Zeiss Standard 18 Project build

[75RR]

Just a heads up to forum members

Item has nothing to do with me - just came across it while trolling ebay

Good start to a project build, item is a Zeiss Standard 18. Next best thing to the Zeiss Standard WL

It is missing a head, nosepiece, objectives, condenser and power supply ... that's why it is a project. :)

If I lived in the USA and did not already have a WL I would go for it. Rotary stage alone is worth $100+

Lifetime quality modular 160 tube finite microscope from one of the big 4

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Standard- ... SwImRYXM46

See article to get an idea of the costs: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... iss-WL.pdf

[75RR]

Update: someone has given themselves a Xmas present ...



If it was a forum member that purchased it do give us progress reports on the build.

[Charles]

Actually it was relisted for some reason:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/142224655147?ul_noapp=true
I've been keeping an eye on it.

It is a nice start for rebuild project for someone. The rotating stage alone is worth the $150.

[75RR]

Hi Charles
Thanks for the heads-up.
Glad you are giving someone else a chance to own a Zeiss Standard :)

It is a nice start for rebuild project for someone. The rotating stage alone is worth the $150.

Agree, I would not risk an offer - I would just grab it!

[Crater Eddie]

Dang! Very tempting.
CE

[PeteM]

My limited experience in buying about 20 microscopes for a kids' science program is that it is often better to buy something relatively complete, even if the price seems just so-so. Most of the dozen or so folks regularly parting out microscopes on Ebay think very dearly of their bits -- with a condenser, trinocular head, or a decent lens often in the $100++ range each.

Pretty easy to find a "bargain" name brand stand for $150 then spend $275 on four or five objectives, $100 on oculars, $125 on a condenser, $150 on a trinocular head, $75 for the missing illuminator bits and still want various phase, polarizing, epi, etc. accessories. Before you know it, the $150 bargain is $1000 . . . and that doesn't even count the hassle of buying items wrongly described. As 75RR noted -- it took some patience and $1500 to get his ideal scope in the article referenced.

It's like buying a decent lathe -- the bits can easily cost 2-3x the bare item and the best bargain may be a fairly complete unit to begin. Just my 2 cents (actually a lot more, so far in the kids' microscopy program).

I've been occasionally happy to see things like a cheap Boreal trinocular microscope having a head that's a perfect swap (as in looking to be made in the same factory) as an Olympus. The whole scope was less than an Olympus trinocular head. The other exception, for our program, has been scopes missing their power supplies and illuminators -- a LED replacement is often easy.

[75RR]

... it is often better to buy something relatively complete, even if the price seems just so-so.

That is particularly true if one is even a little impatient, keeping a build economical requires both time and patience.