moved to http://amasci.com/amateur/microsco.html






> Bill,
>     I would appreciate any leads on where to purchase a high quality but
> affordable microscope to be used by homeschooled children of elementary
> to junior high age.  Thanks for your help!
>                Tina M.


Hi Tina!  I have just the thing.  A mail order company for cheap shop
tools has started selling an imported chinese microscope.  I bought one
for my daughter (who's 5y, so this is a future xmas gift.)  I played with
it for awhile, and compared to those cheap "chemistry set" kid's
microscope, this one is *really* nice.  I suspect it's a medical school
microscope for a third world country.  The XY stage is great, it lets you
drive around on the slide.  I can't recommend the illuminator lamp; I
suspect it's designed for a lower voltage, so on a 120V the light bulb
burns too bright and fails in a few minutes. 

Also: the price started out at $90 and only went up recently, so I bet
this company is making a big profit.  Maybe if you got five or ten
homeschoolers together, you could buy several and talk them down on the
price?

   $132.99, 33042-4CJA

     * 8 settings, 50x to 1250x
     * 3 eyepieces
     * 3-lens turret
     * fine/coarse focus control
     * X-Y stage vernier slide positioner
     * illumination condensor w/iris, mirror
     * lamp, buy separately $14.99, 33043-1CJA


  Harbor Freight Tools
  3491 Mission Oaks Bvd.
  Camarillo, CA 93011-6010
  1-800-423-2567
  fax: 1-800905-5220