What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

Here you can discuss sample and specimen preparation issues.
Message
Author
Delamington_lens
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:20 pm

What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#1 Post by Delamington_lens » Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:47 am

I'm looking into a large collection of prepared slides.
A nice broad catalog with high quality mounting is of strong interest to me.

I have located small suppliers of specific fields of interest and other distribution chains around the world.
(I've also noticed some prepared kits on the shop here etc.)

If there was a top 5 of mounting and specimen quality preparing companies (or preparers,) who would my peers recommended?

Please no negativity, as this is public.

**In fact it may be best to simply PM me any recommendations or advice.**

User avatar
gekko
Posts: 4701
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 7:38 am
Location: Durham, NC, USA.

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#2 Post by gekko » Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:20 pm

John B (mrsonchus) on the forum prepares and sells slides of plant sections of the highest quality as far as I am concerned. I don't know where you can get high quality slides of other things (my experience of buying inexpensive student-grade slides have been generally quite disappointing).

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#3 Post by zzffnn » Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:53 pm

Delamington_lens wrote: I have located small suppliers of specific fields of interest and other distribution chains around the world.
^ Would you please share those suppliers here? It would be useful to me and other members.

I think variety suppliers usually cannot provide very high quality. I have around 50 of those, which are just OK (and not top quality).

Specialty mounters, such as John B, Klaus Kemp, Steve Beats Michel Haak, provide top quality mounts. But they don't usually provide wide variety (John B likely won't mount diatoms, for example).

It may help to define your special interest and group counters based on specialty. Kurt and I, for example, would like to find a radiolarian mounter / strew /sample supplier.

Delamington_lens
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:20 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#4 Post by Delamington_lens » Tue Oct 04, 2016 2:21 pm

gekko wrote:John B (mrsonchus) on the forum prepares and sells slides of plant sections of the highest quality as far as I am concerned. I don't know where you can get high quality slides of other things (my experience of buying inexpensive student-grade slides have been generally quite disappointing).
I agree, Johns preparations are impressive.

Yes, agreed.
I have also found the student grade slides to be sloppy pipetted and not even cleaned afterwards, usually desiccated specimen allover the slides.
No QC, not even wiped clean, just boxed on a large production line.
(What is that saying, if you want something done right?...) ;)

But yes, thank you as any direction is appreciated.

I'm simply hoping there is one brilliant preparer hiding somewhere who makes exquisite prepared catalogues.

Delamington_lens
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:20 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#5 Post by Delamington_lens » Tue Oct 04, 2016 2:31 pm

zzffnn wrote:
Delamington_lens wrote: I have located small suppliers of specific fields of interest and other distribution chains around the world.
^ Would you please share those suppliers here? It would be useful to me and other members.

I think variety suppliers usually cannot provide very high quality. I have around 50 of those, which are just OK (and not top quality).
I'm very confident that I have nothing new to contribute if you know 50 reasonable suppliers.

apochronaut
Posts: 6272
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#6 Post by apochronaut » Tue Oct 04, 2016 2:39 pm

Of the easily available general suppliers, with a diverse selection, Triarch in Ripon Wi. gets my vote.
http://www.triarchincorporated.com/.

User avatar
billben74
Posts: 1020
Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#7 Post by billben74 » Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:39 pm

For diatoms see Klaus Kemp but he also does (at least on his website he says) radiolarians.

In addition, although I haven't tried him http://www.diatomshop.com/ an Italian diatomist also does diatoms and radiolarians.

It looks like that he, perhaps, has more on offer on the radiolarian front than Klaus.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#8 Post by zzffnn » Tue Oct 04, 2016 5:12 pm

Delamington_lens wrote:
zzffnn wrote:
Delamington_lens wrote: I have located small suppliers of specific fields of interest and other distribution chains around the world.
^ Would you please share those suppliers here? It would be useful to me and other members.

I think variety suppliers usually cannot provide very high quality. I have around 50 of those, which are just OK (and not top quality).
I'm very confident that I have nothing new to contribute if you know 50 reasonable suppliers.
I apologize for my confusing post. I meant to say that I have 50 slides made by around 3 suppliers.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#9 Post by zzffnn » Tue Oct 04, 2016 5:39 pm

apochronaut wrote:Of the easily available general suppliers, with a diverse selection, Triarch in Ripon Wi. gets my vote.
http://www.triarchincorporated.com/.
apochronaut,

This supplier looks interesting and not expensive. They don't have many example photos for slides though. How many slides do you have from them and what types are they? How good is their pond protists slides, for example?

Thank you.

Delamington_lens,

I think eiman mentioned Carolina Biological Supply before:

http://www.carolina.com/life-science/mi ... s/10449.ct

I have no experience with them though. Their photos' quality looks only decent.

Delamington_lens
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:20 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#10 Post by Delamington_lens » Tue Oct 04, 2016 5:55 pm

Oh thank you for those links apo/bill/zz :)

I was just about to post the Barone Diatom regarding the Radiolaria

I'll check them out tonight! xD

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#11 Post by zzffnn » Tue Oct 04, 2016 7:23 pm

Delamington_lens wrote: I was just about to post the Barone Diatom regarding the Radiolaria
His Barbados radiolarian type slides look very nice. Please let us know how you like them, once you receive them (or even better, show us a photo).

apochronaut
Posts: 6272
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#12 Post by apochronaut » Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:27 pm

zzffnn wrote:
apochronaut wrote:Of the easily available general suppliers, with a diverse selection, Triarch in Ripon Wi. gets my vote.
http://www.triarchincorporated.com/.
apochronaut,

This supplier looks interesting and not expensive. They don't have many example photos for slides though. How many slides do you have from them and what types are they? How good is their pond protists slides, for example?

Thank you.

Delamington_lens,

I don't think I have any of their protist slides but I will see what I have and report back . They also stencil label for others but I believe they are the primary producer. Did you download their pdf catalogue?

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#13 Post by zzffnn » Wed Oct 05, 2016 3:11 am

apo,

Yes, they produce slides. I downloaded one of their PDF catalog, but it did not have any photo.

apochronaut
Posts: 6272
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#14 Post by apochronaut » Wed Oct 05, 2016 10:15 am

I know they produce slides, that's why I provided the link to their website. However, they also produce and label slides for other companies, that just market slides.

User avatar
mrsonchus
Posts: 4175
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:42 pm
Location: Cumbria, UK

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#15 Post by mrsonchus » Wed Oct 05, 2016 12:13 pm

Hi, I've plenty of pictures of actual slides at mrsonchus.co.uk - actual slides as offered for sale and all made by myself.
I've dozens of different Botanical slides available. Virtually every picture I post will also be available as a slide as I always create at least a dozen of each as part of my Botanical systematics and morphological studies.
Also, the links below in this post's signature are full of actual permanently-mounted slides from my very small lab.
if you require anything bespoke or specialised I am also able to create pretty much whatever you would like, even from your own supplied material if desired.

Just let me know if I can help - guaranteed quality and fidelity, forum members always offered reduced prices, from a single slide upwards....

see my slide gallery examples from actual slides here:
actual slide gallery
John B
John B

billbillt
Posts: 2895
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 10:01 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#16 Post by billbillt » Wed Oct 05, 2016 1:54 pm

gekko wrote:John B (mrsonchus) on the forum prepares and sells slides of plant sections of the highest quality as far as I am concerned. I don't know where you can get high quality slides of other things (my experience of buying inexpensive student-grade slides have been generally quite disappointing).
I agree with gekko... John B (mrsonchus) Performs slide preparation that are some of the best in the industry.. Please contact him here on the forum..

The Best,
BillT

apochronaut
Posts: 6272
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#17 Post by apochronaut » Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:54 am

apochronaut wrote:
zzffnn wrote:
apochronaut wrote:Of the easily available general suppliers, with a diverse selection, Triarch in Ripon Wi. gets my vote.
http://www.triarchincorporated.com/.
apochronaut,

This supplier looks interesting and not expensive. They don't have many example photos for slides though. How many slides do you have from them and what types are they? How good is their pond protists slides, for example?

Thank you.

Delamington_lens,

I don't think I have any of their protist slides but I will see what I have and report back . They also stencil label for others but I believe they are the primary producer. Did you download their pdf catalogue?
So; this is what I have from Triarch: insect trachea w.m., vaucheria w.m., vaucheria sessilis fruiting, hallasia , sphaeroplia, spirogyra, spirogyra vegetative and conjugating, human uterus, fundic stomach, geranium older stem with cork c.s., moss minium near-median section mature antheridia, moss protonema, oedogonium dwarf males w.m., sphagnum antherides l.s., spagnum mature sporophytes, polytrichum capsule.
I can email you a few pictures if you like.

Yvan
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:46 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#18 Post by Yvan » Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:54 am

.
Last edited by Yvan on Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#19 Post by zzffnn » Mon Oct 24, 2016 1:16 pm

Yvan wrote:not cheap, but very high quality: http://www.lieder.de
^ Welcome to the forum.

Do you have an image of their slide made by 100x NA 1.25 (or higher NA) objective?

They are not too expensive and seem to offer very extensive/ambitious collection.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#20 Post by zzffnn » Wed Oct 26, 2016 12:03 pm

Yvan wrote:not cheap, but very high quality: http://www.lieder.de
I sent them an email 2 days ago, asking for 4 full resolution images of their thumbnail slide photos. I told them I hope to become a lifelong customer and purchase often, if slide quality is high.

I have not received a reply ...........

Yvan
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:46 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#21 Post by Yvan » Sun Oct 30, 2016 7:47 am

.
Last edited by Yvan on Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#22 Post by zzffnn » Sun Oct 30, 2016 1:28 pm

Yvan wrote:Sorry for the late reply... Sorry: I can't help you with that. I don't have Lieder preparations, I used to make my own slides.
I can imagine why they're not all that eager to release full resolution pictures: they sell those as well, for use in the classroom.
Perhaps you can try to contact one of their sales representatives in your country? I know most secundary schools here have a few boxes of Lieder slides, but, for one reason or another, biology teachers capable of properly handling an immersion objective (or a microscope for that matter...) are rare :D .

However: I have some contacts in a local university botanical lab. I'll ask if they have some Lieder slides availlable and if they would make some full res pictures. Can take some days tough...
Regards,

Yvan.
Thank you, Yvan. Don't worry about asking your contacts.

When you said "very high quality", did you mean that the quality is high enough for a serious microscopist/photographer, or for a school teacher?

Those two clients would have vastly different standard. If you mean the former, I would purchase a few slides from Lieder and give it a try. I have both educational grade slides and professional grade slide and want only professional grade now.

Yvan
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:46 am

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#23 Post by Yvan » Mon Oct 31, 2016 9:28 am

.
Last edited by Yvan on Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#24 Post by zzffnn » Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:54 am

Yvan wrote:I suppose I insulted my contact as his answer was very brief: "We don't have Lieder slides, we're taking pride in making our own. But I'll ask around. Perhaps the zoologists have a few."...

Regarding quality of Lieder slides: I viewed some a few years ago, and I found them to be very good. But that doesen't really says much... To put it in at least some kind of perspective: I made myself over the years several tens of thousand slides and if someone would ask me: "how many really excellent slides did you make?", I would probably answer: "less than 100". So, I'm rather critical.

Thank you, Yvan, for your kind reply. That sounds good enough for me. I will try a few slides from them in the future.

Have you seen Lieder's protist/embryology slides, or do you have some that you made yourself and want to sell off?
Last edited by zzffnn on Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:25 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#25 Post by zzffnn » Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:17 pm

Going by Lieder's catalog, I am interested in:

Paramecium, silver stained to show the silver
line or neuroformative system

Or any good silver stain of ciliates, such as ciliates from the rumen of cow, Vorticella and Euplotes

Paramecium, section through many individuals, triply stained

relatively developed stage of whole animal embryos (mouse, chicken, ect)

Euglena viridis

Radiolaria, mixed species showing different forms

more to come

stonehousezoologist
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:05 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#26 Post by stonehousezoologist » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:52 pm

Hello
I work for Triarch Incorporated. We are a family run business in Ripon , WI (https://www.triarchincorporated.com/thi ... -business/)that has been making microscope slides since 1926. We make over 3500 different slides regularly. We make over 2500 Botanical slides. We also make histology slides, zoology slides, and embryology slides.

We sell our slides wholesale to Carolina Biological, Flynn, and Fisher.

Currently the major aspect of my job is to take the micrographs for the website. I realize that many of the slides are not represented on the site yet. But there are a lot of them to photograph. HOWEVER, if you send me the slide name number I will post a photo within a week. With the exception that there are times when we do not have an example to photograph due to lack of material.

We also make any special order slide that is requested if adequate material can be obtained or provided.

I hope this is an acceptable post.

User avatar
zzffnn
Posts: 3200
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 3:57 am
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#27 Post by zzffnn » Thu Jan 12, 2017 2:38 pm

stonehousezoologist wrote:Hello
I work for Triarch Incorporated. We are a family run business in Ripon , WI (https://www.triarchincorporated.com/thi ... -business/)that has been making microscope slides since 1926. We make over 3500 different slides regularly. We make over 2500 Botanical slides. We also make histology slides, zoology slides, and embryology slides.

We sell our slides wholesale to Carolina Biological, Flynn, and Fisher.

Currently the major aspect of my job is to take the micrographs for the website. I realize that many of the slides are not represented on the site yet. But there are a lot of them to photograph. HOWEVER, if you send me the slide name number I will post a photo within a week. With the exception that there are times when we do not have an example to photograph due to lack of material.

We also make any special order slide that is requested if adequate material can be obtained or provided.

I hope this is an acceptable post.
Welcome!

I would love to see some photos of your slides and buy some slides.

One general comment. All your photos have VERY heavy handed watermark seals, making the content difficult to see. Is it possible to use a much light seal image?

Please kindly show your:

Chick Embryo 96 Hours WM Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-1

Chick Embryo 96 Hours Rep Sag Section Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-31

Chick Embryo 96 Hours Rep CS Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-21

You already have a photo for
Paramecium Prepared Microscope Slide ZA4-1

But I would like to see a zoomed in photo of the oral groove and/or cilia, or a zoom-in of any ciliate mouth/cilia.

Thank you very much.

User avatar
btschumy
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 12:46 am
Location: Colorado, USA

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#28 Post by btschumy » Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:11 pm

stonehousezoologist,

I just wanted to say that I think its pretty cool that you have a 3rd generation business devoted entirely to making microscope slides. I hope business continues to go well for you and you make it into the 4th generation and beyond.

I've bookmarked your site for later reference (and ordering).
Bill Tschumy
Leitz SM-D LUX
AO Spencer "Cycloptic" Stereo Microscope (Series 56C)

stonehousezoologist
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:05 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#29 Post by stonehousezoologist » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:49 pm

Welcome!

I would love to see some photos of your slides and buy some slides.

One general comment. All your photos have VERY heavy handed watermark seals, making the content difficult to see. Is it possible to use a much light seal image?

Please kindly show your:

Chick Embryo 96 Hours WM Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-1

Chick Embryo 96 Hours Rep Sag Section Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-31

Chick Embryo 96 Hours Rep CS Prepared Microscope Slide EE12-21

You already have a photo for
Paramecium Prepared Microscope Slide ZA4-1

But I would like to see a zoomed in photo of the oral groove and/or cilia, or a zoom-in of any ciliate mouth/cilia.

Thank you very much.[/quote]

Hello

Thank you for your interest in our slides. As the photographer and owner of the photographs a strong watermark was chosen to protect my intellectual material. We will soon be offering digital images for sale as well. I am not able to provide you with a digital image of paramecium cilia due to the limitations of my photographic set-up. But I can confirm we do NOT shave our paramecia prior to mounting. I will touch base again when the requested photos are posted.

Donna Charley-Johnson
Triarch Incorporated
Zoology
Web Development

stonehousezoologist
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:05 pm

Re: What would be the best quality prepared slide kits available?

#30 Post by stonehousezoologist » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:52 pm

btschumy wrote:stonehousezoologist,

I just wanted to say that I think its pretty cool that you have a 3rd generation business devoted entirely to making microscope slides. I hope business continues to go well for you and you make it into the 4th generation and beyond.

I've bookmarked your site for later reference (and ordering).
Hello
Thanks!! Honestly, that is exactly how I felt when I learned that Triarch Incorporated was less than a mile from where I bought a house. I was Charlie and Cathy Conant and Triarch were Willie Wonka and the chocolate factory. I ended up changing jobs to get to work there and I LOVE it. Who gets to say "I collected cysts or bed bugs or fissioning pararmecium today" for work? The fourth generation is currently working on making our facilities as green and energy efficient as possible. Super Cool.

Donna Charley-Johnson
Triarch Incorporated
Zoology
Web Development

Post Reply