My Project Zeiss Standard 18(s)

[littlejackal]

I’m developing a bit of an addiction to collecting microscopes. Admittedly a minor addiction compared to some of the impressive collections I read about here, but nonetheless I’ve been starting to really pick out microscopes both for their functionality but also for their aesthetic as “display” pieces. And when it comes to aesthetic I haven’t found anything that looks quite as impressive as a Zeiss Standard setup. Obviously tastes are personal and others can disagree but I find this to be the most visually pleasing microscope I’ve had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.

I’ve been keeping my eye on eBay every now and then and picked up a few “for parts” scopes. I already have a perfectly functional Olympus CH-2 that I can use, so having a long/short term project to put together a working piece of art wasn’t a concern for me. I came up with a shortlist of items I’d need to at least get started, and the beauty of the modular Standard system is that I can just improve as my interests and skills evolve.

The parts scopes I picked up complemented each other very well such that I was able to put together one working scope, and still have a working base for a second project.

Without much further blabbing, here is the first working scope I’ve pieced together. It’s a Standard 18 with a five objective turret, a beamsplitter and two heads.

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It has a swing-out filter holder, as well as a lens which I’m unable to identify a use for — I’ve been managing to use the microscope without adjusting this lens at all but I’m sure I should be doing SOMETHING with it:

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Also of note is (what I presume to be) a teaching beamsplitter. I’ll be damned if I can figure out what any of the levers or knobs on this do. The knob seems to turn maybe one or two degrees before it stops. Nothing in my field of view is affected. The lever doesn’t seem to do anything either. There’s a spot on the other side of the cube which appears to be intended for insertion of a light source, so perhaps the controls do nothing until that is in place. In any event, it hasn’t prevented me from using the beamsplitter. My immediate end goal is to see if I can use this as a makeshift trinocular head. I would be aiming to source a phototube, photo ocular, and an adapter for one of my digital cameras.

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At any rate, this specimen appears to have come from University of Tennessee. Their loss is my gain. The unit works quite a treat, though the coarse adjustment knob does feel quite gummy and will probably need a deep clean and re-lube at some point. It is annoyingly difficult and time consuming to move coarse focus compared to my CH-2 and hopefully a cleaning and lube fixes some of that.

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My immediate problems:

1. I have a 6v 30w light source transformer and its corresponding light source, however the bulb just popped so I am now investigating two different routes:

- Source a bulb. This is a no brainer, just have a spare bulb or two for the next time this happens.
- Investigate a DIY LED adapter. The dimensions of the insertable light source seem fairly easy to duplicate given availability of a small metal lathe. The inserted cylinder is 26mm in diameter, the outer collar can be of any larger size, and it seems that the filament on the bulb was exactly 6cm from where the larger collar ends and the 26mm cylinder begins. Machining this seems like a fairly easy proposition. Take an aluminum bar, machine it down to these dimensions, add two holes for power wire, perhaps add a threaded hole on the outer collar to add a screw for micro-adjustment of LED position and.. that’s it? I’m certain there are things I’m not considering but that’s part of the learning process.

2. The gumminess of the focus knobs. Clean and lube these, I suppose.
3. The stage was also incredibly gummy. I cleaned and lubed this but didn’t have any damping grease at hand. The stage is now FAR too easy to move with ZERO damping. Not at all desirable and I’ll be adding some damping grease to the stage controls once I have sourced some.

Other than that I am in love. This looks the part and works the part and I have so many options for where to take this microscope, assuming I want to upgrade it at all. The astute might notice how incredibly dusty this room is. I’ve yet to figure out a good solution to keep these both visible on display AND dust free. I don’t want to resort to just getting dust covers for the whole thing but I think that is inevitable at this rate.

[littlejackal]

Condenser on the above scope is a 1.3flip-out.

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Also have an 0.9 available in my other project scope. And speaking of which, let me show you the remnants of my scavenging:

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Another Zeiss Standard body. I am under the impression it’s also an 18 however it features the older raised silver logo rather than the printed logo I’m familiar with on the 18. Also has a replaceable turret, this one being four position and currently empty.

It also came with a fluorescence vertical illuminator, however it is devoid of any prisms. The diaphragm is in good working order. My hope was to perhaps use this to put together a crude EPI illuminator for metallurgical viewing of opaque objects but that may be a bridge too far at this moment given the illuminator appears to be incomplete. The stage is very much intact however the specimen holder was scavenged and transplanted to the working scope. Coarse control also feels very gummy so that will need work.

The only filter attachment here appears to be a darkfield filter (?) or perhaps this is something used for polarized observation?

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No sight of any other filters or lenses in the light path.

My goal for this microscope will be to investigate a metallurgical setup if possible, but I’ll be reaching out for advice in a separate thread when it comes time to start that journey

At any rate, that’s my current Zeiss collection. One working (although temporarily not) Standard 18, and one solid foundation for a second scope. I’m sure I’ll be posting a lot about my progress on these and begging opinions and help when I inevitably find the details are going over my head. Looking forward to chatting about these

[MicroBob]

Hi,
nice Standard collection!
I don't know this beam splitter head, but the knob might be to control a pointer. It looks as if it could be turned and moved in at leas ton direction.

These Zeiss Standard RA and 14-18 have probably the most robust focus gear of all microscopes, a brilliant design that works well at the same time. And there is good supply of high level accessories for this model on the used market.

Bob

[viktor j nilsson]

Very nice. You should absolutely be able to turn the fluorescence condenser into a regular epi condenser. I would probably 3D print a holder for a beam splitter cube or plate that fits where the filter slider would go. If you need measurements I could help you with that.

[littlejackal]

Very nice. You should absolutely be able to turn the fluorescence condenser into a regular epi condenser. I would probably 3D print a holder for a beam splitter cube or plate that fits where the filter slider would go. If you need measurements I could help you with that.

Thanks Viktor! I will absolutely take you up on this offer at some point. I’ve got no fear in 3D printing accessories, my bigger concern is just understanding exactly what I’d need to source in terms of splitter cubes. In general I’m going to start a separate thread on this DIY EPI project if I go down that path, and I probably will since metallurgic microscope is just as interesting to me as biologic, if not more — just that one is more easily accessible with the equipment at hand

Hi,
nice Standard collection!
I don't know this beam splitter head, but the knob might be to control a pointer. It looks as if it could be turned and moved in at leas ton direction.

These Zeiss Standard RA and 14-18 have probably the most robust focus gear of all microscopes, a brilliant design that works well at the same time. And there is good supply of high level accessories for this model on the used market.

Bob

I think you’re right — this appears to have been sold as a teaching head so it’s probably exactly for that purpose. The knob doesn’t move much at all so I was a little confused but right now I’ve decided to leave the mystery as is and focus on the other aspects of the build. I did reach out to Zeiss for more information asking for any sort of documentation they may have on the part number. Hopefully they can oblige, but if not I guess I’ll have to crowd source information at some point.

I’m a huge fan of the Standard line and I am so glad I got two good examples, even if I have to piece bits together. These will make great platforms going forward

[MikeBradley]

Thanks for sharing your journey with us Littlejackal, you've built a very nice 'scope there!

Could the spare lens you mention be the Auxiliary Condenser? It's swung into the light path to fully illuminate field when using the lower magnification objectives (10x)?

Michael

[littlejackal]

Any time! I’m always excited to share progress of projects

I’ll have to investigate the effects at lower magnifications once I can source a replacement bulb. Given that the swing out lens holder has adjustment screws, my beginner logic would say that’s an accurate guess.