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Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:45 pm
by tracar
I never really had the chance to have a good microscope as they were not as plentiful as Say in the USA. So being in canada i often had to wait patiently for the occasional add to pop up on a local buy and sell even at that it got harder and harder to pass up even a cheaper model. Like i said i have patience.. then Bam finally there was my perverbial "Hemimastix kukwesjijk" haha
So short story i bought the axioskop50 . I ordered a set of objectives. And cursed when they got here as i didnt know the difference between RMS and m27... i know now to read more before making a decision... but all was not lost i was handy at making things work . So here is my story and microscope:
It all started with buying the axioskop
- Axioskop50
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It came with the darkfield condensor and 100x iris oil objective
- Condensor
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- 100x iris
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Was so excited to buy a set of objectives that i didnt realize they would not work as intended in the axioskop.
So i thought what the heck. And go for it.
I never did anything like this before but was versed in machining !!
So i took it apart !
- Turret out
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- Threaded ring
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From reading and a bit of info from various ebay sellers giving me pictures and measurements i think i had everything i needed to start the conversion to a proper EPI unit
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 7:51 pm
by tracar
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:00 pm
by tracar
Once the turret was done
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It was time to take the threaded washers to the lathe. And make them M27 .75
First took them to the thread ID needed
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Then threaded in the lathe so they will stay true and centered
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And a little brass blackening.
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View is with the objective screwed in to show the proper light path now made.
Next was to make the slider that contains the elliptical mirror. As i could not find one made for this scope anywhere !!!!
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:20 pm
by tracar
This took a while to figured out and i probably annoyed a few ebay sellers with a lot of questions. Haha
After sourcing the appropriatly suited parts from an olympus DF/BF cube
Knowing the measurement of the elliptical mirror will fit the slider without too much modifications i started pulling the slider apart
- Mirror out and sanded
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At this point all i did was grind the edges down so the mirror would fit the recess of the slider. I used nail polish to secure the mirror.
- Mirror mounted
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Once it was dried i tested it out
Thiis was the outcome
a bright fairly nice ray of sunshine where i did not want it.
- Aborition
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But it looked similar to when my telescope was out of alignment so i knew the mirror must not be centered.
So i broke the grey epoxy loose and adjusted the 4 screws on the slider and centered it.
- Centering the mirrror
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I also had to add a concave lense to the upper light path ( the one that came with the olympus DF/BF Cube. How handy !! )
This changed the upper light path just enough to within the needed angles
The lamp shone in the objectives !! And on to the specimen !!
But it was not a clear image.
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I had to rethink some things.
But after a short examination i found the issue.
I modded the slider with an appropriate sized washer i made from a dvd. And a bit of Black 3.0
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:35 pm
by tracar
The washer was made from a dvd
I tested various sizes.
This worked the best.
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I smashed apart a CPU
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At this point i painted the entire inside of the light path with black 3.0 . Why not....
So aside from a bit of tweaking cleaning and alignment i was glad to have done this modification. Albeit this is not for everyone i was comfortable with taking on this small challenge. And extremely happy with its results.
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:38 pm
by tracar
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 pm
by Hobbyst46
From what I understand, the microscope nosepiece was originally configured to accept RMS thread objectives, yet you bought M27 thread objectives.
Picture "Threaded ring" above looks seems to be: the original objective mounting ring - the dark part, presumably M27, and the shiny brass internal ring - presumably, a standard M27-RMS collar adapter. So enable RMS objectives on the nosepiece.
If so, why machine the nosepiece ? one could just unscrew and remove the M27-RMS collar.
What am I missing here ? please forgive if that was a stupid misunderstanding.
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:51 pm
by tracar
Yes the threaded ring is original and untouched. At this point i could have used an adapter from the RMS to M27
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. But this would not allow the light to travel thru the outer shell of the objective off its internal mirror Reflect off the specimen and travel back thru the center of the objective to the eye.
The turret had the openings . These needed to be made bigger to allow the light to make a larger diameter light path to the objectives.
I had to machine it to use the M27 as it was intended to be used. Reflected light.
Now i know the difference between objective thread sizes.....haha
The above earlier photos do not show any adapters installed with the exception of this single post to show how it would not allow all the light into the objective as intended. And i never knew how EPI objectives were to be used just thought they all did the same thing. Boy was i wrong hahaha
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:19 pm
by tracar
I have learned a lot since starting this adventure into the unknown.
Here are some sample photos of diatoms from my fish tank
This was from before any modifications or cleaning lol.
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Not as clear as i would like them to be. Taken with my cellphone
Im looking into a nice usb camera dedicated to the top port. One day
I have cleaned the lenses since these photos and clarity has improved greatly..
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 2:08 am
by Matador
Awesome post. I too am a proud canadian owner of an axioskop 50. My setup here with plenty of pics:
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... =4&t=12711
I had my farir share of unresolved challenges with adapting this scope.
1) First, I needed an unobtainable part (445265) so I could use my very low power 1.25x Plan-NEOPLUAR objective with full FOV illumination...
I discuss the issue here :
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 16&t=12713
and here:
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 12&t=12715
2) Second, I bought some Zeiss PL 10X/25 mm eyepieces thinking they could replace the 20 mm ones.
But I see some peripheral shadow in one of the occular (left side one). Don't know if it's just that this skop is not meant to work with FN 25 mm eyepieces (prisms in the head too small ??) or if I have some sort of head prism misalignement isssue (I bought the skope used and sliding prism in the trinoc head was knocked off loose durings shipping (no glue holding it to the metal slider)... I had to reglue it in place). So I went back to 20 mm eyepieces with no issues. But I sure hope one day to be able to use my 25 mm eyepieces (spent 800$ on them for the pair) on day if I can find if there is a remaning issue and fix it). Do you know if 25 mm zeiss eyepieces are supposed to work on the Axioskop 50 ?
Awesome post. Great to see how ingenious and creative people can be to use the full potential of these very fine instrument. I just love mine... And use it every single day since I owned it.
Matador
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 2:48 am
by tracar
Matador
I love all the work you have put into yours. I wish i had the things you purchased !!
I too have the 6 objective turret. But purchased a 5 just for this project.
Thats a bummer about the 1.25 . And i dont know about the adapter ring. But have you tried temporarily placing a lense in the swing out to see if it helps? I have to swing down the condenser flippy top on mine to use my 2.5
And i would imagine the 25x being on a smaller optical path would give the shadows when viewed. Like a larger ccd chip in a scope. You did say the prisim was loose at one time. Get it checked out?
Lets swap notes one day !
PM sent
Re: Convert my RMS axioskop50 to an EPI
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:12 pm
by tracar
Hobbyst46 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 pm
From what I understand, the microscope nosepiece was originally configured to accept RMS thread objectives, yet you bought M27 thread objectives.
Picture "Threaded ring" above looks seems to be: the original objective mounting ring - the dark part, presumably M27, and the shiny brass internal ring - presumably, a standard M27-RMS collar adapter. So enable RMS objectives on the nosepiece.
If so, why machine the nosepiece ? one could just unscrew and remove the M27-RMS collar.
What am I missing here ? please forgive if that was a stupid misunderstanding.
I see now what you are referring to. The "threaded ring" is a solid piece of brass with only rms. This had to be machined larger to M27.