[Histonet] Standardized Microtomes

[Amos Brooks]

Hi Nancy,
     We do not do this, because one of the first things one should learn
when learning how to cut is how to change the angle of whatever microtome
you are cutting at. Setting them all to the same angle just makes learning
how to use those funny little knobs on the top of the block holder
pointless. So when a situation arises theat requires you to change the angle
no one knows how to do it. The solution, just cut into it and the block will
be the same angle, or re-embed the tissue (astonishingly lazy- extra work to
accomplish nothing) and trim it back to the angle that is on all the
microtomes thereby loosing tissue anyway! A far better solution, teach techs
to adjust the block holder without loosing tissue (advance slowly)!
    Give a man a fish & he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll
never go hungry.

Just my $0.02
Amos Brooks


Message: 17
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 11:28:24 -0500
From: Nancy Schmitt <nancy_schmitt <@t> pa-ucl.com>
Subject: [Histonet] Standardized Microtomes
To: "'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'"
       <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
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       <9FC023A4AB52BB4D87DC6456081A822C087C8D <@t> mercury.pa-ucl.com>
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Good Morning to all

Does anybody standardize microtomes so they all cut at same angle?  Is this
impossible?  We only cut control blocks on one microtome because they are
each at a little  different angle.  Would be nice to be able to do at
all...........

Thanks for any feedback

Nancy Schmitt
Histology Coordinator
Dubuque, IA