American Optical Series 10 - $125.00 (Good working order, cosmetic flaws) - [SOLD]
Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2021 1:19 am
It is time for me to start clearing out extra microscopes so I can make room for new ones. This one is an American Optical Series 10, these were a common workhorse in labs in North America for many years. Parts and accessories are readily available (objectives, eyepieces, darkfield condensers, polarizers, dual viewing heads, phase contrast, etc). I have a couple of these, some in better cosmetic shape and some with graduated stages, this one has a name etched into the finish on one of the feet and the paint on the stage is worn from use, but it is otherwise in good cosmetic shape.
The AO Series 10 are infinity microscopes, but an older 34mm design instead of the more common(now) 45mm. The design allows focusing by moving the objecives instead of the stage, a nice side-effect is that it is harder to damage objectives or slides through collision with one another as the objectives will come to rest against the slide instead of being forced into it.
The AO Series 10 supports Modified Koehler Illumination as set at the factory. There is some adjustability to center the illumination with centering screws, it also posesses a field iris.
I've been using this microscope myself for weeks to ensure that it's all in good working condition. Course and fine focus operate smoothly to raise and lower the objective turret and allows fine adjustment (graduated in microns).
Like many older scopes, the head can be rotated 180 degrees and if used reversed it will put the stage controls on the left. Lefty stages exist, but the only one I have is missing the slide holder assembly, so I often use them reversed.
It has a trinocular head which has a 3D printed dust cap for the phototube instead of the original aluminum one (no functional change). Diopter adjustment works smoothly (usually seized with dried grease).
This example has a 4 objective nose. The included objectives are:
4x/0.12NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1017)
10x/0.25NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1019)
40x/0.66NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1023)
100x/1.25NA Achromat (Cat 1079)
As an option I could swap out the 40x Plan Achromat for a 45x/0.66NA Achromat (Cat 1116) as the 45x Achromat provides a greater working distance (0.7 vs 0.5) for those that might need it.
The condenser is a 1.25NA Abbe with a swing out auxiliary lens for use with the 4x objective.
The illuminator is the 1036A (18W tungsten filament I believe), it has adjustments to allow centering for modified Koehler and has a built in neutral density filter to allow reducing the light intensity. Included is the 1051 power supply and 10x eyepieces (Cat 176); it includes everything needed to start viewing.
It's not a perfect instrument, but it is a fair example of an American Optical Series 10 with the minor flaws one would expect from use. Some of the things to consider with an AO10 are that it's an infinity system so you won't be able to mix and match objectives from other manufacturers such as with a 160mm finite system and that the condenser is centered at the factory; that last makes using some patch stops difficult, but doesn't hinder it as a standard brightfield microscope.
If you aren't familiar with the AO Series 10 microscope, check out the manual.
https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... ersion.pdf
Objectives
https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... ctives.htm
The psneely site holds a wealth of information on AO microscopes.
If you have any questions, please ask! I also invite others to kindly provide commentary, advice, and honest criticism of the microscope as I'm more interested in getting it to where it will be appreciated than just getting it gone.
I am asking $125.00 plus shipping.
I have two other examples in better cosmetic shape for which I am asking a little more, PM me if interested.
The AO Series 10 are infinity microscopes, but an older 34mm design instead of the more common(now) 45mm. The design allows focusing by moving the objecives instead of the stage, a nice side-effect is that it is harder to damage objectives or slides through collision with one another as the objectives will come to rest against the slide instead of being forced into it.
The AO Series 10 supports Modified Koehler Illumination as set at the factory. There is some adjustability to center the illumination with centering screws, it also posesses a field iris.
I've been using this microscope myself for weeks to ensure that it's all in good working condition. Course and fine focus operate smoothly to raise and lower the objective turret and allows fine adjustment (graduated in microns).
Like many older scopes, the head can be rotated 180 degrees and if used reversed it will put the stage controls on the left. Lefty stages exist, but the only one I have is missing the slide holder assembly, so I often use them reversed.
It has a trinocular head which has a 3D printed dust cap for the phototube instead of the original aluminum one (no functional change). Diopter adjustment works smoothly (usually seized with dried grease).
This example has a 4 objective nose. The included objectives are:
4x/0.12NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1017)
10x/0.25NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1019)
40x/0.66NA Plan Achromat (Cat 1023)
100x/1.25NA Achromat (Cat 1079)
As an option I could swap out the 40x Plan Achromat for a 45x/0.66NA Achromat (Cat 1116) as the 45x Achromat provides a greater working distance (0.7 vs 0.5) for those that might need it.
The condenser is a 1.25NA Abbe with a swing out auxiliary lens for use with the 4x objective.
The illuminator is the 1036A (18W tungsten filament I believe), it has adjustments to allow centering for modified Koehler and has a built in neutral density filter to allow reducing the light intensity. Included is the 1051 power supply and 10x eyepieces (Cat 176); it includes everything needed to start viewing.
It's not a perfect instrument, but it is a fair example of an American Optical Series 10 with the minor flaws one would expect from use. Some of the things to consider with an AO10 are that it's an infinity system so you won't be able to mix and match objectives from other manufacturers such as with a 160mm finite system and that the condenser is centered at the factory; that last makes using some patch stops difficult, but doesn't hinder it as a standard brightfield microscope.
If you aren't familiar with the AO Series 10 microscope, check out the manual.
https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... ersion.pdf
Objectives
https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... ctives.htm
The psneely site holds a wealth of information on AO microscopes.
If you have any questions, please ask! I also invite others to kindly provide commentary, advice, and honest criticism of the microscope as I'm more interested in getting it to where it will be appreciated than just getting it gone.
I am asking $125.00 plus shipping.
I have two other examples in better cosmetic shape for which I am asking a little more, PM me if interested.