A company called BioSpec: www.biospec.com
sells a mini-bead beater to be used with either glass or zirconia beads.  It's usually used with an extraction buffer, but I think it would work dry.  It has a cover, and the tubes used are normal eppindorf tubes with o-rings in the caps.


Noreen Tuross
Senior Research Biochemist
Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education
4210 Silver Hill Road
Suitland.MD 20746
(301) 238-3700 ex 113
FAX (301) 238-3709

>>> [log in to unmask] 05/04/01 02:40PM >>>
Bryan,

I recently posted a message about the merits and cons of the standard
Wig-L-Bug on Isogeochem.  Its not that expensive to buy (~$500 USD,
discounted elsewhere) and maintain.  The small, curved, white metal arms
that hold the sample vial break quite frequently due to the rapid shaking -
so you want to keep a bag of them on hand. Its possible to go through
several arms per day.  Its also a dangerous product without a cover - since
the vial could easily fly off the arms as a lethal projectile (we put a
cardboard box over it).

I am convinced the stainless steel ball and holder option is probably too
heavy for the original product design.  Normally its sold with plastic vials
and balls (we haven't tried them).  But when it works, its perfect for
almost all sample types (plants, tissues, soils), fast, and easy to clean.


NOTE: I noticed that Reflex now offers a Cryo / Digital Wig-L-Bug -
something that they did not offer even 6 months ago.  These might be tougher
and better products if they can withstand LN2 temperatures. No pricing is
listed.

http://www.reflexusa.com/d2holcatlam.html

I anyone finds anything as cheap, or buys these, it would be worth posting
your experience.

Len Wassenaar


-----Original Message-----
From: Bryan Taplin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 11:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
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]