Hi Andy,

I have talked to many people about this exact problem.  You can send
it out to a machine shop, or if you have one - just have it
flat-ground, and then use different diamond pastes and a glass plate
to polish it up.  You have to be careful, the entire area needs to be
"flat", and pressure needs to be applied evenly.  Then when the
finish is as best as it can be with the glass plate, use extremely
fine diamond paste and a polishing cloth.  We have even refinished
the slider with no problem.

Also, companies such as Elemental Microanalysis have a service to
re-build auto-samplers (send it in, and they will fix it up).

Good luck,

Bill



--
William Anderson
Assistant Professor
Geology Department and Southeast Environmental Research Center
Florida International University

Mailing address:
Geology Dept., PC 344
FIU
11200 S.W. 8th Street
Miami, FL  33199
USA

office: 305 348 2693, sec. 348 3572
SERC stable isotope lab:  305 348 3044
fax: 305  348 3877
email: [log in to unmask]