Someone recently posted a cryostat question (regarding opinions on models to
purchase) on the MSA's Microscopy Listserver.  I don't know if this was
posted here by the same person or not, but here was my response that time:

_________________________

We have two Microm HM505 cryostats:  one HM505N (non-motorized advance)
and one HM505E (motorized advance).  We've not had too much trouble with
them, considering we've had one for at least five years and the other, which
was recently donated to us, is probably older.  The few problems we've
experienced (likely because they're under-used by most standards) have been
outside the norm and were resolved relatively quickly (this doesn't take
into consideration operator error -- an inexperienced user ran the specimen
chuck into one of the knife holders and put a large dent in it).

Both units section well.  In fact, the batch of blocks I cut on the
HM505E last week were probably the best I've ever cut (and we still
have an old IEC workhorse around here somewhere).

I believe Microm is carried by Richard-Allan Scientific and distributed
by Fisher.

Hope this helps you out,

Jaclynn M. Lett     jlett@cid.wustl.edu

Staff Manager, EM Core Facility
Fay and Carl Simons Center of Biology of Hearing and Deafness
Central Institute for the Deaf
4560 Clayton Avenue
St. Louis, MO  63110