Bryan,
As has been discussed, Wig-L-Bugs have several parts that break easily and frequently.
If you consider the time and expense of replacing parts over years of use, it might
not be worth it. It has a few benefits (cheap, good for small samples), but it use
with plant tissues is a problem if your samples are larger than a single leaf.

We grind many plant samples (forest floor, leaves, stems, roots) using a Tecator
Cyclotec mill (formerly sold through Foss North America). UDY, Corp makes a similar
models for $2000-$3200 (http://www.thomasregister.com/olc/udycorp/home.htm). Another
option is the Spex  8000M (http://www.spexcsp.com/), which is $3400 and ideal for
soils and freeze-dried plant tissues. The 8000M may not work as well for fibrous
tissues without pre-processing, but the vials can be thoroughly cleaned between
samples. Cleaning the Tecator mill is similar to a Wiley mill - you need to use
compressed air and it's harder to get it completely clean between samples.
-Bill

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Holmes, Research Associate
Terrestrial Ecosystem Laboratory
University of Michigan
School of Natural Resources and Environment
430 East University, Room G540
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1115
[log in to unmask]   Office:(734)647-0459   Lab: 7-0469/7-0481
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan Taplin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: [ISOGEOCHEM] Wig-L-Bug grinding mill


> Dear Isotopers:
>
>                               Our laboratory would like to process a
> grinding mill to process mostly fish and plant samples. We also have a need
> to homogenize fish scales from time to time. We currently use a mortar and
> pestle for soft tissues and a Wiley Mill to homogenize harder items. Our
> experience is that the Wiley Mill does not uniformly homogenize plant
> material (i.e. Spartina or cordgrass), as their appears to be fibrous
> material in the blades that is not macerated well. I have heard others
> using a Wig-L-Bug mill to process samples. Is this instrument easy to
> clean, affordable, and are there any maintenance associated with replacing
> parts? If so, how frequent and at what cost? Any input would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
>                                                              Thanks-
>
>                                                              Bryan Taplin
> Bryan Taplin
> U.S. EPA
> NHEERL, Atlantic Ecology Division
> 27 Tarzwell Drive
> Narragansett, RI 02882
> Tel (401) 782-9607
> fax (401) 782-3030
> email: [log in to unmask]