Dear John,
   I've run across these high prices before for parts for a tissue processor and I think the price is high because they sell so few of them (such a small market) and they have to recoup the cost of R&D.  Maybe some of our vendors may want to give us some input on this.  I could be wrong, I often am.  -Sarah

>>> John Smallwood <jsmallwood@golden.net> 03/23 10:09 PM >>>
     Anyone have any experience with retort chamber stress fractures in the
Tissue Tek VIP processor ?   Our machine, a VIP 1000 , is approx. 10 years
old. At the back in each corner are hairline cracks.   This is enough
leakage to cause machine to time out on pump in and pump out cycle.   Our
hospital engineer suggests this is a design flaw, as he has removed the
retort , and there are welded auxiliary plates of alloy at these positions,
underneath the retort.   Anyways , the get lost fee for a new chamber is
$7000.00 , that's right $7000.00 (Cdn.$) .  We have repaired this crackage
with flowed in solder and metallic epoxy. Seems O.K. for now.    Anyone else
experience this price distortion for a VIP part ?
John Smallwood,
St. Thomas-Elgin  Gen. Hospital,
St. Thomas, Ont.
Canada.