[Histonet] Paraffin Block trimming

[anh2006 <@t> med.cornell.edu]

I don't normally embed or cut my own sections anymore, but when I was doing it a few years ago on a larger scale (but still in a research setting), clean embedding generally did the trick. 

But when I did need to remove the excess wax on the sides of the cassette, I would melt it using a hotplate. 

In fact I nearly always did this during the embedding process. Once the blocks had solidified I would go back and melt the wax on the sides using the hot plate of the embedding station. 

Only if needed, on an individual block basis, would I scrape with a straight edge blade at the time of sectioning.

-----Original Message-----
From: Merced Leiker <leiker <@t> buffalo.edu>

Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:55:36 
To: Martin, Gary<gmartin <@t> marshallmedical.org>; Bartlett, Jeanine (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)<jqb7 <@t> cdc.gov>; Paula Pierce<contact <@t> excaliburpathology.com>; Histonet<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Paraffin Block trimming


Now I'm interested in how you embed so as to not have to scrape...if i 
don't add enough wax (enough to end up rising around the edges of the 
cassette, hence the scraping later), i don't get a secure hold of the block 
to the cassette...

ML

--On Thursday, March 19, 2009 7:37 AM -0700 "Martin, Gary" 
<gmartin <@t> marshallmedical.org> wrote:

> No you're not the only one ... I was wondering the same thing ... why all
> the scraping.  It seems to me that clean embedding does the trick with a
> few exceptions.  G
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Bartlett,
> Jeanine (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 6:58 AM
> To: Paula Pierce; Histonet
> Subject: RE: [Histonet] Paraffin Block triming
>
> I was wondering if I was the only one out there that rarely has to scrape
> a block.
>
>
> Jeanine Bartlett
> Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch
> (404) 639-3590
> jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Paula
> Pierce Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 9:57 AM
> To: Histonet
> Subject: [Histonet] Paraffin Block triming
>
> I try to embed so as to have a minimal amount of paraffin to scrape from
> the blocks. ;)
>
> But, I do scrape using the handle end of the same forceps I use to pick
> up the ribbon and tease the sections. No sharp edge. No electricity.
>
> PKP
>
>
>  
>
>
>
>________________________________
> From: Peter Carroll <carrolpb <@t> umdnj.edu>
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 8:30:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Paraffin Block triming
>
>> Does anybody use a paraffin block dewaxer ?
>
> Yep, it's called "my own two hands and a metal spatula", ha ha :) I find
> that it's not only very quick, but quite accurate...
>
>
>
> Scott wrote:
>> Hi,
>>     Does anybody use a paraffin block dewaxer ?  If so does it save any
>> time, how well does it work?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Scott Hendricksen  HT (ASCP)
>>_______________________________________________
>> Histonet mailing list
>> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>>
>>
>>  
>
>
>_______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
>_______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
>_______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>



Merced M Leiker
Research Technician II
354 Biomedical Research Building
School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
State University of New York at Buffalo
3435 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214
Ph: (716) 829-6033
Fx: (716) 829-2725

No trees were harmed in the sending of this email.
However, many electrons were severely inconvenienced.


_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet