[pishboy]

Hi!

I recently got the hang of chemistry. I saved up some money for glassware until my classes ended, which happened last friday. In total, I have around Php700 (i'll stick to pesos for calculations, but you can convert if you want to)

Now, I want to buy glassware. Good thing I live near a DIY fragrance shop (http://www.chemworld.ph/home.php?cat=15), so i can get *some* glassware if i need it
Now, my budget is 700 pesos, i'm setting aside 70 pesos for a pack of gloves plus any safety gear I may need to come across (i have safety glasses, so AFAIK I only need gloves...)

Php630 for equipment. I have a stirring rod and a 50mL graduated cylinder here, and I plan on buying erlenmeyer flasks and beakers, but I can only afford 3. Do i get 2 erlenmeyer flasks and a beaker, or 2 beakers and an erlenmeyer flask? Or is one of each enough?
They are both 250mL, the flask costs Php190 and the beaker is Php220

I plan on (first) doing titration, purifying my chemicals (mostly common home chems) and checking their purity, then I might do some synthesis before I do some "research" (Nothing bad, I just found out a particular plant that grows abundantly here can be used as a pH indicator. And I plan on more stiff in the future.)

Oh yeah, I probably need reagent bottles, vials and pipettes, but those can wait
Do I need anything else??

[billnotgatez]

Have you given some thought to making a homemade fume hood?

[billnotgatez]

I was also thinking that if you are not working in a standard school laboratory you have to keep in mind the safety stuff they had there. For instance, They probably had an eye wash stand and a emergency shower. The sink was very handy and so was the fire extinguisher. Can you think of anything more your lab had that was safety oriented.

 Also, what about the standard stuff like fume hood, central gas source for the Bunsen burners, and a vacuum source. Can you think of other items.

If you do not have all of the above are you prepared to restrict what you do so you can remain safe?

You probably do not need a lot of high level stuff but you need to know the limits of what you have and staying safe.

[pishboy]

Have you given some thought to making a homemade fume hood?

I'm going to work outdoors.

I was also thinking that if you are not working in a standard school laboratory you have to keep in mind the safety stuff they had there. For instance, They probably had an eye wash stand and a emergency shower. The sink was very handy and so was the fire extinguisher. Can you think of anything more your lab had that was safety oriented.

 Also, what about the standard stuff like fume hood, central gas source for the Bunsen burners, and a vacuum source. Can you think of other items.

If you do not have all of the above are you prepared to restrict what you do so you can remain safe?

You probably do not need a lot of high level stuff but you need to know the limits of what you have and staying safe.

Well, I am going to limit some of the things i'm doing. Again, i'm working outside so no fume hood needed. I'm not using bunsen burners, but i'll be using a hotplate. I won't be needing a vacuum anytime soon.

I don't have a fire extinguisher (yet) so i'll have a pail of water and a switch to my extension cord ready

Part of my planned protocols is thorough research on what i'll be doing plus a list of hazards I might encounter along the way (even if it's a remote possibility) and any steps to mitigate that. If it's too hazardous, then I won't carry on.

BTW i'm currently an incoming High School Year 2 student, and i'll probably be using chemistry as my hobby (and potentially my college course)

[billnotgatez]

They are both 250mL, the flask costs Php190 and the beaker is Php220

if you think you need to cork what you are doing then the flasks.

you can always use other jars for beakers as long as you do not heat them.

just a good practice - remember once you use something for chemistry do not eat or drink out of it later even if you was it.

[pishboy]

Actually, should a flask and a beaker do it? I don't really plan on doing complicated reactions, and I can always wash my stuff right after using them. I can buy Erlenmeyer flasks and no beaker but when i heat down something until it dries, it'll be a pain to remove

[billnotgatez]

I would get one of each and see what you need later.
That way you have some cash for other things as you need it

[vmelkon]

I took a look at that site and noticed the G.G-I7 marking with that "gear logo".
I have had chemistry sets with glassware with those markings and the glassware is made of ordinary glass.
I don't know who G.G-I7 is or where it is manufactured but soda lime glass and there are experiments where you are suppose to heat the product in your test tube or flask or beaker is not a good idea. I have broken a bunch of their test tubes.

[Jasim]

It depends on what you want to do.

When I was first starting do experiments at home I used mason jars, glass bakeware, and a variety of other very non-lab type stuff that can easily be found around a modern domicile. I've even used a zip lock bag as a separatory funnel.

I recommend starting off doing simple things. Have a look at this: http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/index.php The site is directed towards kids, but the experiments are real, easy to do, and do involve some actual chemistry.

[Jasim]

I don't have a fire extinguisher (yet) so i'll have a pail of water and a switch to my extension cord ready

NO NO NO!

Get an ABC fire extinguisher. You can't put out all fires with water. And when you are working with chemicals throwing water on them can make the situation a LOT worse!

Even doing some very small scale, kitchen chemistry I have had to use a fire extinguisher before.

Also, make sure you research how to properly dispose of and deactive any chemicals you are using before doing an experiment. I've seen bad things happen because active chemicals weren't disposed of properly. Never assume a reaction has made your leftovers safe to throw in the trash!

[fledarmus]

A pail of sand or sodium bicarbonate would be far more useful for the types of fires you are likely to see than a pail of water. In fact, a pile of water in a chemical fire, as Jasim says, is a serious liability - it won't put a chemical fire out and is very likely to make it worse. The ABC fire extinguisher is a much, much better idea.