curious what are must haves for decent home labs.?like equiptment/reagentsJor - 13-2-2010 at 17:30
What do you want to explore? Organic, inorganic, analytic, etc.thereelstory - 13-2-2010 at 19:44
i am going to take college chemistry class. i mean you could easily spend five thousand dollars and still need equipment. psychokinetic - 14-2-2010 at 11:51
That's the sort of thing that I wondered, too.
The best thing I've found is to have a look at what experiments you would like to try first - and gather the equipment for these first. If you have a
gander at the search function, I'm pretty sure that there's a few threads on beignner experiments. In fact, there's one brilliant one with an e-book
or pdf of an old lab manual from the days where the first class was 'how to make your own glassware'...... if I find it, I'll post the link or the
file.
EDIT: Here it is, with thanks to entropy51 for posting it originally.
[Edited on 14-2-2010 by psychokinetic]entropy51 - 14-2-2010 at 14:11
I'm glad that book has another fan, psychokinetic.
If you have no plan for specific projects, an easy (but perhaps not the cheapest) way to starting a home lab would be to get one the kits of chemicals
and equipment at Maker Shed. Some of the kits include the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments and I think this would get you started. As you find
where your interests lead you, you could then branch out and buy more specialized equipment and chemicals. If you're just starting out in chemistry
this might even be one of the cheapest ways to begin.
Even if you don't consider these kits a good buy, their contents might serve as a shopping list. I suppose they appeal to me because they are similar
to the Porter Chemcraft chemistry sets of the 1950's that got me started in Chemistry. (Which some would consider a negative endorsement.)
But no matter how you slice it, chemistry is not a cheap hobby!
[Edited on 14-2-2010 by entropy51]thereelstory - 14-2-2010 at 18:06
thanks to all of you. i love chemistry, but i find myself jumping around too much. i just want to learn and do it all. these is so much to learn and
experience.chemrox - 15-2-2010 at 16:40
I love the maker shed- the core chemicals list contains at least three US DEA listed items.watson.fawkes - 15-2-2010 at 17:31
I love the maker shed- the core chemicals list contains at least three US DEA listed items.
Actually, four,
but they're all from List II: acetone, potassium permanganate, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid. The thresholds for these to be regulated
transactions, though, are far above what's in the kit. They are, respectively, 500 gallons, 55 pounds, 50 gallons, and 50 gallons. See CFR Section 1310.04 Maintenance of records for more detail. entropy51 - 15-2-2010 at 18:18
I love the maker shed- the core chemicals list contains at least three US DEA listed items.
Well, only if
you don't consider the threshold quantities. That's the reason they can legally sell all of these items down at the hardware store in less than
threshold quantitites.
[Edited on 16-2-2010 by entropy51]DavidViggiano - 17-2-2010 at 07:04
Maker Shed is great. I am newly back to chemistry since my (long past) college days. I'd recommend getting a copy of "Illustrated Guide to Home
Chemistry Experiments" as well from there. You can preview several sections of the book online too here, even a limited one about setting up a home lab. The book has far more details about equipment, chemicals, techniques, etc.
I've spent about $500 getting setup. There are a number of corners that can be cut to make things cheaper, but in all things there are trade offs.
Again the book does a good job of laying all that out.
[Edited on 17-2-2010 by DavidViggiano]entropy51 - 17-2-2010 at 07:44
Welcome, David. You've been very quiet over there in the corner since October!DavidViggiano - 17-2-2010 at 08:17
Thanks! Yeah, I coach a winter sport so between work, life and all else hobbies take a hit. Things will slow down after this weekend and I hope to
be a little more involved.
