Buying a microscope in EU

Do you have any microscopy questions, which you are afraid to ask? This is your place.
Message
Author
Alexander
Posts: 402
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:10 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#31 Post by Alexander » Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:39 am

Petrol and Ethanol are good to remove old grease. Test before use if it damages any paintings. The lubricant used must match the function of the part lubricated. If you use some light oil to lubricate the condenser holder for example, the condenser will not hold its place but move slowly downward. Same for the stage. Viscosity of the lubricant is a very important attribute.

User avatar
imkap
Posts: 750
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:44 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#32 Post by imkap » Mon Dec 06, 2021 12:09 am

It's going very well so far... I've cleaned both iris, the one on the condenser I didn't disassemble, just used wd-40 contact cleaner and it magically started working, so cleaned up all the grease and left it unlubricated, it works great. The other one I have disassembled following the instructions on the other forum, cleaned and lubed everything. Thanks @ImperatorRex.

I have also cleaned up the nosepiece following the instructions by Hobbyst46. It is soo much easier to work when you know what to expect. Thanks again...

I still have to clean up the binocular eyepiece mechanism and will not be completely disassembling the focusing mechanism or the stage. They work well now so it would be a shame to ruin. I'm thinking about putting some machine oil to rejuvenate the old grease a bit and I suppose it should work perfectly after that.

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#33 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:40 pm

imkap wrote:
Mon Dec 06, 2021 12:09 am
I still have to clean up the binocular eyepiece mechanism and will not be completely disassembling the focusing mechanism or the stage. They work well now so it would be a shame to ruin. I'm thinking about putting some machine oil to rejuvenate the old grease a bit and I suppose it should work perfectly after that.
Congratulations on achievements.
The field iris aperture leaves, like those of the condenser, are better left dry. Totally dry.
The focusing mechanism is over-engineered, delicate, and hard to find as spare part.
The stage is a lot easier to maintain. I followed MicroBob's advise: grease (I used Nye damping but a white lithium grease would also be OK) on the racks.
Machine oil on the Archimedean screw (within the X-wise stage movement).
Never took apart or lubed the eyepiece mechanism.

Shame on Zeiss that there is no easily available maintenance and repair of this microscope, of which so many have been manufactured decades ago.

User avatar
ImperatorRex
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2018 4:12 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#34 Post by ImperatorRex » Mon Dec 06, 2021 8:58 pm

Good instructions how to dismantle, clean and re-lube the eye-piece mechanism at the bino is described here:
https://www.mikroskopie-forum.de/index. ... ic=35730.0
I would say it is not that difficult, I did it also once without facing issues. Maybe to mention you need a bit sensivity and patience until you get the exact thread end matching into each orther when you re-assembly the pieces. Do not apply force, it would damage the thread coarse.

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#35 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:14 pm

Thanks Jochen for the link.

User avatar
imkap
Posts: 750
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:44 pm

Re: Buying (repairing) a microscope in EU

#36 Post by imkap » Tue Dec 07, 2021 11:47 pm

I have cleaned the bino, it was easy, I thought I was finished and assembled everything. After a few moments I have realized that the stage is not working properly, it was moving left to right just a bit and get stuck. So I have removed and disassembled it, didn't want to use so I don't ruin the gears or something. It seems that some of the small bearing rollers went off...
So now I have some guess, but not sure how (or where exactly) to put them back, I can't seem to find any post on the internet about this... Please help once again :mrgreen:

Thanks

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#37 Post by Hobbyst46 » Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:08 am

Perhaps this old thread may help a bit
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7990&p=70510&hilit= ... led#p70510
What I can assure that once cleaned and lubricated, it works smoothly for years.

User avatar
imkap
Posts: 750
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:44 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#38 Post by imkap » Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:02 pm

Hi, I went a little deeper :D I think I might have figured it out, not sure yet, I'll try it on later, now I must go to work...

Not sure how to put these small metal rollers :)
20211208_101429.jpg
20211208_101429.jpg (142.58 KiB) Viewed 2298 times
20211208_001327.jpg
20211208_001327.jpg (222.69 KiB) Viewed 2298 times

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#39 Post by Hobbyst46 » Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:59 pm

You have progressed far more than I did :) ...

So just guessing, perhaps the bearing rollers should lie on their "side" so they roll when a rod placed over them moves. Flipped by 90 degrees from the current position.
Similar bearing rollers are used in the focusing mechanism BTW.
This is the "Y-movement" direction of the stage as I see it, the long screw belongs to the X-movement.

Hope someone more knowledgeable chimes in.
Crossing fingers for success of the project..

User avatar
imkap
Posts: 750
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:44 pm

Re: stage bearings rollers

#40 Post by imkap » Wed Dec 08, 2021 3:48 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Wed Dec 08, 2021 12:59 pm
You have progressed far more than I did :) ...
Or regressed... :mrgreen:

I'll try a few combinations tonight, so we'll see... It's much easier with instructions :D If I'm successful 'll surely share some pictures

User avatar
imkap
Posts: 750
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 9:44 pm

Re: Buying a microscope in EU

#41 Post by imkap » Fri Dec 10, 2021 8:52 pm

Success, this is how the rollers should be placed. I did this the first time, but it didn't fit well, so I thought I should put them somehow different. It turned out that I didn't align the rail well not the rollers. The right one (on the image) can go a bit left or right, so you need to align it carefully. I just need better grease for this, the ones I have are just not thick enough for the knobs, I've read about dampening grease, but did not find where to buy it. I found some microscope service company locally, so I'll give them a call :roll:
The stage is working fine now, but I'll probably open it again when I get some suitable grease. Probably will grease the focusing mechanism too...

Now back to real life :D

Thanks everyone for your help

P.S. I have made another thread under my microscope, as the title makes no sense anymore :D

Image
Image

Post Reply