My new stage ...

A forum to ask questions, post setups, and generally discuss anything having to do with photomacrography and photomicroscopy.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

My new stage ...

Post by AndrewC »

I've spent the last several weeks rebuilding my main stage and here it is reborn :)

Image

A few changes:

1) Automated x-axis: previously I had two x-axis drives, I've replaced them with a single Parker-Daedal 402LN with 2mm screw pitch. This gives me 1.3um step resolution which is just fine as the thinnest slice I use is 5um with a 20x objective. The axis is driven by a microcontroller /stepper drive which I'll post another day.

2) Camera / lens mount is now modular: my PB-6 is directly bolted to an Arca-Swiss plate which is clamped with quick release Wimberley A-S clamp mounted on the linear slide

3) Subject mount is my 3-axis goniometer, held by a magnet to a small precision linear slide. This lets me easily pull the subject away from a lens if I want to work on it plus if I was to drive a lens into it the subject mount will slide back.

4) Subject stage is still sitting on Melles-Griot micrometer driven precision stages for y and z axis fine positioning. These are now held by a carbon-fibre laminate onto a 20mm steel "optical post" I made after inspiration from Chris. Gives me coarse z-axis positioning.

5) Flash arms are shown lying down here but are Loc-line sections on mini ballheads normally raised up to subject level.

6) As before, the whole caboodle is bolted to an Alumimum track embedded in Oak sitting on Sorbothane bumpers.

7) Left off here for clarity, but a diffuser cone / tunnel / or whatever is held in place by another loc-line section.

Happy times :)
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

ChrisR
Site Admin
Posts: 8668
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:58 am
Location: Near London, UK

Post by ChrisR »

When can we place orders?

g4lab
Posts: 1437
Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 11:07 am

Post by g4lab »

If you mentioned it before and I missed it my apologies but can you tell us what kind of alunimun rail that is??

Very beautiful set up!

Gene

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by AndrewC »

g4lab wrote:If you mentioned it before and I missed it my apologies but can you tell us what kind of alunimun rail that is??

Very beautiful set up!

Gene
Hi Gene,

Thanks :) The aluminium rail is some profile I picked up from a guy I know in Germany who buys trade show samples so he often has odd sizes in interesting profiles. I find that cnc suppliers often have hefty Alu profile.

In cross section this one looks like:

Image

I've no idea what it was originally designed for but it met my needs perfectly :)
rgds, Andrew

"Is that an accurate dictionary ? Charlie Eppes

AndrewC
Posts: 1436
Joined: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:05 am
Location: Belgium
Contact:

Post by AndrewC »

ChrisR wrote:When can we place orders?
:-k I'd have to work out the pricing structure first and, coming from the semiconductor industry, it would probably start out in the millions !!!

Andrew

Chris S.
Site Admin
Posts: 4042
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by Chris S. »

Now Andrew comes out into the light. And he ups the ante. Wonderful rig!

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic