Peggy:

I've worked with the tape coverslipper from almost the beginning and the one
in our laboratory is the 2nd one purchase in this country.  It is about
14-15 years old.  I believe the original demo site was APL Lab in Las Vegas.

In the 2 labs I've managed in the past 15 years, both have used tape
coverslippers, in fact it has been a time and FTE saver.  A couple of years
ago some people started experiencing problems with the tape lifting off of
the slide - along with the tissue - after storage for 3 or more years.  I
became quite worried and started looking at stored slides in our archives,
as we do keep 25 years.  I did find an occasional slide where the tape
lifted and the tissue was on the tape.  Easily fixed actually without tissue
loss.  I then started asking around to various people using the machine
about their storage and their problems.  It seems from what I can concur is
that labs that stored slides in a controlled climate didn't have but an
occasional problem with tape lifting.  It was quite the opposite for those
not having a controlled climate.

The manufacturer did respond to the problem and the film, which is made by
Fuji Corporation was redesigned to address the problems people had.  Of
course we really won't know until we all get years of storage once again,
but I am expecting to not find many more problems than I do with glass
coverslipped slides.

I don't agree that lab supervisors prefer glass coverslips over the tape.
The tape was a godsend because it was a heck of a lot quicker than a tech,
eliminated chemical hazards to the tech, and dried within an hour - where
slides took days sometimes and if you rushed filing them stuck together.

I wouldn't go back to glass coverslips for sure and fought against it.  Our
coverslipper by the way, although has years on it, still works just fine.
Thanks.