Hello everyone

What is your microscopy history? What are your interests? What equipment do you use?
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eKretz2
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:07 am

Hello everyone

#1 Post by eKretz2 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:26 am

Hi, have been reading a while here but just signed up. I have been using microscopes at home for some time but only recently got a few newer ones that have got me researching add-ons and upgrades. My first ever microscope was a Nikon SMZ-1 that I use for component level electronics repairs on SMD boards. After that I picked up a Mitutoyo Toolmaker's microscope (was a machinist for a couple decades too). Next came an Olympus CX41 with trinocular head. After that an Olympus Vanox AHMT, which is the metallurgical version, and has reflected brightfield/darkfield/DIC. Then last but certainly not least I recently fell into a trinoc Olympus BX40 with U-URA, BF/DF, phase contrast and fluorescence. This one came with an automated scanning stage but it was pretty old (made 1998) and I have no software for it so I took off the scanning stage and converted it back to a regular stage.

I will probably be selling the CX41 soon since I got the BX. I may try posting it in the for sale section, if there isn't any interest here it will probably go on eBay. Anyway, looking forward to participating a little more now that I've signed up.

BramHuntingNematodes
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:29 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Hello everyone

#2 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Sat Jul 31, 2021 2:19 pm

1998 is nearly brand new! Welcome. We could always use some more fluorescence expertise and I'm looking forward to your input.
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

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

Re: Hello everyone

#3 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 3:27 pm

eKretz2 wrote:
Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:26 am
Then last but certainly not least I recently fell into a trinoc Olympus BX40 with U-URA, BF/DF, phase contrast and fluorescence. This one came with an automated scanning stage but it was pretty old (made 1998) and I have no software for it so I took off the scanning stage and converted it back to a regular stage.
Great microscope !
What I do not like about Olympus is that their automated features are only (AFAIK) controlled with Olympus proprietary software, and they do not distribute their software freely - in contrast to some other brands.
However, for occasional hobby use, the only significant virtue of an automated stage IMO is that one can store and retrieve the exact locations of interesting objects on the slide, and easily find them in the next session.

eKretz2
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:07 am

Re: Hello everyone

#4 Post by eKretz2 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:37 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Sat Jul 31, 2021 3:27 pm
Great microscope !
What I do not like about Olympus is that their automated features are only (AFAIK) controlled with Olympus proprietary software, and they do not distribute their software freely - in contrast to some other brands.
However, for occasional hobby use, the only significant virtue of an automated stage IMO is that one can store and retrieve the exact locations of interesting objects on the slide, and easily find them in the next session.
This one wasn't even an Olympus, it was a custom with slide loading and unloading - only about 1" travel in y axis but almost 8" in x axis. Had capability for slides or small petri dishes. I did try turning it on and plugging everything in and it powered up and zeroed itself out and homed to the loading/unloading location, but nothing happened from there without the computer software. The brand of the stage/scanning contraption is AccuMed International - nothing on their website about the unit, nor could I find much of anything with Google. So off it came and on went a stage from eBay for $50. Maybe I will try to make my own driver unit for the steppers at some point. I sure wouldn't mind having an automated stacking drive that could be set to move the stage in small increments. The stepper motor that was on the focus drive is capable of moving the fine focus in ½μ steps.

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

Re: Hello everyone

#5 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 7:25 pm

eKretz2 wrote:
Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:37 pm
This one wasn't even an Olympus, it was a custom with slide loading and unloading - only about 1" travel in y axis but almost 8" in x axis. Had capability for slides or small petri dishes. I did try turning it on and plugging everything in and it powered up and zeroed itself out and homed to the loading/unloading location, but nothing happened from there without the computer software. The brand of the stage/scanning contraption is AccuMed International - nothing on their website about the unit, nor could I find much of anything with Google. So off it came and on went a stage from eBay for $50. Maybe I will try to make my own driver unit for the steppers at some point. I sure wouldn't mind having an automated stacking drive that could be set to move the stage in small increments. The stepper motor that was on the focus drive is capable of moving the fine focus in ½μ steps.
Years ago I was in the same situation, on an - I think - Olympus CX 50 or 60 (not sure). The stage behaved exactly as you describe. Perhaps it was a Merzbacher stage; anyway, I too considered writing software for it, but realized the amount of labor and gave it up. Good luck !

eKretz2
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2021 9:07 am

Re: Hello everyone

#6 Post by eKretz2 » Wed Aug 04, 2021 4:07 pm

Here are a couple pics of my larger scopes, meant to add those in the first post. First is the BX, second is the Vanox AHMT undergoing a deep cleaning. Found some broken pieces in the constant tube length mechanism that need replacing.
20210804_110215.jpg
20210804_110215.jpg (117.34 KiB) Viewed 3483 times
20210804_110441.jpg
20210804_110441.jpg (121.54 KiB) Viewed 3483 times

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