Hkparker's video informed me of Expdiglass.
I've wanted a lab like forever and I need to know where I can find cheap but good quality glassware.k2976 - 29-10-2011 at 17:44
Expdiglass isn't all that great, the 2 things a bought from them broke (A 1L rbf and 1L sep). They sell chinese glassware (fang mostly), most of it is
pretty thin. The RBF I bought broke because it couldn't take the vacuum. While try to fix the leaking stopcock on the sep the bottom cracked. This
happened literally JUST from me tightening the stopcock. I wouldn't recommend them, I usually buy american made and never have problems when I do. You
get what you pay for in most instances so you are either looking for cheap or good quality, won't find both, rare indeed.
[Edited on 30-10-2011 by k2976]ScienceHideout - 29-10-2011 at 18:30
If you want cheap glassware that's halfway descent- find someone who sells bomex or borosil.
I admit- I have a bunch of cheap beakers- but I also have a wide variety of pyrex, kimax, ace, and chemglass (GOOD).
Ground glass is pricey, but awesome. Ground glass is a chemist's legos!SHADYCHASE54 - 29-10-2011 at 19:04
I absolutely agree with the previously stated ascertion that you get what you pay for. When I first started buying jointed glassware I bought
expediglass my experience is it's expansion coefficent is high thus upon strong heating if exposed to signifigant temp. differences everything goes
scat. Save up buy chemglass ace wilmad or the like.Neil - 29-10-2011 at 20:07
I would rather use light bulbs and coffee pots then Bomex. use the search engine and there are a few good threads on glassware. DeathAdder - 31-10-2011 at 03:46
So Expdiglass is off the list. But can you find a seller of these things?Neil - 31-10-2011 at 13:12
I am in the process of liquidating the glassware from an old company. I am running of out some stuff, but still have scads of used glassware, most
is Pyrex, Kimble, Chemglass, etc, all US made high quality stuff. I just uploaded an updated list.
I can vouch for Dr. Bob. Great quality and the cheapest prices you'll find. When I get some more funds I will be making a second order before he runs
out.DeathAdder - 1-11-2011 at 18:10
Thanks for the offer Bob but i don't have any funds at the moment "sigh" i was
making a list for the future. But thanks.DeathAdder - 5-11-2011 at 19:37
I was not going to buy from united nuclear because they were more expensive, but they are still cheap, so I'm a bit confused about what is better, but
i have another fund for more expensive glass. Has anyone out there had a good experience with Sigma-Aldrich? They are expensive, but I know "you get
what you pay for" and I have no source of study income (13) and the parents are not supportive about chemistry 'sigh'. One of the extreme cases of tv and internet induced chemophobia.
[Edited on 6-11-2011 by DeathAdder]grndpndr - 17-11-2011 at 18:51
Sad commentary on american life when parents would prefer thier children to be occupied with mindless gaming/TV than have a genuine interest in the
sciences!!
IMHO parents should be thrilled when thier sons/daughters show a genuine interest in the sciences in preference to gaming
etc.Showing encouragement every step of the way.
Back OT I have had few issues(sciplus) w/bomex although I dont use my glassware very rigorously.Although I have boiled H2SO4 in a 2 l
bomex beaker w/o issues.The only reportable problem with simple bomex glass has been an old 500 ml seperatory funnel I purchased which leaked whether
it was on or off a constant drip
leaked from the stopcock.I placed a wrap of teflon tape around the stopcock with required hole in the tape..problem solved.
Of course given a choice I would spring $ for higher quality glass.
As they say you get what you pay for! 'Caveat Emptor'
[Edited on 18-11-2011 by grndpndr]Takron - 18-11-2011 at 14:12
A place I get most of my glassware from is either Lab Safety, NASCO, or Elemental Scientific. All of which I have linked. They are local businesses
for me but they do ship. They all sell non-chinese glass and Elemental Scientific sells lowform glassware for when you need some extra durability.
Elemental Scientific and NASCO both also sell chemicals.bob800 - 18-11-2011 at 15:03
I haven't had any problems with Bomex or Borosil in my lab. But if you're going to pay for standard taper glassware, I wouldn't take any risks (a few
more dollars may save many more).
Has anyone out there had a good experience with Sigma-Aldrich?
Unless you can order through a school or registered business, Sigma will refuse to sell anything to individuals. However, you can still find good
quality glassware on eBay and the sources mentioned by other members. It doesn't matter who the distributor is; just look for the brand name on the
glass (e.g. "Pyrex", "Kimax", "Chemglass", and "Ace Glass" are all reputable brands).
Look out for the term "Pyrex-type" or "Pyrex-like" or anything that compares the quality to Pyrex. This means that
the item is made of borosillicate glass, but it is not made by Pyrex! Sellers will usually state outright if the glass is made by Pyrex (or
their alternate name "Corning"). If a brand is not stated, you can be almost certain it's just a chinese knockoff (which I don't mind for
beakers/flasks, but not ground glass).
Also, do a forum search for "glassware". This has been discussed in great detail in other threads.grndpndr - 18-11-2011 at 19:58
I would much prefer spending a few extra $ on ground glass
to be assured of buying quality than for instance having a distillation set-up fail.In the end costing far more than the rel. insignificant initial
investment.Also whenever safety's an issue
I prefer to not take unnescessary risks.
Glass is easily replaced versus possibly body parts/injury. Even the most inconsequential professional medical care easily pays for a complete high
quality labware kit including ground glass.I am guilty of saving money where it can be done safely but if its a safety, versus dollar saving decision
Ill save my $ until I can afford the quality pieces.
and wait rather than take risksArthur Dent - 19-11-2011 at 05:41
a little note on Bomex... I have several pieces of glassware, some of which I bought at my lab surplus shop, others I ordered from Sci. Equi. Houston,
and all I can say is that a beaker is a beaker, but as bob800 stated, I wouldn't trust more elaborate glassware from Bomex.
Case in point, I have this 500ml round bottom flask from bomex where the neck/spout part is so distorted that a plain rubber stopper dipped in water
and loosely dropped shows several large air gaps and even if I push it down hard, there is still a gap. Ugh. So much for precision glassware. I only
use it as a receiving flask and will not dare use it as a reaction vessel.
So yes, when i go to my lab surplus shop, I purposedly avoid Bomex, "Chinex" and crap of that sort, since I can pick and choose, especially since I
can get a used Buschi flask at the price of a new bomex flask!
Robertstarman - 19-11-2011 at 16:29
Well I guess I was just lucky.My Bomex 1 Litre 3neck has preformed admirably both under high temperature and evacuated down to 50 micron.Neil - 20-11-2011 at 06:34
I've seen a bomex beaker break while sitting alone, untouched. It was only ever lightly used, never in temperature extremes or anything exciting. Must
have been incorrectly annealed or else some kind of quantum butterfly event hit it...
I've also seen countless bomex beakers crack while heating water to boil in a large sand bath. A Pyrex beaker in the same place lasted several years
until someone dropped it... There was a Pyrex beaker that was regularly filled with LN2 and lasted for at least five years, till it too was dropped.
Never an issue. Never tried bomex + LN2, too scared.
All that being said I've noticed more tiny air bubbles in Pyrex joints then ACE, KIMAX and Alchemy (a newer company in Ontario). DeathAdder - 7-12-2011 at 12:19
NASCO won't sell to me, and that sucks. Will sigma ship to an .inc company.zoombafu - 7-12-2011 at 14:13
Sigma-Aldrich will not deliver to a residential address.bob800 - 7-12-2011 at 15:28
I would give up on Sigma and all the other major suppliers. If you do a forum search, you will find several good suppliers that will sell to you (as
crazy as it may sound, don't forget about eBay!). Here's a few threads to get you started:
These are just a few of the dozens of threads about this. Additionally, there is a thread in Whimsy about various suppliers, but you will need to
request access from Polverone (send him a U2U).DeathAdder - 14-12-2011 at 09:31