# Microscopes



## RedGinger (Apr 1, 2011)

Hey everyone.  I am looking to buy a relatively inexpensive microscope, for fun.  I've been looking on ebay, but I don't know what power is the best, and what brand to get.  I think a kid's set would be fine. Thanks for any input you might be able to give me.


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## rockbot (Apr 1, 2011)

I'll check Red. What would you be looking at? That really determines the power. Plant and animal cells would be one type or insects and exterior surface would be another. etc


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## RedGinger (Apr 1, 2011)

Anything that can go under a microscope!  That was always my favorite part of science classes (looking at things under microscopes).  Single celled animals?  i.e., parameciums, things like that.  I'd also like to look at mites.  Weird, but I am fascinated by them.  I know they have some fun ideas that come with the kits.  Thanks!


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## Steve/sewell (Apr 1, 2011)

Can anyone guess what this is? A very Hi resolution Microscope took this image.I will give you three guesses Ok.After that Ill show and tell you what it is!


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## RedGinger (Apr 2, 2011)

I'm going to guess a baby animal of some sort.  Baby chicken or dog.


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## Steve/sewell (Apr 2, 2011)

Which one?Chicken or a dog, Red.


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## RedGinger (Apr 2, 2011)

Dog.


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## Steve/sewell (Apr 2, 2011)

Your both wrong its a dust mite from Chucks sweater he got from Mr. rogers, nah I am just kiddin Lobeys got it a chicken you almost had it Red.


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## surfaceone (Apr 2, 2011)

Hey Lauren,

 Have a gander @ this mini-micro.


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## RedGinger (Apr 2, 2011)

Thanks, Surface.  That's pretty neat.  Hmm, I just don't know what kind of magnification I would need.  Is that a high magnification?  I mean, it's not like I'm a scientist lol, but you know.


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## cowseatmaize (Apr 2, 2011)

I may be way off but I think that is Charlie. Wasn't he the chicken crossing guard before he became a cop? 
 Maybe I'm wrong.


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## Plumbata (Apr 2, 2011)

I found a really cool pocket-microscope in a pile of junk left in the woods by a member of the local vagrant population. It still worked fine, and the batteries for illumination were still good. It magnifies between 160X and 200X, according to the information on the side.

 I also found a soggy diary describing the pitiful plight of this nameless homeless person. Very interesting.

 Anyway, here is the 'scope model i found (didn't find the detachable base):







 On ebay, similar ones sell for less than 10 or 20 bucks shipped. You should probably try to get a high grade microscope for indoor use, but these pocket scopes are pretty durable and very cheap so you could carry it around in the purse or pocket with ease, as it is only about twice the size of a cell phone. I suggest looking at the surface of a newly minted coin; you will be surprised at what you see.

 Here is a particularly cheap one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-LED-160x-200x-Pocket-Microscope-Magnifier-loupe-/180627790961?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0e415c71


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## Stardust (Apr 2, 2011)

That is so cool. I love microscopes back as a kid and now with little ones I think I need one also. Thanks Laura for bringing it up.


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## kwalker (Apr 2, 2011)

Microscopes are fun. That's probably why I loved Biology last year so much. It's always interesting to see what the naked eye can't. If you ever get a microscope, check out some pond or stagnant water. That's amazing really.


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## cyberdigger (Apr 2, 2011)

Yeah I remember loving HS Bio too.. we had to draw what we saw under the microscope.. I was really good at it. I just can't remember how powerful the microscopes were..


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## bostaurus (Apr 2, 2011)

Lauren, you might want to look at this site: http://www.hometrainingtools.com/microscopes-accessories/c/10/

 We used this company a lot when we homeschooled.  They have microscopes of all different types plus slides, stains, etc if you want to make some of your own slides.
 My husband spends a good bit of his time at work on a microscope but the one he uses runs about $50,000.  Glad we don't have to buy it.


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## kwalker (Apr 2, 2011)

The ones we used are Fisher Scientific and they ranged from x2 power to x 10 power plus the eye piece automatically zoomed in x10. They're light microscopes and I'm pretty sure aren't cheap...

 As a side note; I was never very good at drawing what I saw. I just drew squggily and straight lines, and some circles and hoped for the best...


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## RedGinger (Apr 2, 2011)

Thank you for all the responses, guys and gals!  Here's what I want to see, among other organisms (mites).  Don't watch if you are easily creeped out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47CIdUld8eQ


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## RedGinger (Apr 2, 2011)

Okay, this video is pretty darn cheesy!  LOL 

 When I used to work at an Animal Hospital, they had some great microscopes.  Unfortunately, there was never much time to play with them.  We did some of our own skin scrapings, but got sidetracked with an emergency that day.


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## rockbot (Apr 3, 2011)

I have a MEAD 94. It is a monocular with 10x eye piece. It has three power mag lenses, 4x,10x,40x. The 10x and 40x are very powerful and unless you have something  thin under a slide you will only see a very small portion of what you are looking at. 
 I used to operate an electron microscope and that was totally out of this world.


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## towhead (Apr 3, 2011)

Might be better to buy a 2nd hand expensive one than a cheap new one, as cheap microscopes have a low resolution as well as clarity.  Maybe you could try a used one at a Pawn Shop?  Hope this helps.  -Julie


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## cyberdigger (Apr 3, 2011)

I recommend one with its own light source, Laur.. those little mirrors can be annoying..


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## RedGinger (Apr 3, 2011)

> ORIGINAL: rockbot
> 
> 
> I used to operate an electron microscope and that was totally out of this world.


 
 I always thought those were super cool, Rocky!  What kind of stuff did you look at under there?


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## RedGinger (Apr 3, 2011)

My thanks to Fred, who brought one over this morning, that he had.  It looks like a nice one!  Thanks so much, Fred! What a generous friend!  Been under the weather, so I haven't had the chance to check it out, yet.  Maybe Joe and I will play with it tonight and try taking some pictures using our camera.  What a kind gift!


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## RedGinger (Apr 3, 2011)

It does have a mirror, so I'm just trying to get the hang of it.  It's a "Minolux", I think it says.  

 Any ideas for makeshift slides?  Thanks!


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## cyberdigger (Apr 3, 2011)

Makeshift slides, eh? If you have a plastic container like this, and a pair of scissors, you might be in business..







 BTW.. that was awesome of Fred!!! []


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## ktbi (Apr 3, 2011)

Hi Laur,  one of my 'passions' is telescopes and looking at our solar system.  Looking at our moon and other planets is a thrill. Microscopes are equally as fun and I wonder just how small living organism are.  We know what we can see, but I wonder what we haven't yet discovered.  Good luck with it, have fun,  and let us know what you find.....Ron


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## rockbot (Apr 3, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Atoms.[][]


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## mr.fred (Apr 3, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  RedGinger
> 
> It does have a mirror, so I'm just trying to get the hang of it.  It's a "Minolux", I think it says.
> 
> ...


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## cyberdigger (Apr 3, 2011)

This anecdote might be kinda weird, but what the hell, it was a long time ago..[]

 Back in high school, enjoying the biology lab time with the microscopes, I decided one time to perform a .. "fertility test" on myself.. I borrowed a slide for the night, "prepared it" and brought it to school the next day.. spotted some good swimmers.. [] I never told anyone until now..


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## RedGinger (Apr 3, 2011)

Rocky, looking at atoms would be awesome!!  Wow.  

 Fred, I found some of the slides.  Thanks, again.  I am wondering how to use some of the higher magnifications.  I'm having a little trouble with that.  I did look at my eyelash under it, but the magnification isn't high enough to see any Demode mites.  Maybe I should borrow an eyelash from Joe, as the older you get, the more mites you have LOL!  

 Charlie, well, um, that's interesting.  I would do that someday, possibly.  I can't say I blame you.  If I were a man, I'd probably look too![]

 Ron, I think telescopes are fascinating too.  I would like to get one of those. Saw a PBS show on their history.  They used to be extremely long, until (I forget whom) discovered how to use prisms and make them a lot shorter with a much clearer view.  Got any extra, Fred?  LOL


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## RedGinger (Apr 3, 2011)

Charlie, I think you need a grid to put over the slide in order to determine how many you have per whatever measurement of space.  I think you need a whole lot of them to increase your chances of inseminating your "host".  [sm=lol.gif][sm=rolleyes.gif]  Funny thing is, it only takes one to do the job, as we all know.


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## cyberdigger (Apr 3, 2011)

..it was only a scrimmage.. []


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