Condensers – a minor rant

As a rank beginner, it has not been easy to learn about condensers. My student scope did not have one.  My big excitement about having a condenser on my new scope was because it has a filter holder. I wanted to learn about how to use it.

My internet searches brought up all kinds of technical information with diagrams of a condenser’s construction, and about cones of light. Somewhat interesting but at this stage of my learning curve, I don’t care about technical details.  Maybe later, when I’ve learned more.

I am interested now only in how to get the best images. I finally got useful information from a December, 2008 Microbe Hunter Magazine article. At last!

I wish that knowledgeable people would take pity on those of us who start out with very basic equipment.  Please, someone publish on line a  “Condensers for Dummies”. Or maybe I’m the only dummy.

New Gallery page

 There is a new tab available: Galleries. It's my show-off page. There are three categories: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. The animal category includes animal products such as bacon fat.  I suspect that I'll be adding a page called Other before too long.
Take a look at my pics.

Back to the Scope – Finally

A different project took priority last Spring. That was followed by another one. So, 1 year later, I’m finding how much I’ve forgotten since then.

The mechanical stage was great – while it lasted. The Y axis got frozen in place and would not move. Since it wasn’t expensive, I just bought another one that froze the same way. Amscope sent me a replacement at no charge, but it, too froze in the same way. I gave up.

Then putting the original stage clips back, one of the screws cross-threaded.  It sort of works.

I’ve been able to achieve polarization with help from a video on Microbe Hunter where he adapted a microscope similar to mine. Upgrade to polarization I tried to make a device like the one he made, but ended up using the simplest solution – lenses from 3D glasses.

I’m in the relearning stage.

Continuing Education

Still doing experiments from beginner’s books. Every one teaches me something.

The best beginner’s book I’ve found is Adventures With a Microscope by Richard

Headstrom originally published in 1941. It was written for intelligent children Explanations are detailed, extensive, and very clearly written.

It is interesting to read his list of useful supplies; especially the recommended chemicals and reagents. Many of the things that were readily available at the time are now restricted and/or completely unavailable to the amateur: Chloroform.   Ether.   Sulfuric Acid.  Caustic Potash.  (As a side note, I was able to get sulfuric acid from a pharmacy for use in a high school physics experiment as late as 1959.)

Much of my education is coming from the internet. http://www.microbehunter.com/ is a wonderful resource. Oliver Kim has a large selection of instructional videos and articles. He is an excellent teacher. There’s also a wide-ranging forum that has a section especially for beginners.  I’ve learned a lot form the very helpful forum members.

www.microscopy-uk.org.uk is another helpful site, but I’ve found many broken links in the learning section.

www.ibiology.org offers courses including both a long and a short microscopy course.

www.microscopeworld.com is another very helpful site.

Facebook has an Amateur Microscopy group whose members mostly post photos.  Some of the more spectacular photos are an inspiration for some experiments to be discussed later.