Here is the Baker microscope with the bent pinion all taken apart. Since taking the photo I have cleaned it, sanded some areas and primed them ready for painting. Tomorrow I shall blacken the stage and do some more sanding and painting. I shall repeat this process about 10 times. It will be worth it in the end.
A customer has asked me to partially restore his microscope, a jug handled Baker. He has specified certain areas that he wants repaired as he wishes to conserve as much of the original paint as possible. He wants me to re-do several areas of the handle, an area on the foot, and the stage. The stage is a little stiff in one direction so the movement needs looking at too.
As you can see, I will also have to make a new pinion as the original pinion attached to the coarse focus is badly bent. Here’s the before photograph – let’s see what we can do! I’ll start by giving it a good clean as it is very dirty.
I have been so busy polishing this week that I forgot to blog! I do all my polishing by hand and it can be quite therapeutic. The mind can wander a little while the hands are busy. Whilst polishing I tend to daydream about glistening golden microscopes and my next projects. Today I sanded and polished with various grades of pumice. I have one more extra fine polish to do before I start lacquering this piece, and tomorrow evening I have another piece to finish which just needs heating and reassembling.
The excitement mounts. I hope I can get it all done, I have to do some gardening to do as well. The penstemon need urgent attention.
