Drunkguy
Hazard to Others
Posts: 172
Registered: 23-12-2005
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Mood: somewhat pissed.
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HPLC
Has anybody here contemplated building their own HPLC machine?
Conventionally, it would be out of most of our price league, but with junk being sold at auction, I think its becoming more the case that it is
starting to become worth thinking about.
I have a link to read: http://www.forumsci.co.il/HPLC/index.html
I'm still of the opinion that I dont want to throw away my money on rogue apparatus that I dont have a hope of using. In a few years from now, who
knows how the world will have changed?
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Sauron
International Hazard
Posts: 5351
Registered: 22-12-2006
Location: Barad-Dur, Mordor
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Mood: metastable
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As I have posted previously, I own a number of Waters HPLC systems that I have assembled from units purchased from a variety of sources, including
LabX and various dealers. I have three analytical 600E systems and two preparative PrepLC4000 systems. All of them are controlled by PC using
Millenium Chromatography Manager running under Windows 98SE and communicating via an IEEE-bus and GPIB (HPIB) cables.
I have six UV detectors (two 486 tunable models using D2 lamps and four four channel programmable 490E models using xenon strobe lamps. The latter are
capable of some of the functionality of a PDA like model 996. Two fraction collectors and an autosampler. Several Radial Compression Modules for
cartridge type prep columns from 5mm to 47mm diameter and up to 300mm long in 100mm segments.
The redundancy in the above is intentional, so that spare parts can be cannibalized as needed.
In the course of acquiring all this and having it shipped to Thailand from USA, changing the fuses over for 220V, etc. I encountered a couple of
serious crooks on LabX. eBay is worse. One fellow sold me an autosampler with the innards basically all ripped out, needless to say without so
describing. Charming fellow, may he rot in Hell. Other dealers quoted for machines they did not actually have in stock (and lied about it) but their
reputations preceded them.
Parts and consumables and columns are godawfully expensive, so HPLC equipment even when relatively inexpensive to get into is ALWAYS dear to repair
and dear to maintain. Given the cost of HPLC grade solvents, it isn't cheap to operate either, particularly the preparative systems.
These are all quaternary systems I am talking about, capable of blending, metering and pumping up to four solvents at a time.
I have a number of isocratic systems as well, Waters 501 and 510. The pumps are similar and I got these so I could teach myself maintenance of the
pumps without putting the more valuable machines at risk.
Sic gorgeamus a los subjectatus nunc.
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Drunkguy
Hazard to Others
Posts: 172
Registered: 23-12-2005
Member Is Offline
Mood: somewhat pissed.
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I decided to get a Flashmaster II.
http://www.usedlabequip.com/details.aspx?itemID=3489
I had a flashmaster personal already but couldnt use it yet because I couldnt afford the cartridges.
I got a pharmacia fraction collector too since I couldnt find the Gilson one in the above link:
http://www.gmi-inc.com/BioTechLab/pharmacia%20fraction%20col...
Although it's not HPLC, im still satisfied that it is a step in the right direction and will hopefully open doors inthe colloquial sense.
[Edited on 6-2-2008 by Drunkguy]
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