Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Setting up a lab!

haydz - 2-3-2005 at 20:15

Hey guys,

Im going to setup a lab in my garage kitchen, im wondering what sort of things id need to have to make it safe, and all the apparatus - what i need for home experiments and what i dont need :)

any help :)

edit: if this is in the wrong section can someone please move it?

[Edited on 3-3-2005 by haydz]

haydz - 2-3-2005 at 20:19

Beaker glass, 100mL 1 $5.90
Bunsen burner 1 $26.30
Conical flask, 150mL glass (Labglass) 1 $5.75
Crucible tongs 1 $4.55
Eyedropper, glass, rubber teat, 150mm long 1 $1.20
Funnel, plastic, 60mm diameter 1 $2.00
Measuring cylinder, 100mL, polypropelene 1 $6.20
Tripod 1 $11.65
Tripod gauze mat 1 $3.80
Thermometer, red spirit, -10 to 110 deg 1 $6.60
Petrie dishes 90mm with lid 5 $2.80
Test tube stopper, 0 hole, 1 hole, 2 hole (fits flask) 1 $1.35
Litmus, blue, 20 strips per book 1 book $1.10
Litmus, red, 20 strips per book 1 book $1.10
Indicator strips book, pH 1-11 1 book $1.25

Total = $81.55

Spotting tiles, plastic, 12 depressions 1 $5.45
Hydrochloric acid 200ml $4.65
Ammonia solution 200ml $5.00
Magnesium ribbon 90cm $4.50

Extras = $19.60


this is what im going to order so far, have i missed anything? ignore the prices - but if anyones interested its NZ dollars

BromicAcid - 2-3-2005 at 20:22

What kinds of experiments do you want to do? What intrests you? This is usually the hardest question to answer when someone first gets into chemistry but it's the most essential as to which direction your equiptment will go.

neutrino - 2-3-2005 at 20:23

I believe that there was already at least one thread on this around here somewhere, search for it.

Haydz: Those prices are atrocious. You <b>really</b> need to shop around.

rift valley - 2-3-2005 at 20:26

Quote:
Originally posted by BromicAcid
What kinds of experiments do you want to do? What intrests you? This is usually the hardest question to answer when someone first gets into chemistry but it's the most essential as to which direction your equiptment will go.


Very true, I started my home lab about eight months ago and really didnt know what chems to buy. I first bought pyro related chems like KNO3 etc. I've found if you just read old threads you will find experiemts that interest you so buy the chems they require, keep doing this and before long you obtain a nice little chemical inventory and dont have to buy so many chemicals anymore.

haydz - 2-3-2005 at 20:29

Quote:
Originally posted by neutrino
I believe that there was already at least one thread on this around here somewhere, search for it.

Haydz: Those prices are atrocious. You <b>really</b> need to shop around.



yeah but these are NZ dollars, are they still atrocious?

haydz - 2-3-2005 at 20:31

Quote:
Originally posted by BromicAcid
What kinds of experiments do you want to do? What intrests you? This is usually the hardest question to answer when someone first gets into chemistry but it's the most essential as to which direction your equiptment will go.


Everything :)

Twospoons - 2-3-2005 at 21:28

NZ $? Who is your source? Being a kiwi myself, I'd like to know.

haydz - 2-3-2005 at 21:48

if u live in welly, I can get those items from my mate. are they expensive or are they about right?

neutrino - 3-3-2005 at 03:24

Quote:
Originally posted by haydz
yeah but these are NZ dollars, are they still atrocious?


Yes, they are. For example, you pay $1 for a stopper. No good company will sell you rubber stoppers individually. Instead, you buy them by the pound (around $4.50/lb).

tom haggen - 3-3-2005 at 17:29

Come to think of it, I'm going to be officially setting up a lab soon. Obviously I'm interested in energetic chemistry, and also Organic Chemistry. I think I’m going to get a couple round bottom flasks, a nice condenser, a vacuum adapter, a separatory funnel, a claisen adapter, a thermometer adapter, a magnetic stirrer hot plate combo, I already have a ring stand, some rings, and a clamp, Anyone think I'm missing anything for building a nice organic chemistry set. Keep in mind I'm still a novice so I won't be caring out any syntheses that use chromatography

[Edited on 4-3-2005 by tom haggen]

[Edited on 4-3-2005 by tom haggen]

guaguanco - 3-3-2005 at 17:48

Quote:
Originally posted by tom haggen
Anyone think I'm missing anything for building a nice organic chemistry set.

Yeah, Organic Chemicals. You'll find the really fun ones are very difficult to obtain nowadays.

tom haggen - 3-3-2005 at 19:36

What like THF?

neutrino - 3-3-2005 at 20:16

Do you have anything to connect your boiling flask to your condenser?

tom haggen - 3-3-2005 at 21:31

Probably I will get a y adapter for that job neutrino.

guaguanco - 3-3-2005 at 22:46

I was thinking of things like ethyl acetoacetate, thiourea, nitromethane, chloroacetic acid. Versatile synthons.

[Edited on 4-3-2005 by guaguanco]

tom haggen - 4-3-2005 at 08:31

Funny you should mention nitromethane. I have some in 30% concentration in model air plane fuel, and that is one of the things I plan in purifying.