MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

The document and images have been submitted via email to the editor @ microbehunter.com by CW Hennig.

Good sequence, images, and story of gneiss rock. If you haven't yet you should share how you shave them so thin.

I have to admit I use an electric razor.
Oh!
You meant the rocks.

I tried making comminuted samples with very little success. So I bit the bullet and purchased my thin section slides from a supplier in China. They are high quality and 1/3 to 1/5 the cost of slides sold in North America.

"Electric razor"
Doesn't that dull the blades and hurt your face?
Would chipping a sliver off and rubbing on various grades of emery paper work? I would like to try some.

The process for making thin sections without automated machinery is labour intensive and slow.
To end with a 3um thin slice that is 3um from end to end takes hours of grinding with at least four different grits of emery.
In a nut shell this is what you do.'
Chip off a small piece of rock about 1cm sq.
Grind and polish one surface flat and very smooth.
Glue (clear epoxy cement) the flat side to a glass slide.
Grind and polish the the glued rock to 3um using 200, 400, 800 & 1200 grit emery.
Hint: Take two strips of 3um shim stock and wrap them around the ends of the slide. This acts as thickness gauge

If you do not have the patience of Job, spread the job out over several days.

Thanks for the instructions. Now if I can just locate Job.

Job is in your Bible....