Minutes of December 9, 2005 "Amateur's Night"

Current Business Update:

Bill Mikuska announced that Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, FNAL, wishes SMSI to continue the microscopy courses for high school students. The current course for high school teachers at FNAL for graduate credit through Aurora University will also be part of SMSI's charge for future educational commitment.

LaGrange Printers, Inc., will provide the printed brochure for the young people's course at FNAL this coming spring.

Lomo North America, Inc., has donated several teaching microscope eyepieces.

Cargille Laboratories, Inc., has donated two sets each of >90 chemicals for microchemical tests.

McCrone Associates / McCrone Microscopes,and Accessories (Westmont, IL,) has provided materials such as hot plates, balsam bottles, tungsten wire, RI liquids, slides, coverslips, Sodium D-line filters, and encouragement.

The treasurer's report was given and will be available to current members and proper authorieties upon request.

Presentations

Cathy Grandolski (LaGrange Printers) showed a scientific drawing of Dynastes hercules which was nicely mounted.

Kendall Winter brought samples and macro/micrographs of crinoids and green algae fossils from lake Michigan. He is investigating the black color on some of them which he believes to be MnO2. Cystodictya and Tasmanites also were shown.

Wynn Hopkins gave information and product reviews of graph paper software: (A HREF="http://www.marquis-soft-com" target="_blank">www.marquis-soft-com ; Lewis paper 60# white dry gum No.6016 from Tinley P.P. 708-429-7600; A camera circular polarizer (1/4 wave on full wave plate), Photonics Spectra web pages, and a few other items were presented.

Andy Bowen presented selected Photomicrographs from McRI since 2002 taken with a Nikon Cool Pics digital camera: Lead chloride, calcite, a monochromatic wedge), Mrs. Bowens hair treated and non-treated, lead iodide, Sulfur in aniline, cross sectioned fibers, and anthracene.

Bill Mikuska used 'pink photons' to demonstrate a method of teaching most of the basic functions of PLM using macro objects with a viewgraph projector as a polariscope: a large pink Icelandic spar crystal can demonstrate the ortho-normal rays of visible plane polarized light, pleiochroism, parallel extinction, phosphorescence, fluorescence, along with the Stokes shift and non-linear optical properties of materials.

Bob Svidron presented the final light show. Spark testing of metals. A quick and easy way to see that a piece of scrap metal might have been welded or might be able to be recycled into a quality knife. Ti on the grinding wheel gave the large white sparks used in many movies. Identifiable elements are Si, C, Mb, Ni, P, and Cr. Cu & Al do not spark unless other elements are present. (Spark test must be used with other test to be certain in most cases).

[ Sec. note.
Segregation and identification. Ch. IV.];
Spark Testing
Spark Testing Metals
Spark Testing Procedure

The SMSI auction followed.

Respectfully submitted, Stan Schmidt, rec. sec.