anybody know anything about microscopes?

[Dan_Shade]

i'm looking to get a microscope, but I don't want to waste my money on junk.  are ones like this any good:  microscope on ebay

[Modat22]

I used some in school looking at bacteria and the like. What you get depends on what you plan to look at.

If your going single cell viewing you might want to consider a used medical grade scope. These are pretty powerful and some use light weight ultra refined oil between the object lens and specimen at high magnification.

[Radar67]

Dan, I used to have a microscope. I had the simple, plain jane model with the mirror for light. My number one recommendation is it needs to have a light instead of a mirror to illuminate the slides.

The one you referenced looks like a pretty good one. Also check Toys-R-Us, they usually have decent scopes for a good price.

Stew

[beenthere]

i'm looking to get a microscope, but I don't want to waste my money on junk.  ....

Dan
Glad you asked that question, as I have been poking around too, but not sure what is good 'enough' for grand kids, and me.  That price is better than some I found, by about $400 better. Almost worth taking a chance to find out.

[SwampDonkey]

There are different types of microscopes also. Ones you use slides and ones you stick a petri dish under for disecting. Depends on what you want. If you want to look at bugs (beetles, ants, fleas) and disect a tree flower bud, get a disecting microscope. Also useful to look at growing bacteria in a petri dish. ;D

Get one with 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x or 100 x, some have a revolving head to choose resolving power. For looking at plant cells you'll need at least 60x I beleive. You can get a disecting kit  scapald and such for $25-40 I think, maybe less.

[Dan_Shade]

another one

how much magnification is needed to look at endgrain to ID wood?

[SwampDonkey]

You would't need anything more than 10x to look at end grain. But if you want to look at parenchyma cells and trachaeids get 80x minimum.

[SwampDonkey]

This is all ya need for end grain, a 10x hand lens. It folds up and you can put in your pocket without scratching the lens in your pocket change. ;D

[Dan_Shade]

ok, i want the microscope to piddle with a few other things.

but the wood was one of them.  I'll pick up a small magnifying glass.  I guess they keep them in the old people section of the pharmace  :D

[Modat22]

I've used one of these to look at metal structure failure.
http://www.2spi.com/catalog/ltmic/peak-pocket-microscope.shtml

I also used one of these for looking at circuit board etchings, I like this one better because it has a built in light. Picked mine up at radio shack.

http://www.biconet.com/tools/30x.html

[Gilman]

Stereoscopic scopes are really nice for someone who doesn't use microscopes much. The 3d view is really cool for bugs too. 

I used stereoscopic scopes for inspecting metal fractures, welds, and bugs when the boss wasn't looking.

Being able to attach a camera is really handy too.

[SwampDonkey]

yes, I recommend microscopes with binocular view.

[Dan_Shade]

what's the difference in binocular and stereo?

[SwampDonkey]

With a stereoscope for example you have two images in sequence with 30 % overlap that you look at and the image in stereo jumps out in 3-D relief. With binoculars it's not a 3-D view, your looking at the same image. Not everyone can see stereo images in a stereoscope. ;)

[Frank_Pender]

Dan, it just so happens that one of my past students builds microscopes parts,  He is a physist.   If you would like to call him directly let me know and I will send you his number in a pm.

[Dan_Shade]

thanks, frank, i don't know enough to hold an intelligent conversation  :D

my dog had demodectic mange a few months ago, he's got something on his nose now that I'm afraid might be it coming back, I don't want to pay a vet $100 to tell me that it is, when I can scrape him and do it myself.  and I figure I could entertain myself with a microscope.  i was looking, I'd probably just buy a student lab grade one for like $50, I'd probably only use it once or twice a year.  often what I "want" and what I "need" are completely different.  and many times I dont' "need" what I "want"!

[SwampDonkey]

Quite a few of us could fit that circumstance. But, it's just one more toy. ;D

[sjh]

You can check this place out.
Wards natural Science
http://wardsci.com/?SID=OVERTURE&EID=OV214B&OVRAW=wards%20naterial%20science&OVKEY=natural%20science%20ward&OVMTC=standard
My brother is a bioligest and works for them.

[isawlogs]

often what I "want" and what I "need" are completely different. and many times I dont' "need" what I "want"!

  I know somebody that this fits this discreption purdy well also .... Me  ;D ;)
  Oh ... I know nothing of microscopes .. other then they make things look bigger , I have customers that see logs like that .

[brdmkr]

Dan

It seems that the 2 things you want to look at are wood and itty bitty bugs.  For both applications, I'd get a stereoscope.  You want something with a light source from above the object you are looking at rather than below.  The light from below needs to pass through the specimen for it to be of much use.  While this can be done with really small bugs, it would require special equipment to do with wood.  Stereoscopes illuminate from the top.  These scopes also have a lower magnfication (40 - 60 x seems to be most common if I remember correctly).  I have seen these scopes, as well as compound light microscopes (regular microscope), for sale new in the 150 - 200 dollar range.  It seems like I saw these prices in a science supply catalog for my wife's school, but I am not sure.