My Amscope T660

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lagoonatic
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Joined: Wed May 12, 2021 8:03 pm
Location: Florida

My Amscope T660

#1 Post by lagoonatic » Thu May 13, 2021 4:09 pm

My Amscope T660 - I've been very happy with this microscope UNTIL...
20210513_111740.jpg
20210513_111740.jpg (112.42 KiB) Viewed 2888 times
I went to use the darkfield condenser that came with the T660, it doesn't fit. The flange is too big. Uh-oh...and when I checked the phase contrast turret I found it had the same flange as the darkfield - apparently the substage condenser holder is not the one that was supposed to be on a T660 (both the darkfield and turret are the ones for the 660 series). Amscope is working on the problem. Hope they come up with a solution soon as I'm trying to get decent images of cyanobacteria.

PeteM
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Re: My Amscope T660

#2 Post by PeteM » Thu May 13, 2021 5:20 pm

lagoonatic wrote:
Thu May 13, 2021 4:09 pm
. . .- apparently the substage condenser holder is not the one that was supposed to be on a T660 . . .
Maintaining and managing bills of materials often gets lost when dealers (AmScope, Omax, Swift, etc.) buy batches of scopes and parts. As parts get revised or suppliers changed inconsistencies (and wrong parts) creep in. There's little incentive for the factory to make sure everything works with everything else, over many years of production -- the "brand" is whoever gets stenciled on. Sometimes the dealer doesn't take much care. -- especially when a product is considered more as a one-time and eventually disposable purchase than something to be maintained over decades of service.

Managing bills of material over a product's lifecycle is a major undertaking for complex products (thousands to hundreds of thousands of parts on some machinery). It's still an issue for a microscope with a hundred or so parts.

Hope you'll let us know how quickly AmScope resolves this for you. Ideally, they'll have the right parts on hand.

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lagoonatic
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Location: Florida

Re: My Amscope T660

#3 Post by lagoonatic » Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:09 pm

Well, Amscope has not been able to fix the problems. They suggested I try mounting the phase contrast turret from under the holder, securing it with the single thumb screw (ummm, that's not very secure). Had my doubts, but tried it. The turret can just squeeze in with the stage raised completely - but then there is another problem. The phase condenser can only be raised to 30mm from the bottom of the stage - not even close to a working distance. I've sent them pictures with all kinds of angles and measurements. Nearly a month they've been "working on it."

I think I'll just take the turret and the darkfield condenser to my local machine shop and have them make me a correct size dovetail.

Hobbyst46
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Re: My Amscope T660

#4 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:26 pm

In view of this and other issues revealed in newly purchased inexpensive new "consumer" microscopes, I would put forward a warning to all beginners who intend to buy them:

1. Get SOME experience with microscopy before you buy a microscope. In an exhibition, a store, a friend's instrument, anywhere, so you become familiar with at least the basic features.
2. Carefully check the list of parts and accessories that are listed by the seller.
3. Even before the microscope is delivered, have at hand several slides with specimens that are indicators of the microscope's performance.
4. Once the microscope arrives, promptly check each and every part and accessory verify that it works - to be able to promptly return the microscope for any fault.

Greg Howald
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Re: My Amscope T660

#5 Post by Greg Howald » Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:42 pm

I own the B660. The dark field condenser and the phase turret should have an indentation on the outer rim that sets to a pin at the back of the condenser holder to serve as a fulcrum for centering the device. Also you have to back out the condenser holding screw a couple of extra turns to mount it. I hope this helps.
Greg

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