[hzuiel]

Okay, i tried doing some forum searches to see what other threads there might be about this and didn't find the information i wanted, so I apologize if i'm rehashing something that's been covered well.

Anyway, I quite commonly get into odd hobbies totally on a whim. I'm considering doing some experimenting with chemistry among other things. So I am wanting to find the best solution for getting started, with no experience at all, or any particular end goal besides to learn new things.

I am gathering that regardless of what i buy for lab experiments, i should get a good chemistry book or two as a baseline. I've commonly heard many complaints about lab experiment kits not explaining the fundamentals behind an experiment very well, so having a text to cross reference with would take away some of that frustration. Some books I am considering are:
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Concepts-Problems-Self-Teaching-Guide/dp/0471121207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397934277&sr=8-1&keywords=chemistry
http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-Molecular-Approach-2nd-US/dp/0321651782/ref=sr_1_9_title_1_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397934541&sr=1-9&keywords=chemistry
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0486656225/thechemicalfo-20/104-3671508-3002355?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&link_code=xm2

As far as what to use for experiments, i'm a bit lost. When my dad was a kid you could get a heck of a laboratory for a decent price out of a catalog. These days you spend a lot on what usually amounts to a lame kiddie kit that you have to scavenger hunt for half the materials.
The Thames and Kosmos kits seem to get mixed reviews. Many people say they are insanely overpriced for what comes in them. I think if i was going to get anything it would be the c3000 kit which is about $210 dollars. By no means cheap.

An alternative i found is http://www.thehomescientist.com/kits/CK01/ck01-main.html which appears to have more chemicals than the t&k, though appears to be lacking beakers and a few other things.

I also found this site http://www.hometrainingtools.com/chemistry-kits/c/11/ which has glassware/labware supplies that could be used to supplement a kit, or to build a kit from scratch.

One reason i want a kit is for simplicity, i would really like to be able to start learning without having to hunt down all the ingredients i need for a particular experiment. Once i have a better idea of what types of chemistry might interest me, then i can start ordering chemicals on an individual basis.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[billnotgatez]

Have you looked at the book
Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (DIY Science) Paperback
by Robert Bruce Thompson

Are you going to affiliate in some way with a higher learning resource.
Example - take a general chemistry course  or audit

If you are going to have a lab at home have you thought about safety considerations.

[hzuiel]

That book is actually the one written by the same guy that makes the kit at thehomescientist.com, i might consider it also. I also realized that hometrainingtools.com website that I listed sells individual lab equipment as well as individual little containers of chemicals.

Currently I am not planning to do any college classes or anything like that.

I am not sure exactly what you mean by safety considerations, but if the kit i buy doesn't come with decent goggles I plan to purchase better ones, as well as a vinyl lab apron, and medium length lab gloves. I haven't decided where to set up shop yet, but the garage has a vent fan in the ceiling for fumes. If i set up in the basement i was considering installing a moveable vent hood over a work table. It will be useful for others things like fumes from painting or soldering.

[billnotgatez]

@hzuiel

I haven't decided where to set up shop yet, but the garage has a vent fan in the ceiling for fumes. If i set up in the basement i was considering installing a moveable vent hood over a work table. It will be useful for others things like fumes from painting or soldering.

I have never tried soldering under a lab hood, but it seems workable.
Paint spraying booths are a different animal - I am not sure about use for lab.
I do like the idea of dual use.
I am still researching about construction of lab hoods for home.

Just having some vent fans in a garage is probably not enough.

[hzuiel]

@hzuiel

I haven't decided where to set up shop yet, but the garage has a vent fan in the ceiling for fumes. If i set up in the basement i was considering installing a moveable vent hood over a work table. It will be useful for others things like fumes from painting or soldering.

I have never tried soldering under a lab hood, but it seems workable.
Paint spraying booths are a different animal - I am not sure about use for lab.
I do like the idea of dual use.
I am still researching about construction of lab hoods for home.

Just having some vent fans in a garage is probably not enough.

Well i wouldn't exactly be using it for a "paint booth" but I might put varnish or stain on an instrument, or paint a model of some kind, or a few small parts, in that workspace. What i was looking at for a vent hood is you can get an inline vent fan that you can put that flexible duct on, the same as what you use for the hot air vent on your dryer. Then you attached the intake side to some sort of thing that will allow you to position it where you want and have it stay, so it can get all the fumes.

The garage was formerly a welding shop and has a heavy duty vent fan at the pinnacle of the roof. It moves enough air that the doors are under pressure and fly open when you turn the door knob.

[billnotgatez]

It moves enough air that the doors are under pressure and fly open when you turn the door knob.

Awesome
But, there are lots of what ifs.
That also applies to your hood design, although it seems that it can work for lots of stuff, just not everything.
There is another thread here about lab hoods and I am still researching some ideas to post there.
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=73683.0

[hzuiel]

It moves enough air that the doors are under pressure and fly open when you turn the door knob.

Awesome
But, there are lots of what ifs.
That also applies to your hood design, although it seems that it can work for lots of stuff, just not everything.
There is another thread here about lab hoods and I am still researching some ideas to post there.
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=73683.0

Interesting ideas in that thread. I could actually build a polycarbonate glove box, and use the inline fan to pull the fumes out of the box. I doubt I would ever be working with anything dangerous enough to destroy the fan, but if it does, oh well, a $60 fan is the least of my worries.

[billnotgatez]

polycarbonate

I would check to see what reacts with what.
http://msdssearch.styron.com/PublishedLiteratureSTYRONCOM/dh_088c/0901b8038088c19c.pdf?filepath=nonauto/pdfs/noreg/857-02401.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

[hzuiel]

polycarbonate

I would check to see what reacts with what.
http://msdssearch.styron.com/PublishedLiteratureSTYRONCOM/dh_088c/0901b8038088c19c.pdf?filepath=nonauto/pdfs/noreg/857-02401.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

I think almost all laboratory glove boxes are made from polycarbonate or stainless steel with a polycarbonate viewing port. What i would probably do is build a plywood box and coat the inside with a corrosion resistant fiberglass resin, and put a polycarbonate viewing port on it.
http://www.ducting.com/hose-types/pvc-hose/PVC-Flexduct-Light-Duty-Clear.html
Chemical resistant pvc flexduct.
http://www.starmarinedepot.com/seachoice-3%22-in-line-exhaust-blower/pzz8157.html?gclid=CNOzu_Kc8L0CFYZcMgodGwYACA
Corrosion resistant abs plastic, no-spark motor inline blower.

Industrial lab blowers are turbine style, where the motor is on the outside of the housing, and they cost quite a bit, and 10 ft of 4" diameter teflon/fiberglass flex tubing is over $400. I highly doubt i'm ever going to work with anything dangerous enough that the setup i'm talking about will be inadequate.

[hzuiel]

I ordered two books. A new copy of "Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (DIY Science)" by Robert Bruce Thompson. I Ordered a used copy of the text book "Chemistry: The Central Science (11th Edition)" By Theodore E Brown.

I bid on an won a c3000 thames and kosmos chemistry set that is supposed to be unopened, but one of the chemicals inside leaked. It soaked into the box, but not the manual according ot the sellers, so I will discard the box and clean all of the contents. It was more than likely "Iron III (ferric) ammonium sulfate" which leaked. According to msds data it is a mild irritant and can cause damage to the kidneys if ingested(i'm guessing in large quantities.)

[RapterBoyDD]

I ordered two books. A new copy of "Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: All Lab, No Lecture (DIY Science)" by Robert Bruce Thompson. I Ordered a used copy of the text book "Chemistry: The Central Science (11th Edition)" By Theodore E Brown.

I bid on an won a c3000 thames and kosmos chemistry set that is supposed to be unopened, but one of the chemicals inside leaked. It soaked into the box, but not the manual according ot the sellers, so I will discard the box and clean all of the contents. It was more than likely "Iron III (ferric) ammonium sulfate" which leaked. According to msds data it is a mild irritant and can cause damage to the kidneys if ingested(i'm guessing in large quantities.)

How is the learning coming along, I really like your post and it help me to set up what i'm going to learn chem. and know i know what i'm going to do b/c of this post thanks very much!