RepRap: Blog

As the last attempt went poorly, I thought I'd take the opportunity to describe how I recover the slide. If you're using a new slide, the preparation is the same but without the initial peeling/scraping.

Required materials: Isopropyl alcohol or (acetone, MEK etc.), wipes (ideally lint-free), boxcutter, tweezers, air duster, adhesive aluminium tape, pointed probe, aluminium foil.

First, scrape up a corner of the old aluminium tape and use tweezers to pull it off together with the hardened UV resin on it. 

Then scrape the failed UV resin print off very thoroughly with a fresh boxcutter blade. Don't gouge in the point or use a nicked blade or you'll scratch the slide. Keep the edge flat.

Clean both sides of the slide with solvent and a wipe. Blow dry with air duster or clean shop air. 

Cut a square of adhesive aluminium tape, and stick it to one end of the slide. Burnish it down flat with a dry wipe. Pay particular attention to the edge closest to the centre of the slide. Wipe with solvent to remove fingerprints. 

Run the tip of a pointed probe along the edge of the tape. Push into the join, but not so firmly as to scratch the glass. The objective is to cause the edge of the tape to curl up slightly and present a barrier to UV resin that might otherwise encroach on the slide.

It's hard to catch it in the focal plane of the microscope, but you might be able to make out the raised edge above. It doesn't have to be particularly tidy, it's just a barrier.

The slide is then rinsed with solvent, dried with an air blast, and wrapped in aluminium foil until needed.

Well, that's how I do it at the moment.