Impossible project?

[jebir]

I guess this is my first post here - so: Hello to everyone! You seem to be a very nice bunch of people here!

I have been lurking since long ago because I have been wanting to get into photomicrography for a while. However, I have had a hard time justifying spending the money for a good microscope - camera lenses have swallowed all the funds so far.

Anyhow, since I have access to some optics junk - among that two "microscopes" (not quite... see below) - I have started to consider picking the goodies from them and try to build my own microscope. However, I have a feeling that it may be a difficult task and I would therefore ask for the oppinion from this community if I should start the DYI journey or not?


What I have:

Scrap-heap find #1:
A pattern generator for the micro-chip industry which is based on a Nikon metal microscope. It has a variety of objectives with medium focus distance, among them plan-apochromats and ordinary lenses. The eyepieces are 10x Wide. For some reason, this microascope features illumination optics for both reflective and transmissive lighting. As far as I can see this is a very nice microscope but it has a couple of issues.

• The first problem with this microscope are that it is built into a bulky cabinet (about 1x1 meter) with only the oculars sticking out.
  
  The second problem is that the trinocular pathway is occupied with a UV-lamp and I don't know how to fit a camera there - maybe some additional lenses are needed?
  
  A third problem is that the original Nikon main-frame is exchanged and the microscipe is mounted on a hefty massive Aluminium beam, probably weighing 50 kg by itself.
  
  The fourth problem is that the stage is (was) very sophisticated with AF-capability at 1000x magnification so there is a rack-full of electronics to control the stage in X. Y, and Z directions - all connected to an ancient 286 computer. I have no idea if I can get that part up running...

Scrap-heap find #2:
The upper part of an Olympus metal microscope with infinity focus objectives. There is a camera lens in the trinocular pathway so photography should be straight forward to implement. The objective lenses are Planachromats as far as I can see. It has a very sturdy frame based on a 15x15 cm² cross-section, 50 cm long, aluminium beam mounted on tands made from 3 cm thick Aluminium plates. The beam is about 50 cm wide so I could in principle fit several microscopes next to each other on it - or I can chop it off to fit only one.

• The first problem here is that I don't have any specimen stage.

Scrap-heap find #3:
A 1 x 1.5 m² optical breadboard on a sturdy metal table frame.

So, what do you guys think? Should I get started or should I just forget about it, pick the objectives and oculars, and buy myself something designed for the purpose? (I wonder how much I'd have to spend then...?)

For the record, although I'm not into microscopy, I'm pretty aware of optics principles, materials, physics, etc. and I can handle the most elementary metal work machines in our workshop at work.

Any input - encouragements or discouragements - will be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards, Jens.

[lauriek]

I'm not really qualified to comment on your microscopes, but if you are in Europe I might be interested in either your optical breadboard, or the 'massive aluminium beam' - if you end up with one or the other spare.... What's the size of this beam?

I suspect some images of these items might help others make more sensible comments!

[jebir]

Hi Laurie,

I agree that some pictures would probably be good to show but I was more thinking of general advice like: "I tried something like that and it was far more complicated than I thought" or "I have built my own scope and it wasn't hard at all" I'll bring a camera to work tomorrow and document what I have in case someone need to know.

Cheers, Jens.

PS. I'll have your requests in mind when I get closer to a final decision on what to do.

[lauriek]

Is there any particular sort of thing that you want to photograph - is there a specific magnification range you are aiming for?

The reason I ask is that a lot of us here (well a few of us at least!) use what appears to be a 'simple microscope' ie one without an eyepiece, made from a camera, bellows, and microscope objective on the front. You then have to manually create your 'specimen stage' and bolt the whole lot down onto some sort of base - but it's relatively simple to setup and may do some/all of what you want - up to a certain level of magnification, beyond which you would probably want a proper 'scope..

I guess if you went down this route you could maybe use some of the objectives you already have with this kit, and possibly some of the focus stages/specimen stages? It's hard to picture quite what you have so I can't be sure!!