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Author: Subject: How professional are your labs?
arkoma
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[*] posted on 8-7-2014 at 20:05




Current "lab space" on my sister's back porch. Attempting a steam distillation. Been THROUGH it with cops already, most important thing is a notebook with glued/bound pages. THAT is the mark of a "serious" hobbyist versus a kewl or dope cook, not your apparent level of chaos. Hell, Thomas Edison's research faciulities were barely controlled chaos.




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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 07:36


Haha, nice. Is that a pepper plant?
Yeah, I also work in my back yard when I do distillations, or anything that I don't feel particularly comfortable doing in the garage or don't have space for. It's become increasingly less comfortable to do though. Texas summer you know. And it's been a 'cool' one so far, hasn't even hit 100 yet and it's July! I see you're in Arizona now, so I'm sure it's pretty bad for you too.




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MrHomeScientist
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 09:25


This is a good resource for chemical separation - http://ehs.research.uiowa.edu/chemical-storage-nine-compatib...

They recommend 9 categories:
•Group I Flammable Liquids
•Group II Poisons - volatile
•Group III Acids - Oxidizing
•Group IV Acids - Organic and Mineral
•Group V Bases - Liquid
•Group VI Oxidizer - Liquid
•Group VII Poisons - Non-volatile
•Group VIII Reactives
•Group IX Solids


My system isn't as rigorous as theirs, though. I have physically separate storage locations for acids, bases, flammables, oxidizers, health hazards, and general storage. You really need to keep at least these things separate to reduce risk if an accident does occur. The last thing you want is an oxidizer causing your flammables to be impossible to extinguish while they burn and disperse health hazards into the air. Spending $20 on a cheap shelf or several rubbermaid tubs is well worth it.
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arkoma
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 10:07


Quote: Originally posted by zts16  
Haha, nice. Is that a pepper plant?
Yeah, I also work in my back yard when I do distillations, or anything that I don't feel particularly comfortable doing in the garage or don't have space for. It's become increasingly less comfortable to do though. Texas summer you know. And it's been a 'cool' one so far, hasn't even hit 100 yet and it's July! I see you're in Arizona now, so I'm sure it's pretty bad for you too.


Yup, a sweet red bell. Ya can barely see a sweet basil poking its lil head up to the right. And boy do I know about Tejas summers. Lived in zip code 71839 for eight years. Mesa is a picnic compared to the "Dirty South". We also don't have silly laws requiring permits for "lab equipment". I do everything outside as my sister works nights, and besides I make a HUGE mess in 15 seconds or under.




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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 10:26


Quote: Originally posted by MrHomeScientist  
This is a good resource for chemical separation - http://ehs.research.uiowa.edu/chemical-storage-nine-compatib...

They recommend 9 categories:
•Group I Flammable Liquids
•Group II Poisons - volatile
•Group III Acids - Oxidizing
•Group IV Acids - Organic and Mineral
•Group V Bases - Liquid
•Group VI Oxidizer - Liquid
•Group VII Poisons - Non-volatile
•Group VIII Reactives
•Group IX Solids


My system isn't as rigorous as theirs, though. I have physically separate storage locations for acids, bases, flammables, oxidizers, health hazards, and general storage. You really need to keep at least these things separate to reduce risk if an accident does occur. The last thing you want is an oxidizer causing your flammables to be impossible to extinguish while they burn and disperse health hazards into the air. Spending $20 on a cheap shelf or several rubbermaid tubs is well worth it.

Thanks for all of the information. I'll definitely take all of that into consideration and incorporate as many of those measures as possible.




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The Volatile Chemist
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 11:44


My lab's relatively clean, but there's only two storage drawers for chemicals, Big bottles, and little bottles :)

Quote: Originally posted by IrC  
Quote: Originally posted by plante1999  
MSDS are only useful to cover your ass with the fireman or the police department, else then that, they as no purpose for a real chemist. If you rely on MSDS to take the precautions needed for an experiment, you better change of hobby.


100 % agree. Completely useless unless you need liners for your bird cage. Every lab needs one book I call mandatory; Bretherick's "Handbook of reactive Chemical hazards". Also before you do something new you know little about, using chemicals you have little or no experience with a quick search/study through the book can possibly save you from disaster.

Can this be printed out? Is it in SM's library?




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DistractionGrating
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 12:00


http://eng.monash.edu/materials/assets/documents/resources/o...
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 15:13


I'll attach it if I can get by the 10mb limit.............it's 27.8mb



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The Volatile Chemist
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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 15:42


Thank you guys! I'll use it, probably print it out at the library or something...

Edit:Or not... Just saw the page count... :(

[Edited on 7-9-2014 by The Volatile Chemist]




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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 16:25


Calibre, kid. Best eBook software out there in my somewhat biased opinion. It has a microsux windows version if you happen to still be stuck with a buggy/sorry ass OS LMFAO. Penguin Power!!!



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[*] posted on 9-7-2014 at 16:31


Due to space limitations I cannot organize by chemical category, however unless there is an earthquake it should be of little concern. I print all my own labels with name, formula, NFPA 704, and picture of the molecule. I also like everything to be clean and have completely abandoned water to clean glassware. First a rinse with dH2O, then a scrubbing with Acetone, and then storage, and right before use, I clean it with 2-propanol to make it dust free, and clear of microorganisms. I even clean the water pathway in my condensers.

Quote: Originally posted by IrC  
Quote: Originally posted by plante1999  
MSDS are only useful to cover your ass with the fireman or the police department, else then that, they as no purpose for a real chemist. If you rely on MSDS to take the precautions needed for an experiment, you better change of hobby.


100 % agree. Completely useless unless you need liners for your bird cage. Every lab needs one book I call mandatory; Bretherick's "Handbook of reactive Chemical hazards". Also before you do something new you know little about, using chemicals you have little or no experience with a quick search/study through the book can possibly save you from disaster.


I don't completely agree, it may be useless to print and keep the MSDS, but you should at least read it once online for new chemicals that you buy. True, in terms of toxicity I'm pretty sure they just copy and paste Hydrazine's health hazards into every MSDS, but they still have useful compatibility data.

Take chloroform for example, common substance, everyone is familiar with it's hazards, and you probably know it doesn't burn by itself (Flam. rating of 1). However chloroform is still a deadly hazard when exposed to fire, and it produces toxic combustion products, phosgene probably being the killer. I for one would not have known this had I not read the MSDS.

So they are not useless to read and know, just to print them is a waste




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[*] posted on 10-7-2014 at 10:56


Untidiness is not an option in my restricted space, so stuff tends not to get left hanging about, simply because it gets in the way.

Having said that, i manage to make quite a mess at times by sheer dint of effort.

MSDS doesn't really come into it for me - won't eat any products, or smear them all over myself whilst wearing a feather boa.




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[*] posted on 10-7-2014 at 12:44


aga, noticed you DID NOT say you wouldn't wear a feather boa.....................



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[*] posted on 10-7-2014 at 14:28


I'll wear anything.

Clothes stop the Police arresting me for being nude in public.




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[*] posted on 12-10-2014 at 06:28


Quote: Originally posted by DistractionGrating  
http://eng.monash.edu/materials/assets/documents/resources/o...


Excellent. Thank you very, very much




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[*] posted on 12-10-2014 at 08:03


I have a cabinet full of glassware and chemicals that I keep inside, and a 8 by 4 foot table in an open-air garage I do reactions in. I also have a small refrigerator in which I keep chemicals that might destroy their containers in normal temperatures (Only have anhydrous sulfuric acid in it atm). Unfortunately I don't have enough room to categorize or separate at all the chemicals I have, though in my defense I only have normal household chemicals stored together.

[Edited on 12-10-2014 by TheAlchemistPirate]




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[*] posted on 12-10-2014 at 08:42


My lab needs to be put in storage:( and while sorting through it i have seen my lab is a total mess.



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[*] posted on 12-10-2014 at 10:37


Quote: Originally posted by DistractionGrating  
http://eng.monash.edu/materials/assets/documents/resources/o...


Excellent. Thank you very, very much




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[*] posted on 12-10-2014 at 16:06


I've got a wooden table about 6 by 2.5 feet in my laundry room, with milk crates stacked 2 high on their sides to act as shelves. There's a window right above the table that I open for ventilation, and I have a section of countertop on top of the table as well as the top surface of a deep freezer nearby to do my labwork on. It's plenty enough for me right now, except that I have no source of running water nearby for a condenser.



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[*] posted on 13-10-2014 at 07:17


I am in the process of putting mine together. I just purchased a PIG 18 gallon corrosives cabinet, which is the same model as the picture and got it off of Craigs list for $150. I am also currently building two 2'x5'x33-3/4" wooden tables that will serve as my workbench.

EAA Chapter 1000 Standardized Work Tables
http://www.eaa1000.av.org/technicl/worktabl/worktabl.htm

1392235014090-CAB751_756_W1_L.jpg - 13kB workbench.jpg - 87kB

[Edited on 13-10-2014 by Loptr]
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[*] posted on 13-10-2014 at 11:40


Mine is based on rigorous professional utter chaos. I am working hard to turn this around, a sink in my lab would make a huge difference as would 6 bits of wood I need to cut and put together.
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[*] posted on 13-10-2014 at 13:44


Workspace in a cement bunker, separated from the house for safety. Fire extinguisher handy, and no clutter in workspace. Specific clothing for whenever I go in.
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[*] posted on 13-10-2014 at 13:53


I also have specific lab clothing, ever since I started noticing little holes in my favorite shirts.

One thing I'd really like to make is a drying rack for glassware. I currently try to crowd everything onto a tiny test tube rack to dry, which is really kind of bad. I actually asked my physics teacher the other day if I could have the drying rack in his classroom. All of the science rooms at my school are designed like chemistry labs, so they all have them even when there's absolutely no use for them. Obviously, the answer was no, but it was worth a try!
A lab sink would be amazing, but I do not have access to water lines in my current space.




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[*] posted on 13-10-2014 at 14:06


Try using a blow dryer for glassware (like the kind for hair), it works pretty well, although time consuming..
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[*] posted on 14-10-2014 at 15:03


I'll have a lot better of a lab as an adult :/
I use a few rags as drying towels. I normally don't wait for glass to dry if i need it.




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