RE: Misc: the $50K question

Patrick McAtee (PatrickM@smtp.genelabs.com)
Wed, 24 Sep 97 14:22:00 PDT

I answered John Collins directly, but I'll second the comment about
Michrom. Anybody who is considering an instrument for protein
purification, E-mail me, I've got stories to tell. Further, my
experience with strict HPLC equipment over the past year has done alot to
dim my opinion of two old well-known HPLC outfits. One group, a
well-known operation in Southern California was replacing my uv lamp
every 3-4 months even though the system was sparingly used. I even had
one idiot with a pinky ring no less try to extort another service
contract out of me because I was within 2-3 weeks of my contract lapsing.
I called for their service and was put off being visited so that the
contract would lapse by the time they got here. Incidently, you're
charged for their time driving to your facility, this includes bathroom
stops and Burger King, etc.

Most recently, we had somebody come and re-set up one of our protein
purification instruments from a well-known HPLC maker from Massachusetts
which was under contract. The software (which isn't Windows '95
compatable) was not set up right and the instrument even had a leak in
it. I called and said that there was a problem (once again under service
contract) and was told to go to a web page or call somebody else, to
which my response was,you set it up or re-set it up, you fix it, to which
his response was, you added a CD-ROM to the computer so the contract is
null and void. This was resolved by callling their head office and
threatening to have the little weasel drawn and quartered. I did get a
call from their software support 2 weeks after the fact from somebody
that was very difficult to understand !

Michrom is pretty laid back compared to the old-timers, but I've had
nothing but good results with them.

Some of these other companies are buying mass spectrometer companies-what
a chilling thought !!!

C.Patrick McAtee, Ph.D.
Genelabs Technologies, Inc.

----------
From: abrf-request
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 1997 1:30 PM
To: Recipients of ABRF List
Subject: Misc: the $50K question

I inadvertently deleted John Collins question on how best to spend $50K,
and
so can't append that. But....

Why not consider a micro HPLC system. The price range is right, and
since you
are interested in having mass spec you'd then already have an appropriate
pumping system to interface with an electrospray system if bigger $
become
available. This may be imagined, but I sense reluctance on the part of
funders
to add another 40-50K for micro HPLC onto the price of a mass
spectrometer,
when trying to get all at once.

Many seem to swear by Michrom, like Scott Buckel - right, Scott?

Regards,
John Hempel
University of Pittsburgh
Dept Biological Sciences