Changes

== Diamond Mounting Trials ==

== Diamond Mounting Trials ==

Simple wire stretching exercises were performed. The wire is approximated to be well past its elastic limit bearing 50 g weight. A thumb screw threading two washers going into a threaded stand-off (long nut) provided a nice 4.8 g weight that can clamp wire. So, a wire loop is created by clamping the ends of a wire segment between the washers by tightening the thumb screw.

Simple wire stretching exercises were performed. The wire is approximated to be well past its elastic limit bearing 50 g weight. A thumb screw threading two washers going into a threaded stand-off (long nut) provided a nice 4.8 g weight that can clamp wire. So, a wire loop is created by clamping the ends of a wire segment between the washers by tightening the thumb screw.

[[Image:MBWireMarks.jpg|thumb|300px|Figure 2. Photo of a groove embossed by the clamped tungsten wire. (Numbers indicate mm markings)]]

|| [[Image:MBWireMarks.jpg|thumb|200px|Figure 2. Photo of a groove embossed by the clamped tungsten wire. (Numbers indicate mm markings)]]

The tungsten wire was stretched using this weight and the shanks of cap head screws to keep the segments parallel. Playing with the first setup showed that the wire breaks quite easily and indeed, breaks before there is enough force to release it from the clamp of the bracket. The experience also showed that the wire is easily denatured (observed through kinks present even when stretched) so care must be taken in taking it off the spool and navigating around the supports.

The tungsten wire was stretched using this weight and the shanks of cap head screws to keep the segments parallel. Playing with the first setup showed that the wire breaks quite easily and indeed, breaks before there is enough force to release it from the clamp of the bracket. The experience also showed that the wire is easily denatured (observed through kinks present even when stretched) so care must be taken in taking it off the spool and navigating around the supports.

[[Image:GlueTest_glass.jpg|thumb|300px|Figure 3. A square glass sample 12 mm on the side glued to the 20 μmm wires for practice. ]]

| [[Image:GlueTest_glass.jpg|thumb|300px|Figure 3. A square glass sample 12 mm on the side glued to the 20 μmm wires for practice. ]]

All following gluing tests were performed with the Supertacker 351 mentioned above. This adhesive turned out to be a bit too viscous for depositing on such thin wire. It did, however, match our other criteria very well. The trick for using it with these wires was to get inside tweezers and slide them gently with the wire in the opening of the tweezers. A somewhat sloppy layer is deposited on the wire that should still be quite tacky during the minute or so while a sample is deposited. In fact, it grips quite well upon first contact with a clean surface, such that alignment of the sample's edge with the wire is difficult.

All following gluing tests were performed with the Supertacker 351 mentioned above. This adhesive turned out to be a bit too viscous for depositing on such thin wire. It did, however, match our other criteria very well. The trick for using it with these wires was to get inside tweezers and slide them gently with the wire in the opening of the tweezers. A somewhat sloppy layer is deposited on the wire that should still be quite tacky during the minute or so while a sample is deposited. In fact, it grips quite well upon first contact with a clean surface, such that alignment of the sample's edge with the wire is difficult.