Re: Olympus PMG

On Jun 22, 5:04 pm, "Kevin Cunningham" <sms...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<dljo...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1182529678.586722.324840@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



On Jun 22, 7:50 am, "Kevin Cunningham" <sms...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<dljo...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:1182435550.466441.146040@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum, so if anything I ask has been answered before,
I would be happy to learn how to find the answer...

I have just gotten a, I think, very beautiful Olympus PMG
metallograph. It's from the 1960's I believe. I am in the very
beginning stages of restoring it. So really right now I'm just doing
an inventory of what's good, bad, broken, etc.

I need the screw that holds the fine focus lever in place, it is
sheared off. If anyone knows a source for these kinds pf parts, do let
me know. My guess is I'll become friends with a machinist...

I would like to know if anyone may have technical documentation about
this instrument so that I can know how to take various things apart
and if there are hidden small parts that I'll likely loose if I'm not
aware they exist...

All existing mechanically moving parts need to be cleaned of their old
grease and new grease applied. Does anyone have suggestions as to what
kind of grease should be used where?

I have a protocol from Olympus on how to clean optical surfaces, but
when it gets to cleaning internal prisms and mirrors, it says to
contact a local technician.... Any advice on how best to clean these
internal optical surfaces, or what not to do, etc.

Here's a bit of a brain teaser for you. The instrument came with a eye
piece mounted micrometer but I can't figure out the scale that is
being used. The piece has the following markings on it:

On the body that houses the micrometer mechanism - OSM 202575
On the eyepiece itself - Olympus Elgeet R10X

I am assuming the 10X is the magnification of the eyepiece, I don't
know what the R means.

I put a stage micrometer on and measured the following:

0.05 mm = 57 units on eye piece micrometer
0.10 mm = 114 units
0.15 mm = 171 units
0.20 mm = 228 units.

Does anyone recognize what unit system this eyepiece micrometer works
in? Or what this eyepiece may have originally been used for?

Thank you very much for your time.

dj

There are several grease maker that I use. I use only synthetic greases,
they last a lot longer. One good quality maker is Dow-Corning, their 111
and 43 (?) work well. I still use the 111. Mostly I use Nye lubricants
from TAI
(http://easyweb.abtnet.com/inetisscripts/abtinetis.exe/ecproductlist@xxxx).
Their assortment of synthetic greases will run less than $90.00 and last
for
ever. Get a small artists paint brush to apply it at an artists store.

Cleaning internal prisms, etc. is the same as cleaning the surfaces of
lenses. BE CAREFULL! Don't act like an ass. Use either Kimwipes or
Kleenex tissues, just the tissues. The put a small amount of Windex and
Alcohol on and gently wipe the surface. Then throw the wipe away and
gently
wipe with a dry wipe. Never clean dry. Always clean wet.

Don't get overly worried about what alcohol you use, I buy mine at the
local
hardware store. The point is to have a high vapor pressure and a safe
product. The high vapor pressure is what cleans the lens and it
evaporates
rapidly meaning it won't penetrate into the lens. Its alcohol so its
safe,
I plan to drink so alcohol containing beer this evening so I know its
safe.

Its best to use a set of Menda bottles or an imitation of a Menda. They
dispense a very little every time you hit the top. That works best. Oh,
these are metric, don't use inch tools.

Thanks and let us know what happens.

Kevin Cunningham
SMS

Kevin,

Thank you. This question has had me at a complete standstill. I was
going to tear apart the stage last night and then realized I still
didn't have a clue as to what grease to use putting it back
together...

One comment, I was reading somewhere (darn, wish I'd marked the
source) that alcohol shouldn't be used on older microscopes. Oh, yes,
there it is, found it on the yahoo group Gordon Cougar runs, The Clean
Microscope published by Zeiss. Now maybe this only applies to Zeiss? I
don't know. On page 11 of that document under point 5 it says: " Do
not use ethanol or acetone for the cleaning of older microscopes." It
then lists a bunch of Zeiss' older scopes. Do you have any thoughts on
this?

Very nice suggestion on the Menda bottles.

Also, excellent suggestion on how to test for safety on the alcohol...
I think I'll have to try tonight also, do you think wine as a medium
will work as well as beer? :)

Thanks again,

dj

Wine works darn well! Now on to the dull stuff. Alcohol works well for
cleaning all objectives in my profesional experience and I am Zeiss trained.
Zeiss and most makers are quite leary of acetone since a lot of bright work
is now plastic, particularly modern stereos headed for cleans rooms. You
are usually told not to bring it if your going to service one of their
modern microscopes but it is still usefull, just be quite carefull around
modern instruments.

Alcohol isn't really a problem, never has been, probably won't be. If your
working on an instrument built before 1960 (aprox.) if you use a whole bunch
or soak a lens in alcohol it could disolve since way back when the lenses
were glued with Canadian Balsam that dissolves in alcohol. How ever if you
use a small amount it will evaporate before it ever touches the glue. I've
used alcohol of various descriptions (yes, including Vodka) since 1977 and
it works well. I've never dissolved the glue between two elements, not even
intentionally. Its darn hard to do.

Again, remember that what I use is high vapor pressure chemicals, they
evaporate rapidly. Why I use alcohol, acetone and heptane is for personal
safety. The least safe of these chemicals is the acetone. Thats why I
recommend Menda bottles, the chemicals are safe and the Menda makes sure you
have a very little in front of you. Heptane is a very good chemical for
removing old grease and cleaning up old parts. However you will probably
have to buy five gallons and there's no way you need five gallons.

Back in the good ole days I learned to use ether and benzene which Zeiss
approved of. Now the Zeiss techs were in nice, clean, well ventilated
rooms, I was in a closet cleaning a giant Ultraphot. I went a bit crazy so
I got rid of the benzene and soon got rid of the ether. There great stuff,
work well, but they can kill you.

Thanks, let me know how it goes!

Kevin Cunningham
SMS

Kevin,

How interesting. OK, I'm going to ask more stupid questions here. I am
hearing you talk about lenses, but just to be on the safe side, are
you also saying alcohol is OK on the internal optical surfaces like
the mirrors, prisms and all those internal surfaces that the cleaning
manuals supplied with the instrument all end up saying go get a
technician if you want to clean these? I'm worried especially about
the mirrors. I don't know how they were made and I'd hate to strip off
a fine coating that I don't know about.

Second question, a guy here at my work says he was told that a really
great lens cleaning solution is a mixture of 50% Toluene and 50% Ethyl
Alcohol. Do you have any thoughts on this concoction?

I don't actually know when this microscope was made, but others who
know a whole lot more than I do, have told me it looks like the
1960's. My guess is on the early side since it has those three
photography systems, with one being "dry plate photography".

I will indeed let you know how it goes. I'm feeling mighty confident
at this point... well, OK, maybe just a couple steps above scared to
death....I think that test for alcohol safety might help here...

Thank you very much for the excellent advice.

dj

.

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