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Our machines are available for booking 24/7.  But we have a
3-tier level of training and only those who reach the top
level are allowed to use it after hours.  There are enough of
those to book our TCS-SP2 MP most nights but midnight-dawn
is usually free.  These users can essentially do anything
on the system.

We've had the front element on an oil-immersion lens completely
smashed but again, no evidence it happened after hours.  On
most of our machines users must sign out the more expensive
lenses but we'd never done that on the MP since the users
were more experienced ... we might have to revise that policy!

                                                Guy

                                                Guy




>Hi,
>
>How do you handle requests to use your confocal at nights and on weekends?
>
>We run a small operation - I'm the only one in the lab - with a Leica TCS
>SP2.  Our present policy is that I get everything turned on and ready to go
>and then, for those users who have shown they know what they are doing, I
>let them run it.  I'm in the area, however, if need be.
>
>I could use the income from what might result in additional hours and,
>really, the only aspect I worry about (but it's a big concern, of course) is
>damage to the objectives.  We already have a crack on our workhorse, 63x oil
>objective, but that happened even without allowing after-hours usage
>(fortunately the crack/scratch [we're not sure which] is off center and
>doesn't seem to affect image quality).
>
>As more and more investigators/groups are attempting to acquire their own
>systems, I don't want to put my lab in a non-competitive situation.
>
>Finally, how do you charge for extended-hours experiments, e.g., 24 to 48
>hrs?  We now charge $25/hr but it wouldn't be feasible for m/any
>investigators to pay $600 to $1,200 for one of these lengthy protocols.
>
>Thanks for any thoughts on either of these concerns.
>
>Ray Hester
>Univ. of South Alabama


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