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[ccp4bb]: SUMMARY: Cryocrystallography Tools



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Dear colleagues,

about a week ago, I've posted a request on the CCP4BB to get your
experiences/advices for using cryocrystallography tools. I've got 12
replies to my request and one advertisement. I would like to thank all
of you very much who spent the time to share with me your personal
experiences/advices! Some of you even described in every detail which
components you are using! As has become good practice in the recent
past, I post a short summary of the replies, now:

Q: with which cryotools have you made good experiences?

8/12 made good experiences with the Hampton cryotools (but see below)
1/12 preferred a home-made equipment
1/12 had to work with Yale pins and propane due to the lab tradition,
obviously
1/12 mentioned that the cryotools of Molecular Dimension Ltd. made a
good impression
1/12 mentioned that the cryotools of Blake Industries made a good
impression

In the group of the Hampton users there were very mixed opinions about
the quality of Hampton's cryotongs - it seems, that the new cryotongs
have a better quality. Obviously, the quality of the cryotongs is
crucial for successful mounting!

Q: do you use a goniometer head with a long arc, or can you mount on a
horizontal phi axis?

9/12 made good experiences in crystal mounting on a horizontal phi axis
using good cryotongs
6/12 also made good experiences in crystal mounting on a vertical
inverted phi axis
3/12 still use a goniometer head with a long arc


My personal conclusion is:  I will look for a system with good cryotongs
which I can use in combination with our horizontal phi axis on our MAR
goniostat. Unless there will be a specific problem, I won't buy a long
arc. Because of the many good experiences with the Hampton tools, I will
first look at them, but with a critical inspection of their cryotongs. I
will also have a look at the tools of Molecular Dimension Ltd. and of
Blake Industries, with a special emphasis on the quality of their
cryotongs.

Again, many thanks!

Dirk Kostrewa.

--

*********************************************************
* Dirk Kostrewa            e-mail: dirk.kostrewa@psi.ch *
* Paul Scherrer Institut   tel: +41-56-310-4722         *
* Life Sciences OSRA/007   fax: +41-56-310-4556         *
* CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland                     *
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