What is it?

What equipment do you use? Post pictures and descriptions of your microscope(s) here!
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LakeMendota
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2022 7:59 pm

What is it?

#1 Post by LakeMendota » Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:09 pm

Hi!

Does anyone know what model this is? It’s a Zeiss zoom, 10x-40x. I have a maintenance question too: over time the course focusing knob and the zoom have gotten harder to adjust. How do I fix that?

Thanks!!
AE8454D0-5D58-43A5-A1DF-D397F668E2EA.jpeg
AE8454D0-5D58-43A5-A1DF-D397F668E2EA.jpeg (293.85 KiB) Viewed 1946 times

Scarodactyl
Posts: 2760
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:09 pm

Re: What is it?

#2 Post by Scarodactyl » Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:11 pm

Looks much like a Zeiss opmi.

enricosavazzi
Posts: 21
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 11:50 am

Re: What is it?

#3 Post by enricosavazzi » Wed May 11, 2022 7:12 am

It seems to be a Zeiss Stereomicroscope III.

I have a page on this model on my site (note that it is the second picture from the top, not the first): http://www.savazzi.net/photography/zeis ... mic_3.html

rempeljody
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 2:27 am

Re: What is it?

#4 Post by rempeljody » Thu Jun 02, 2022 2:31 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Thu Apr 14, 2022 8:11 pm
Looks much like a Zeiss opmikrunker
I also think so.

Greg Howald
Posts: 1183
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: What is it?

#5 Post by Greg Howald » Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:03 am

That be zeiss. With very little effort it will deliver remarkable performance

apochronaut
Posts: 6233
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: What is it?

#6 Post by apochronaut » Thu Jun 02, 2022 12:03 pm

Hardening caused by slowly evaporating solvent in the grease is most likely your focusing and zooming problem. The best solution is a complete breakdown of the mechanisms, thorough removal of the old grease and relubrication.
This often being impractical for the user or also sometimes very expensive if professionally done on the zoom mechanism, sometimes a workaround , by judisciously inserting a small amount of machine oil at critical points can restore performance. I would leave that until more information, such as a schematic or advice from someone familiar with the mechanism comes along.

The focusing track is less problematical because the relavent parts are more easily accessed for cleaning and lubricating and there is no chance of contaminating the optics with misplaced lubricant. There are 3 key contact points in the mechanism and each or all can have waxed grease. 1) The rack and pinion gearset. 2) The dovetail guide 3) The gearshaft and bushing. You will need some light machine oil and some damping grease.
Number 3 is often overlooked and if the shaft is lengthy, can cause significant friction. I would start there. If you can wind the microscope to the top and lift it off the track you can then turn the focuser to see if it is excessively stiff. If it is still, turning the microscope on it's side let a drop of machine oil into the space between the shaft and casting adjacent to the upper focusing knob and as well between the shaft and casting adjacent to the bottom end of the pinion gear. Work the focusing knob back and forth about 25 times to work the oil in with gravity. Turn the microscope over and repeat. This should remove the tightness some. If not enough, try just another drop of oil at each area near to the knobs. If you haven't the damping grease, then if this has freed up the shaft, then replace the microscope on the track. If you have the grease, then proceed below.

Since you now have the gears and track exposed as well, you can regrease those, with a correct grease. Using a toothpick, place a smear of grease on the dovetail guide from the top, down about 4 cm. or so and on the track about the same. Relocate the microscope and run it up and down the track a few times.

Gear location. It is always best to refit gears to the same location as they were. If you can mark the focusing knob location to fit the pinion back on the track the same way, by all means do so but in most cases if not any difference will be slight, if any.

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