I thought I would start a thread about our most beloved piece of lab equipment. Mine is my new Corning hotplate/stirrer model PC-420 for 158$. The
thing is worth more like 500$ in stores. Its even got a ceramic top so acids will not hurt it so much. The first think I want to do with it is to make
some sodium by electrolysis of NaOH.
I was sniping in that bid so I hope no one here was bidding as well. If you did Im sorry you lost but I will not be bidding on any more hot plates so
you will have a better chance.
I think of a triangle like they teach kids about fire safety with. One part is lab equipment: tools, glassware, other stuff. The next part is
chemicals; bought or made you must have them. The last slice in the pie is knowledge; you can't do anything without it. I am trying to have a
balanced chemical triangle as I don't want to have fancy equipment and no chems or tons of ideas but no glassware.
Post something about your valuable(monetary or otherwise) equipment here; its always interesting to read about the tools of fellow mad scientists.BromicAcid - 27-4-2004 at 18:50
I got a hotplate identical to that one on eBay for $80.00 The seller put it up with a buy it now price of $80.00 and I found it 40 or so minutes
after it was put up. However I rarely use a hotplate. My most used piece of laboratory equipment is actually a beaker. I've only got 5 of them
and it always seems like I need another one or five. I usually got two or them off to the side dissolving something, or settling, or reacting. Then
I keep things in them that I make. So I usually only have one or two free. And I use them for everything! I do use test tubes sometimes but often I
am at the beaker scale. That and glass rods to stir/prod at things with.
So for me just the basics of the labratory are the most valuble by far. fvcked - 27-4-2004 at 20:11
I don't have anything fancy, as Im just now starting to research and study chemistty. But the things I seem to use the most, or replace for that
matter, are stirring rods. I just dont know my own strength sometimes and well, I get carried away alot. I also do miss my very first flask, I loved
that thing. But gravity does have a downside, and so do those damned slippery surfaces . I think the next flask I will buy is a nice large 1L erlen if I can find it.Hermes_Trismegistus - 27-4-2004 at 21:34
This is my most recent draft pick and currently my MVP (at least my least likely to be replaced anyway)
I resisted the temptation to buy a water aspirator and water pump combo and just held my breath and bided my time.
And it almost fell in my lab (and emptied my wallet).
This is my teflon lined, oil-less. chem resistant, grounded and spark protected, diaphram type vacuum pump with lifetime bearings.
I just recently aquired it and I want to hug it and kiss it and wuv it and hold it and cuddle it and I have named her Anisette, and we are madly in
love and we are going to live happily ever after.
thunderfvck - 27-4-2004 at 22:19
Ha. Is that a Barnant Air Cadet?
Right here...http://www.barnant.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=0753040&cls=6911&par=&cat=&sch=552&pfx=&lstBool=true
If so, I have the same one! Sadly, I haven't given her a name...
The pump is probably the most expensive thing I own. I got everything on ebay and this item brand new would cost about $300...I paid about $125 I
think...
Besides that I also have a distillation set which set me back about $225....
Having a credit card is so much fun!Organikum - 27-4-2004 at 23:56
Damn, a show-off thread and I have lost most of my equipment some month ago.
buhu
Most I miss my Mettler-Toledo Metarange electronic scale. Up to 400 gram and in a selectable 80 gram range with microgram precision.
Only thinking about it makes me depressive againSaerynide - 28-4-2004 at 00:29
What happened?
Jam jars are by far the most useful They're cheap and expendible and can
be used to store stuff
[Edited on 28-4-2004 by Saerynide]
thanks Thunder!
Hermes_Trismegistus - 28-4-2004 at 08:31
I didn't know what brand it was! I just had bought it off ebay for $66 U.S.
Now I know where to get replacement parts should the need arise!thunderfvck - 28-4-2004 at 08:56
Damn you! $66 US.
Was this one from the old GC? The second listing? Doesn't have a plug, and no adapter to connect a tube to? Found my adapter at canadian tire. A
metal one, fits perfectly. I could sure as hell use some better tubing though.hodges - 28-4-2004 at 14:00
All my chemicals and equipment are probaly worth a few hundred dollars at most. Probably the most expensive thing I have is a pocket digital scale,
with resolution of 0.1g, which was about $35.
I do have a refrigeration service pump which is worth more but have only used it for physics, not chemistry, so I don't think this counts.sanity gone - 12-5-2004 at 07:36
My digital scale which admittitley is only accurate to 1/10th of a gram, but I'm trying to score a tripple beam balance for 1/100th accuracy.JDP - 12-5-2004 at 07:56
is the wire seen in this picture. It's about $200 worth of pure Pt....
However, the most invaluable equipment is probably my drill press. Couldn't live without it.Eliteforum - 14-5-2004 at 14:17
Has anyone ordered from United Glass Tech before? I'm thinking of buying a distillation setup (24/40) and it's pretty cheap. (Cheaper than
UK prices anyhow)
I was also wondering if someone here has ordered from them, what was their packing like?
Good? Shoddy? Any broken parts?
Do they ship to the UK? (I'll ask this via email but if they do post here whichever comes first.)Mumbles - 15-5-2004 at 18:35
I've ordered from UGT before. I got a vacuum adapter and 3-way distillation adapter. The packing was very good actually. Glassware was clean,
nothing broken. Very professional actually. I'm not sure on the overseas shipping.
My most valuable piece of equiptment is a toss up at the moment. Theres my 200x.01g scale. It is a beautiful piece of machinery that compliments my
microscale chemistry nicely. Great black powder comes from it too. The other possibility is my distillation apparatus.
1 L recieving flask
400mm straight jacket condenser
vacuum adapter
3-way adapter
3L boiling flask(on the way)
all 24/40 joints
Oddly enough I've had to replace every item except the ones from UGT, and one boiling flask. I broke the male end off my first condenser. My
other 1L flask had a star crack in it from the beginning. That star crack developed into a hole. It looks like I might have gotten a new aerial
shell former out of it.JDP - 15-5-2004 at 19:46
Yes very professional, quite good service, great packing, and the guy threw in a 0 to 400C thermometer for me.
Edit: On my other post I should have mentioned that I got my setup from them...
[Edited on 16-5-2004 by JDP]Eliteforum - 16-5-2004 at 03:34
Thanks for the replies. I've emailed them and they will ship oversea's. Looks like I've to put an order in!axehandle - 16-5-2004 at 11:35
Quote:
1 L recieving flask
400mm straight jacket condenser
vacuum adapter
3-way adapter
3L boiling flask(on the way)
all 24/40 joints
That's exactly what I'm looking for! Wonder if they ship to Sweden...
MVP's.
Prince_Lucifer - 16-5-2004 at 22:10
Hey guys,
My most valuable posessions include:
1. Equipment capable of vacuum & fractional distillations, especially my condensors!!
2. My collection of large multi-necked flasks.
I named my 10L triple neck RB medusa
3. I have a heating mantle which accepts a variety of RB flasks, and it has a mag stirrer built into it...She is very special, her name is sweety
hehe. I also have a standard stirrer/hotplate which heats to 500C.
It also has ceramic hotplate, which is good in case of spills! I love my whole lab, we have had so many good tims together
. I think the next flask I will buy is a nice large 1L erlen if I can find it.
