Hi together,
this bench microtom looks quite promising: http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/benchmicrotome.html
The price is right and there are not too many alternatives so it would be interesting to know good it works.
The description varies between two pages and it is always a question of manufacturing quality. Does someone own such a microtome and can post a short review?
Bob
Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Hi Bob, here's a video I made of mine in action a while back...
It's a good hand-'tome but there are better designs I think. Namely, I'd buy one of those 'cylinder-shaped' ones that has a clamp within the cylinder. This feature saves the need to have the cylinder completely filled tight either with for example a carrot-piece holding the specimen, or, as seen in my video, a wax-block tightly-pushed (with specimen embedded in the wax) into the cylinder.....
In hindsight I'd have preferred the built-in clamp type myself, although the Brunel one is very well built indeed and works well. It's just not such a 'pick up and go' version as the clamp-type I think.
John B.
It's a good hand-'tome but there are better designs I think. Namely, I'd buy one of those 'cylinder-shaped' ones that has a clamp within the cylinder. This feature saves the need to have the cylinder completely filled tight either with for example a carrot-piece holding the specimen, or, as seen in my video, a wax-block tightly-pushed (with specimen embedded in the wax) into the cylinder.....
In hindsight I'd have preferred the built-in clamp type myself, although the Brunel one is very well built indeed and works well. It's just not such a 'pick up and go' version as the clamp-type I think.
John B.
John B
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Hi John,
thank you for your evaluation of this microtome!
I have no experience with a hand microtome without clamp. It might be possible to adopt to it very well. It might be an idea to build a punch that produces carrot cut-out of the right size. Long ago there were several good to great quality hand microtomes available in Germany but today there is not much on offer. I think Leitz even sold a hand microtome with parallel jaw clamp.
A nice solution for plant sections today would be a microtome of relatively flat built that sits on the table, holding itself on the edge. I already have some ideas for this.
Bob
thank you for your evaluation of this microtome!
I have no experience with a hand microtome without clamp. It might be possible to adopt to it very well. It might be an idea to build a punch that produces carrot cut-out of the right size. Long ago there were several good to great quality hand microtomes available in Germany but today there is not much on offer. I think Leitz even sold a hand microtome with parallel jaw clamp.
A nice solution for plant sections today would be a microtome of relatively flat built that sits on the table, holding itself on the edge. I already have some ideas for this.
Bob
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Bob, our dear admin Oliver Kim has published a Youtube clip that demonstrates the operating of a hand microtome without clamp. He shows that a metal sleeve, supplied with the microtome, can be used to extract a a tight fitting core from a carrot.MicroBob wrote:Hi John,
thank you for your evaluation of this microtome!
I have no experience with a hand microtome without clamp. It might be possible to adopt to it very well. It might be an idea to build a punch that produces carrot cut-out of the right size. Long ago there were several good to great quality hand microtomes available in Germany but today there is not much on offer. I think Leitz even sold a hand microtome with parallel jaw clamp.
A nice solution for plant sections today would be a microtome of relatively flat built that sits on the table, holding itself on the edge. I already have some ideas for this.
Bob
Yet, IMHO, from the aspect of safety, your recently posted 3D blade holder easily wins, hands down, the folding "classic" non-disposable razor. At least for the average hobbyist.
Last edited by Hobbyst46 on Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Hi Doron,
I have seen Olivers video, but the method didn't quite work: The carrot block canted upwards and the object wasn' t kept stable.
So the punch would have to make a bigger, tighter fitting carrot block. One Problem with carrot is that the lead sap that rots in the microtome, the other is that they dry, become soft and shrink quickly. So it might be better to make a reducing insert that is closed at the bottom and has just a hole of 15mm to fill.
Bob
I have seen Olivers video, but the method didn't quite work: The carrot block canted upwards and the object wasn' t kept stable.
So the punch would have to make a bigger, tighter fitting carrot block. One Problem with carrot is that the lead sap that rots in the microtome, the other is that they dry, become soft and shrink quickly. So it might be better to make a reducing insert that is closed at the bottom and has just a hole of 15mm to fill.
Bob
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Hi Bob, please see that I edited the last response...
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Hi Doron,
I can't remember what you exactly wrote before.
What I meant was this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoSJWpwYJVY After minute 6:30 Oliver cuts and his carrot just turns a couple of degrees. So this is not yet tight enough for the job, but I'm sure that there will be a good way to use this microtome.
Bob
I can't remember what you exactly wrote before.
What I meant was this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoSJWpwYJVY After minute 6:30 Oliver cuts and his carrot just turns a couple of degrees. So this is not yet tight enough for the job, but I'm sure that there will be a good way to use this microtome.Bob
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Just to repeat, your design of a disposable blade, held within the 3D holder and teflon glider bottom, is IMO far safer in use than the folding razors of the classic styles, those seen in barber shops.MicroBob wrote:Hi Doron,
I can't remember what you exactly wrote before.
Bob
Re: Brunel bench microtome - first hand experience?
Ah, ok, now I understand! The blade holder is a bit safer to use but the main advantage is that the blade never touches the table surface and the edge stays sharp. Especially when cutting into a full diameter carrot block the single phased blade is pulled down hard onto the table and into the opening. The slicing movement combined with the rough edges of the glass table do horrible things to the edge. 
Bob
Bob