Advice needed on Microscope

Since joining this group, I have been collecting equipment when time allows, to get deeper into this craft as a hobby. I go to a lot of yeard sales, antique outdoor flea markets, and tool shows, so always keeping an eye out to add items to my growing list. So far, have found at least 50 Mueller Gravers, of all sorts, an 8 inch, very heavy, engravers ball vise, and a smaller Dixon ball vise, with attachments. My latest find, and purchase, at an outdoor Antique Flea Market and show, was a Binocular Microscope, which I know little about, and need some advice on the optics used for engraving.

The scope is a WILD M3Z on a Boom Stand. The larger lens that screws under the body is marked X 1.0 and the eyepieces are marked 10X21. The light source that came with it is a twin Fiber Optic Wand Universal 150W. What would I need to change, if anything, that some one with more knowledge would do. Many thanks. Picture posted in gallery under Misc. Not sure if it was proper place to put it.

Boris

i'm not sure about the model. it must be a "stereo zoom". and the bottom or objective lens should be a .5 to allow you sufficient distance for hand clearance. you need at least 6 or 7" of hand clearance below the objective lens to be able to manipulate your engraving tools. if the scope has fixed powers, and is not a "stereo zoom" scope, it will not be suitable for engraving.

Boris,


Your Wild M3Z is a prize. It is a stereo zoom scope made in Switzerland and has Leitz optics. (You cannot bet better lenses).

They are excellent for engraving. The bottom lense is a 1.0 and is tight for working under (about 4 inch focal distance).

There is a company in N.Y. that has the bottom lenses in .63 and .5 (the .5 is perfect but the .63 is very usable).

They go for about $ 275.00 used. New $650.00 for the bottom lens (objective).

The Oculars (10X21 are standard Wild) are excellent.

They are 30mm in Diameter so a pair of Leica (now owns wild but still made in Switzerland) has 10x23 just a little better (larger) lens but not really needed.

You got a boom and a light with it!!! Great set up.

The little black lever on the side of the scope (right side) is for continuous zoom or clicked zoom powers.

All in all you have one of the best surgical scopes you could buy (bar none).

I have and have rebuilt many of these scopes and just cannot say enough about there quality, clarity, and resolution.

They regularly sell used for $ 1200 to 2000 (the way yours is set up).

If you bought it for less you really made a score.

New M series Leica's (now owns Wild but made with the same quality, at least there M series) is over 6K to 40K.

Wild, Zeiss, and Leitz were partner’s way back when, they split up and made the three finest microscopes the world has ever seen.

Send me a PM and I will get you the link to the company in N.Y.

The scope is still a very sought after microscope and NOT a Antique at all...

Checked out your pictures and it is great... You will not have to buy scope for the rest of your life... and can pass it down if you have little engravers...

Great Find,:thumbs up:

AirAmp

SIR AIRAMP
U are really the Fundi (GURU) with these European Scopes.
May we pick Your brain as to whether the Objective Lens on any of these various Maker's scopes would be inter-changeable since they are all Metric by Measurement ???
We are specifically looking for a 0.5X Lens for our ZEISS STEMI DV-4, which they don't make as yet. They have a variable lens in the 0.3X to 0.5X range which is not ideal for our work.
Any suggestions would be immensely appreciated.
Thanks in advance and
Kindest regards
aRM2

HI,

Thank you for your kind words.

Most objectives (best optics) are for the spacific scope.

Most are metric But different diameters and threads.

It is best to contact someone that repairs or rebuilds scopes to see if they have the correct objective for your scope. You will get the best resolution and clearity that way.

If you measure the diameter and thread of the objective (in metric) you might be able to match it with a objective that will fit but it might not have the quality of the original and it will negate all the great optics above it.

Best thing to do right now is save a search in Ebay for the microscope (and parts) you are looking for.

My experence is that if you wait (1-6 months) one of just what you need will show up. You can also ask questions (like "Do you have ----") to people selling similar scopes. They might just have a spare and then it is a matter of price.


Here is a link to one I sold that has a dealer that sells used lenses. This might help and most likely they carry used zeiss objectives also.

http://igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6446&highlight=wild+microscope

Good luck and be patient..

AirAmp

airamp said:

Boris,


Your Wild M3Z is a prize. It is a stereo zoom scope made in Switzerland and has Leitz optics. (You cannot bet better lenses).


You got a boom and a light with it!!! Great set up.


All in all you have one of the best surgical scopes you could buy (bar none).

They regularly sell used for $ 1200 to 2000 (the way yours is set up).

If you bought it for less you really made a score.


The scope is still a very sought after microscope and NOT a Antique at all...

...Great Find,:thumbs up:

AirAmp

Click to expand...

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Feel a whole lot better about my 400 dollar purchase. Not being educated at all in scopes yet, and that being on the bottom of my list as "last to look for" I spotted the Boom Stand first, since that was on my list before the Microscope, since I would need something to put the scope on before I bought one. The stand had "quality" written all over it, done in stainless with double rails, and especially when I checked the levers and knobs for operation, and found the rails where on bearings, and would slide if you breathed on them a bit heavy. So I took a chance , and am happy it paid off.

I found the site for the used objective lenses, in your other post, and may have to order one in the near future from them, if I can not stumble across a better deal.

Many thanks for the information, which I printed and will keep with ths Scope. You made my day. Next on the list is an air graver, for Xmas, and that should give me almost everything one would have even in the best equipped shop.

My hats off to all you folks who take the time out of your busy days, to answer questions and help newbies, like me, unselfishly. You have my utmost respect.

airamp: do you do scope repair as a profession ? or have you just done this over the years for your own purposes ? i once owned a wild compound binocular ( cant remember the model), it was, as you are alluding, a very fine optical instrument. i was threatened by some guy with serious cash, and broke down and sold it to him. over the years i've owned many scopes, but never a stereo zoomer, until i was forced into it by sam and some of the others that camp out here !

Hi,

Boris you are welcome. You really got a great deal at $400.00.

Be sure the double boom locks up with the levers since a little vibration is much more when seen through the scope.

go on Ebay and get a scope cover to it doesn't get dusty.

Clean all lenses with a good lens cleaner and soft eyeglass cloth or go to walmart optical (eyeglass) shop and get disposable eyeglass wipes.

You will be impressed with the scope.


Monk,
No I just fix up scopes for myself or to sell on ebay.

When I get a great scope I have listed them on the buy and sell area here but mostly they sell on ebay.

I did make a living (in another life as a microbiologist) using high end medical and reserch scopes for NIH.

Now (for the last 30 years) I am a Physician, and just love using high end tools.

If you are looking for a scope let me know if I can help in any way.

Sorry you let go of your Wild but they still can be had when you need one so if you were not using it and the money was good....

Check out Ebay and for auctions and check completed wild scopes. You will see the market prices on these.



A little more on engraving scopes or Zoom Scopes in general.


Fixed lens zoom scopes like the M3C, M3B, Zeiss OPMI, are higher resolution than any infinate mag zoom scope. Lenses are actually changed for the different magnification inside the optic carrier (body of the scope).

That means the lense is tuned to that Magnification and are noticably better than infinate zoom scopes. (just like camera lenses fixed always has more resolution and is faster "needs less light")..

These are zoom scopes but have defined magnificatons.

Infinate zoom scopes are ones like the M3Z and have all the magnifications throughout the range but you give up some things.

Better for engraving (???? not really convinced since you can always change the occulars on a fixed zoom from 10X to 5,15,20 and you have all kinds of options and magnifications).

The M3Z (as all infinate zooms) is a series of lenses that slide up and down inside the scope to give the different magnifications. (Less resolution and needs more light).

The Wild M3Z handles this better than any other infinate zoom scope I have used giving the best resolution and least light needed since it uses Earnest Leitz lenses.

Leica M series scopes are the new version of the Wild scopes since leica bought out wild some years ago.

Generally True Surgical scopes are fixed zoom (fixed magnifications 3 to 5 settings).

I do use the M3Z infinate zoom scope and have different mag occulars so In my opinion that is the best one can get.

(I do keep a Wild fixed zoom also just in case I need the little extra resolution it gives)

Hope this helped

I will help if I can, just PM me.

AirAmp

airamp said:

HI,

Here is a link to one I sold that has a dealer that sells used lenses. This might help and most likely they carry used zeiss objectives also.

http://igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6446&highlight=wild+microscope

Good luck and be patient..

AirAmp

Click to expand...

SIR AIRAMP
Thank U for the kind response.
Your input really benefits numerous others.
We do get a much better understanding of our equipment.
Like U said we don't want to loose clarity by using just any another lens.
The problem with my scope is that the manufacturer does not make a 0.5 magnification lens for these models.
We have impressed on the local agents the necessity of this lens for us Engravers and they have assured me that they will approach the Factory to make this power Lens.
And that is going to be a long wait !!!
In the interim we will try the site U recommended and see if there is anything close to our requirements.
Keep up the posts and
LORD BLESS
aRM

ARM2,

Sorry the lens is so hard to get for the scope you have.

Maybe you should change to a boom scope??

Here is another supplyer of microscopes and lenses.

It appears they may have a .3 and .63 objective for your scope maybe??

I have never had one if these but here is a link and another contact for you..

http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productid=1452

Good luck,

AirAmp