Kelly,
I'd suggest contact with the embedding medium manufacturer - someone who can
provide technical assistance - and ask what solvent they know will dissolve
their product from the stainless steel basemolds.   I realize we all use xylene
or similar substitutes to dissolve paraffin, but if you're using one of the
softer, lower melting point embedding media, maybe the technical recommendation
is slightly different procedure than what you're currently using.

Another "good old" technique eliminates the use of xylene.  Place the basemolds
in a large container.  Add a little dish detergent (as an emulsifier) and
enough
water to fill the container about 3 or 4 inches above the level of the base
molds.  Bring to a boil on a hotplate or other heat source.  Turn off or remove
from the heat and allow to cool undisturbed.   The paraffin product which has
risen to the top of the water will solidify(as we all know) and you can lift it
off the water and discard.    Pour off the water and tip the basemolds
up-side-down on towels to dry.  Some people rinse them in hot water and then
absolute alcohol before draining.       This is not a daily, nor possibly even
weekly basemold maintenance practice.. . . just when you notice that the
build-up of paraffin in the basemolds tends to make you say things like
*#@!u(&*.

Hoping you get through this sticky situation,
Nancy


Nancy Klemme, HT(ASCP)
Customer/Product Support Mgr.
Sakura Finetek USA, Inc.
1750  West 214th Street
Torrance, CA  90501

Web Page = www.sakuraus.com 
e-mail = nancy.klemme@sakuraus.com
Phone = 800/725-8723


____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:    *#@!sticking base molds HELP!
Author: "Kelly Pruitt" <kpruitt@cvm.tamu.edu>
Date:       4/26/00 6:32 AM

From: Kelly Pruitt
Date: Wed, Apr 26, 2000 6:32 AM
Subject: *#@!sticking base molds HELP!
To: histonet
Hi Histoland!  I need help.

What can I do to keep my base molds from sticking to my blocks?  We clean them
in xylene and then soap and water.  We air dry them.  We treat/spray them while

they are clean with Histo Prep after they have air dried.  I give them a good
coating when I use the Histo Prep.  The larger molds are usually good for one
use.  On the biopsy molds, they stick every time.  It doesn't matter what I do.



We have bought some of the plastic disposable molds, but they slow embedding
down for me.

Does anyone have a clue what the problem is?  Does anyone know what I can do?
Please help!

Kelly S. Pruitt, HT (ASCP)
Texas A&M University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Dept. of Veterinary Anatomy & Public Health
Histology Laboratory
College Station, Texas 77868-4458
kpruitt@cvm.tamu.edu
phone: 409-845-3177
fax: 409-847-8981



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