Australia's Science Forum

Is there any one out there familair with Orion monocular microscopes please.
I need to do some repairs and servicing and they are a bit differnt to ones i have work on before - they seem easy to look at but i thought some words of wisdom from others could not hurt before i start.

yes i have to do it as we do nothave any money in the budget to have a real service person do it - i have argue the point of it would be better for the equipement and its servicable life span but the money is just not there.

so any suggestion hints and so forth would be gratefully recieved.

cheers

Further on from this - fungus growing inside occulars - can you do anyhting to get rid of it - or doyou have to just replace?

RE; the fungus, I have cleaned occulars with metho and cotton tip applicator with success!
hope that helps!

Hi everyone

Dolphinscales, sorry I have no answers for you but would like to add to your thread of asking for help.

I have a couple of microscopes that wont completely focus. Ie the stage is wound all the way up and you can see the slide but it is not quite in focus.

Is this something I can fix myself or would they need to be sent away for repair. (Keep in mind I am 1200 km from Perth so the costs of getting them to a repairer is the biggest hurdle)

Also if they do need to be sent away does anyone know where I would send them.

Cheers
Nikki

Hi Dolphinscales

Have you tried contacting the Regional Techs? The manual they put out has a section in it on service and repairs. Perhaps if you called them they could talk you through it or maybe come to Perth for an inservice, bringing your various brands of microscope with you. I think you will find one of the Techs will be able to help.

Cheers

Alice

Metho and cotton tips are deffinantly the way to go to remove fungal growths from the optics of microscopes. Allow plenty of time to dry before re-installing them as they will never completly dry out in the confinds of the microscope body. As for never being quite in focus, it sounds like moisture in the laminating layer of the lens. Dehumidify if possible (not easy) under a light load (25 - 50g - no more).

Richard

Adjusting the height of the stage is usually done by moving the small screw at the back of the stage that acts as a brace (preventing the stage from going thorugh your slide) Adjust this so that the slide has come and then gone in focus, retighten the screw and lock it into position tightly with the nut at its base. I find the kids are really good at tampering with this screw and we have unfocused scopes some of the time. We also don't get our microscopes repaired by a professional and I have to clean and services 65 every year. I'll admit one or two go beyond my expertise and they then have to go for proper repairs but most of the companies are quite willing to give some advice and access to purchase some spare parts, as well as good cleaning brushes, fluids, and tools.

If little cherubs have fiddled with the focussing screws and you have limited time before the microscopes are needed for the next class, try raising the height of the slide by placing a clean clear slide under the sample slide. It gives you a couple of mm's of focus height, and gives you time to adjust the microscopes at your leisure.

Cheers, K

Hi All,
Can anyone recommend someone for microscope services in NSW please? No services done at least 4 years. We are on the south coast and I know a local industry have used Cyrullas (now CI Sales and Service). Have heard of Eyepoint Instruments at Engadine but unable to contact them. Any help gratefully received.
Rita

Hi Rita

Eyepoint Instruments at Engadine ownership changed in August 2007, this company is still known as Eyepoint Instruments, the owner is James Entwistle, 19 Henry Lawson Avenue, Werrington County, NSW, 2747. Telephone no. (02) 96730012, Fax (02) 96730013, email eyepoint2007@bigpond.com.au.

I used the company when it was at Engadine, but haven't used it since the change of ownership.

Vicki

Hi Rita, Please check your emails

Most Microscope lens are composite two lens of crown & flint glass that have + & - refractives glued together and if you use metho or some other solvents you can ruin the lens. The safest thing to use is Shellite /White spirit /Lighter fluid /Murex Dry cleaning fluid /X55 and always use lint free tissues to clean!

lint free - tally-ho cigarette papers wrapped around a cotton bud are great and cheap.

Thank you
Rita

Actually the best thing to use is some good old windex, lint free cotton buds can be bought from livingstone and kimwipes are great. Little bit of windex on a cotton bud make a great tool to clean objectives, on a kimwipe to clean eyepieces and lightsource. I am in charge of the 600+ microscopes here and a good part of each working day I spend cleaning and reparing mics If you are unlucky to get fungus growing on the objectives there is not much you can do about it, it will just keep coming back, best thing to do is to prevent it from growning in the first place by keeping the microscope in a dry stable enivrionment (no temp changes).

Cheers,
Sass

Hi Rita,
I have sent you a PM on this topic. Did you receive it?
Cheers, Ellice.

I have a microscope needing repair and am wondering if Wollongong labbies have any suggestions as to who to use? If I need to get someone down from Sydney, do any of you also need repairs done so we could share travel expenses?
Kathryn

Hi Kathryn,
I use Eddie Bishop from Wilton. Phone 0429304492. He usually comes down and services microscopes on site. Good for all other repairs as well.
Cheers, Ellice.

hi kathryn
I also use eddie bishop but am looking for someone closer as when he does repairs it is quite some time before they are returned. also i think he is getting ready to retire or at least cut back as he was telling me how inconvenient it is for him to travel down to wollongong.

so if anyone in the illawarra can reccommend another repairer i would be eternally grateful
thanks in advance
maria

I'm in the Bowral and there is fellow, from Picton, who I have just given some meters etc to , to repair. He also does microscopes and muscic equipment. I haven't used him before so can't guarantee his work but our music department recommended him to me. Wollongon is not far from Picton so 'would think he would come to you as he did come here to pick things up and I have talked to him about servicing our microscopes.

His contact details are:

Jim Quinsey, Redbank Instruments

email: jim@redbank.net.au

website: www.redbank.net.au

Phone : 02 4677 0799

Fax : 02 4677 0722

Lorrae