Chemical Forums
Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: nj_bartel on February 20, 2009, 01:38:44 PM
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I'm thinking to do some workable home chemistry, the essentials would boil down to
-50 mL erlenmeyer
-250 mL erlenmeyer
-50 mL roundbottom x2
-250 mL roundbottom
-50 mL beaker
-250 mL beaker
-Rubber stoppers with 0/1/2 holes
-Glass piping for the stoppers
-Rubber tubing
-Mortar/pestle
-10 mL graduated cylinder
-100 mL graduated cylinder
-250 mL separatory funnel
-Stemmed funnel
-Sample Vials
-Stir bar
-Hot plate/stirrer
Is there anything else rudimentary I'd be missing? I hate not having a setup for vacuum, but I can't find an inexpensive setup.
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Chemicals? :)
A cheap balance, even a kitchen one would work decently enough.
Maybe some test tubes, they always seem to come in handy.
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Chemicals! Knew there was something :P
And yeah, I already own a cheap mechanical balance that ways out 1 - 500g (with probably pretty significant error, but good enough for me). I was considering test tubes, but I couldn't think of anything I'd really want to use them for, other than microscale stuff.
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Test tubes are always good for dissolving small amounts of stuff, and check solubility, etc.
Do not forget the stuff to clean the glass ware!
Pipettes would we nice, as well as a glass dropper.
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Where do most of you get your chemicals and glassware/equipment from? How do you dispose of your chemical waste?
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Grundalizer,
Much glassware can be found on ebay or labx. Some can be obtained from colleges or highschools which are downsizing and switching to the microscale. Really, microscale chemistry is what should be practiced at home--less waste, less expense on reagents, and less hazards!
As for the main topic...I would suggest a vacuum filtering flask and Buchner funnel with filter papers. Watch glasses are important as well as pipettes and burettes.
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Get chromtography equipment if you want to have more fun. I recently bought a chromatotron, but I'm trying to get some glass discs for it so I can separate stuff. It seems like the most long term, cost effective solution for me.
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Some standard taper glass would be nice to go with the rbf...
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Buchner funnel, vacuum pump. Vital!
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definitly test tubes, they are very useful in many experiments.
oh and Lithmus paper especially if you are trying to test for unknown substances
and if you do get test tubes you will need test tube holder, tongs, and some type of burner (alcohol burner or portable torch)... i say a burner because its easier to heat test tubes in a burner rather than a hot plate
i hope this helps
-albgk
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and some type of burner (alcohol burner or portable torch)... i say a burner because its easier to heat test tubes in a burner rather than a hot plate
I would go for a water (or oil bath if you need higher temperatures) which also provides even heating, and you can get a hot plate that doubles as a stirrer.
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Thanks for the advice guys. This project has unfortunately been delayed to me being a broke unemployed student >.<
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Hi NJ,
Even if you are an broke unemployed student there are things you can do. Check out my blog, it is about putting together a DIY lab very inexpensively (a lot of using recycling). I created this blog for people and teachers who can't afford an elaborate lab. I try to post new equipment on a regular basis.
It can be found here:
http://citsci.blogspot.com/
Enjoy,
Lawrence
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That stuff is great man, especially the blender centrifuge. I'm impressed you hooked it up so it didn't shake itself apart!
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Thanks, the centrifuge took a bit of work balancing it out. But it spins nicely. It has 10 different speeds, you don't have to keep it on for to long.
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Lawrence
This is a good effort, but you posted this twice.
It might have been better to do your main post as you did and link to it here in this post.
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Yea sorry. I posted my answers to the above questions and thought I would start a new thread that might generate more ideas to add to my lab.
Lawrence
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no worries
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Lawrence, your ability to make use of common throw-away items for lab ware is awesome. +1 You have inspired me to build an incubator of my own. Cool stuff.
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Yeah Lawrence, I wanted a little more information about the blender centrifuge. What procedures were taken to make it and balance it? I didn't see the steps to create it on your website.
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WOW !!! Nice work lawrence !
Nice blog too :)
regards
Srihari
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Thanks Grundalizer I am glad my blog is inspiring you to build your own equipment. That is what I was hoping to do, as well as let people see that science does not have to always be expensive and can be done with items on hand. Good luck and keep me informed I love to hear from others and what they are doing.
To The Cancer Curer (Is this what your projects are for, a cancer cure? I hope so. I believe that citizen scientist can help in this too.) Sorry for the late reply. I have not really put step by step instructions on my blog. I have used it to show what I have created and to give others ideas. I have been thinking about adding step by step instructions.
Also I have thought about starting a amateur science magazine that would include step by step projects for equipment and experiments, etc. I am not sure whether I can come up with enough projects to start a magazine and keep it going. I might need help to keep up with new projects and experiments. But I will see, there is alot on my bog to start with.
To Srihari thank you, I hope you get something from my blog. Do you do many experiments?
Lawrence
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Alright! Let us know if you start a step-by-step instruction section. Until then, I'll try to avoid injurying myself. :P
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I have now posted on my blog what I did to build my centrifuge. I hope this helps. I don't want to see you injure yourself.
Lawrence
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Nice Lawrence, thanks a lot.
:)
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Also I have thought about starting a amateur science magazine that would include step by step projects for equipment and experiments, etc. I am not sure whether I can come up with enough projects to start a magazine and keep it going. I might need help to keep up with new projects and experiments. But I will see, there is alot on my bog to start with.
This would be cool. Use what you know at first to gain a bit of a following and encourage people to write articles for it. Most magazines (especially instructional ones) have avid readers who submit articles all the time. My friend does it for a car magazine and now companies send him all kinds of tools so he uses them in his articles as a form of advertisement and now he's got a garage full of free tools that are normally expensive. I know it's not the same thing because you are trying to use home made tools but it's just an example of how people write for magazines. This could really work. Good idea. Interested to see if you follow through. I'd read it.