Making Glass Circles for Microscopes

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Subject Author Date
Making Glass Circles for Microscopes Too_Many_Tools 02-24-2008
Posted by Too_Many_Tools on February 24, 2008, 2:02 pm
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Hi,

I would like to make some glass circles for microscope stages.

How would you go about it...tools and techniques wise?

Thanks

TMT

Posted by David Billington on February 26, 2008, 1:58 pm
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Too_Many_Tools wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I would like to make some glass circles for microscope stages.
>
> How would you go about it...tools and techniques wise?
>
> Thanks
>
> TMT
>
Hello TMT, wandered off RCM I see to end up here, are you glad you did.
What size circles do you want to cut, how many, and what thickness glass.

Posted by Adrian on February 26, 2008, 2:07 pm
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Hi TMT

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:02:52 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools

>Hi,
>
>I would like to make some glass circles for microscope stages.
>
>How would you go about it...tools and techniques wise?
>
>Thanks
>
>TMT

Need a few more details before I could give much in the way of
suggestions . This group is more about making 'artistic' things out of
glass, but the same basic priciples should apply to what you want to
do.

Are you talking about the little 'cover slips' that go on top of the
microscope slide - or something else ?

Cutting circles in glass isn't all that difficult. For a perfect
circle in one operation than a diamond 'coring' bit in a drill-press
will do it - make sure to keep the drill bit immersed in water of
other cooling fluid while you're doing the cutting.

Alternatively, and depending on how large a circle you're after,
there's a range of tools based on a pivoting arm with a carbide
cutting wheel - but you may need to do extra grinding work on the
cut edge of the glass if you need a perfect circle.

So - tell us more about what you're trying to do

- diameter of circle
- thickness of glass
- are you making one or 100 of them

and anything else that might help in the way of information.

Regards
Adrian

Posted by Too_Many_Tools on February 27, 2008, 1:22 am
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> Hi TMT
>
> On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:02:52 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools
>
> >Hi,
>
> >I would like to make some glass circles for microscope stages.
>
> >How would you go about it...tools and techniques wise?
>
> >Thanks
>
> >TMT
>
> Need a few more details before I could give much in the way of
> suggestions . This group is more about making 'artistic' things out of
> glass, but the same basic priciples should apply to what you want to
> do.
>
> Are you talking about the little 'cover slips' that go on top of the
> microscope slide - or something else ?
>
> Cutting circles in glass isn't all that difficult. For a perfect
> circle in one operation than a diamond 'coring' bit in a drill-press
> will do it - make sure to keep the drill bit immersed in water of
> other cooling fluid while you're doing the cutting.
>
> Alternatively, and depending on how large a circle you're after,
> there's a range of tools based on a pivoting arm with a carbide
> cutting wheel - but you may need to do extra grinding work on the
> cut edge of the glass if you need a perfect circle.
>
> So - tell us more about what you're trying to do
>
> - diameter of circle
> - thickness of glass
> - are you making one or 100 of them
>
> and anything else that might help in the way of information.
>
> Regards
> Adrian

The glass discs that I wish to make can range from the very thin
microscope slips ~1/2" of very thin glass to stage plates that can be
up to 6" of 1/4" glass....all of which would be of optical grade
transparency.

I would anticipate this to be only a couple at a time....for use in
building prototypes.

TMT

Posted by Adrian on February 27, 2008, 3:28 am
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Hi

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:22:12 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools

>> Hi TMT
>>
>> On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:02:52 -0800 (PST), Too_Many_Tools
>>
>> >Hi,
>>
>> >I would like to make some glass circles for microscope stages.
>>
>> >How would you go about it...tools and techniques wise?
>>
>> >Thanks
>>
>> >TMT
>>
>> Need a few more details before I could give much in the way of
>> suggestions . This group is more about making 'artistic' things out of
>> glass, but the same basic priciples should apply to what you want to
>> do.
>>
>> Are you talking about the little 'cover slips' that go on top of the
>> microscope slide - or something else ?
>>
>> Cutting circles in glass isn't all that difficult. For a perfect
>> circle in one operation than a diamond 'coring' bit in a drill-press
>> will do it - make sure to keep the drill bit immersed in water of
>> other cooling fluid while you're doing the cutting.
>>
>> Alternatively, and depending on how large a circle you're after,
>> there's a range of tools based on a pivoting arm with a carbide
>> cutting wheel - but you may need to do extra grinding work on the
>> cut edge of the glass if you need a perfect circle.
>>
>> So - tell us more about what you're trying to do
>>
>> - diameter of circle
>> - thickness of glass
>> - are you making one or 100 of them
>>
>> and anything else that might help in the way of information.
>>
>> Regards
>> Adrian
>
>The glass discs that I wish to make can range from the very thin
>microscope slips ~1/2" of very thin glass to stage plates that can be
>up to 6" of 1/4" glass....all of which would be of optical grade
>transparency.
>
>I would anticipate this to be only a couple at a time....for use in
>building prototypes.
>
>TMT

I've never worked with optical grade glass, but, so long as it's not
been specially (heat)-treated then I'd imagine it would be the same as
the 'art-glass' that we use here - which is commonly between 1.5 and 3
or 4 mm. The stage plates should not be a problem - simply (!) score
the circle & run it, finish off with a diamond grinder, diamond file,
or, at a pinch, wet&dry paper. Take great care with the sharp edges!

I don't know how you'd work the very thin cover slips - I recall from
school / college that they were very fragile - and I'd be surprised if
a sheet of the stuff would stand up to the pressure required to scribe
a circle in it - it's really very fragile stuff.

Having said that - 'somebody' makes them - so it must be
possible....<g>

Hope this helps
Adrian

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