Daily Operation; Specimen Discs; Specimen Freezing; Fixing The Specimen Disc In The Specimen Head - Leica CM1100 Instructions For Use Manual

8.1

Specimen discs

Fig. 17
Specimen discs (1) are available in different sizes of
20 and 25 mm in diameter. The design of the surface
ensures firm contact with the specimen.

8.1.1 Specimen freezing

• Cut the sample to size. The specimen should be no
greater than 2 cm x 2 cm x 2 cm.
• Apply enough cryocompound to a specimen disc
at room temperature.
• Place the specimen on the disc and orient.
• Place the specimen disc with the specimen in one
of the two holes of the quick-freeze shelf (2) and
freeze the specimen.
Specimen freezing can be accelerated by ad-
ditionally using a mobile heat extractor, which
is available as an optional accessory (see
Chapter 12. 'Optional accessories').
• Once the specimen is frozen, fix the specimen disc
in the specimen head and start sectioning.
Leica CM1100 – Cryostat
1
3
2
8.1.2 Fixing the specimen disc in the specimen
head
Always clamp the specimen before the blade!
Prior to manipulating the knife holder and
specimen, or changing the specimen or blade,
and during breaks, always lock the hand-
wheel and cover the cutting edge with the
anti-roll guide!
• Lock the handwheel.
• Loosen the screw (3) on the specimen head.
• Insert the shaft of the specimen disc (1) with the
frozen specimen in the location hole of the speci-
men head and tighten the screw (3).
Make sure that the shaft of the specimen disc is fully
inserted. The entire rear surface must have a good
contact with the specimen head.
8.

Daily operation

17