Araldite is very hard: it needs to be softened to make it lie flat.  Heat is
a good softener.
Put a drop of water on a clean glass slide.  Use the end of a diagonally cut
wood splint to transfer the section (1/4 micron to 1 micron, no thicker) to
the water drop.  Place the slide on a hotplate at about 80 degrees C (too
hot to leave your finger on it but not so hot that you can't touch it) until
the water evaporates completely.

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Judi Lloyd [mailto:lloyd@vet.upenn.edu]
		Sent:	Wednesday, February 16, 2000 1:47 PM
		To:	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
		Subject:	Sectioning araldite

		Hello Histonetters,
		Since I usually am involved in bone pathology, I have a big
problem with a
		project involving araldite sectioning.  I have done some
Spurrs medium ages
		ago but I cannot get the sections to lie flat on the slide
after cutting
		with a glass knife.  HELP.  Any information would be helpful
as I am not an
		EM tech.  Cutting angles, slide preparation and staining
would help a lot.
		I am just doing this as a screening for a lung problem to
see if the
		problem actually exists. If the sections are positive, we
will probably
		send then to a real EM lab, but since I have an
ultramicrotome, I have been
		asked to do the screening.    Thanks in advance for your
help.  Judi Lloyd