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Instruction manual V 1.4 – 04/2010
7.
Troubleshooting
Problem
Thick/thin sections
Tissue sticks to anti-roll guide.
Flattened sections curl up when
anti-roll plate is tilted up.
Cause
- Temperature incorrect for the
tissue cut.
- Knife geometry (profile) inap-
propriate for the specimen
cut.
- Ice buildup on the knife back.
- Handwheel speed not uniform
or speed inappropriate.
- Knife not clamped tightly
enough.
- Specimen disc not clamped
tightly.
- Cryocompound applied to cold
specimen disc. Specimen
therefore detaches from disc
after freezing.
- Knife blunt.
- Incorrect clearance angle.
- Microtome not properly dried
before reinstallation.
- Specimen dried up.
- Anti-roll guide too warm or
incorrectly positioned.
- Static electricity.
- Fat on corner or edge of anti-
roll plate.
- Rusty knife.
- Static electricity or air cur-
rents.
- Anti-roll plate too warm.
Remedy
- Select correct temperature
and wait until correct temper-
ature is reached.
- Use knife with different profile
(c or d) or try working with
disposable blades.
- Remove ice.
- Turn handwheel uniformly /
adapt speed.
- Check knife clamping.
- Check disc clamping.
- Apply cryocompound on warm
disc; place disc inside cryo-
chamber, mount specimen and
freeze.
- Use different part of knife
edge.
- Set correct clearance angle.
- Dry microtome thoroughly.
- Prepare new specimen.
- Cool or reposition anti-roll
guide.
- Remove static electricity.
- Use alcohol to remove fat.
- Remove rust.
- Remove static electricity / air
current.
- Cool anti-roll guide.
