Hello from Washington DC

[KI4THC]

Well, actually Arlington. My name is Jim. I'm an about to be retired professor of neuroscience. Over my work career, I've used a lot of confocal equipment at Woods Hole's marine biological lab and also at the Institute I ran for a bunch of years--Zeiss and Nikon. I now own a Leitz ortholux 2 system that I inherited from my parents (also neuroscientists). I've finally got a nice LED epifluorescence set up going and a Canon full-frame hooked up through a customized build out of the Ortholux W optical core (it was a 35 mm camera for the Ortholux 2). Happy to join. Fun stuff!

[PeteM]

Cool background, Jim. Hope you have lots to share.

Curious -- is your screen name a call sign, maybe an homage to cannabis, or ??

[KI4THC]

A lot of folks have asked me that. It's my FCC assigned radio amateur call sign. But a nice coincidence for a neuroscientist.

[charlie g]

Welcome to a wonderful forum ( thanks to Oliver Kim), Jim.

Is it true that institutions and universities off-load microscopes at auctions 'dirt cheap'?

Do you keep a contact list of institution/ university folk to supply you microscopy chemicals/ reagents?


I hope you may opine on these matters...I hope you might 'PM' me on these potential sources.

Welcome to forum, jim. charlie g/ fingerlakes, NY

[KI4THC]

Hi Charlie...

Thanks for the warm welcome. You are asking a great question. I know that NIH (where I did my postdoc) does surplus a ton of amazing equipment and that universities and other non-profit research institutions can get that stuff for free. I am not aware of my own institution giving surplussed equipment away. I wouldn't be surprised that some of the more elite private places (Cal Tech comes to mind) might do that.

Cheers,
Jim

[PeteM]

Charlie, In California, our local university (UCSC) does much the same, offering surplus to other departments. While we have a local university surplus operation, most schools send what's still left to a single school for auction. Sadly far away from our Micronaut program. There, it seems a local buyer or two ends up finding the best and putting them on eBay. The point is that you'd want to be local, check often, and inspect things in person.

I suspect the New York system, as well as private schools, does something similar. Don't know how close you are to a state or private school in upstate NY - but you might inquire. Who knows, maybe a Nikon DIC scope or parts might show up?

[tlansing]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to the forum! I would (and I am sure others as well) be interested in seeing your microscope setup with some further information about it. You could post in the "My Microscope" section on this forum. I am always very interested to see other folks' setups (I have posted my Zeiss setup); many pictures are encouraged !

Tim