Phil,

I've had this happen periodically.
I believe this is due to a rapid cutting action when the lubricants are
sticky and the advance mechanism just doesn't keep up!
The solution was to lubricate all sliders with low temp oil, just before
each days use, operate the microtome to distribute the oil, then proceed to
cut sections using a slow action.

Bryan R. Hewlett

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Bergin" 
To: 
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2002 4:48 AM
Subject: Alternate thick-thin cryostat sections


Hi,



We have a Leica CM1800 cryostat which is great and serviced regularly
with no problems.  All of our biopsies are embedded in OCT and we
generally section at about 8 microns in thickness.  We often get
sections which come out with every other section being thin, followed by
one which is apparently the correct thickness, followed by another thin
section and so on.  This doesn't happen on every biopsy, but on enough
for it to be a regular occurrence.  Is this normal?  Or is it something
to do with the way the specimens are being prepared?  According to our
service rep it is something that just happens and should be ignored.



Thanks for any advice,



Phil



-----------------------------------------------------------------



Philip Bergin

G#246#teborg University

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Box 435, SE-405 30 G#246#teborg, Sweden

Phone: +46-31-3424727

Fax: +46-31-826976