MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

lt us know how they work. Seems quite a few here are looking for a perfect solution for this application.

Will do. I just placed my order.

@MicroBob, what do you use the pan for? Is it in use as a paraffin stretch bath?

The jars that MicroBob has are interesting. But the fluid level needs to reach at least half the width of a slide and I am not sure they do. Ideally You can use the same jar for cleaning an for storing. Pouring over to another container is a hassle and prone to spilling ( in my case anyway ;)). I am...

Your explanation of the warping effect sounds plausible. I am guessing that the jar on the left in your picture will also be susceptible to warping since it seems to be made of the same material my containers are made of. Is that correct? I own a few hdpe containers already among which the dropper b...

I have a large collection of Bonne Maman labware.

You mean jelly jars? I have one of those too but they are quite big. I also don't eat that much jelly .

I bought these is bulk but they can't handle the solvents (d-limonene, xylene, toluene and EtOH): plastic jar.jpg I am contemplating using these glass jar.jpg . The problem with these is that these are what the capers come in and there is only so many capers that I can eat ;). So a link to a company...

I recently bought a rotation microtome and started embedding samples in wax. After sectioning the wax needs to be dissolved and replaced by water. This requires a number of solutions of various solvents. I have tried to store them in small plastic jars that can hold a single slide for processing. It...

Good point. The sliding part can still move freely but it is a good idea to clean it before it becomes a problem. I viewed the sections under the microscope and there still seems to be a lot of damaged cells. I included pictures of a section of an orchid air root with damaged cells. I also included ...

I bought a displosable blade holder but it turned out that it was too big to fit in the microtome. So I decided to make two indentations where the microtome clamps grab it. It took me two hours of filing but I finally have it in place. I did some cuts with both 15micron and 10 micron thicknesses. Be...

I have much better integrity but there are still damaged cells. Do you have any idea what I can improve? I am using cheap Chinese razors. Maybe I will get better results with official disposable microtome blades. ..and judging by the look of the vasculature a good orientation - that is to say a nice...

I did some more sectioning with a razorblade. I hydrated the hydrangea sections and the sections from the air root of an orchid. I think that the air root sections still contain some wax, even after soaking in xylene for 4 minutes. So I soaked the hydrangea sections for 12 minutes. They don't seem t...

Hello John. Thank you for your quick(and lengthy) reply. Without your help I probably would have given up. You have given me a lot of useful tips. I was already planning to focus on sectioning rather than staining but it is always nice if someone can confirm that you're doing the right thing. The fa...

That holder looks interesting. I am also considering getting a cheaper holder from India. The Indian holder doesn't seem to have a quick release mechanism though. But first, I'd like to know if I am able to make good 10µm cuts with a razor. I experiemented with the razorblade stuck to the microtome ...

The images in that thread look amazing, especially considering that they were made with dirt cheap razorblades. You have convinced me: I am going the disposable route. For a metalworker it shouldn't be hard to create a disposable blade holder. It is basically just two strips of metal with a blade sa...

Here's a holder that should fit your 'tome, Here are the blades that go into it. You can do it, but this is a vital requirement I'm afraid..... Ouch! That's more than I paid for the microtome :(. So everybody here thinks that the microtome blade is the culprit here. That leaves me with two options:...

Yes, I have floated them in water to allow them to relax but the water was closer to 50c. The complete process I used is as follows: I cut 5mm pieces of the stems of the leaves of the hydrangea leaves. I put them in FAA for a couple of days. Then I dehydrated the sections as described in my original...

I tried inspecting the section under the microscope directly after cutting but it appeared to be opaque. I could not get a clear image so I proceeded to rehydrate it. I didn't heat it after cutting. Maybe that would make it clear again. I own a stereomicroscope so I can get an image of the knife. It...

I am using a steel re-sharpening blade to cut plant material. I tried sectioning the stems of a hydrangea leaf. I also sectioned sellery. I tried both 20µm and 7µm cuts. Both had shattered cells. I included a picture of what it looks like. The first attempt I made with the 20µm cut was a bit better....

I recently purchased an AO820 microtome and I am now experimenting with it. I have been able to make a few sections with it but it turns out that the cell walls are shattered in all of them. Some of the sections are so bad that none of the cells are intact. I have no idea what I did wrong. Can someo...