Cheap interference filters

[Dan]

I came across these two Ebay stores:
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/BJOMEJAG-EBUYER-STORE/
http://myworld.ebay.com/omegabob2/

Both of them seem to be run by the CEO of Omega optics. You can get
research quality dichroic mirrors and interference filters from here
for as little as $12. Apparently, these are lot overruns and sales
that fell through, etc. I was able to get a pair of excellent filters
for making my own visible light transilluminator for under $50.

[Jeswin John]

Can you explain how this is used in biology? I read the Wikipedia about interference filters but it doesn't have biological applications.

Thanks

[Nathan McCorkle]

Like he said, for a visible transilluminator... to block out light when viewing stained samples of protein or DNA... you excite the stain with one frequency (often many freqs as lighting is hard to tune to just one freq, for single frew think laser) and it emits another freq, so you need to block out the light that is injected into the sample, so you can see the light that is being emitted from the sample more clearly (you might not be able to see it at all in fact without a filter)

--
Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics

[Dan]

Yes, any fluorescence microscope or spectrophotometer will have these
in there somewhere.

These are exceptionally good filters too. Usually, these filters go
for a couple hundred a piece. $20-$50 is a steal.

On Mar 17, 8:28 pm, Nathan McCorkle <nmz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Like he said, for a visible transilluminator... to block out light when
> viewing stained samples of protein or DNA... you excite the stain with one
> frequency (often many freqs as lighting is hard to tune to just one freq,
> for single frew think laser) and it emits another freq, so you need to block
> out the light that is injected into the sample, so you can see the light
> that is being emitted from the sample more clearly (you might not be able to
> see it at all in fact without a filter)
>
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 10:18 PM, Jeswin John <phillyj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Can you explain how this is used in biology? I read the Wikipedia about
> > interference filters but it doesn't have biological applications.
>
> > Thanks
>

[Tito Jankowski]

Hi Dan,
For the open gel box project, Norman and I have found colored plastic
to work extremely well as a light filter -- we're putting together
prototypes now to ship out to a few DIYbio members. You interested?
Drop me a note.

Tito

[Dan]

I would, I just got a few gel boxes off of Ebay so I'm just about
ready to start running gels. I need some casting combs and I'll be
set.

[Nathan McCorkle]

Is there a list of working plastics for the DIY box? on openwetware? I saw a box and illuminator at the bostonBioBeers, but I can't remember what plastics they specifically used (if they were mentioned)

-Nathan

[Jeswin John]

"we're putting together prototypes now to ship out to a few DIYbio members."

A little off topic but this is all your out of pocket expense, right? No government funding?