Confocal Microscopy List

Optical Enclosure Solution

Classic

List

Threaded

6 messages Options

Gary G. Li-2

Optical Enclosure Solution

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Greetings,

I am designing an optical enclosure to work with a Zeiss 710 NLO
Multiphoton Upright Microscope for a high sensitivity imaging
application. I think that a good solution is to use the XE25 Series
construction rails and accessories, and blackout materials supplied by
the Thorlabs, Inc.

Could you please give me your advice?

Gary G. Li, Ph.D.
Microscopy Core Manager
NIH/NIDA, Baltimore, MD 21224

Craig Brideau

Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

I use a company called 80/20 that produce aluminum rails like Thor's XE25
series. The 80/20 version are a bit stronger and latch together more
easily.

http://www.8020.net/

Check under 'T-Slot Framing'
The one you want is called '10 Series' where the '10' stands for 1.0 inches.
They also have a heavier 15 series (1.5 inch thick) that I use for building
furniture like lab benches.
They will black anodize the aluminum for you at about an extra 10% cost,
which is what you will want for an optical bench. They also sell a very
wide variety of cable clamps, hinges, and plastic panels that you can use.
They also sell aluminum plate, which you can have black anodized as well.

Hope this helps!

Craig

On Mon, May 30, 2011 at 5:37 PM, Gary G. Li <[hidden email]> wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Greetings,
>
> I am designing an optical enclosure to work with a Zeiss 710 NLO
> Multiphoton Upright Microscope for a high sensitivity imaging
> application. I think that a good solution is to use the XE25 Series
> construction rails and accessories, and blackout materials supplied by
> the Thorlabs, Inc.
>
> Could you please give me your advice?
>
> Gary G. Li, Ph.D.
> Microscopy Core Manager
> NIH/NIDA, Baltimore, MD 21224
>

Glen MacDonald-2

Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

In reply to this post by Gary G. Li-2

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hello Gary,
I'm nearly done using the XE25 series hardware to construct a heated enclosure for a widefield imaging system. Filled in the spaces with 1" thick styrofoam panels popped into place and held with backstops of 1/16" X 1" or 1.5" aluminum flat stock bolted to the inside. My doors are being cut right now, lower doors will bi-fold to reach in for manual focus, and the main upper door will swing up, with a covered peep hole for eyepieces. Buy a box of the Thor SH6M10LP screws, unless you can find a less expensive industrial source for screws. The plastic Quick Corner Cubes seem sufficiently rigid for non-weight bearing corners. otherwise butt the ends together for corners, tapping the end of 1 rail and drilling the other with an M6 clearance hole and a counterbore for the cap of the screw. contact me if you have more questions.

Craig's 8020 company looks promising, too.

Regards,
Glen

Glen MacDonald
Core for Communication Research
Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
Box 357923
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7923 USA
(206) 616-4156
[hidden email]

On May 30, 2011, at 4:37 PM, Gary G. Li wrote:

Craig Brideau

Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

The nice thing about the 80/20 stuff is you can get a free plugin for
AutoCAD from them. The plugin has most of the parts from their catalog.
You design the enclosure in AutoCAD (easier than it sounds; the plugin has
some stuff to simplify things!) and the plugin generates a bill of
materials. You send the list to the company and they ship you back a custom
'kit' with all the parts already cut to length, all the bolts and screws you
need, etc. It's more expensive than cutting up thor rail from scratch, but
it is very fast since everything comes ready to go.

Craig

On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 10:24 AM, Glen MacDonald
<[hidden email]>wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Hello Gary,
> I'm nearly done using the XE25 series hardware to construct a heated
> enclosure for a widefield imaging system. Filled in the spaces with 1" thick
> styrofoam panels popped into place and held with backstops of 1/16" X 1" or
> 1.5" aluminum flat stock bolted to the inside. My doors are being cut right
> now, lower doors will bi-fold to reach in for manual focus, and the main
> upper door will swing up, with a covered peep hole for eyepieces. Buy a box
> of the Thor SH6M10LP screws, unless you can find a less expensive industrial
> source for screws. The plastic Quick Corner Cubes seem sufficiently rigid
> for non-weight bearing corners. otherwise butt the ends together for
> corners, tapping the end of 1 rail and drilling the other with an M6
> clearance hole and a counterbore for the cap of the screw. contact me if
> you have more questions.
>
> Craig's 8020 company looks promising, too.
>
> Regards,
> Glen
>
>
> Glen MacDonald
> Core for Communication Research
> Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
> Box 357923
> University of Washington
> Seattle, WA 98195-7923 USA
> (206) 616-4156
> [hidden email]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On May 30, 2011, at 4:37 PM, Gary G. Li wrote:
>
> > *****
> > To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> > *****
> >
> > Greetings,
> >
> > I am designing an optical enclosure to work with a Zeiss 710 NLO
> > Multiphoton Upright Microscope for a high sensitivity imaging
> > application. I think that a good solution is to use the XE25 Series
> > construction rails and accessories, and blackout materials supplied by
> > the Thorlabs, Inc.
> >
> > Could you please give me your advice?
> >
> > Gary G. Li, Ph.D.
> > Microscopy Core Manager
> > NIH/NIDA, Baltimore, MD 21224
>

Andreas Bruckbauer

Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

In reply to this post by Glen MacDonald-2

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Hello Gary,
i used the XE25 from Thorlab to build an enclosure for the LSM710 NLO, i ended up building a giant frame around the whole microscope with a TB4 hardboard at the top and BK5 blackout material around the sides. Works great to block the light, i think all microscope companies should sell enclosures with their instruments.

Make sure that any enclosure is easy to remove for the service to reach the scan head. Mine is made out of two halfs, the front one just pulls out. You can clamp the rails with XE25CL2 to the optical table.

It is a bit difficult to install or remove the incubator which is sometimes used with the mic.

best wishes

Andreas

-----Original Message-----
From: Glen MacDonald <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Tue, 31 May 2011 17:24
Subject: Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

*****

To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:

http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy

*****

Hello Gary,

I'm nearly done using the XE25 series hardware to construct a heated enclosure

for a widefield imaging system. Filled in the spaces with 1" thick styrofoam

panels popped into place and held with backstops of 1/16" X 1" or 1.5" aluminum

flat stock bolted to the inside. My doors are being cut right now, lower doors

will bi-fold to reach in for manual focus, and the main upper door will swing

up, with a covered peep hole for eyepieces. Buy a box of the Thor SH6M10LP

screws, unless you can find a less expensive industrial source for screws. The

plastic Quick Corner Cubes seem sufficiently rigid for non-weight bearing

corners. otherwise butt the ends together for corners, tapping the end of 1

rail and drilling the other with an M6 clearance hole and a counterbore for the

cap of the screw. contact me if you have more questions.

Craig's 8020 company looks promising, too.

Regards,

Glen

Glen MacDonald

Core for Communication Research

Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center

Box 357923

University of Washington

Seattle, WA 98195-7923 USA

(206) 616-4156

[hidden email]

On May 30, 2011, at 4:37 PM, Gary G. Li wrote:

> *****

> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:

> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy

> *****

>

> Greetings,

>

> I am designing an optical enclosure to work with a Zeiss 710 NLO

> Multiphoton Upright Microscope for a high sensitivity imaging

> application. I think that a good solution is to use the XE25 Series

> construction rails and accessories, and blackout materials supplied by

> the Thorlabs, Inc.

>

> Could you please give me your advice?

>

> Gary G. Li, Ph.D.

> Microscopy Core Manager

> NIH/NIDA, Baltimore, MD 21224

Glen MacDonald-2

Re: Optical Enclosure Solution

*****
To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
*****

Our machine shop showed Celtec closed cell PVC foam board to me yesterday. the 1/4" thickness would slide into the rails or could be inset to pop out. it is light weight and best of all, comes in opaque black. I will use that for the top of the enclosure to give more clearance for hinges. I think there are other manufacturers, but it looks to be a better material than plexiglas for enclosures where thicker styrofoam is not wanted.

Glen
On Jun 1, 2011, at 12:25 AM, Andreas Bruckbauer wrote:

> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
> *****
>
> Hello Gary,
> i used the XE25 from Thorlab to build an enclosure for the LSM710 NLO, i ended up building a giant frame around the whole microscope with a TB4 hardboard at the top and BK5 blackout material around the sides. Works great to block the light, i think all microscope companies should sell enclosures with their instruments.
>
> Make sure that any enclosure is easy to remove for the service to reach the scan head. Mine is made out of two halfs, the front one just pulls out. You can clamp the rails with XE25CL2 to the optical table.
>
> It is a bit difficult to install or remove the incubator which is sometimes used with the mic.
>
> best wishes
>
> Andreas
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Glen MacDonald <[hidden email]>
> To: [hidden email]
> Sent: Tue, 31 May 2011 17:24
> Subject: Re: Optical Enclosure Solution
>
>
> *****
>
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
>
> *****
>
>
>
> Hello Gary,
>
> I'm nearly done using the XE25 series hardware to construct a heated enclosure
>
> for a widefield imaging system. Filled in the spaces with 1" thick styrofoam
>
> panels popped into place and held with backstops of 1/16" X 1" or 1.5" aluminum
>
> flat stock bolted to the inside. My doors are being cut right now, lower doors
>
> will bi-fold to reach in for manual focus, and the main upper door will swing
>
> up, with a covered peep hole for eyepieces. Buy a box of the Thor SH6M10LP
>
> screws, unless you can find a less expensive industrial source for screws. The
>
> plastic Quick Corner Cubes seem sufficiently rigid for non-weight bearing
>
> corners. otherwise butt the ends together for corners, tapping the end of 1
>
> rail and drilling the other with an M6 clearance hole and a counterbore for the
>
> cap of the screw. contact me if you have more questions.
>
>
>
> Craig's 8020 company looks promising, too.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Glen
>
>
>
>
>
> Glen MacDonald
>
> Core for Communication Research
>
> Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
>
> Box 357923
>
> University of Washington
>
> Seattle, WA 98195-7923 USA
>
> (206) 616-4156
>
> [hidden email]
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On May 30, 2011, at 4:37 PM, Gary G. Li wrote:
>
>
>
>> *****
>
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
>> http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy
>
>> *****
>
>>
>
>> Greetings,
>
>>
>
>> I am designing an optical enclosure to work with a Zeiss 710 NLO
>
>> Multiphoton Upright Microscope for a high sensitivity imaging
>
>> application. I think that a good solution is to use the XE25 Series
>
>> construction rails and accessories, and blackout materials supplied by
>
>> the Thorlabs, Inc.
>
>>
>
>> Could you please give me your advice?
>
>>
>
>> Gary G. Li, Ph.D.
>
>> Microscopy Core Manager
>
>> NIH/NIDA, Baltimore, MD 21224
>
>
>