9. Make slides long-durable
In the past, the natural resin 'Canadabalsem' was used, but nowadays we can choose from a range of good synthetic resins under different brand names. The slide shown here is impregnated with DePeX. DePeX can only be encapsulated from Xylol.
Immediately after the Xylol steps the specimen must be enclosed with synthetic resin. A glass pasteur pipette with melted tip or another type of glass rod can be used to apply the resin.
Cover glasses are available in many shapes and sizes. However, it is important to purchase a cover glass with a cover glass thickness of 0.17mm because most lenses are corrected for this (e.g. a blood smear that can be viewed without a cover glass will not produce a sharp image with the usual, 0.17mm corrected lenses because the cover glass is part of the lens correction and is therefore necessary).
It is necessary to learn how to apply a cover glass. The cover glass may only be touched at the edge. It is advisable to apply the glass at an angle so that annoying air bubbles do not get a chance to be trapped.
After the cover glass has been applied, the slide must be allowed to dry. A resin such as DePeX is sufficiently dry after a few days so that the excess resin can be cut away. Euparal has a drying time of about two weeks, Malinol three to four weeks. A few months should be counted as a few months for complete curing. Some preparation folders made of cardboard are a useful purchase.
After some time (weeks) the specimen can be cleaned, labeled and archived.
