This microscope was simple to build once I had finalised my design. The most difficult part of the design process was deciding how my microscope would be focussed. I had worked on a design in which the barrel had moved while the stage remained stationary, using a somewhat complex pulley system.

Another focussing system which I considered was a lever used to push the stage up. I decided against this system because of the resulting instability of the stage.

In summary, after trying various systems involving a pulley, lever, or wind on cable, I settled for the screw driven stage.

My current design gives a reasonable level of stage stability and it is physically impossible to ram the objective through a slide. This is a major advantage over other microscopes due to the shape of the screw.

Because it runs on battery there is no danger of electrocution or tripping over cords. This makes it safe to use around small children, who would usually miss out on the experience of using a microscope.

Using a 3 volt button cell, the ultrabright LED is not bright enough to blind, eliminating the need for a mirror and sunlight. Unlike a bulb, the LED does not give off heat, thus the cell should last quite a while.

My microscope has few components, making it ideal for light transportation and easy storage, and also reduces the difficulty for the user.

Users will not be required to change objective lens, a process which can confuse some people, and in a traditional microscope can lead to the misuse of the oil immersion lenses, which are not required for most samples.

It is possible to change the objective lens relatively easily if necessary.

In finding the right way in which to position the eyepiece and objective lenses, I learnt that it was not critical to have the barrel exactly 170mm, which is a positive thing as it allows room for error.

My microscope magnifies the image 150X. I obtained this number by multiplying the value of the eye lens, 15X, with the objective lens, 10X. This is a good value for samples for junior students (i.e., crystals, fibres, plant cells, protozoa).

However, I would like to further improve my microscope with the addition of a proper switch and battery holder. While my current power system has the advantage of the cell being easily removed and changed, I would like to make it more permanent. I would also like to improve the slide clips, which currently have difficulty moving due to obstructions. I have no mode of moving slides other than by hand and this could be something I will include in my next model.