Pyro
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bunsen burners going out of style?
hi,
bunsen burners seem to have been replaced with hotplates, while you can regulate the temp of a hotplate pretty exactly, but a bunsen burner is:
cheaper, costs about the same in gas cost and can be used as a flame to light something.
[Edited on 30-4-2012 by Pyro]
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Hexavalent
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Bunsen burners are still being used and are very handy for glasswork, flame tests etc, and that it why they are still kept in labs as well as taps for
a gas of some kind.
Hotplates are preferred, and I concur (although I do still have an antique Bunsen and Meker for above work) as they often provide better, more even
heating, reduce the risk of fire, are much more adjustable and controllable and often require less hardware (tripods etc.).
IMO, Bunsen burners will still be around for some time yet, but I do still realise that yes, they do seem to be sadly falling in popularity.
[Edited on 30-4-2012 by Hexavalent]
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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Pyro
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well, thats what i mean, to me there is a kind of charm to using a bunsen burner.
as for the price: 7$ for the burner, 5$ for the tripod and 4$ for a mesh.
as for hotplates: what do most people use? one like students use for food? or a specialized one?
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Hexavalent
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My first hotplate was one of those cheapo Chinese £15 ones. It worked very well, the heating cycles on it were great and it lasted me a long time
until I carelessley spilt a load of saturated sodium chloride on the top . . .it went very rusty, and I now keep it for dirty outside jobs, for
heating large-scale reactions (it was meant to heat saucepans of water to boil!) and other purposes where I don't mind too much if it gets damaged. If
one was more careful and looked after it a bit better, one like that is usually more than suffice for lab work and their ruggedness (spelling?) makes
them last a very long time with a little TLC
I recently upgraded to a Stuart Scientific lab model, though, with magnetic stirring - I love it and its capabilities, but I still do try and use my
Bunsen whenever I can.
[Edited on 30-4-2012 by Hexavalent]
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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Pyro
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nice, how much did that new one cost? i'm sticking with my bunsen burner for as much as possible though.
but the stirring is good. sadly i have to run my BBurner of a bottle of gas, as the boat doesnt have a gas line.
(it might be a good idea to cover it with Al foil)
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Migratory
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I've seen a lot of alcohol lamps around lately. According to my chem teacher, the portability (not needing a gas line) is becoming a priority for
teachers in rooms not originally intended for lab work. Also, do you know if alcohol lamps burn cooler than Bunsen burners or something? That's the
impression I'm getting.
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Pyro
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i believe they do, a Bunsen burner should reach max temps of about 1850*C provided you use methane and the air supply is very good. while an alcohol
burner will tend to burn yellow thus not so hot
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Migratory
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That's a shame. I am in the same situation as the aforementioned displaced chem teachers, and am stuck with an alcohol burner too. I suppose I'll have
to compensate with time...
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Pyro
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just buy a BBurner, costs around 7 dollars, and get a bottle of gas, its a lot better, you can have a tiny candle like flame or you can have a big hot
flame
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Migratory
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Hm. I'll look into it.
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Pyro
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you will also need a stand and a mesh with ceramic in it so your glass isn't exposed to direct flame.
all in a guess it would cost about 20-25$ plus gas.
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Migratory
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Yeah, I have ring stands and ceramic center meshes and such. Also, where do you buy methane gas canisters? You always see propane for camp stoves but
never methane.
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Pyro
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go to a place that sells gas and gas fittings and ask them for methane=natural gas=CH4,... if you can't find any just use propane, bring your bunsen
burner either way and tell them you need to hook it up to the bottle. i find them very helpful
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Migratory
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I don't know any places in our small town that specialize in gas fittings, but I'll look around.
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mycotheologist
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Actually, I'm thinking of getting a bunsen burner because there are plenty of jobs which using a hotplate is no good or impractical for. For example,
my hotplate only goes up to 300C and the only other heating element I have is a propane torch so I really need something in between. Heat guns from
the hardware shop are real useful for chemistry, I'm gonna get one one of these days.
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Hexavalent
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I once used a portable camping stove, that used mini-butane tanks, before I got my Bunsen. Sorry, Pyro, I've no idea where it came from as my uncle, a
British Gas technician, gave me them a while ago and at present I use a propane cylinder for the gas.
Yes, alcohol lamps do provide a cooler flame, but sometimes that is better, e.g. when heating small test tubes of liquid slowly or for manipulating
glass tubing (another lab item that seems to be losing popularity to ST stuff.)
With regards to gas lines and fittings, the following page, from another chemistry forum, may be useful;
http://forums.homesciencelab.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=272
as well as some of the other pages that are related.
(This is BTW a really good forum and I recommend you read some of the threads they have).
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Winston Churchill
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bfesser
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This topic has been discussed in some detail in <a href="viewthread.php?tid=19089">another thread</a>.
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Pyro
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Quote: Originally posted by Hexavalent  |
Yes, alcohol lamps do provide a cooler flame, but sometimes that is better, e.g. when heating small test tubes of liquid slowly or for manipulating
glass tubing (another lab item that seems to be losing popularity to ST stuff.)
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well, on a bunsen burner you can have a pilot flame which is pretty small, and you have the regulator on the burner and on the bottle
thanks hex, but i got one :p i was answring migratory's wuestions.
bfesser,
in that thread bunsen burners are not the main topic, here we are discussing the aquisition, use,... of them
tell me if you do not agree and want me to quit posting on this thread and get it sent to trash
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bfesser
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No, I just meant to bring that thread to your attention, as it may have contained some relevant information you may not have seen. Sorry.
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Pyro
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no problem at all, it wasn't meant meanly. that thread actually sparked my need to ask this because its all about hotplates now
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Magpie
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In the hands of a competent chemist I don't think Bunsen burners are going out of style at all. If you look back at the pictures of the work of
garage chemist you'll see that he favors it.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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Pyro
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it does not seem like that though, because its all talk of hotplates.
to me a bunsen burner gives your workplace a kind of charm, sort of like a candle apart from being more versatile than a hotplate
but i can't deny that a hotplate is a good idea when you are working with something really flammable 
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Magpie
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| Quote: Originally posted by Pyro |
to me a bunsen burner gives your workplace a kind of charm, sort of like a candle apart from being more versatile than a hotplate
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I agree! I love using a Bunsen burner.
| Quote: Originally posted by Pyro |
but i can't deny that a hotplate is a good idea when you are working with something really flammable |
Yes, a hotplate is very useful.
The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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