🔬 Making a rotating microscope stage for polarization microscopy | Amateur Microscopy

For polarized microscopiy, it can be necessary to have a stage that rotates the slide (and not only moves it in X and Y directions). These stages are expensive and difficult to get. I therefore propose a DIY method for making one yourself. Please post comments for improvements!
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[@jimzielinski946]

I applaud your creativity. I would like to recommend placing polarizing film under the condensor instead of above it. I would also recommend putting the 2nd polarizer between the objective and the microscope head. The issue you point out about depolarization is a real issue, however with some experimentation, you can get the polarizer in the correct orientation. I would strongly recommend that you search for a glass polarizer of an appropriate size for the one above the objective. Plastic polarization material is not polished as optically flat as glass polarizers so the image quality can degrade especially with higher power objectives. You can easily rotate the polarizer under the condensor and use it as the analyzer. I've picked up most of my equipment as used parts on eBay. This was certainly more expensive than DIY but I'm very happy with what I have. I've had no trouble having parts shipped to the US from eBay sellers in other countries. I don't know if shipping would be an issue for viewers in other countries. Good luck to everyone exploring polarization in microscopy. It is an amazing technique.

[@Koolik-art]

oh wow, awesome! im gonna try this on my setup!

[@meencantalabici]

This is what i did. So much easier. So much better and works wonderfully. I just put the movil polarizer under the condensor and the other one above the slide. New hidden objects are now visible thanks to the polarizer. And you can switch between dark field and brigth field in less than a second

[@valp729]

You gave me a wonderful idea. You tried with a standard CD box and didn't work. I am planning to use an half size CD box which is very thin. The CD inside this kind of box is much more stable and you can use the same trick (popsicle stick) to easily rotate the CD. I think you do not need even to cut the CD support. Thank you. I gave it a speedy try. It works, but you need to remove the slide holder first, and you need also to make the rotation axis of the CD coincident with the light axis. When you have found it, you cannot use the stage controls anymore, since every movement make you loose the center. If you want to appreciate phenomena like pleocroism, especially in rocks thin section it is important that the specimen should be able to rotate exactly around itself. For that reason, I think it is better to screw the CD holder to the stage to avoid accidentally movement.

[@sparky7071]

A cheap source for linear polarizing filter can be found by opening an old LCD monitor and removing the appropriate piece of plastic sheet (there are usually many layers of plastic sheet in there doing different jobs, diffusers, BEF filters etc). When you remove the layers of the LCD you should be able to test to see if the layer is polarizing by rotating it in front of a working monitor. It will cause the monitor to lighten and darken depending on the angle of rotation as it lines up with the polarizing filter of the working monitor. Similarly you could also test the sheet with a pair of polarized sunglasses.

[@Marciadasilvagarcia64]

I’m from Brazil and all the microscopes that i’ve have i found in the scrap yard.

[@larrykent196]

Nice job. Creative and the felt is a great solution. Keep up the nice work, love to watch your video's. Cheers!

[@elenaacim]

Thank you!

[@ahmetkaracaoglu5617]

Awesome...

[@arvetis]

Could you do a video on how to use counterstains?

[@KingLoopie1]

All right, dang it! You've rekindled a childhood hobby in addition to my many other hobbies (I'm 61 this year) and I'm waiting on 2 deliveries! A used LW Sci bino with PL and SP objectives... And a semi-antique Graf-Apsco stereo microscope (can't call it antique, it's younger than me...). And a bunch of misc supplies... Thanks Microbe hunter Oliver! /Dave

[@PPMOCRG]

Same here! I just got a Swift SW380T. I’m having fun with it.

[@pdagaming7736]

You are the best

[@mandi8345]

IDK what kind of resolution of detail is needed for minerology but I have a $80 amscope, no frills, even has a crappy iris disk instead of a proper iris under the stage. But I put a polarizer above the light, and a cut out round in the eyepiece, and by turning the eyepiece I can tune in the polarization cut out, its the rotation of the specimen that has been a pain......until now! Im going to throw my cheap crappy scope back together (dont ask) and give this stage mod a try! While I completely understand the reason for the cost of lab grade analytical microscopes, for exploratory introduction to microscopy, and considering from what Ive seen on the lower end scopes from this $80 up to a few hundred they're all using the same parts and most of them arent terribly complex to make, the bar for entry boarders on taking the piss. Im sorry, but Im a machinist/fabricator by trade, and when the difference between a $140 scope and a $220 scope is a $20 iris you can get on amazon......they are %100 taking the piss. Period. If there was a difference in the lenses or something it would make more sense. But seriously, these general student level general hobbyist level scopes made by the big 3 in the market bracket are totally overcharging. Hell, when I got mine there was mold in the lenses! I had to disassemble the assemblies before even using it! Luckily Im handy with such things, they're not perfect, but still do the job. Its ridiculous...... And I have no idea where some of these people are getting parts and swapping out heads and stuff, I cant find a damn thing on the various used sites. Every search is whole scopes at best, yet I see other people finding all sorts of parts and piecing together thousand dollar scopes on the cheap! After some experience with this cheapo and seeing the next few models up my personal opinion is dont try to nickel and dime your way into it, just save up and dump like $300 or so on one with the proper features and mod from there if you're so inclined. And if it doesnt arrive absolutely perfect, send it back and get another one until they send you one not built on a monday.

[@sackofclams953]

Great video! I’m planning on doing something similar by placing linear polarizing film under my microscopes prism. Do you think this will affect the image quality when looking at microbes under normal unpolarized light? Is the film noticeable at all?

[@banksy50]

Not noticible other than it will function as a neutral density filter, so some loss of light.

[@sackofclams953]

David B Thank you! That is very good news!

[@Rileypotts107]

Check The Thought Emporium's video on making your own DIY polorization filter. He did this too kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZ_FaX-wfNKbbKc

[@TheNurseArtist]

anyone have a source for 3D printing something like this? Thank you

[@thoughtsbright7928]

Hi how are you i wanted to know if you can add filters in iductory microscope like Darfield also without moving the objective if possible THANK YOU

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

You need a fiflterholder for darkfield and introductory scopes don't have this.

[@king-en7tm]

How many microscope do you have

[@glasslinger]

You did not mention if your objective was stress free? Does it really matter or is it only for high magnifications when the stress in the objective becomes a problem?

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

Mine are not stress free, but I was not able to test this. One would have to put a polarizing film above the objective but beneath the prism system. (take out the objective)

[@christopht683]

Awesome very cool, alternateviely somebody could design a 3D model that could be printed on a 3D printer. I may look into that if I find time.

[@alschultz94]

This is a great DIY project! I don't know if they are available for Brazil, but Motic has some educational polarizing microscopes (including monocular versions). Here's a link: moticeurope.com/en/microscopes/education/polarizing.html

[@pdagaming7736]

So precicional

[@king-en7tm]

Why are you intrested in microscope

[@abdulkadirabdirasak3644]

Doc, i need to see how salmonella looks through microscopic

[@johnsonjohnson2979]

cdn.britannica.com/s:500x350/15/123215-004-97D626AD/Photomicrograph-salmonella-typhi-agent-typhoid-fever.jpg

[@PPMOCRG]

@@johnsonjohnson2979 Cool!