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May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 1

Microbe
Hunter
Microbe
Hunter
ISSN 2220-4962 (Print)
ISSN 2220-4970 (Online)
Volume 4, Number 5
May 2014
The Magazine for the
Enthusiast Microscopist
http://www.microbehunter.com Microscopy Magazine
Polarization
microscopy
Gammerus
crustaceans
LEGO Microscope
construction
Diorite (Carl Hennig)
2 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
Microbehunter Microscopy Magazine
The magazine for the enthusiast microscopist
The Magazine is a non-commercial project.
Volume 4, Number 5, May 2014
ISSN 2220-4962 (Print)
ISSN 2220-4970 (Online)
Download: Microbehunter Microscopy Maga-
zine can be downloaded from:
http://www.microbehunter.com
Print version: The printed version can be or-
dered at: http://microbehunter.magcloud.com
Publisher and editor: Oliver Kim, Ziegeleistr.
10-3, A-4490 St.Florian, Austria
Email: editor@microbehunter.com
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Editorial: Article and image submissions are
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For submission guidelines, consult the website
at: http://www.microbehunter.com/submission
Disclaimer: Articles that are published in Mi-
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do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion
of the publisher. The publication of these articles
does not constitute an endorsement of views
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Microbehunter Microscopy Magazine is provided
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(health, hardware, etc.) arising from the use of
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Front Cover: Diorite (Carl Hennig)
Left image: Carl Hennig
Middle image: Charles Guevara
Right image: Oliver Kim
3 Bacillariophyceae - Diatoms
Diatoms have intricate cell walls made of silica.
Oliver Kim
4 Quartzite a Chameleon.
This is the next of a series of photos of thin section
minerals, crystals and other non-biological microscope
slides.
Carl Hennig
6 How did Gammerus get in there?
Some thoughts on Gammerus crustaceans thriving
underneath our past glaciers
Charles Guevara
10 Yogurt. Stress and strain relief for the microscopist
The long route to strain relief .
Carl Hennig
14 Serious toy - the making of a LEGO microscope.
I have rediscovered my almost forgotten love for
LEGO. After years of idleness, it is time to pick up the
bricks again.
By Oliver Kim
CONTENTS
B a c k c o v e r : V i t a m i n C c r y s t a l i n
p o l a r i z e d l i g h t .
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 3
Diatoms have intricate cell walls
made of silica, which can be ex-
tracted by H2O2.
By Oliver Kim
Figure 1: Different types of fresh-
water diatoms. The green chloro-
plasts are visible inside the cells.
(Public domain by DH Zanette)
D
iatoms are green algae and
comprise a large part of the
phytoplankton in water. They
are quite ubiquitous and can be found in
freshwater as well as marine water.
There are about 100000 different spe-
cies in 200 genera.
One characteristic feature of dia-
toms are their silica cell wall (called
frustule). When a diatom divides, it will
grow a new half of the cell wall which
overlaps with the original cell wall on
the inside like a lid. With every divi-
sion, the cells become increasingly
smaller. When a certain minimum size
has been reached, the diatom will form
an auxospore, which will then grow
again into a cell of the full size.
When preparing diatoms for making
permanent slides, it might be useful to
remove the organic content and only
mount the empty silica shell. In this
case, the diatoms have to be treated with
hydrogen peroxide (caution). The silica
wall will not be removed by this treat-
ment. The frustules of some species are
used to measure the optical quality of
the microscope.

ORGANISM OF
THE MONTH
1
4 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
Quartzite
a Chameleon.
This is the a second of a series of
photos of thin section minerals,
crystals and other non-biological
microscope slides.
By Carl Hennig, Canada
Quartzite in polarized light OBSERVATIONS
Figure 1: Quartzite, 5x obj., 10x relay
lens, 1/40 sec., ISO 250.
Figure 2: 50x, 1/4 plate, polarizer
rotated 90, 1/30 sec., ISO 400, LED
lighting. With the 1/4 plate in posi
tion and the polarizer rotated 90,
Quartzite comes to life with brilliant
colours.
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 5
OBSERVATIONS Quartzite in polarized light
M
y first impression of Quartz-
ite as a photo model was not
impressive. I was ready to
relegate Quartzite as a texture map until
I read a paper by C. D. West from the
Land-Wheelwright Labs (circa 1937)
titled "A substitute for the quartz wedge
used with the polarizing microscope".
In the article, Mr West describes
howtousea1/4retardationplateand
rotating the analyser to simulate a
quartz step wedge. My microscope does
havea1/4platebutafixedanalyser
and a variable polarizer. Well, nothing
ventured, nothing gained.
References
C.D. West. "A substitute for the quartz wedge
used with the polarizing microscope"
http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM23/
AM23_531.pdf

Figure 3: The polaraizer rotated 45.
Figure 4: plate with crossed po
lars.
Figure 5: Quartzite, 50x, polaraizer
rotated 90.
Hover Labs polarizing microscope,
Future Optics 5mp camera, Adobe
Lightroom image manager.
6 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
I
n our recent harsh winter season
2013-2014, the dogs and I enjoyed
a microscopy collection hike for
water samples in mid Febuary '14. Due
to a unique shift of our globes polar
vortex, we in northeast America had an
extremely cold and extended recent
winter season.
At the wetland drainage patch for
cropfields, a forceful foot stomp
cracked open an inch thick ice cover
plate, exposing shallow waters at this
cropfield drainage patch (Figure 3).
Fast and simple collection scoops of
this exposed (under the winter ice)
drainage water gave a wonderful treat
right there in the field. A collection jar
sample, held up to the sky for inspec-
tion, revealed actively swimming Gam-
merus freshwater amphipod crustaceans
(Figures 4-6).
I exclaimed to the dogs: "How did
Gammerus get in there?" Both dogs
perked up their ears at my excitement
over a water sample held up to the sky.
Our February '14 encounter with
active Gammerus amphipod crusta-
ceans in these temporary waters sparked
some wonderful readings of my clut-
tered home library texts, and online
resources! By June/July this drainage
patch is often dry surfaced, so there are
frequently no surface waters for months.
Our central New York / Finger
Lakes locale enjoys the glacial legacy of
sand and gravel deposits, and underly-
ing bedrock productive ground water
aquifers. The glacial retreat from my
locale was only 10,000 years ago. Inter-
nationally, this most recent world glaci-
ation is referred to as the Quaternary
Glacial Period. Here in my North
America locale it is termed as the Wis-
consin Glaciation.
My northern hemisphere, and our
dear globes southern hemisphere dis-
tribution of marine, terrestrial, and fresh
water organisms, were literally sculpted
by the behaviors of huge glacial ice
sheets. During glacial periods, northern
and southern earth faunas and floras
retreated toward our globes equator.
Ahh, but it is now accepted that
some species managed to survive in
subglacial refugia - under the glacial ice
sheets! Gammerus indeed thrived under
the glacier ice sheets, their habitat under
a mile-thick sheets of ice are called
subglacial refugia.
Crustaceans
Some thoughts on Gammerus
crustaceans thriving underneath
our past glaciers
By Charles Guevara
OBSERVATIONS
1
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 7
Crustaceans OBSERVATIONS
The current global distribution of
freshwater gammerid crustaceans is a
direct and well understood legacy of our
dear globes recent glaciation. These
freshwater amphipod crustaceans
adapted to life under the mile thick gla-
cial ice sheets and wonderful studies of
these hardy freshwater gammerid am-
phipods crustaceans are now going on
in western Canada and in Iceland.
The traits which coaxed freshwater
gammerid crustaceans to adapt to
ground water below the earth surfaces
in the interstitial habitat and subglacial
refugia now are manifested in Gammer-
us freshwater amphipod crustaceans
thriving in temporary waters. A life
stage of these hardy freshwater gam-
merid amphipods, literally enters the
ground waters during the dry seasons.
These Gammerus amphipod crusta-
ceans lack any desiccation-resistant life
cycle phase. They go underground into
the interstitial ground waters during a
harsh dry season.
Figure 1: This harsh winter
challenged all wildlife.
Figure 2: The altered northern polar-
vortex made this winter extremely
harsh and long.
Figure 3: A forceful foot stomp
cracked open an ice plate cover of
the wetlands patch drainage waters.
2
3
8 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
So just like the flatworms I have
encountered in the temporary waters I
sampled, other species also have a dia-
pause 'dry season dormant life stage'.
The tiny finger-nail clams I encountered
have a dry season 'diapause life phase',
the Ostracods, the copepods have dry
season 'diapause eggs'. Gammerus juve-
niles literally scamper into the ground
water - the ground interstitial habitat -
during harsh summer dry seasons.
As the dogs and I trekked back
home from the drainage patch, I looked
up to the sky and tried to imagine a mile
thick glacial ice sheet overall the land-
scape we now enjoy. Gammerus has
been there, and done that!
Please enjoy our harsh winter Feb-
ruary 2014 microscopy collection hike.
Sources
DiSalvo, Benjamin C (2006). "Coloni-
zation and Persistance of the Freshwa-
ter Amphipod: Crangonyx
pseudogracilis in temporary ponds,
Ressistance to Desication and Dispersal
Abilities", Master Thesis. Accessed on-
line: 4/2014.
"My thesis focuses on how C.
pseudogracilis is able to colonize and
persist in temporary water bodies where
they survive for up to six months each
year with no surface water, no free wa-
ter to depths of up to 4.6 meters, and no
known adaptions for such an existence."
Alan P Covich (2001). "Ecology and
Classification of North American
Freshwater Invertebrates", James H
Thorp, second edition. p. 791, 795-796.
"In contrast to other crustaceans,
most of these species (freshwater gam-
merid amphipods) typically lack a dia-
pause phase and are missing any
distinct adaptation for avoiding desicca-
tion."
important refugia from thermal ex-
tremes and desiccation have persisted in
below ground habitats, such as ground-
water fed caves."
sub glacial refugia are now thought
likely to have persisted during the last
glacial episode."
Robert W Pennak (1953). "Fresh Water
Invertebrates of the United States". p.
439.
"...inhabitants of temporary waters,
it has been suggested that these species
tide over unfavorable conditions by bor-
rowing into the substrate."

Figures 4 - 6: Gammerus crustacians
of all sizes could be found in the wa-
ter.
Crustaceans OBSERVATIONS
4 5
6
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 9
OBSERVATIONS Crustaceans
Figure 7: Female Gammerus with
brood chamber full of juviniles just
ready to release in mid-spring sea-
son 2014.
Figure 8: Female Gammerus brood
chamber plates, with many tiny eggs
adherent to these brood plates. End
of winter, near start of spring '14.
Figure 9: Newly birthed from brood
chambers. Juvinile Gammerus am-
phipods and an adult Ostracod
crusteacean in view for size. This
shows the scale of newly born Gam-
merus juviniles.
Figure 10: Spring-time at the crop-
field drainage patch.
7 8
9
10
10 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
A
long, long time ago an eager
young man purchased a used
post war Bausch and Lomb
(B&L) microscope (Figure 1). The idea
being to use his 35mm SLR camera to
photograph tiny things.
An admirable ambition for a bud-
ding amateur photographer. All of the
right books were purchased to learn
about photomicrography and all of the
camera adapters. Unfortunately, the
books and adapters were purchased af-
ter the buying of the microscope.
Needless to elaborate, but microsco-
py is much more than just mounting a
camera and taking pictures. You actual-
ly have to do a fair amount of prepara-
tion. After about a month of frustration,
the B&L microscope was put on a shelf
and forgotten. For a long, long time.
I am retired now and still do a lot of
photography and computer graphics. I
have my own personal gallery on the
garage door (Figure 3). With ample
time to read, I read about photomicrog-
raphy again and prepared specimen
slides. Some microscope photos there
would be great.
The specimen was my downfall be-
fore, but now somebody else would be
doing the hard work.
The B&L was dusted off and a T-
adapter purchased for the Canon 5D
MkII DSLR. The old 35mm camera
adapter and the DSLR gave a nice im-
age of the incandescent lamp filament.
Some upgrades were in order. The
sub-stage lamp was replaced with a
LED unit and a new set of Plan objec-
tives replaced the B&L originals.
Next up, some prepared specimens.
Ordered on sale from Amazon was a
collection of 100 specimens by Cele-
stron. In a real wooden box.
Finally, I would get some really nice
photos. Or so I thought. The selection in
the Celestron collection is mostly of
biological specimens. It is hard to get
excited about a large photo of Spirogyra
or Moss (Figure 4) on the garage door.
A call to a colleague and a few days
later I was in possession of three slides
of crystals.
But there is always a caveat. The
crystal slides were, well, dull. What was
not mentioned was that a polarizing
microscope would be needed for best
results.
More reading about polarized light
and the microscope and another up-
grade. Ebay is a great source for almost
anything. A used 32mm analyser filter
and a 50mm polarizer for the light
source and - eureka - a polarizing mi-
croscope. Well, almost a polarizing mi-
croscope.
The crystal slides (Figure 9) burst
into colour and were the source of sev-
eral large prints.
Polarization microscopy
The long route to strain relief .
By Carl Hennig
OBSERVATIONS
Figure 1: Bausch and Lomb B&L1
Figure 2: AJ Optiks Microscope
1 2
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 11
Polarization microscopy OBSERVATIONS
Research is testing something and
publishing. Breaking the item in half
and publishing. But after a while, more
specimens would be required. This time
I opted for thin section mineral slices, a
set of 23 used by the Open University in
the UK (Figure 10). Photography
through the microscope was going
swimmingly, but it was a real problem
moving and orienting the slide with the
fingers.
Another upgrade. A new micro-
scope was ordered. A Labomed CxL
with the simple polarizing kit. With
factory matched optics and polarizers
there was a noticeable improvement in
the quality of the photographs (Figure
6). The CxL has a mechanical stage so
moving the specimen slide was now
consistent and accurate.
The problem with reading is it opens
your mind to new ideas and processes.
This opening almost always includes
opening other things, such as wallets.
I read about rotating the mineral
slides to see other colours using a mi-
croscope rotating stage. The CxL does
not have a rotating stage and no reason-
able way to add a rotating stage.
Surfing the web turned up an article
on a DIY rotating stage by Mr Ian
Walker in the UK.
It works and now the CxL has a
rotating stage (Figures 5, 6). And sure
enough, rotating a mineral specimen in
polarized light sure is impressive. (Fig-
ure 7) and Rotated 22 (Figure 8).
It's tax refund time and it is burning
a hole in my pocket. Another upgrade.
Finally, a real polarizing microscope
with a rotating stage with X-Y move-
ment, Bertrand lens, retardation plates,
etc.
And did I mention Yogurt. Strain
free condenser and objectives.
P.S. Yogurt is the best home remedy
for stress. It is rich in vitamin A, B
complex and vitamin D. It provides
relief from insomnia, migraine and oth-
er microscopy ailments.
References
Walker, Ian (2005). A Simple Rotating
Stage Attachment for the Zeiss Axiostar
and other biological microscopes. Mic-
scape Magazine. Microscopy-UK.
http://www.microscopy-
uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.micro
scopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjul05/iwstage.html

Figure 3: Garage door with personal
gallery
Figure 4: Moss.
3
4
12 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
Figures 5-6: Rotating stage
Figures 7: No rotation
Figure 8: 22 rotation
Figure 9: Methyl Violet 10B 2x
Figure 10: Gabbro
Figure 11: Rhyolite (Porphyritic) 20x,
AJ Optiks
Figure 12: Xylitol. 100x, wave plate,
AJ Optiks
Figure 13: Ignimbrite. 40x Labomed
CxL
Figure 14: Diorite. 20x, B&L
5 6
7
8
9 10
11 12
Polarization microscopy OBSERVATIONS
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 13
13
14
Polarization microscopy OBSERVATIONS
14 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
A
simple, yet functional, LEGO
microscope can be easily made
using standard LEGO parts.
The microscope that I present here mag-
nifies 100x, can be focused, and has a
stage that can be moved in two direc-
tions. The microscope does not have a
condenser, but it should not be too diffi-
cult to add one to improve image quali-
ty. The microscope uses a standard DIN
10x objective and a 10x eyepiece. Two
plastic film containers (canisters) serve
as adapters. These containers can slide
in and out of the microscope in order to
focus the image. I have also tried to
make a separate objective adapter from
plywood, with LEGO bricks glued to
the plywood using a glue gun. Using
film containers, however, is easier. Fig-
ure 1 shows both types of adapters.
There is much freedom in constructing
the microscope, as long as the objective
to eyepiece distance is approximately
160mm.
LEGO microscope
I have rediscovered my almost
forgotten love for LEGO. After
years of idleness, it is time to pick
up the bricks again.
By Oliver Kim
DIY
Figure 1: The objective adapter. The
objective can either be inserted into a
plastic film container (focusable) or
by gluing a plywood adapter (not fo-
cusable) to the LEGO bricks. The di-
ameter of the hole is 19mm, which is
the right size to accept the threading
of the objective.
Figure 2: Making the plywood adapt-
er. The LEGO bricks in the back-
ground are glued to the wood using a
glue gun.
1
2
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 15
Making a microscope out of LEGO
is not a new idea. There are websites,
which describe the making of objective
adapters using a 3D printer. I think that
the use of empty film containers is prob-
ably the easiest solution, one which also
makes the project more feasible for ed-
ucational and school use. I generally
prefer readily available parts over cus-
tom-made components.
Materials needed
Many LEGO bricks, mostly 8 by 2
10x eyepiece (23mm barrel)
10x achromatic DIN objective
(these have the value 160 written on
them). A 4x objective also works.
Any magnification higher than 10x
would decrease the working dis-
tance too much and would make
focusing too difficult.
19mm drill (for wood) or sharp
knife.
battery-operated LED lamp
two plastic film containers (EBay)
Step 1: Preparing the adapters
Using the 19mm diameter drill (for
wood), drill a hole on the bottom of the
two plastic film cartridges. Carefully
sand the edges to remove sharp corners
and then remove the plastic dust.
Now, the 19mm drill was not that
cheap. You might want to try to use a
sharp cutting knife to cut out a circle of
about 18mm and then use sand paper to
round of the hole. It goes without say-
ing, that this is more time consuming,
and increase the chances of injury. I
have not tried it, but maybe it is also
possible to use hot needles (to melt the
plastic) to puncture out a circle first to
make the cutting easier. In any case, the
3
4
Figure 3: The film cartridge fits tight-
ly into the LEGO tube, but can still be
moved in and out for focusing.
Figure 4: Here focusing is only possi-
ble with by sliding the eyepiece on
the other end of the tube. Due to the
relatively large depth of field of the
10x objective, a frequent re-focusing
is often not necessary anyway.
LEGO microscope DIY
16 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
hole has to be quite tight to securely
hold the objective. After all, the plastic
is quite thin and has no threading. The
metal threading of the objective will cut
into the plastic container and this re-
quires some patience.
Some microscope objectives are
shipped in a hard plastic container. The
objective is screwed into the cap of this
container. It is possible to also make use
of the fact that this cap has a threading.
Drill a hole into the cap and then glue
the cap to the film cartridge.
You can also make an adapter using
plywood (Figures 1, 2, 4), but this meth-
od does not allow for focusing by mov-
ing the objective, so the focus must be
adjusted only by moving the eyepiece.
This is a disadvantage, because a larger
focus travel is then necessary.
Also drill a 19mm hole into the sec-
ond film container. The diameter of this
hole is not large enough to accept the
eyepiece of 23 mm. Using a sharp knife,
make several cuts (10 to 15) from the
center of the hole towards the sides of
the container. Using your thumb, press
the plastic inwards (Figures 6-8). The
eyepiece can then be inserted. Be aware,
that some eyepieces have a rim (Figure
7, arrow). These eyepieces can then not
be easily removed anymore. You then
have to screw apart the eyepiece or cut
apart the whole container. This is be-
cause the inward pointing plastic teeth
Figure 5: Eyepiece and objective in-
serted into the film cartridge adapter.
The arrow points to the edge of the
cartridge, which is thicker. This in-
creases friction when focusing.
Figure 6: Eyepiece adapter - the im-
portant part. First a 199mm hole is
drilled into the cartridge and then ra-
dial cuts are made. The teeth are
then bent inwards.
Figure 7: Some eyepieces have a rim
(arrow), the teeth of the adapter lock
into this rim.
Figure 8: Both adapters from the top.
I ordered a new objective, this is the
reason why the color is different.
5 6
7
8
LEGO microscope DIY
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 17
Figure 9: First attempt of building a
stage, which can move into two direc-
tions. Notice the smooth bricks, which
allow for easy sliding.
Figure 10: LED lamp and guides (ar-
rows) for holding the stage.
Figure 11: The simple version of a
stage. 19mm hole drilled. The 19mm
drill was not so cheap, so I tried to use
it as often as possible.
act like hooks that hold the eyepiece in
place at the rim and prevent the removal
of the eyepiece. Actually this is even an
advantage, because it increases the sta-
bility of the system. The original pur-
pose of this rim is to fix the eyepiece
into the tube of the microscope with a
screw, so that it can not be removed
(so-called student proofed micro-
scopes have these eyepieces, so that
they can not be stolen).
Step 2: Building the tube
Use conventional 8 by 2 LEGO
bricks to build the microscope. You can
also use other bricks, of course. Dark
bricks may reduce the internal light re-
flection in side of the tube, but I found
white ones to work fine as well. Start
building a square tube, as shown in
Figure 3. Overlap the bricks to give the
tube more stability. Build about 12 rows
of bricks.
Step 3: Insert the adapters.
The adapters can now be inserted at
either side of the tube. To do this, you
have to squeeze the cartridges together
a bit. The friction will then retain the
cartridge inside the tube, while still al-
lowing it to slide in and out. Some film
cartridges are a bit thicker at the open-
ing (Figure 5, arrow). This rim increas-
es the friction between the cartridge and
the tube of the microscope. Other car-
tridges are smooth (Figure 5, right) and
therefore slide in and out of the tube
more easily, allowing for easier focus-
ing.
There are two ways of focusing:
Moving the objective in and out of
the tube
Moving the eyepiece in and out of
the tube.
The eyepiece is more accessible
than the objective, but needs a signifi-
cantly longer focus travel. Once the
focus is adjusted, however, it is suffi-
cient only to focus using the eyepiece.
Step 4: The base and stage
Much personal freedom exists in the
construction of the microscope. Make
sure that you have enough space for the
slide and a space to place a battery-op-
erated LED lamp. Using flat LEGO
pieces, I also constructed a stage, which
allows for the moving of the slide into
two directions (Figure 10). It is also
possible to drill a hole into a flat piece
(Figure 11) or, if you want to avoid the
destroying of bricks to assemble several
flat pieces to make a stage with a hole.
In any case, there should be enough
space beneath the stage for the lamp.
Other ideas
It is possible to mount a single
bright LED lamp on a brick and supply
9 10
11
LEGO microscope DIY
18 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
it with electricity over a cable. You need
to connect a resistor in series, however.
It is also possible to directly connect a
microscope camera (with built-in reduc-
tion optics) instead of the eyepiece.
You can also construct an adapter to
hold a mobile phone camera. Last, it is
possible to use flat bricks to construct
baffles which extend inwards into the
tube. These baffles decrease light re-
flections inside the tube and therefore
increase the contrast. I have also lined
the inside of the tube with black corru-
gated cardboard to decrease reflections,
but found the effect to be irrelevant, as
the shiny cardboard reflected at least as
much light than the LEGO bricks of the
tube. The most significant advantage
would be the connection of a condenser,
but I still have to find a convenient way
of doing this.
Testing the microscope
Figures 13 and 14 show images tak-
en with a mobile phone camera. The
image contrast is slightly lower than on
my "real" microscope, what I attribute
to the missing condenser and possible
internal tube reflections. The light of
one single bright LED is enough, how-
ever, to illuminate the whole field of
view.
Advantages
Cheap. I ordered the optics over
EBay and got the cheapest ones
available.
Educational. Helps students under-
stand the principles of microscopy,
if you want to use it as a school
project.
Works significantly better than pure
toy microscopes.
Call to action
Build your own LEGO microscope
and then send pictures of them to be
published! editor@microbehunter.com

12
Figure 12: The finished microscope. The tube length is 12 rows of bricks (10.5cm),
the film containers (adapters) also stand out a few cm.
Figures 13 and 14: Two images taken with a mobile phone camera through the
LEGO microscope. The images were not digitally improved. I used a micrometer
eyepiece. Figure 13 shows a female pine cone, Figure 14 a cross section though a
dandelion flower. Very usable results, I am satisfied.
LEGO microscope DIY
May 2014 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - 19
13
14
LEGO microscope DIY
20 - MicrobeHunter Microscopy Magazine - May 2014
Whats this? Answer on page 2.

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