Mounting medium withdrawing

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jomosoft
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:03 am

Mounting medium withdrawing

#1 Post by jomosoft » Sun Jan 01, 2023 8:51 pm

I’m trying to make my first permanent slides (insects). My biggest problem is the withdrawing of the euparal after some hours, leaving a big air buble on the side of the cover glass. I prepare the insect with 3x24h alcohol, 70-95 and 99,9%.
Any tips ?
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Phill Brown
Posts: 603
Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 1:19 pm
Location: Devon UK.

Re: Mounting medium withdrawing

#2 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Jan 01, 2023 9:19 pm

Center the subject a little better, the slip is at an angle.
3 spacer/shims can help to keep it level. Fiddly job.
It's possible to ring the slide as a spacer, let the ring dry and scratch away a small part to allow the excess to escape and draw back in.
Leave the excess around the edge until it's set, touch a drop by the bubble,it should draw in.
Leave it for a few days at least before ringing if you intend to.
With a relatively thick subject I'm not confident it can be done without heating the mountant either to the point of boiling the solvent or at least hot enough for long enough to keep it polymerized.
There are phone screen removal hot plates that are a good investment, even work for removing screens.
I've tried them with the vacuum feature under a cover but that didn't make a big difference.

jomosoft
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:03 am

Re: Mounting medium withdrawing

#3 Post by jomosoft » Mon Jan 02, 2023 9:35 am

Some useful tips Phill. Thanks !

deBult
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 3:20 pm
Location: Continental Europe

Re: Mounting medium withdrawing

#4 Post by deBult » Mon Jan 02, 2023 5:40 pm

Yes, withdrawing mounting medium is a common issue.

With a tick mount, like insects, I usually put a drop of Euparal on the subject and wait 1-3 minutes to make the IPA evaporate from the mounting medium before I put the coverglass on.

Splinters from a coverglass around the subject help to keep the coverglass even / parallel to the slide.

Best, Maarten

jomosoft
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2022 11:03 am

Re: Mounting medium withdrawing

#5 Post by jomosoft » Tue Jan 03, 2023 2:04 pm

Bedankt Maarten,

Gone try this withmy next slide. Meanwhile I managed to let some more euparal been sucked in. Keep my fingers crossed….

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