Much to my surprise, Leica have been utterly quiet today. Not a single email, not a single call, nothing. I'm very much doubting I'll be receiving the replacement parts for my microscope anytime this week. That's assuming I can even afford whatever they quote! So I had a think and came up with a temporary solution - gaffer tape! The way I see it, if it's good enough for NASA it's good enough for me. I just happened to have a roll laying around, so this 'fix' has cost me nothing.
First of all I reassembled my microscope, there was a small degree of faff involved when it came to sitting the housing for the focussing mechanism back onto the focussing rack, but with a bit of jiggery pokery it went back together again. As soon as I fitted the microscope to the arm that connects to the focussing rack it began to slowly slide downwards all by itself. What I needed was something to pack it out, add a bit more tension. A single layer of gaffer tape later and...
Well that was ridiculously easy
Note where the teeth on the drive unit have compressed the gaffer tape against the focussing rack
Magically, this worked perfectly! However, the whole assembly now has a little bit of front-to-back movement on the focussing rack, the result being that I now have to steady the microscope with my hand when focussing, just to stop the image falling out of focus. But that is something I can live with until Leica decide to get back to me and send me the new parts. The important thing is that The Telferscope lives to fight another day and I can crack on with identifying the specimens I collected at the weekend. This lot for starters - these are just the specimens in alcohol.
Arachnids, millipedes, springtails, wingless wasps, 3 beetles, a fly and apparently a woodlouse too
So all in all I'm really rather relieved. Good ol' gaffer tape haha! Being employed as the maintenance man here, I've picked up lots of useful tips and learned a few tricks that have come in handy from time to time. Allow me to share with you this useful flowchart, admittedly it is a little bit complicated and technical but stick with it because it's worth taking the time to learn it all the same.
You're welcome
Final couple of images of The Telferscope. And yes, I tidied my desk just for this photoshoot - usually there's all sorts of crap and debris and wine glasses strewn across it.
Good bodge. I'm worried the quote from Leica is going to be a lot. I wonder if there's some cheap way of moving the subject smoothly up and down to bring it into focus, so you can just leave the microscope in one fixed position?
This moves a stage 10 mm up and down for £75: https://www.banggood.com/Machifit-60x60mm-XYZ-3-Axis-Linear-Stage-Adjustable-Manual-Displacement-Platform-Sliding-Table-p-1105874.html?rmmds=detail-topright-recommendation&cur_warehouse=UK
The quote was a lot, Mark. Much higher than I'd feared. But I bit the bullet and went for it, should be here within a week. Your link to that part came just a little too late, but personally I think I'd be happier with the scope being back in full working condition again. Did you notice I've removed the bottom of the base plate? My chair is just a tiny bit too low (or my desk too high) but losing that bottom section makes it the perfect working height for me now.
Do you know about adjusting the resistance of the focus knobs? E.g., p31 of this manual: https://downloads.leica-microsystems.com/Leica%20M80/User%20Manuals/Instructions_Leica_M60_B-M80_B_EN.pdf I expect the shaft would experience less strain and last longer if the focus was set as loose as it can be without your microscope descending under its own weight. That's how I've set mine - fingers crossed!
I didn't know about that, no. But the focus knobs I have are one solid piece, so I guess this mustn't have been a feature of the MZ series? But if the replacements have them, I now know all about it! I've saved that manual, btw. Lots of good stuff in it, thank you.
I knew a person of high intellect would appreciate that chart (note that nobody else seems to have grasped it thus far, says a lot about my readership.....)
Hooray! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP7s904oKH0
ReplyDeleteThe trick there is to remember to cover your arms in clingfilm first!
DeleteAlong the lines of the IT 'switch it off and back on', or the mechanic 'hit it with a hammer' solutions. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteWell I kicked all the tyres and sucked air through my teeth whilst shaking my head. Twice. Obviously the WD40 was no use, so.....
DeleteGood bodge. I'm worried the quote from Leica is going to be a lot. I wonder if there's some cheap way of moving the subject smoothly up and down to bring it into focus, so you can just leave the microscope in one fixed position?
ReplyDeleteThis moves a stage 10 mm up and down for £75:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.banggood.com/Machifit-60x60mm-XYZ-3-Axis-Linear-Stage-Adjustable-Manual-Displacement-Platform-Sliding-Table-p-1105874.html?rmmds=detail-topright-recommendation&cur_warehouse=UK
The quote was a lot, Mark. Much higher than I'd feared. But I bit the bullet and went for it, should be here within a week. Your link to that part came just a little too late, but personally I think I'd be happier with the scope being back in full working condition again. Did you notice I've removed the bottom of the base plate? My chair is just a tiny bit too low (or my desk too high) but losing that bottom section makes it the perfect working height for me now.
ReplyDeleteDo you know about adjusting the resistance of the focus knobs? E.g., p31 of this manual:
ReplyDeletehttps://downloads.leica-microsystems.com/Leica%20M80/User%20Manuals/Instructions_Leica_M60_B-M80_B_EN.pdf
I expect the shaft would experience less strain and last longer if the focus was set as loose as it can be without your microscope descending under its own weight. That's how I've set mine - fingers crossed!
I didn't know about that, no. But the focus knobs I have are one solid piece, so I guess this mustn't have been a feature of the MZ series? But if the replacements have them, I now know all about it! I've saved that manual, btw. Lots of good stuff in it, thank you.
DeleteBrilliant. And that Flow Chart is the business too.
ReplyDeleteI knew a person of high intellect would appreciate that chart (note that nobody else seems to have grasped it thus far, says a lot about my readership.....)
Delete