Some help with a dual head AO Microstar One-Ten

[w0den]

Hi,
I just joined the forum, and I am looking for some help restoring and finding parts for a dual head AO One-10. Here is a pic:

IMG_2861.jpeg (222.01 KiB) Viewed 1892 times

When it came, the XY mechanism was completely Seized in one direction. I disassembled it and cleaned it. It works pretty well now! That was step one. Can anyone help me with the following:

1. It’s missing the slide clip. The friend, an epidemiologist, who gave it to me told me that the first thing they do is throw out the slide clip because it “slows them down.” As a beginner, control is way more important! Does anyone know where I can find a clip? Are there any that are compatible or that I can modify to fit (say from an AO 150 I saw on eBay)? If anyone on the forum could sell me one, I’d be extremely grateful, just PM me).
   It doesn’t have a 100x objective lens. It currently has the following lenses:
   4x 1017
   10x 1021
   45x 1116
2. On eBay I can get a 1024 for about $25 - $50 or a 1129 for about $100. I’ve read as much as I can about the lenses on this forum, but is the more expensive lens worth 2x - 4x the price? If I buy the less expensive lens will I kick myself in a year for not paying up? Is there a different lens I should be hunting for?

Thanks so much!

w0den

[dtsh]

Hi,
I just joined the forum, and I am looking for some help restoring and finding parts for a dual head AO One-10. Here is a pic:
IMG_2861.jpeg

When it came, the XY mechanism was completely Seized in one direction. I disassembled it and cleaned it. It works pretty well now! That was step one. Can anyone help me with the following:

1. It’s missing the slide clip. The friend, an epidemiologist, who gave it to me told me that the first thing they do is throw out the slide clip because it “slows them down.” As a beginner, control is way more important! Does anyone know where I can find a clip? Are there any that are compatible or that I can modify to fit (say from an AO 150 I saw on eBay)? If anyone on the forum could sell me one, I’d be extremely grateful, just PM me).

The finger assembly on a 150 is incompatible, but ones on a 10 or 20 are the same as is the assembly on the 410 and while I haven't handled one, likely the 400 as well. Stages for these are also all the same dovetail and the condenser forkmount are also compatible,

It doesn’t have a 100x objective lens. It currently has the following lenses:
4x 1017
10x 1021
45x 1116
[*]On eBay I can get a 1024 for about $25 - $50 or a 1129 for about $100. I’ve read as much as I can about the lenses on this forum, but is the more expensive lens worth 2x - 4x the price? If I buy the less expensive lens will I kick myself in a year for not paying up? Is there a different lens I should be hunting for?[/list]

If you really want a 100x objective, I would watch for the 1311 advanced plan achromat; they don't come up very often, but are probably the best of the 34mm series.
If you aren't familiar with it, check out psneeley's site, here's the page on objectives: https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... ctives.htm

As for the 1024 vs 1129...it really depends on if that's valuable to you. I personally don't use my 100x objectives much and often remove them to make room for a 20x or to get a 45x 1116 and a 40x 1309 since the 1116 has a longer working distance and the 40x 1309 is incompatible with the hemacytometer or specimens with much depth. It really all depends on what you're after. If you want to use darkfield at some point, the 100x is going to need either an internal iris or require a funnel stop (usually with the darkfield condenser) which means you'll want a cat.1079 100x with the funnel stop or a cat.1014, cat.1027 with internal iris.

Unless you have a pressing need, I would wait for one you want to come up at a price you're happy to pay. Fair price is really quite relative and sometimes it's not worth the hassle of saving a few bucks to get a banged up objective with corrosion vs one in good shape, but prices don't always follow condition either.

Edit: You didn't mention it, but One-Ten trinocular heads in good shape aren't terribly common, but with the dual-view, you can use a monocular Cat.1040 head for cameras to get a 50/50 split and use camera and bino at the same time. It's the same mount for the 10/20 and 110/120 (410/420 also the same mount but optics aren't the same)

I can probably source you any of these items except the 100x objectives with iris or the 1129, including darkfield condenser with the funnel stops (one for 160mm, one for infinity), drop me a PM about it if you like and we'll see if we can hash out something agreeable. Nothing I have is pristine, but it's all in decent shape, others here likely have more options, I know my collection is small compared to some others; I'd name them, but it's probably best for them to chime in on their own.

[apochronaut]

So, the derivation of the 34mm parfocal objectives for the series 10/20 microscopes and the 110/120 microscopes are a little different ; in time and intention, despite the theoretical universal application of them. The series of planachro objectives 1019, 1022, 1023 and 1024 were designed in the mid.-60's to meet a then higher end of planachro performance to a 19mm f.o.v., when most companies were achieving 18mm for their lab instruments. Certain of the objectives , such as the #1014 planachro w./ iris and # 1022 20X .50 achieved an even higher level of performance, so were carried forward into the stable of objectives for the 100/110/120 series of microscopes after 1980, which had a 20mm f.o.v. Although the #1019,1023 and 1024 will work perfectly well in a microscope with a model # in the 100 series, the peripheral planarity will be lacking. The # 1029 is an objective similar to the 1024 but has an enhanced plan diamater, whereas the 1311 has as well, improved colour correction and resolution, at the cost of a shallower working distance. I would choose a 1309 over a 1023 any day, 1022 is good and the 1021 is a definite advancement over the 1019, which struggles to be plan even at 19mm.

[w0den]

Thanks! This was super helpful.

As for the 1024 vs 1129...it really depends on if that's valuable to you.

Since I am just getting started, I saw a 1024 on ebay for $23 shipped so I nabbed it. Figured it is cheap enough that I can sell it later and upgrade.

If you want to use darkfield at some point, the 100x is going to need either an internal iris or require a funnel stop (usually with the darkfield condenser) which means you'll want a cat.1079 100x with the funnel stop or a cat.1014, cat.1027 with internal iris.

Darkfield is certainly interesting, and something I definitely want to explore. Do I need to get completely different objectives (I know the 1024 won't work, but are there ways to use my other lenses, perhaps with funnel stops?) I did see a matched pair of 1014 and 1016 on ebay, but the price was too high for now.

I can probably source you any of these items except...

Dropping you a pm.

Although the #1019,1023 and 1024 will work perfectly well in a microscope with a model # in the 100 series, the peripheral planarity...

How much do you lose in the peripheral?

I have a couple more questions (of course):

1. * In the manual that I saw that there supposed to be a blue filter for the light source. I don't have that, is that important?
   * I saw that some of these microscopes have been upgraded to use LEDs (https://user.xmission.com/~psneeley/Per ... _Series_10 but I can't find instructions for doing this for the 110. They can be bought for a ridiculous price https://microscopecentral.com/products/ ... akEALw_wcB, but this seems like a fun project. I have decent soldering skills and I'm good with my hands.
   * Just a basic question. The microscope has an Abbe condenser. I found a lot of details on Köhler illumination, but not on the kind of condenser needed. Do you get Köhler illumination with a properly adjusted Abbe condenser

Thanks again!
w0den

[apochronaut]

Köhler illumination was designed originally to make use of limited quality condensers. That was part of it's purpose. Abbe condensers have a limited sweet spot of reasonable correction, so they are perfectly acceptable for objectives up to about .65 N.A. Above that, it helps to have a more optically refined condenser. AO solved this problem cheaply by offering an abbe aspheric, so if you intend to use plan optics a lot of .65 N.A. or greater , look for a # 1087 abbe aspheric. I have one if you are interested, as well as a blue filter.
The peripheral planar difference between the 1024 and 1029 isn't massive , just a little fuzziness around the edge corrected to sharpness around the edge, with the 1029. Colour correction is quite similar but since there was over a 10 year gap between the development between the two, there might be something there too. I mostly use the 1014 for all series 10/20 or 100 series imaging.
Not sure why the mania for led, except that you can possibly get enough lumens to achieve high resolution DF. The illuminating optical system in the 110 has been engineered to take advantage of a halogen filament at a specific distance from the condenser. An led light source may compromise that. I would put my energy into more beneficial aspects that relate directly to the microscope's performance, not that you might save a few pennies on a light bulb . You also are not going to save the planet using leds. You might however blind your children or grandchildren. We evolved only a few hundred thousand years ago looking at the sun and after dark, fire. Leds are a long way from that and no one has provided comparative evidence that leds provide better microscopy.

[apochronaut]

Oh, yes. I forgot about the blue filter question. It's true that incandescent and to a lesser degree halogen filaments give off a yellowish light. The longer wavelenths of light yield poorer resolution and are also unattractive to the eye, since we are accustomed to blue sky. This is one reason leds are regarded highly, especially by novices. They are pre-filtered to a lower average wavelength output and thus more basic optics can have better performance than the same optics would have, using a bare incandescent or halogen bulb. They can also use cheaper illuminating set ups, closer to the stage and get away with it due to lower heat output. Some led illuminated microscopes sold today are way too blue.
Microscopes were always designed to be filtered. Cheaper microscopes were sold basic but with a tray or location for a filter. A blue filter was an add on because the degree of filtering was a choice. Not everyone wants the same degree of filtering, so a blue filter with the desired degree of density was chosen and placed in the appropriate location. More expensive microscopes often came with a filter package which included several degrees of blue filter plus numerous other filter options. Some, with filters on ganged carousels can be mixed and matched with one open port on each carousel, so the bare illuminator light is possible with one setting or in the case of a 3 gang filter pack on a Diastar for instance, close to 200 different combinations of either single, double or triple filtration.
Using a filament light source in a microscope without a blue filter is in fact using the microscope incorrectly. Many are sold second hand without the filter, simply due to the fact that it is often a separate item, gets misplaced or falls out during handling and a novice buyer knows no better.
It's kind if like buying a household lighting fixture without a shade. Now, almost everyone knows that most lighting fixtures are designed to have a shade or globe of some kind because it is common knowledge but what if it wasn't? There would be bare light bulbs all over the place, some of which would eventually get covered in some fashion due to the glare.

[wabutter]

When you receive the 100x objecive, be sure to inspect the front element and surrounding mounting area. If there appears to be heave scratches, take care to make sure the oil as not seeped behind thr front element. There were some vintages of 1024 and 1029 objectives that were susceptible to leaking when abuse only a small amount.

[w0den]

Thanks for the detailed reply!

look for a # 1087 abbe aspheric.

Looking closer at the condenser, that is what I appear to have, some of the details are rubbed out.

Not sure why the mania for led

I was concerned about bulb availability. I thought I saw that they were hard to find, but it looks like I might have been mistaken. Are they a standard bulb, or do I need a special bulb?

I have one if you are interested, as well as a blue filter.

I’ll PM you! Thanks!

[apochronaut]

Not sure why the mania for led

I was concerned about bulb availability. I thought I saw that they were hard to find, but it looks like I might have been mistaken. Are they a standard bulb, or do I need a special bulb?

The bulb for the series 100/110 is probably the most common halogen microscope bulb used but also used in hundreds of other scientific applications. Almost every microscope company used it in something, even in East Germany. It's an ESB 64250, sometimes known as an FHE/ESB or just ESB. The FHE is the same bulb physically but in output it has a longer wavelenth and shorter hours. The ESB is 3200 K. and is 100 hours. The AO # is 1120. There is also a 11120 , which is the same but double the hours, more commonly used in AO eye chart projectors. G4 pin socket.
They are 6-8.00 each if you buy Osram, Philips, Eiko etc. but can be as low as 3.00 as other brands, especially in packs of 5 or 10.