Sciencemadness Discussion Board

24/40 x 200mm Leibig on eBay - Unbelievable Deal $10 + Free Shipping

Praxichys - 17-6-2014 at 03:23

Hi everyone,

I was shopping last night and found a 24/40 x 200mm Leibig condenser on eBay for $10 with free shipping from China!

This is cheap enough to almost be disposable... It might be some kind of error, so get them while they're cheap. I bought three.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131156736518?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:I...


[Edited on 17-6-2014 by Praxichys]

Burner - 17-6-2014 at 07:06

Good find! That is more than a great deal. Had I not already purchased more than enough USED glassware I would snap up a few of them myself. I do not know how they can sell it so inexpensively.

gdflp - 17-6-2014 at 07:24

Wow, if you look at the sellers selection you can get a 24/40 distillation setup with a thermometer adapter and vacuum adapter for $40 not including flasks.


[Edited on 17-6-2014 by gdflp]

gdflp - 17-6-2014 at 07:53

What are your opinions on the quality of the glass, do you think it will last? If so, I'm thinking about buying this set because I have zero in the way of ground glass currently. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chemistry-Lab-Glassware-Kit-24-40-la...

[Edited on 17-6-2014 by gdflp]

Burner - 17-6-2014 at 08:26

Quote: Originally posted by gdflp  
What are your opinions on the quality of the glass, do you think it will last?


That is an impossible question to answer at this point. I have seen some very good lab glass and some very poor lab glass come out of China.

If I needed any glassware I would give it a shot. The fact that the seller boasts about the lack of bubble defects is a BIG plus in my mind since that is the most common flaw in poorly made lab glass.

aga - 17-6-2014 at 08:46

I ordered a disty rig a few days ago.
tracking say it will arrive in about 10 days.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

At those prices it is worth a punt !
Just the clips for the glassware would cost me more than the total cost of the rig.

Loptr - 17-6-2014 at 10:18

I too have seen this vendor and been tempted to make a purchase. I believe I have also seen them on AliExpress--don't quote me on that, though. I am thinking of purchasing one of their Organic Chemistry kits.

Another vendor that has caught my eye is SGV. Can anyone speak to the quality of their glassware?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Advanced-Organic-Chemistry-Lab-G...

[Edited on 17-6-2014 by Loptr]

Praxichys - 17-6-2014 at 10:43

Quote: Originally posted by gdflp  
What are your opinions on the quality of the glass, do you think it will last? If so, I'm thinking about buying this set because I have zero in the way of ground glass currently. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chemistry-Lab-Glassware-Kit-24-40-la...

[Edited on 17-6-2014 by gdflp]


I've had some pretty poor glass from China before. I got a 500mL sep funnel for something like $28 shipped. The taper on the stopper was nonstandard and the grind was so rough that it leaks without grease. The stopcock was glass and was of usable quality although the ground ends were slightly chipped and the retainer ring could probably be better.

But a sep funnel is not a high-performance item and it has performed dutifully for a year now. I think the real complaint many have with Chinese glass is just the internal stress with respect to thermal resistance.

That said, I will continue to buy Chinese glass because I have found that if the glass does not break in the first high-ish temp distillation run (I typically put new glass though an ethylene glycol distillation using cheap undiluted antifreeze. It's cheap, high-boiling to stress the glass, and relatively inert if it gets spilled) than it likely never will.

I have Kimax, LabGlass, LABOY, Ace Glass, and a bunch of generic stuff from China and it all performs about equally... it's just that the Chinese stuff sometimes exhibits infantile failure. However, I could buy more than 10 of the above condensers for the equivalent at Ace Glass.

So, I bought three. If one breaks, I will still be twice as equipped and have two thirds more money than the American equivalent. Besides, if this is your first ground glass, you are going to drop/chip something in the first 10 times you use it. I guarantee it. Best save the expensive stuff for when you have the experience in handling/clamping the often awkward ground-joint setups.

gdflp, Check this out:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Organic-chemistry-lab-glassware-kit-...

It is exactly the same thing for $10 cheaper.

DrAldehyde - 17-6-2014 at 10:56

Quote: Originally posted by Loptr  
I too have seen this vendor and been tempted to make a purchase. I believe I have also seen them on AliExpress--don't quote me on that, though. I am thinking of purchasing one of their Organic Chemistry kits.

Another vendor that has caught my eye is SGV. Can anyone speak to the quality of their glassware?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Advanced-Organic-Chemistry-Lab-G...

[Edited on 17-6-2014 by Loptr]


I bought that very kit from SGV, it was shipped fast, the place had great communication by email, and the price was a bargain. I tend to pickup used glassware when I can, but the cheap price for such a complete kit was too good to pass up. I have not had a chance to use the set. But it came well packaged, complete, and it looks fine. If you have any specific questions about the pieces in that kit, let me know.

[Edited on Jun-17-2014 by DrAldehyde]

gdflp - 17-6-2014 at 11:20

Quote: Originally posted by Praxichys  

gdflp, Check this out:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Organic-chemistry-lab-glassware-kit-...

It is exactly the same thing for $10 cheaper.


Thanks I actually saw that and thought the same thing at first. It's not the same thing though, the cheaper one has 200mm jacket condensers, the more expensive one has 300mm jacket condensers.



[Edited on 17-6-2014 by gdflp]

Dr.Bob - 17-6-2014 at 12:12

That is truly amazing how cheap this stuff is. My guess is that they are trying to do like many other markets and flood the market with cheap stuff to wipe out the US competitors, and then once there are none left, they can bring the prices back up in due time. They have done that with electronics, fireworks, lithium and rare earth compounds, child's toys, and many other items. But if you want new lab ware, I would buy while the prices are that low, it would be hard to put together a used kit for that little, and when they are paying for shipping as well, this stuff is cheaper than used.

I think that borosilicate glass production ran into environmental issues in the US, as the process for making it had more air pollution than "normal" glass and was thus regulated nearly out of existence, leaving only a few fabricators in the US. It will be interesting to see if they can survive the Chinese glass making industry, but since there are fewer and fewer chemistry jobs in the US, that may not matter much. I would guess that the Chinese are making much of this for their own use, as there have been 10,000's of R & D jobs moved to China in the last few years. And they won't pay Chemglass's prices, I presume, except maybe for one item to copy.

cyanureeves - 17-6-2014 at 14:58

10 keck clips for $4.50? free shipping? cant walk away from this deal because i ruin at least one every time i distill.distilling arms for 24 bucks and knowing how difficult it was to duplicate this with homemade materials makes it all tempting.

FireLion3 - 17-6-2014 at 15:09

Glassware from China is always excessively low price. Correction, almost everything from China is always excessively low price. This doesn't mean it's bad or good quality, but it is worth checking with the vendor. Most will be able to tell you if the glass is thick walled or not.

This isn't really a "deal", as you would slap that label on prices that are temporary. Feel no rush to jump on this price. As long as China exists with it's lack of minimum required pay, very low cost of living, and lack of worker regulations, then these cheap prices will always exist.

I get almost all of my glassware from China. Make sure the vendor you use is good though and get their assurance that the glass is relatively thick walled.

Believe it or not a large majority of the glassware sold on ebay that is sold by US vendors is actually sourced from China and sold at a price hike, as with many items on Ebay.

aga - 19-6-2014 at 12:28

Wow ! The prices have rocketed since yesterday !

I guess they have a measure of the market now.

Bugger.

Edit: i was thinking of buying the essential oil kit.

[Edited on 19-6-2014 by aga]

Hmm. Guess they also have a list of names and addresses too.

[Edited on 19-6-2014 by aga]

gdflp - 19-6-2014 at 13:12

Damn, and I was just about to buy one of the Liebigs.:mad: At least the price of the kits hasn't gone up yet, I'm going to buy one ASAP.

[Edited on 19-6-2014 by gdflp]

Funkerman23 - 19-6-2014 at 18:46

Folks.. I can't say this loud enough: Dr Bob has a VERY BIG point here. PC crap ignored China is nobody's friend. Do not trust or underestimate Beijing. I'm guilty of this to a point as well but I can see now that we are hurting ourselves. If only a little given our limited market share.
Quote: Originally posted by Dr.Bob  
That is truly amazing how cheap this stuff is. My guess is that they are trying to do like many other markets and flood the market with cheap stuff to wipe out the US competitors, and then once there are none left, they can bring the prices back up in due time. They have done that with electronics, fireworks, lithium and rare earth compounds, child's toys, and many other items. But if you want new lab ware, I would buy while the prices are that low, it would be hard to put together a used kit for that little, and when they are paying for shipping as well, this stuff is cheaper than used.

I think that borosilicate glass production ran into environmental issues in the US, as the process for making it had more air pollution than "normal" glass and was thus regulated nearly out of existence, leaving only a few fabricators in the US. It will be interesting to see if they can survive the Chinese glass making industry, but since there are fewer and fewer chemistry jobs in the US, that may not matter much. I would guess that the Chinese are making much of this for their own use, as there have been 10,000's of R & D jobs moved to China in the last few years. And they won't pay Chemglass's prices, I presume, except maybe for one item to copy.

Dr.Bob - 20-6-2014 at 07:16

I only wish it was that easy. I don't think the amateur sales will make a difference. What will kill the US glass business is the lack of any chemistry industry in the US to buy product at all. While some larger companies will still have some work in the US, if the trend continues and most of R & D goes overseas, there will not be enough of a market to keep many US glass and lab supply companies in business.

But if you want cheap glass, buy it now, as in a few years the prices will go up, I have seen that happen in every other industry that the Chinese took over, with only one except, the solar PV cell business, where they built so much capacity that they have flooded the market and driven prices so low that even the Chinese companies are going broke. But eventually even that industry will become reliant on the Chinese and then prices will go up there.

The Volatile Chemist - 20-6-2014 at 07:29

@AGA, sciplus.com has a relatively good oil essentials kit, $95 american made isn't too bad. I prefer second-hand stuff that's still mostly clean, b/c I know it's lasted that far :)
It's much cheaper, not that I'm allowed to buy many things anyways...

Praxichys - 20-6-2014 at 09:49

Quote: Originally posted by The Volatile Chemist  
@AGA, sciplus.com has a relatively good oil essentials kit, $95 american made isn't too bad. I prefer second-hand stuff that's still mostly clean, b/c I know it's lasted that far :)
It's much cheaper, not that I'm allowed to buy many things anyways...


Not to be a naysayer... but how do you know that kit is American made? I get Chinese made Bomex "Chinex" from sciplus all the time. Also, it doesn't come with a thermometer/adapter so it's nonfunctional as-is without another $15 in parts...

Besides, Deschem on eBay has them for $50 including the thermometer.

Funkerman23 - 20-6-2014 at 23:59

... I don't feel so well after reading that. As a college student this isn't good news at all. Pardon my thread derailing though.
Quote: Originally posted by Dr.Bob  
I only wish it was that easy. I don't think the amateur sales will make a difference. What will kill the US glass business is the lack of any chemistry industry in the US to buy product at all. While some larger companies will still have some work in the US, if the trend continues and most of R & D goes overseas, there will not be enough of a market to keep many US glass and lab supply companies in business.

But if you want cheap glass, buy it now, as in a few years the prices will go up, I have seen that happen in every other industry that the Chinese took over, with only one except, the solar PV cell business, where they built so much capacity that they have flooded the market and driven prices so low that even the Chinese companies are going broke. But eventually even that industry will become reliant on the Chinese and then prices will go up there.

Zyklon-A - 21-6-2014 at 06:42

I found a deal like this a few months ago, two Liebig condensers for $9.99. When I ordered it, they said it was out of stock. I also read that the glass was cheap, had broken easily and was sensitive to heat shock.
I wonder how good the quality of this one is...


[Edited on 21-6-2014 by Zyklon-A]

aga - 21-6-2014 at 07:07

Fact is that as a society, China out-performs the rest of the world in terms of economic activity.

All the do-gooding has led the rest of the world to a point where Progress is almost prevented by Law: health & safety, equality, taxes, inspections etc etc.

Quite simply, we cannot afford those luxuries anymore, but i suspect that it is already far too late to even hope to catch up.

HgDinis25 - 21-6-2014 at 17:11

I can easily see this developing into a super potency making the US, Russia, and the entire European Union depending on them. If they want they can easily take this into advantage and most likely decide wich countries develop and wich countries do not (by exportation controls of most valuable goods that will start to only come out of China). And it isn't just China. Other eastern asian countries are doing exactly the same.

aga - 22-6-2014 at 08:51

Quote: Originally posted by HgDinis25  
developing into a super potency making the US, Russia, and the entire European Union depending on them

Already there.
Try buying an all-american-made electronic device.
China has more US currency than the US, which is slightly alarming.

Texium - 22-6-2014 at 09:48

It is largely the fault of the US and other countries that are past their industrial hey-day because of all of the outsourcing...

aga - 22-6-2014 at 11:48

Quite true.
I was born in Sheffield, England, birthplace of Stainess Steel.
One company, Viners, wanted to gain a competative advantage, and outsourced production to China.
They even re-named a city in China as 'Sheffield' so they could stamp 'Made in Sheffield' on it.
Pretty soon the Chinese had all they needed and started selling direct.

Today : no more Viners, no more stainless production in the original Sheffield (well, very very little).

HgDinis25 - 22-6-2014 at 11:53

I think I'm going with aga in this one. China simply doesn't regulate anything about their industry (minimum payment, CO2 emisions, child labor, forced labor, waste control). To produce a glove (silly example hehe) a China takes plastic and modules it into a glove. The US first hires enviromental control agents, factory security oficers, waste regulators, health insurence for the workers, minium salary for the workers and the list goes on. That's why an item made by the US needs to be much more expensive than an item made in China.

But the more important question: is moraly right what China is doing?
Or, perhaps even more important, is the more important question, the morality of China's acts?

Funkerman23 - 22-6-2014 at 13:00

Since this has drifted quite a bit, I will say a few things. China does not have the internal economy of the US or Europe. Whether or not they develop this , and without their own government forcing it, is to be seen. weather or not it such can be sustained long term is even more uncertain. Chinese banking has, for some time, been suspect and often is of two or more minds. Add in a long traditional of hierarchies, bloated bureaucracies and general distrust( both domestic and foreign) and we have a nation who could very easily go to war with itself. Now I have bought and used a fair amount of Chinese labware and not all of it is bad. My hopes are in the west, though. Not in its current management perhaps but in Western civilization as a whole. The trick is to preserve and promote it so new growth is viable.

Loptr - 24-6-2014 at 09:56

Any update or comment on the quality of the glassware?