 6271
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: American Optical 10 3D printed mirror mount

#5 Post by apochronaut » Sun Dec 25, 2022 4:22 am

Prior to the recent advent of cheap microscopes with simple understage led light sources, all microscopes except a very few had mirrors. You didn't see them; just the illuminator window and or field diaphragm but the mirror was there.
The mirror allows you to set the illuminator remotely, so alterations to the path, illumination characteristics and field tempering can be accomplished in a devoted space and then be the plane that relays that to the condenser. It doesn't matter whether the mirror is visible or hidden. In fixed systems , the illuminator is built in to a geometry inclusive of the mirror. In a remote system the illuminator is customizable and potentially more versatile.

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