microscope-using MORON MOM needs help in how to use the &$^# thing! (cross-post)

[Hoggirl]

ARGH! I am so stinkin' frustratred right now!

So, I ordered the binocular scope from Sonlight ($400!), and now it has arrived, and I am TOO STUPID to operate it!!! Thank goodness ds is away for the weekend at his grandparents lest he hear me cursing the thing! Sometimes I can get something to show up, but certainly not with great detail! It's not like you could make a drawing from it!! And sometimes I can see the little critter on the slide with my naked eye and it looks like it is right under the stinkin' lense, but I look through there, and I cannot see a *$&# thing!!! I can't figure out if I start with the doohickey that lets the light in (this would be the "aperature of iris diaphragm below the condenser" - gee, why didn't they just write the directions in Greek?) or the stage. And how close to the lens is the stage supposed to be, b/c I cannot get it very close on the 4x lens (the lowest one). Can someone PLEASE teach me how to use/focus this!?????

Could it be the slides??? I ordered them from Sonlight, too. Should I have ordered them from Home Science Tools? My guess is that it is the OPERATOR of the equipment that is causing the problem! Should it take a loooong time to find whatever I am looking for? Maybe I am not patient enough???

I am going to drink some vino and go to bed. I will check back in the morning after saying a prayer that some wise person on this board can teach me how to use this piece of equipment.

I hate science.

[Pamela H in Texas]

A couple things....

First, are you positive the top part is full screwed on? When our Sonlight scope came, it needed to be adjusted and tightened down. The reason is so it wouldn't mess up during shipping.

Second, You start on the lowest setting, find the object and focus it. It isn't going to look like a whole lot on this setting, but it's a start. You'll have it centered just the way you want it. Then lower the table part and turn to the next highest setting. Slowly focus it til you get it just where you want it. You'll see it in more detail. Finally, lower the table again and switch to the highest setting (or third if you have more than 3). Slowly bring it into focus. This time, you should see plenty that could be drawn in detail.

I hope that helps a little. It's much easier to DO and SHOW rather than try to type it out, but always find it on the lowest setting first.

[Hoggirl]

I did have to screw the "head" on, but it is nice and tight. I can't seem to find much of ANYTHING on the lowest setting! I am going to try again later after I have had more coffee.

So, as the magnification gets higher is the stage supposed to be farther away??? How close should the lense be to the slide? We even have the 100x and I thought on that one the lens was supposed to almost touch the slide (b/c it is touching the immersion oil which is on the slide). So, I guess I thought the stage was supposed to get closer and closer with each higher magnification. I am terrified to even try the 100x 'cause I'm worried I will get oil on another lense. And, supposedly, I should NOT need that level of magnification right now anyway, right?? I mean we are looking at parameciums, euglenas, amoebas, etc.

Thanks for trying to help me. I feel like a dope.

[Pamela H in Texas]

It won't necessarily be further away, however, you start it low because 1) it's a good habit to get into and 2) because sometimes, you'll break slides if you don't.

Now, if you're doing oil immersion, it IS going to touch for those hence the "immersion" :)

But you SHOULD be able to see there IS a euglena on the slide on 4x. And then see him decently at 10x. I did 40x but didn't do oil immersion when I did the co-op for biology. Do you have a 100X mag also then?

Just make sure you find it in each of the lower magnifications first and that it's centered (I'm assuming the $400 scope has just as much, if not more, maneuverability as the $200 scope). Each time you move up to the next magnification, you're looking at a smaller area so if your specimen is to the left, the next time, you may not see him at all.

Better?

[Tarheel Heather]

Make sure you have the diaphram opened, if you can control the light it may be too much or not enough. If you look through the lens open the diaphram up just enough so that the light fills the area in the scope.

Like Pamela said start on low power and work your way up. Also focus using the coarse adjustment first then the fine. The slide shouldn't matter, you would still see what's on it.

The lower power lens will be further away from the scope, the oil and high would touch the coverslip.

Hope you are having better luck.

[Hoggirl]

I am still struggling on the focusing. I did get some pretty good detail on the corn stem. But, it is easier b/c I can see it on the slide before I stick it under there. I did find some euglenas but there was so little detail that I could see! And sometimes it seems like I can see better with the 10x than I can with the 40x. Why would this be? As I go higher in magnification do I let more or less light in? When I do less the little hole gets so small. I am probably just not patient enough. But, I am sure not seeing much detail. I cannot make out any cilia on my paramecium at all. That doesn't seem right, does it???? It seems like the only place I can get good anything is the 10x. I am still struggling mightily on the 4x and 40x! Are my eyes supposed to be up agains they eyepieces are back away from them. If I can see better with my eyes farther away, which way do I need to move the stage? This just should NOT be that hard!!

The SL scope I have is just like the monocular one... except that it is binocular and has the 100x (which I am not about to attempt!!!)

Time to put it away again and try later. That's all I know to do is to walk away for a bit and then come back again and keep trying.

[Tarheel Heather]

You shouldn't need to move the stage if you have it in focus on low. Whe you switch to high you should be able to move it around but not have to hunt down what's on the slide.

With nothing on the stage, look through the eyepieces you should have enough light to fill the viewing area. Open the diaphram up enough to fill the area you see. That should be plenty of light.

This may help, we set the scope up in Kohler before viewing, this may help with the light and focus issues.

http://www.gonda.ucla.edu/bri_core/kohler.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B6hler_illumination

See if this helps at all. Both sites are step by step.

HTH

[Hoggirl]

Thank you so much for hanging in here with me. My instructions have a part labeled as "spiral mount condenser with Iris diaphragm." There are two knob things on it. One alters the amount of light. I'm not exactly sure what the other one does???? I don't know what a brightfield condenser stop is either? I don't get "stops for brightfield and phase, etc." either. I am sorry to be so dense, but I do appreciate your help. I am gathering from what you are saying that I really need to focus (no PUN intended) on getting this part set up correctly first.

Thank you so, so much.

[Tarheel Heather]

Do you have a link to a description of the scope you have. I may be of more help if I can see the parts.

[Hoggirl]

I have the Sonlight binocular scope. They don't have a picture of it, but just a verbal comparison to their monocular scope. If I were smart I could link the info, but not only am I microscope-challenged but also techno-challenged.
I guess I mostly don't understand what the "condenser" is. But, I have printed off the info. from those links, and I will try, try again. I just can't try to do it over and over again: I have to walk away for awhile. There is a guy at our church who has a degree in microbiology, so I am hoping to hit him up to come over and give us a lesson! ;)

I do appreciate your help. I rep'd you!

[Tarheel Heather]

Cynthia,

One more site for you to look at. Your scope may not have a condenser, wasn't sure, but it would be near the diaphram.

This site may help a little more.

http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/biology/microscope/microscope.htm

HTH,

[Hoggirl]

to come over and give us some training either this week or next! Yea!