Need Focus Drive for Wild Heerbrugg M8 Microscope

[atariwarrior]

I have a Wild Heerbrugg M8 stereo microscope with a stripped rack and pinion gear in the focus drive. I can no longer raise and lower the microscope. It just slips down. I have been unable to find a focus drive for it or replacement rack and pinion gear.

Does anyone have a spare focus drive for an M8 that they are willing to sell or a used replacement rack and pinion gear for this focus drive.

If I can't find that needed parts, I've been looking at other aftermarket focus drives but they will only fit microscopes with bodies 76 mm in diameter. The M8 has a diameter of about 65/66 mm.

Does anyone know where I can get a focus drive that will fit or an adapter that will enable me to use a 76 mm focus drive?

[g4lab]

You should ask the parts department at Leica Microsystems in Chicago. If they can't help you then you will need to remove the broken part and have a machinist duplicate it. If you find a rack gear with the correct pitch and size you may be able to start the machining process using that.
If you can find a really experienced microscope repair guy he may be able to help you find a similar part that can be machined to fit.

Try Accurate Clarity and Calibration. They are very experienced.

http://absoluteclarity.com/

[atariwarrior]

It's not likely they would have it. It's a very old model. I doubt that they carry an inventory of parts from that era. Production ended in 1991.

Yes. A machinist could do it. I have another M8 that I use so it's low priority. I don't want to spend a lot of money to have it fixed. I was thinking about fixing it and giving it to a friend. I got a very good deal on the M8 and Wild Heerbrugg boomstand on EBay. The seller didn't really know the value of what they had. I got the M8 body and boomstand for about $180 and now I can see why.

I bought a Wild M3 focus drive for the rack and pinion but the sizes were not the same as the M8.

I have seen an M8 mounted on non-Leica\Wild microscope carriers. That seems like a more likely option but I need one that fits properly.

Thanks for your reply.

[dddseebig]

Hello,
Name is Michael, do you still need a replacement focus drive for your M8?
I have a few of these scopes at home and one of them has a broken zoom mechanism. Checked last night and the focus drive is in perfect condition.
I am located in British Columbia, Canada

Cheers, Michael

[atariwarrior]

Hello Michael,

Yes. I'm still looking for one. Are you selling just the focus drive or the whole microscope? Please post some photos. How much are you asking for it?

I see in your profile that you are an Electron Microscopist. I am a SEM operator as part of my job. I use an Amray 1810 SEM and an Amray 3200 ECO SEM.

Thanks for your reply.

[dddseebig]

Yes I can sell just the focus drive. I have 30 years of collecting microscopes but have never sold anything, not sure what to ask. The drive is in perfect working order.
Yeah been doing EM for over 35 years. For my daytime hobby I manage a microscope research facility that has a couple of Hitachi SEM's, Hitachi TEM, a couple Leica confocal laser scanning microscopes, and 6 misc. research light microscopes.

[atariwarrior]

Would you sell it to me for $125 (U.S.) and the cost of shipping?

[dddseebig]

Sure, will PM you.