At the moment I'm mounting my dead bug on a needle from the boss, standing vertically using a piece of blutack on a laboratory jack. This has served me well but is showing its limitations. My camera is on a tripod shooting horizontally and because of the needle in the way it means I can't use a ping pong ball or wraparound diffuser without cutting a slit in it. I would very much appreciate some examples of what people use for the horizontal setup which I think must be the better way to go. What do people generally use as their jack/lifter - a microscope stage? Is there a nice long thin needle that's easily buyable - the ones I've seen on ebay all seem very short? What do people put into their setups to allow fine positioning/rotation etc?
Many many thanks
Insect Mounting Structures
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Insect Mounting Structures
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.
- ChrisRaper
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I'm thinking of rigging up a cheap macro-rail mounted to a vertical back-board for my z-axis moviement ... but I have yet to work it all out.
As for pins the world of entomology has been there and done it all ... I would recommend micro-pins or the finest widths of 38mm "continental" pins. Where in the world are you? There are good suppliers in the UK (Watkins & Doncaster), Czech Republic (EntoSphinx & EntoMoravia), Poland (Paradox) & The Netherlands (Vermandel Entomologie Speciaalzaak).
As for pins the world of entomology has been there and done it all ... I would recommend micro-pins or the finest widths of 38mm "continental" pins. Where in the world are you? There are good suppliers in the UK (Watkins & Doncaster), Czech Republic (EntoSphinx & EntoMoravia), Poland (Paradox) & The Netherlands (Vermandel Entomologie Speciaalzaak).
A nice technique is to use a hypodermic needle poked through your backboard and then slip your short subject pin into that - you can get it to grip either by bunging up the hypo with blu tak, plasticine or whatever takes your fancy or better still (?) just put a slight bend in the subject pin and then it will grip in the hypo. A good pair of needle nose pliers comes in handy.
You'll be amazed by how tough some insect carapaces can be - if you can't poke a pin in where you want use a dab of superglue on the end of your pin or a white kids craft glue (tip: put a puddle of glue on scrap paper and dip your pin rather than try and squeeze a drop onto the end of your pin).
For holding the mount the luxury way to go is a 6 axis stage - xyz plus 3 axis goniometer. That can cost a huge amount and most people get along very nicely with a cheap two axis macro rail mounted vertically and the subject mount taking the place of the camera.
You'll be amazed by how tough some insect carapaces can be - if you can't poke a pin in where you want use a dab of superglue on the end of your pin or a white kids craft glue (tip: put a puddle of glue on scrap paper and dip your pin rather than try and squeeze a drop onto the end of your pin).
For holding the mount the luxury way to go is a 6 axis stage - xyz plus 3 axis goniometer. That can cost a huge amount and most people get along very nicely with a cheap two axis macro rail mounted vertically and the subject mount taking the place of the camera.
rgds, Andrew
"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes
"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes
A small ball and socket head intended for small camera or flash gives you some degrees of freedom.
I've wrecked a few specimens with super-glue running too freely, they vary.
Contact adhesive is quite good - stays where it's put, and quick to dry, in small dots. Use the smelly one, not the water based planet-saving type!
Exo-stick original, or Thixofix.
I've wrecked a few specimens with super-glue running too freely, they vary.
Contact adhesive is quite good - stays where it's put, and quick to dry, in small dots. Use the smelly one, not the water based planet-saving type!
Exo-stick original, or Thixofix.
These are absolutely fantastic, thank you so very very much! Please keep them coming, trying to lift something up and down on a wobbly labjack with a needle in the way of the diffuser hasn't made things easy
ChrisRaper - I'm about an hr round the M25 from you
ChrisRaper - I'm about an hr round the M25 from you
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.
- ChrisRaper
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- Location: Reading, UK
- Contact:
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- Location: Reading, Berkshire, England
Where the insects are small enough, a good technique is to glue each onto a card "point". This is a small isoceles triangle of card, the pin going through near the base of the triangle, such that the card is horizontal on an upright pin, and the insect near the apex. I suspect that any supplier who offers pins may also have precut points, or at least some suitable card, although a postcard may be cut up for mounting for photographic purposes.
Using water soluble adhesive would allow some degree of repositioning.
Polyporus strips can also be useful as a substrate into which the tiniest pins can be inserted.
There are several useful materials here:
http://www.watdon.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh00008 ... E702#aE702
Painting the tops of pins white, or some other colour, may help them to blend in.
I am sure that the principles of origami could be applied to make something more substantial for insects normally considered to be to heavy for mounting on a point.
Harold
Using water soluble adhesive would allow some degree of repositioning.
Polyporus strips can also be useful as a substrate into which the tiniest pins can be inserted.
There are several useful materials here:
http://www.watdon.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh00008 ... E702#aE702
Painting the tops of pins white, or some other colour, may help them to blend in.
I am sure that the principles of origami could be applied to make something more substantial for insects normally considered to be to heavy for mounting on a point.
Harold
Last edited by Harold Gough on Mon Jan 09, 2012 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.
Possible useful info here;
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... c&start=15
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... c&start=15
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.
Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives
Thanks for all the help, really useful
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.
Big thumbs up for this thing I found at Watkins & Doncaster - an insect examination stage. Seriously handy to be able to rotate the needle. Boy, now having the ability to encircle with a diffuser sure makes a difference, it's like night and day!
My extreme-macro.co.uk site, a learning site. Your comments and input there would be gratefully appreciated.