DIY FEC / Mcmaster slides

brooklyn07

Member
Livestock Farmer
Hi all, I'd like to be able to do my own FEC but fectest.com no longer ship to the UK and i can't seem to find another supplier. Ebay don't seem to sell the slides either for me to purchase separately and the links in the threads on this forum to slides/microscopes etc are all dead :-(

Any ideas anyone please?
 

Andyt880

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co. Down
I would like to able to do FECs myself but I know very little about it. Is it a simple enough process with the right gear? What equipment would I need to do it?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Does anyone have a link to a suitable Microscope on something like ebay or amazon?
The Brunel SP1 here:

Brunel also have a site selling used microscopes http://www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/aboutus.html
It would be worth ringing them as they often have some that haven't been put up on the site yet. I bought a binocular one from them a few years back, to replace my old FecPak one and the service was very good.
I wouldn't bother with a binocular one personally (unless it was the same rice as a monocular), as I still find it easier to close one eye anyway.
 

SteveHants

Member
Livestock Farmer
The Brunel SP1 here:

Brunel also have a site selling used microscopes http://www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/aboutus.html
It would be worth ringing them as they often have some that haven't been put up on the site yet. I bought a binocular one from them a few years back, to replace my old FecPak one and the service was very good.
I wouldn't bother with a binocular one personally (unless it was the same rice as a monocular), as I still find it easier to close one eye anyway.
Also,

Ask around universities, schools, colleges because they do occasionally update and can flog you an old one that will do for this quite cheaply.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Be careful about light bulbs. I bought a very good binocular ex-student 'scope -- only to find the bulbs cost £30 each and broke for fun. But there are instructions on Youtube how to convert them to electronic which is what I did. Works perfectly.
 

Paravec

Member
Trade
Hi all, I'd like to be able to do my own FEC but fectest.com no longer ship to the UK and i can't seem to find another supplier. Ebay don't seem to sell the slides either for me to purchase separately and the links in the threads on this forum to slides/microscopes etc are all dead :-(

Any ideas anyone please?
Ebay has quality acrylic McMaster worm egg slides for £15, made in the UK. No need to pay more. The technique is simple and on U tube etc. Youcan make the flotation salt solution yourself by saturating water with ordinary table salt but make sure it is fully saturated with a salt sediment in the container having left it overnight. A basic microscope serves the purpose and make sure you get the optics correct for viewing the slide optimally. The common eggs are easy to identify for counting and images on the internet; don’t waste money when you can DIY
 

SteveHants

Member
Livestock Farmer
Ebay has quality acrylic McMaster worm egg slides for £15, made in the UK. No need to pay more. The technique is simple and on U tube etc. Youcan make the flotation salt solution yourself by saturating water with ordinary table salt but make sure it is fully saturated with a salt sediment in the container having left it overnight. A basic microscope serves the purpose and make sure you get the optics correct for viewing the slide optimally. The common eggs are easy to identify for counting and images on the internet; don’t waste money when you can DIY
I've heard that the acrylic slides are awful and warp really easily - do you not find that?
 

Paravec

Member
Trade
Not at all - they replaced glass mcmaster slides many years ago. They are actually better, fully rigid, welded acrylic and with same optical performance as glass and they don’t break if dropped. Acrylic is solid, no warping. I taught this technique for many years to vet undergrads and we always used acrylic - just make sure they are rinsed after use
 

Paravec

Member
Trade
Hi all, I'd like to be able to do my own FEC but fectest.com no longer ship to the UK and i can't seem to find another supplier. Ebay don't seem to sell the slides either for me to purchase separately and the links in the threads on this forum to slides/microscopes etc are all dead :-(

Any ideas anyone please?
 

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