Making Glass Circles for Microscopes

Hi,

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

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

Thanks

TMT

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.

Hi TMT

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

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

On Feb 26, 1:07*pm, Adrian wrote:
Hi TMT

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

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

On Feb 26, 12:58*pm, David Billington
wrote:
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.

Hi David...yeah RCM is going through one of its "rant" modes where
little practical knowledge is dispersed. Best to find other
interesting areas until the hot air blows over ;).

The size of circles will likely range from 1/2" to 6", a few at a time
and the thickness will be from very thin glass (cover slip material)
to up to 1/4".

TMT

Hi

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

On Feb 26, 1:07*pm, Adrian wrote:
Hi TMT

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

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

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
On Feb 26, 12:58 pm, David Billington
wrote:

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.


Hi David...yeah RCM is going through one of its "rant" modes where
little practical knowledge is dispersed. Best to find other
interesting areas until the hot air blows over ;).

The size of circles will likely range from 1/2" to 6", a few at a time
and the thickness will be from very thin glass (cover slip material)
to up to 1/4".

TMT

If you think RCM is in rant mode stick around here, I check it most days
and post if I think I have something to contribute, but there is an
awful lot of background noise which I think must put off alot of people
which may be why it has seemed so damned quite for the last 6 months or
more.

Anyway, I think the comments by others about a lense cutter seem good, I
had not seen one before but do have a circle cutter for doing larger, 3"
+ pieces". For smaller pieces in the thinner material I would be
inclined to try the classic copper tube and SiC abrasive, maybe fix the
glass down maybe onto a self-adhesive surface, possibly with another
on top so as not to damage the main surface, and form a dam around the
cutter with plasticine, not sure what it is in the US, apply abrasive
and lubricant and work it to cut through the glass, lifting occasionally
to recharge the cutter with abrasive, somewhat like lapping.