Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

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purpleman
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:37 am

Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#1 Post by purpleman » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:20 am

Hello All,
I'm so happy to have found this forum.  I hope you can help me identify this  AO Spencer scope that I got for $43.  I plan to use it to key-out bryophytes. The only markings it has are the UC 1350 on the arm and the objectives; UC 35 on the stage; 2-62 on the underside of the base (Feb 1962?); the illuminator is marked AO 612. It came with the box - was it designed for field work? 
1. What model is it?
2. Does it date from the early 1960's
3. If I look for additional objectives, what am I looking for regarding compatibility? 
Thanks,Purpleman
Attachments
AO Scope 5.jpg
AO Scope 5.jpg (44.43 KiB) Viewed 11317 times
AO Scope 4.jpg
AO Scope 4.jpg (48.48 KiB) Viewed 11317 times
AO Scope 3.jpg
AO Scope 3.jpg (85.68 KiB) Viewed 11317 times
AO Scope 2.jpg
AO Scope 2.jpg (55.57 KiB) Viewed 11317 times
AO Scope 1.jpg
AO Scope 1.jpg (70.92 KiB) Viewed 11317 times

purpleman
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:37 am

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#2 Post by purpleman » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:24 am

Some additional photos
Attachments
AO Scope 9.jpg
AO Scope 9.jpg (109.88 KiB) Viewed 11315 times
AO Scope 8.jpg
AO Scope 8.jpg (64.19 KiB) Viewed 11315 times
AO Scope 7.jpg
AO Scope 7.jpg (36.41 KiB) Viewed 11315 times
AO Scope 6.jpg
AO Scope 6.jpg (70.3 KiB) Viewed 11315 times

Placozoa
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#3 Post by Placozoa » Sat Mar 06, 2021 6:55 am

I dont know anything about these, but I will try.

http://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Pers ... struct.zip

Theres the starlight illuminator on it.

I think I know something about it, but I could not confirm it. I will leave it to apo, he probably has two of these on his shelf.

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

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#4 Post by apochronaut » Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:24 pm

AO/Spencer series 2. I think U of California likely or some other university that begins with C. Microscopes of it's type and performance level were widely used into the 70's in high schools and at the undergraduate level. Cases were also common, so the mics could be easily carried to the bench from it's shelved location. These days , with microscopes arriving in styrofoam clamshells, secure storage in dust free cupboards is more likely. Not a field scope.

Because it is an AO/Spencer it uses the old Spencer 34mm parfocal optical system. Achromat objectives for it are quite common but 95% of them are the ones most likely to be found in the microscope. 3.5X .09, 10X .25 and 10X .25 separable , which by virtue of a threaded front lens gives you 4.2X and 10X . The standard 1.25 , abbe condenser will fill the field for those 3 magnifications if the Spencer 14mm f.o.v. Huygens eyepieces are used but with the # 146 W.F. 19mm f.o.v. eyepieces like yours, an aux. swing in lens under the condenser is required. There are also 2X, 2.8X and 5.1-5.3X objectives and some older ones marked with the focal length only : from 20mm to 40mm or roughly 5X to 2X. The lower magnification objectives work well with incident illumination too. There is an epi illuminator for the microscope and some no cover epi short mount objectives : the lower ones mentioned above plus a 10X .25, 20X .50 and 43X .66.
The cover slip corrected objectives were colour coded with either 4 green rings in the case of the separable 10X, or 7 rings ; green 10X .25 , blue 20X .50( hard to find), yellow 43X .66 and red 97X 1.25 oil immersion. There was also a 97X 1.25 oil immersion with iris diaphragm. Some of the standard 97X encountered have a dark field funnel stop installed which destroys their performance in bright field. They should always be checked for that.
Additionally in the achromats there was a 43X .85 , a 43 X .85 S.F. L.W.D. , a 50X .95 oil immersion and likely some other SF. pol objectives I don't remember.
There was briefly a 97X 1.30 fluorite and a full set of apochromats. 10X .30, 20X .65, 43X .95 with correction collar, 90X 1.30 oil and 90X 1.40 oil. Apochromats are not compatible in a mix with achromats because of the necessity of using dedicated compens eyepieces with the apochromats.
Any other AO or Spencer achromat or fluorite objective going back to about 1910 will work well but some may need light shimming to be parfocal.
AO/Spencer objectives marked with an infinity symbol cannot be used. They are parfocal, and you will get a lousy image.

All other short tube objectives with a 160mm tube length will work too but outside of most low magnification objectives of about 6X or lower, parfocality will be an issue. Mixing 33mm, 35mm, 36mm, 36.2/3mm or 37mm with Spencer objectives will require careful shimming to get reasonable parfocality to avoid slide crunching. Generally it is best to swap entire parfocal sets due to the fact that it may be necessary to change to more compatible eyepieces and the diffuculty in obtaining parfocality.
.

purpleman
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:37 am

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#5 Post by purpleman » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:23 pm

Many thanks to both of you, Placozoa and apochronaut.  The identification of the illuminator led me to the pdf of the directions.  The identification of the Series 2 and details about its optics are really helpful.  The scope is filthy, I'm cleaning it now, while I wait for the new bulbs to arrive.  I was happy to find that S11 bulbs are still available.
The illuminator had a cobalt colored filter in the swing arm and it came with a set of polarizing filters. I don't need a lot of microscopy power to look at moss leaves. I think this scope will fit the bill.  Thanks again to you both for taking the time to reply.
PM

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

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#6 Post by apochronaut » Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:37 pm

Make sure it still has the compensating lens installed just above the nosepiece. If you remove the head you can easily see it. Unfortunately, it is removable. If it turns out to be missing, I have a spare one.

purpleman
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2021 12:37 am

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#7 Post by purpleman » Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:35 am

Dooh! Thanks for the heads-up. With the head off, there is nothing blocking a Q-Tip from touching the nose piece. I think I'll be needing one. Should there retaining and/or spacing rings as well? It looks like there is one ring screwed in there.

Placozoa
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#8 Post by Placozoa » Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:28 am

I was sure that UC 1350 was a red herring, it didnt belong there. I was relieved to see I was right.

I was somewhat sure it was a series 2, I had found the part number for the base, but I wasnt able to confirm the year of it and I didnt know if it was 160mm or infinity because of that. Apo knows, though. :)

Thanks Apo, I was glad to see this sorted out.

apochronaut
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Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#9 Post by apochronaut » Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:36 pm

purpleman wrote:
Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:35 am
Dooh! Thanks for the heads-up. With the head off, there is nothing blocking a Q-Tip from touching the nose piece. I think I'll be needing one. Should there retaining and/or spacing rings as well? It looks like there is one ring screwed in there.
The microscope arm has a sort of large eyelet at the end which receives the head from above and can receive one of two objective mounting systems from below. A circular dovetail type or a threaded type. Yours has the threaded type. This utilizes a threaded sleeve that screws the nosepiece up into the arm. That sleeve is visible from above as a hollow tube. It could look like a spacer.
When you look down from above without the compensating lens installed, you will see 4 black spring fingers , like spokes on a wheel. Those keep tension on the nosepiece or objective mount and function as a shock mount in the event of the objective crashing into the slide. Inside those you will see a large black ring that those spring fingers act on and inside that about a cm. down is the end of the threaded mounting sleeve. Above that is an R.M.S. thread that receives the compensating lens from above. The compensating lens isn't necessary when a single objective without an extension is used with a monocular viewing body but with the extra 25mm of the nosepiece and extra length of the binocular viewing body it is.

Vlad
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:25 pm

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#10 Post by Vlad » Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:05 pm

I have scope that looks like the one described above except that I think it is a phase contrast scope. It has a lens below the condenser. The objectives say nothing about phase contrast. Objectives are 3.5X NA 09, 5x NA 14, 10X NA 25 and 20x NA .50. The oculars have no markings.
What model is it?
Is it a phase contrast scope?
Can I use it viewing specimen that one would normally view with a brightfield scope?

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#11 Post by dtsh » Sun Feb 20, 2022 2:29 am

Vlad wrote:
Sat Feb 19, 2022 10:05 pm
I have scope that looks like the one described above except that I think it is a phase contrast scope. It has a lens below the condenser. The objectives say nothing about phase contrast. Objectives are 3.5X NA 09, 5x NA 14, 10X NA 25 and 20x NA .50. The oculars have no markings.
What model is it?
Is it a phase contrast scope?
Can I use it viewing specimen that one would normally view with a brightfield scope?
If you look on the bottom, there will be some numbers, if it looks like this it'll probably be 2-xx where the "2" indicates the model.
Many AO condensers have an aux lens on the bottom of the condenser to provide full illumination for low power objectives like a 4x or 3.5x, etc. Does it look like a lens that can be swung in and out or is the condenser quite large with a rotatable wheel? If the former, likely the aux lens, if the later, it would appear to have a phase condenser turret.

Vlad
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:25 pm

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#12 Post by Vlad » Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:01 am

If you look on the bottom, there will be some numbers,
Where on the bottom? I cannot find any numbers.
The lens under the condenser swings out.

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#13 Post by dtsh » Sun Feb 20, 2022 7:55 pm

Vlad wrote:
Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:01 am
If you look on the bottom, there will be some numbers,
Where on the bottom? I cannot find any numbers.
The lens under the condenser swings out.
The bottom of the scope, between the two feet.

Vlad
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:25 pm

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#14 Post by Vlad » Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:56 am

It does not have two feet and I see no numbers on the bottom. It looks a lot like the scope in the top right picture of the attachment.
Attachments
pg-04.jpg
pg-04.jpg (152.15 KiB) Viewed 7185 times

apochronaut
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Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#15 Post by apochronaut » Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:27 am

The series of microscopes yours belongs to was dubbed the series 2/4. The 2 has a horseshoe base that can receive various illuminator models or a mirror between the feet or legs or in the horseshoe, whichever one wants to call it . The 4 has a built in illuminator that enters from the rear , with a 17.8 watt incandescent köhler system. Sometimes you will find a 13 watt in there. Either fits and works but the 17.8 watt is a little better for higher magnifications.

When phase contrast is added to either model it becomes the series 6 or Phasestar, which is designated 6 for the horseshoe base model and L6 for built in illumination.
There were various accessories available with a coded suffix that would be added to the base model #. Thus the one on the lower right in the illustration, is a 6Br-P4, which translates to a model or series 6, Binocular, Rotating stage, Phase turret condenser with 4 phase objectives.

The model of the thread would be a 2BMU : designating a model 2 Binocular Mechanical Ungraduated stage. There would be further codes for the substage condenser type ( 1.25 abbe) and the illuminator type ( 10 watt) I can't remember what those codes are but will look them up.

Your scope Vlad, sounds like a bright field model. The swing out lens is for use with the low magnification objectives. It lowers the condenser N.A. and broadens the illuminator coverage. It should be used only with the 3.5X and possibly the 10X.

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

Re: Help identifying another old AO Spencer scope

#16 Post by apochronaut » Mon Apr 25, 2022 12:38 pm

apochronaut wrote:
Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:27 am
The series of microscopes yours belongs to was dubbed the series 2/4. The 2 has a horseshoe base that can receive various illuminator models or a mirror between the feet or legs or in the horseshoe, whichever one wants to call it . The 4 has a built in illuminator that enters from the rear , with a 17.8 watt incandescent köhler system. Sometimes you will find a 13 watt in there. Either fits and works but the 17.8 watt is a little better for higher magnifications.

When phase contrast is added to either model it becomes the series 6 or Phasestar, which is designated 6 for the horseshoe base model and L6 for built in illumination.
There were various accessories available with a coded suffix that would be added to the base model #. Thus the one on the lower right in the illustration, is a 6Br-P4, which translates to a model or series 6, Binocular, Rotating stage, Phase turret condenser with 4 phase objectives.

The model of the thread would be a 2BMU : designating a model 2 Binocular Mechanical Ungraduated stage. There would be further codes for the substage condenser type ( 1.25 abbe) and the illuminator type ( 10 watt) I can't remember what those codes are but will look them up.

Your scope Vlad, sounds like a bright field model. The swing out lens is for use with the low magnification objectives. It lowers the condenser N.A. and broadens the illuminator coverage. It should be used only with the 3.5X and possibly the 10X.
Checking a 1961 catalogue I get the model for the main thread microscope as an N2BU-HBW The prefix N = 612 illuminator, 2= series 2 stand, B= binocular, U= ungraduated mechanical stage, HB = 4 objectives (3.5X, 10X, 43X, 97X) and 1.25 abbe condenser and W = 10X w.f. eyepieces.

Yours Vlad, if it has the built in illuminator would be a series 4. Something like an X4BU-HBW if it has a swing out aux. lens (prefix X), series 4, binocular, ungraduated stage, 4 objectives including the 3.5X and 10X w.f. eyepieces.

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