General doubts

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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ivangallego24
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General doubts

#1 Post by ivangallego24 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:20 pm

Well, first of all, I don't know if this topic is here, if not, please, some administrator will move it, thank you very much.
My doubts are the following:
-How can I peel off a coverslip that has stuck to the slide?
-The Pasteur pipettes used for samples, is there a way to clean them inside and dry them, and can they be kept wet like this?
-Covers should be reused or discarded, and how can I clean a slide well?
-Is a desk table good for an 8-pound microscope?
Well excuse the questions,although I have been in this hobby for a long time since I was a child in fact even today I have some doubts if I remember some more doubts I hope it does not bother you thank you very much
Last edited by ivangallego24 on Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:55 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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daruosha
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Re: General doubts

#2 Post by daruosha » Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:37 pm

ivangallego24 wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:20 pm
-How can I peel off a coverslip that has stuck to the slide?
Totally Deepens on the mountant, in case of water, put in a warm bath of water and let the water soak beneath the coverslip and gently slide the cover slip to the edge of the slide. For more specific answers, you need to specify the mountant. For permanent mounts like Entellan or Canada Balsam or etc, you have to soak the slide into a solution of Xyline or D-Limonene.
ivangallego24 wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:20 pm
The Pasteur pipettes used for samples, is there a way to clean them inside and dry them, and can they be kept wet like this?
Wash them with distilled water (or proper solvent for the inside contamination) and the it air dry itself. An unsealed moist/wet environment is a recipe for mold and fungi.
ivangallego24 wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:20 pm
-Covers should be reused or discarded, and how can I clean a slide well?
You can wash and re-use the coverslips, but you have to decide whether it worth your time and the cost of chemicals to wash them properly (Xyline, IPA, soap, whatever). For temporary water mounts you have to wash them with soap, rinse them with distilled water and let them air dry. Same goes for slide. I re-use my slides, but discard the cover slips.
ivangallego24 wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:20 pm
-Is a desk table good for an 8-pound microscope?
Deepens on how sturdy the table is. but 4-5Kg microscope is not that heavy and a normal table would survive it :)
Daruosh.

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ivangallego24
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Re: General doubts

#3 Post by ivangallego24 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 2:06 pm

Sorry I meant 9 kilos, that's what my microscope weighs, I don't know how many pounds it will be

PeteM
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Re: General doubts

#4 Post by PeteM » Wed Apr 15, 2020 3:11 pm

Depends upon the desk. An old "Steelcase" desk is massive and rigid. An Ikea bolt-together particle board desk is light and flimsy.

Given that you already have a fairly substantial microscope (9 kilos), rigidity is as important as weight. If you, with lateral force, you can move your desk/table back and forth a bit, it probably needs to be either reinforced or replaced.

Hobbyst46
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Re: General doubts

#5 Post by Hobbyst46 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:40 pm

In general, I would avoid xylene. It is a suspected carcinogen.

Rinsing slides, coverslips and pipettes often involves tens of milliliters of a liquid (at least) in an open container. So personal safety is in order.
When soap and water fail to separate the cover slip or clean the optics, use ethyl alcohol (ethanol), 95% grade. 70% grade is sometimes sufficient. A final rinse with ethyl alcohol, after the glass has been rinsed with water, accelerates the drying, but it sometimes leaves a residue on the glass. Do it according to experience.
Iso propyl alcohol, IPA, is a substitute for ethyl alcohol.

When ethyl alcohol fails, try acetone or kerosene or petrol ether. Protect your skin, since these solvents - especially acetone - dissolve and remove fat from the skin and can cause skin bursts.

Disposable translucent pipettes are made of polypropylene and are resistant to these substances.

With all the above substances - work on a balcony or in a well- ventilated room. Avoid spills, and remember that these solvents are all readily inflammable. Work away from hot surfaces.

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daruosha
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Re: General doubts

#6 Post by daruosha » Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:15 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:40 pm
In general, I would avoid xylene. It is a suspected carcinogen.
You're absolutely right. I know HistoClear is a very safe alternative for Xyline and it's compatible with all Xyline based mountants. Anyone have any experience with HistoClear? Unfortunately its not available here in my country, so I have no other choice, apparently.
Daruosh.

MicroBob
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Re: General doubts

#7 Post by MicroBob » Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:26 pm

I generally tend not to throw away things. But it also has to be seen whether cleaning or repairing stuff is worth the effort. In my lab/office I have two small beakers, on for glass waste, one for glass to clean. When glass is coated with paraffine or mountants that need solvents to remove I throw them in the waste beaker. When glass has been used for plancton samples or is stained with water soluble stains I soak and wash it with dish washing soap and water and reuse it. Pipettes are quite difficult to clean. An ultrasonic bath helps a bit.

What cover slips do you want to peel off? Are they attatched with a mountant? Do you want to save the specimen?

Bob

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ivangallego24
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Re: General doubts

#8 Post by ivangallego24 » Wed Apr 15, 2020 9:36 pm

This particular case is simply a coverslip that stuck to a yeast sample without staining or anything

MicroBob
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Re: General doubts

#9 Post by MicroBob » Wed Apr 15, 2020 9:38 pm

I'm sure it will separate when you place it in water for a couple of hours.

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