I have a soxhlet extractor that I bought used off of ebay, the top joint on the extractor potion is 71/60. I stupidly did not look into this joint and
just jumped on it when I saw the 24.40 bottom joint, large capacity, and low price. Only later did I find out that my real problem would be finding
thimbles that can fit it. I saw a reference to using 55 mm diameter cellulose thimbles. The disposable cellulose ones are out of the question do to
price considerations, I think I need a glass one. I have seen some with an outside diameter of 57mm.
Is there anything I could use that is a bit more common/cheaper. If not then what diameter thimble do you think would be best, I have looked all over
but all I could find was the one reference in an aldrich catalogue.densest - 22-10-2010 at 22:42
Cellulose thimbles are available on ebay, labx, etc. at 10-15% of list. You can make your own from filter paper. If you are willing to use less than
the full capacity of the extraction area, simply fold a conical piece of filter paper and slide it in. Otherwise form or find a bottle neck or
something similar with the appropriate outside diameter, make some paper mache' from sufficiently pure cellulose or glass fiber, and create your own
thimbles. If this is too much trouble, then maybe paying for thimbles isn't that bad. Picric-A - 23-10-2010 at 01:53
Simply fill the bottom with cotton wool, followed by your material to be extracted then put another thin layer of cotton wool on the top. Works every
time.spirocycle - 23-10-2010 at 05:46
would glass wool work for that too?
I'd imagine it would contaminate lessmajortom - 25-10-2010 at 07:18
Wow this seems so obvious, why didn't I think of that? As for the trouble I am be willing to go through, I value the $90 + savings over 5 minutes of
packing cotton. Picric-A - 25-10-2010 at 10:39
Yes very fine glass wool works fine aswell! Nice trick of the trade
[Edited on 25-10-2010 by Picric-A]Ozone - 25-10-2010 at 20:22
Or, if your gonna spend money on it, "make your own teabags'" filled with whatever you want to extract, then sealed with heat.Contrabasso - 27-10-2010 at 09:57
There was a method used for making DIY firework shell hemis using papier mache and a former made from some sieve mesh formed to shape -also used a
vacuum pump for which a fridge compressor would work well.
If you make the mesh mould the shape of a soxlet thimble you could make thimbles out of your choice of shredded filter paper (Kitchen blender?!?)
