I am wondering if anyone else has had issues with the plastic 'cradle' at the back of a Nikon Optiphot fracturing and breaking?
It attaches to the microscope base with four screws, and extends about 2.5 cm (an inch in old money), with a 50mm diameter ring at the rear to take the lamp collector lens, which screws in.
The plastic seems quite brittle, and one had broken completely on a stand which I have been preparing for someone. I had to swap out the good one from my stand.
Whilst it seems a candidate for 3D printing, of which I have zero experience, it has been suggested to me that the plastic used for this may not withstand the heat from the lamp (12V 50W halogen).
I have shown the good one below.
Nikon Optiphot lamp-house 'cradle' issues.
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Nikon Optiphot lamp-house 'cradle' issues.
regards, Mike.
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like bananas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66189529@N08/
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like bananas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66189529@N08/
- SutherlandDesmids
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I had the same problem but it was a lot easier to pick one up on eBay. From my experience, with my particular printer, I would modify the collector/filter holder slightly so it can be printed completely 'flat' in the orientation of your last photo. I might have to think about that statement more. <g> Matterhackers sells a Proto-Pasta High Temp Carbon Fiber PLA Filament that can be heat treated (after printing). I 'think' it's good up to about 250 degrees. I have no experience with it.
Last edited by Smokedaddy on Sat Dec 08, 2018 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- iconoclastica
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I've got a 20W lamp there so mine won't be half as hot as yours. The house doesn't get hot at all - even after it's been on for an hour I can easily pull out the house bare handed. The metal mount though is too hot to touch, so well over 60 degrees celsius.
We do 3D-printing with extrusion temperatures from 210 to 230 degrees, but the material gets soft much earlier. I think your best material choice in the plastics would be ABS, which is not as brittle as PLA. It goes soft at 105 degrees. PLA softens at 65 degrees.
Once you're satisfied with the printed result, you can take your stl-file to a commercial printer and have it made from a more thermoresistant material. They do even metal these days.
We do 3D-printing with extrusion temperatures from 210 to 230 degrees, but the material gets soft much earlier. I think your best material choice in the plastics would be ABS, which is not as brittle as PLA. It goes soft at 105 degrees. PLA softens at 65 degrees.
Once you're satisfied with the printed result, you can take your stl-file to a commercial printer and have it made from a more thermoresistant material. They do even metal these days.
--- felix filicis ---
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Thanks for your input.Smokedaddy wrote:I had the same problem but it was a lot easier to pick one up on eBay. From my experience, with my particular printer, I would modify the collector/filter holder slightly so it can be printed completely 'flat' in the orientation of your last photo. I might have to think about that statement more. <g> Matterhackers sells a Proto-Pasta High Temp Carbon Fiber PLA Filament that can be heat treated (after printing). I 'think' it's good up to about 250 degrees. I have no experience with it.
Out of interest, what did you search for when looking for one? I guess the word 'optiphot' is a start, but you always wonder if folk know what something is for/from.
As I don't even know where to start with printing, that looks like the best option.
regards, Mike.
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like bananas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66189529@N08/
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like bananas.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/66189529@N08/
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I would suggest looking for a replacement if you don't have modeling experience nor what to learn 3d printing. Of course you can always have someone else print it for you.
The seller had the one I purchased subject like this on eBay;
NIKON OPTIPHOT MICROSCOPE FILTER RECEPTACLE COLLECTOR LENS - lamp housing
The seller had the one I purchased subject like this on eBay;
NIKON OPTIPHOT MICROSCOPE FILTER RECEPTACLE COLLECTOR LENS - lamp housing
- iconoclastica
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