Gel slicers

[DAVID C. TAYLOR]

We have used a gel slicer constructed of a hacksaw frame and a thin
guitar string (E string??).  Works quite well for our purposes and no
special parts were ordered.

David C. Taylor, Undergraduate Student
Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University
GIS Analyst, Texas Regional Institute for Environmental Studies
stddct at unx1.shsu.edu             http://www.shsu.edu/~stddct/

On Thu, 6 Nov 1997, Rod Seppelt wrote:

> A very useful (made in their workshop) unit I came across at the University
> of Waikato, in Hamilton, New Zealand, was very similar to a wire cheese
> slicer.
> The slicer consisted of a perspex shallow trough which held the gel.  The
> gel surface sat about 2mm above the upper edge of the sides of the trough.
> A wire slicer (imagine a very wide tuning fork with a stif, fine wire
> stretched between the tips of the prongs) was then run along the length of
> the gel to provide a thin slice (2mm).  To elevate the gel above the top of
> the trough again, a 2mm thick sheet of metal was slid into the trough below
> the remaining gel.
> Repeat the process with additional sheets of metal until you have sliced
> the whole gel.
> At least I think that is how it worked.  You could always contact the
> Secretary in Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, to be put in touch
> with the lab techs who, I presume, designed the unit.
> When i saw it used, it was quick and worked well.
> Rod Seppelt
>
> Dr. Rodney D. Seppelt
> Principal Research Scientist
> Australian Antarctic Division
> Channel Highway
> Kingston 7050, Tasmania, Australia
>
> phone:  International:  +61 (03) 62 323 438
>         FAX          :  +61 (03) 62 323 351
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>