Diy Fec starter kit

Man_in_black · May 24, 2018

Right being the saddo that I am, I'm buying myself microscope for my birthday. I know this has been covered before, but I just want a definitive answer from those in know (preferably with a link to buy)

Will be doing once a month. Always on farm/mains power. Budget of around £200. What do I need??

GrannyAching · May 24, 2018

I bought all my bits separately and got a good microscope second hand from Am@zon. This link http://fectest.com/webshop/ will take you to the place that sells the links but you can buy all the bits separatly.

Bear101 · May 25, 2018

I got a microscope from Amazon for about£100, needs a magnification of 100 I think. It needs a built in light and the table (?) has to move up and down and side to side. I think that's standard on most. Also got a small digital scale (100g is plenty). There were McMaster slides on eBay for around £15. A few small sealable bags, just bits and bobs then. Good idea to print out pictures of the parasite in colour to help identify them.

Tim W · May 25, 2018

Buy everything cheap and cheerful apart from the McMaster slide ----IMO it's worth getting one with a well defined grid (some of the grids are a bit hard to see on the cheaper ones)

Dry Rot · May 25, 2018

As above, just be careful about buying an older microscope with incandescent bulb illumination as the bulbs can be expensive (£30!). But conversion to LED is not difficult and there are instructions on the internet.

exmoor dave · May 25, 2018

As said above get a microscope with a light not a old schooly mirror type.

neilo · May 25, 2018

exmoor dave said:
As said above get a microscope with a light not a old schooly mirror type.

+1 My (FecPak) one is an old schooly mirror type and sits with a table lamp pointing at it in the shed. I keep threatening to throw it out, but as long as it never moves, it's just about all right.

Happy Birthday btw @Man_in_black

Northeastfarmer · May 25, 2018

Apart from microscope and macmaster slide, what else do you need?

Woolless · May 25, 2018

Northeastfarmer said:
Apart from microscope and macmaster slide, what else do you need?

I have a 100ml measuring cylinder, scales that measure to 0.1g, a couple of plastic lab beakers, plastic pipettes and a tea strainer.

Northeastfarmer · May 25, 2018

Woolless said:
I have a 100ml measuring cylinder, scales that measure to 0.1g, a couple of plastic lab beakers, plastic pipettes and a tea strainer.

Will this microscope suffice?...

exmoor dave · May 25, 2018

neilo said:
+1 My (FecPak) one is an old schooly mirror type and sits with a table lamp pointing at it in the shed. I keep threatening to throw it out, but as long as it never moves, it's just about all right.

Happy Birthday btw @Man_in_black

The bulb has blown on mine so I took it out, propped the microscope up on some bricks and hold a torch under the bulb lense

polk_farmer · May 25, 2018

exmoor dave said:
The bulb has blown on mine so I took it out, propped the microscope up on some bricks and hold a torch under the bulb lense

Have you put pics up on the bodges/quick fixes thread?

Dry Rot · May 25, 2018

exmoor dave said:
The bulb has blown on mine so I took it out, propped the microscope up on some bricks and hold a torch under the bulb lense

Try this:
https://www.google.com/search?clien.......0...1c..64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.gECn047mgY8

Woolless · May 25, 2018

Northeastfarmer said:
Will this microscope suffice?...

View attachment 675128

Yes, though a binocular one would be easier on your eyes.

GrannyAching · May 25, 2018

Northeastfarmer said:
Will this microscope suffice?...

View attachment 675128

I don't think it will - I can't see that the base moves from side to side and forwards and back - this is essential.

Edit - just checked on Am@zon and it won't do you need one that looks has a base like this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apex-Micro...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KBMH9WS4SVWMMHVQGM54

GrannyAching · May 25, 2018

Courtesy of @bovine

"The MacMaster slides are £40 from our usual supplier. I see these on ebay for about £20, but have no experience of them myself

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-McMaste...262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ee0ad3cae

You need a scale accurate to 0.1g

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELECTRONI...912?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a4d032be8

A tea strainer

Couple of spatulas (old teaspoons work ok)/ lollipop sticks

Plastic pipettes

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PIPETTES-...t=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item2ecae1ffe2

I use these type of beakers as you can use them to measure the liquid

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100ml-Tra...562?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27d409ccb2"

Id definitely but the proper McMasters slide.

gatepost · May 25, 2018

I bought an Apex practitioner scope, can't remember how much, but as I'm tight can't have been too much and some slides from US works well just had to pay import tax on slides, 75p? just had a look, £118 incl del on amazon

GrannyAching · May 25, 2018

or ....https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apex-Pra...173890?hash=item1ee16f1b02:g:YGEAAOSw48dbAsmL on e-bay no bids just now £80.

Some of us still have to resist closing one eye when we are faced with a binocular microscope so single optic works fine for me.

Northeastfarmer · May 25, 2018

GrannyAching said:
I don't think it will - I can't see that the base moves from side to side and forwards and back - this is essential.

Edit - just checked on Am@zon and it won't do you need one that looks has a base like this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apex-Micro...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KBMH9WS4SVWMMHVQGM54

I could be wrong but is it not just as cheap to buy this all in one go...

https://fectest.com/product/professional-binocular-microscope-mcmaster-test-kit/

gatepost · May 25, 2018

Northeastfarmer said:
I could be wrong but is it not just as cheap to buy this all in one go...

https://fectest.com/product/professional-binocular-microscope-mcmaster-test-kit/

That takes all the fun out of receiving brown paper parcels from exotic places like Pasadena, also thinking your getting a deal while spending more.

Diy Fec starter kit

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page