Olympus BX40 U-RLA2 add on?

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:30 am

Hello,

Could i mount a BX U-RLA2 vertical illuminator onto an olympus BX40 frame to do reflected light? Would I then just switch between transmitted light nosepiece and the reflected light (the kind with black stop inside?) I have both types

Thanks,

hkv · Post by **hkv** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:21 am

The U-RLA2 is not for the BX40 as it was made for the BX51. On the BX51, the top arm can be removed and replaced by an EPI-illumiator. So, the U-RLA2 is designed to replace that arm and has a form factor that follows the BX51 stand. On the BX40 you cannot take the arm off, and it would be difficult, without machining, to adapt the U-RLA2 properly. You need the U-RLA which is more flat in the bottom and can be mounted flush on top of the BX40.

You can then move the normal lamp between the ports as lamp fitting are the same for both.

Also, on the U-RLA2, the noise piece can be slided in using slots/grooves in the illuminator. The illuminator replaces the old arms slots. As far as I know, the U-RLA uses the BX40's ordinary noise piece.

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 9:40 am

HKV

On further inspection it looks like I have the U-RLA not the RLA2 version. I have a bx40 frame on the way so I think it will work out.

Thanks for the clarification!

hkv · Post by **hkv** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:10 am

Great! Then it will work just fine!

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Mon Mar 20, 2017 8:20 am

Well It seems that the U-RLA and the Nosepiece will not fit on the BX40. There looks to be a small thin aperture inside inside the frame section where the U-RLA would attach. The darkfield stop sticking out of the -urla will not fit inside it. Its too wide and it won't sit flush. The other issue is the original nose piece does not look detachable and I don't think the 6 position metallurgical nosepiece will fit as the diameter of the wheel looks too big and might hit the frame. Don't have time now to post pics, will post some later.

Thanks

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:21 am

Just to follow up if anyone is interested it looks like the bx40 nosepiece attached with a circular point and 3 screws. The metallurgical nosepiece (U-d5re) with larger thread size for the BD objectives uses a sliding dovetail mount which the bx50 uses.

I was able to mount the vertical illuminator but cant use the 5x and 20x Umplan bd apos i wanted to try out!

hkv · Post by **hkv** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:57 pm

Weird. The u-d5re should not be for BD objectives. It is for RMS thread objectives and fits the BX50, 51, etc. It has a dove tail fitting. Perhaps you have the u-5bdre? Or u-d5dbre which is the BD nose with a DIC slider slot.

You need to get a metallurgical nose for the BX40M. Those exists, but I have never tried to switch. The drawback is that they are screwed on and every time you want to switch between biological and metallurgical... major work.

houstontx · Post by **houstontx** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 2:29 pm

HKV

Yes it was the u-d5dbre nosepiece with slider slot, how could i have ever get those confused!

hkv · Post by **hkv** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:04 am

houstontx wrote:HKV

Yes it was the u-d5dbre nosepiece with slider slot, how could i have ever get those confused!

Beats me. Their part number system is very intuitive.

Reading the part number list every night before going to bed helps a lot. Give it a year or so.