| Microscopes
This
will be one of your most expensive purchases if you're planning on
starting your own tree-ring dating laboratory. Good microscopes will cost
$US 1,000 - 2,000. The most common microscope used for tree-ring analysis,
whether you're just crossdating or perhaps measuring, is a boom-arm
stereozoom microscope. Many companies make these, such as Leica and Fisher
Scientific.
ClearView
Instruments
I
wish I had known about this company before. Their equivalent stereozoom
boom-arm package includes a 0.5X auxiliary lens and a fluorescent ring
illuminator for the price of $US 1150. Their zoom range is the same as the
Westover instruments, from 0.7-4.5X, but the auxiliary 0.5X lens included
increases the range of magnification, which ultimately increases
flexibility for maximum viewing and clarity of tree rings. Their model
also includes 10X widefield eyepieces. The fluorescent bulb produces a
cooler, less bright light, which many find appealing for working with
archaeological charcoal specimens.
Fisher
Scientific and Westover Scientific
Many
universities in the United States obtain their scientific equipment from
the Fisher Scientific Company, and I have two stereozoom microscopes
ordered from them, made by Westover Scientific. The cost fluctuates
depending on how many are ordered, but I recently ordered 14 scopes, each
costing about $US 1,215. Each university will already have an account set
up with Fisher, and will have their own sales representative. Be sure to
order their HUGE catalog. The zoom is continuous from 0.7 to 4.5X. The
catalog number for the stereozoom boom-arm microscope is
12-562-3, and includes 10X widefield eyepieces. An illuminator will have
to be purchased separately. I usually order and use the standard Nicholas
illuminators, each costing about $US 182.
Russian
stereoscopic binocular microscope and accessories
Dmitry
Katz of the Scientific-Research Bureau in Vologda, Russia, recently
announced the availability of high-quality stereoscopic binocular
microscopes and accessories manufactured in Russia that are ideal for
dendrochronological research. These microscopes have magnification ranges
from 4.8X-100.8X, which is much better than the ranges for the Leica
microscopes (7.0X-30X) mentioned above available from Fisher Scientific
(outfitted with 10X oculars). The price is simply unbelievable at $US 265.
Accessories include a 2X lens attachment ($15), illuminating unit $70,
fiber illuminant (BO) ($75), circular fiber illuminant ($95), and
microphotographic device ($80). These microscopes and accessories may be
worth checking out for those on a tight budget. Such a microscope and its
accessories would easily cost several thousand dollars here in the United
States.
Lan
Optics International
This
is another new company offering high quality Russian microscopes here in
the United States. These microscopes are described as "professional
quality heavy duty construction" with "5 position switchable
optical stereo drum." (Note: this means the microscope is not
a "zoom" scope.) The microscope comes with "extra 8x
measurement ocular with exchangeable reticules - rule and grid" and a
"variable power 20W fully adjustable illuminator with condensor lens
and removable green filter. The price for the swivel arm model (necessary
for dating larger cross sections) is a very low $US 529. An optional
camera attachment is only $US 169, while a light ring and power source is
$US 359. These microscopes are certainly worth a serious look.
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Elaine
Kennedy-Sutherland adds this about buying
microscopes for use in dendrochronology: "I purchased a stereozoom
microscope from a a company in Medina, Ohio then called "The
Microscope Company, Inc" (I think they've changed their name) with a
boom stand that I've been very happy with. Their phone number is
216-725-7222. Since that was so long ago, you might just phone them up,
tell them what you want, and get a quote. I got the microscope (equivalent
to a Nikon SMZ2B), auxiliary objective, and boom stand for a little over
$1300, with a GSA (government) discount. Maybe you could get an
educational discount, or simply negotiate one."
Rob Argent notes that top
of the line and top price microscopes can be ordered from:
Olympus Australia
1/ 104 Ferntree Gully Rd
Oakleigh, Victoria, 3166
Australia
Phone: (03) 9265-5400 or 13 2992
Rob Wilson suggests looking for
"...the Russian
MEC-10...though certainly not on par with a Carl Zeiss, it still has a
magnification greater than 100. These guys can be found on practically any
flea market between Dresden and Munich. They are brought over from the \
Czech Republic, and if one is lucky can be bought for about 300-400
Canadian Dollars. For purposes of tree-ring research, they are quite
adequate. They come with 3 pairs of eye pieces, plus light source and
"arm rests"! If one can find "CCCP" rather than Made
in Russia, then you have one made before the Eastern Block collapse, and I
think the quality is a little better."
Other new/used microscope
dealers on the web include:
And be sure to
visit Yahoo's
microscope web site.
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