Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Got my first lab setup today!

Got my first lab setup today!

evil_lurker - 19-8-2005 at 08:15

I went out and did it.

Gots a:

Brand new 1000 watt hotplate/stirrer with digital controls

1000 mL separatory funnel

Complete 24/40 distillation kit from United Glass Tech upgraded to flat bottom 2000 mL and 1000 mL flasks.

All for the low price of $433.

I still need some stands, clamps, reflux condensor, coupla more flasks, graduated cylinders, some better scales, a vacuum aspirator and I should be good to go.

12AX7 - 19-8-2005 at 08:47

Makes me want to learn glassblowing.

Congrats

evil_lurker - 19-8-2005 at 09:26

Yeah, glassware is uber expensive stuff, but compared to some other companies, I think I got a real bargain!

Duster - 19-8-2005 at 17:02

I bought all my parts seperate. I thin I spent about $300 or so on a distilling setup with a few extras thrown in since I couldnt help myself (a reaction beaker, some graduated cylinders, some griffin beakers and the like)... I think I got a fairly good deal, but I admit if I could have I would have bought a complete set from UGT. I do, however, have some RBB Flasks from them...

I still need a heating mantle though, and a set of stands and clamps (well mostly clamps, I think I can make the stands)... And Im getting tempted into getting a bigger flask (I have a 1000ml and a 500ml, but I think I may by a 2L or 3L flask as well...)

Other than that Im pretty well set... Oh and chemicals... I need potassium nitrate (would you belive I have 12 quarts of clear sulfuric acid drain cleaner, but no KNO3?)

ADP - 20-8-2005 at 16:56

ebay has some super cheap new glassware. It's uber nice. thats where i got my vacuum distillation setup and gramscale!

Duster - 20-8-2005 at 21:01

One thing to watch out for on ebay is bomex glass. While I personally havent had anything bad happen with it, supposedly it reacts poorly to heating and cooling, and all around just wont last as long.

I personally have a 500ml boiling flask that is bomex, and eventually I will replace it... Eventually...

chochu3 - 7-12-2005 at 08:04

Today I recieved my first organic setup.

I recieved used :
1 x three neck round bottom flask 500 ml
1 x vacuum adapter
1 x west condenser
1 x three neck flask
1 x claisen adapter
1 x thermometer adapter

In goood shape.

also included but was blown for me:
1 x single neck round bottom flask 250 ml
1 x Hempel column
1 x stopper

All ground glass joints at 19/22 made of Pyrex. Used supplies were from Chem Glass Inc.
For $63.00 including shipping. :cool:

It really does help to shop around.

What I payed for was a distillation set and claisen adapter but the last three blown glass pieces were given to me. The 3 neck flask was given to me in exchange for a single neck.

I recieved it within 2 days and payed $4.00 for shipping.
Glassware found at an ebay store called dpglassshop. Very recommended.

I still need to get stands, thermometer, RB single neck flask: 50 ml, 100 ml, and 500 ml, but should be on their way.

[Edited on 8-12-2005 by chochu3]

HPIM0411 redo.JPG - 12kB

tom haggen - 7-12-2005 at 09:35

What did you pay for that digital hot plate stirrer combo? That sounds extremely expensive

stygian - 7-12-2005 at 10:14

congrats on your new glass

edit: both of you

[Edited on 7-12-2005 by stygian]

evil_lurker - 7-12-2005 at 10:16

19/22 I suppose is ok but personally I prefer 24/40 joints.

I'm in the process of replacing the 2L FB flask I bought above as I speak. A careless elderly relative whom I unfortunatly happen to share a residence with decided to move some of my stuff while I had to leave the house on short notice and snapped the neck clean off of it. I honestly don't know HOW THE HELL you can do that without shattering the whole thing. :mad:

A month or so ago she snapped the neck off of my 1L separatory funnel. :mad:

I can say though that as long as she keeps her grubby busybody fingers off things they are very tough. Last night in my remaining 1 L flask I had a batch of ethylsulfuric acid going full reflux and then stuck it in ice water! The stuff never flinched.

Anyways I'm probably gonna order a hempel column sometime along wtih a vacuum pump. I noticed cymar had a 2-stage vacuum pump on sale for $209!. That is what I am going to try to get for christmas.

Douchermann - 7-12-2005 at 13:37

I'm going to buy the parts for a 24/40 distilation aparatus from UGT (I'm not going to buy the kit because there are some parts I would have together that they dont offer in the sets) I have pretty much all bomex glass and it breaks super easily. I buy from American Science and Surplus because I have one about 20 minutes from where I live and they only sell bomex. The only non-bomex glass I have is a pack of 12 microbiology testtubes and a scott/duran 1L Flask. It got kind of frustrating at one point, so I just doubled up on all my beakers and I have an assload of erlenmyer flasks.

Fleaker - 7-12-2005 at 16:17

Just wait until you break your first piece of really really expensive glassware. I broke the jointed end of a $1500+ fractionating column (almost five feet in length) by accident a couple months ago, still haven't gotten over it :-\ Then there was the breakage of a nice 500mm Graham condenser after a bromine synthesis.

Eitherway, my opinion on glassware is to spend extra money on a high quality piece that will last years of abuse. Having something break on you can be inconvenient or even dangerous, especially when do a hazardous reaction. All in all, it would seem more prudent to buy the best you can. I have several thick walled beakers, flasks, and cylinders that have lasted years of use and abuse.

Douchermann - 7-12-2005 at 19:37

Ouch that sucks. Two weeks ago I broke the flask on my pellet lab distilation rig. That pissed me off. The only reason I buy the cheap stuff is because it normally lasts about 3-4 months depending on how much I use it, it has never broke during a synth, mainly during handling and I can buy however many I need at that store.

chochu3 - 24-12-2005 at 11:05

Here's a better pic of my lab. I still working on getting more stuff such as heating mantle and stirrer, but for now a $5.00 heating plate is used, which I take a pot and heat sand in it or water.

HPIM0442.JPG - 69kB

Lotek_ - 28-12-2005 at 23:07

no use making a thread, ill jsut hijack this one

i just ordered a hotplate(http://tinyurl.com/coalw, with http://tinyurl.com/7srra for round bottum flasks) along with a few other things. i shattered my glass alcohol burner boiling some h2so4. the whole damn thing spider webed.

this brings my glass count to:

1 300mm graham condencer
1 125ml sep funnel
2 500ml E-flasks
1 150ml E-flask
2 500ml beakers
1 250ml beaker
1 150ml beaker
2 100ml beakers
1 50ml beaker
1 10ml beaker(lol wtf. used to have a 5ml but lost it lmao)
1 1000ml RB-flask
1 10ml grad cyl
1 50ml grad cyl
1 500ml grad cyl

1 stand
1 3 finger clamp
2 4 finger clamps
1 .01g digital scale

and a whole mess of other misc crap(including white lab coat

xmass pressent hehe. along with a fire extenguisher. hehe)

ive got the condencer hooked up to a 175GPH pump(from back when i had my computer water cooled) and conected to a resivour filled with distilled water and(if needed) stands to put beakers of frozen water on for extra cooling of the water. i keep the whole setup in my fridge to prevent contaminant growth in the water. im planning on adding some anti-alge/antifreeze to it(water wetter, also from when i WC'ed my computer).

im terified of breakign my condencer. if i knock it on something and hear that sound. the horrible "wong" sound of the coil inside vibrating i damn near die.

Nick F - 29-12-2005 at 03:51

chochu3, you should really clamp the neck of your distillation flask too. If you're heating something and it bumps strongly it can make those clips come unattached, especially if they're a bit old. It would be a real shame to lose that three-necker, not to mention the danger.
If you rest your receiving flask on something, and clamp your distillation flask, you won't need any more support for your condenser, although sooner or later you'll be wanting another clamp anyway, so you might as well invest in one...

Nick F - 29-12-2005 at 04:09

And here's my latest piece: a 100mL pressure-equalising dropping funnel. These are good for two reasons: they allow you to drop in air-sensitive reagents by sealing off the top with a rubber septum and transfering your reagent into the funnel with a needle and syringe, and also you can use them to add reagents AND reflux at the same time using single-necked flasks (although admittedly things do get a bit top-heavy, with the flask at the bottom, then the condenser, and then the full dropping funnel at the top...).

Unfortunately, I need to get some adapters. This is my ONLY piece of 19/26. But I'm sure I could borrow adapters from uni...

.
Or, what I might do is sell my random assortment of glass, and then buy it again, but all with the same joint size!

(Editted to add picture, and then TWICE for punctuation!

)

(Editting again to add: I've noticed that most people seem to be using glass hose attachments on their condensers. If you have the choice, I'd recommend buying the screw-on plastic ones. That way you can remove the hose attachment, use as much force as you like to put the hose onto it, and then gently screw it back onto your condenser. It just makes life a bit simpler, and slightly reduces the risk of breakage.)

[Edited on 29-12-2005 by Nick F]

[Edited on 29-12-2005 by Nick F]

[Edited on 29-12-2005 by Nick F]

[Edited on 29-12-2005 by Nick F]

dropping funnel.jpg - 13kB

Lotek_ - 29-12-2005 at 08:00

that funnel is increadable cool. now much did it run you?

chochu3 - 29-12-2005 at 19:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Nick F
chochu3, you should really clamp the neck of your distillation flask too. If you're heating something and it bumps strongly it can make those clips come unattached, especially if they're a bit old. It would be a real shame to lose that three-necker, not to mention the danger.
If you rest your receiving flask on something, and clamp your distillation flask, you won't need any more support for your condenser, although sooner or later you'll be wanting another clamp anyway, so you might as well invest in one...

Already broke the three neck flask. Will be getting another one within one week. It wasn't from the clamps lossening off. They way I broke it was really shitty, but when I don't like somebody I don't like them.

here's a pic of the coocoy (spanish for boogey man) holding my hempel column fucking around, hope it brings a bit of chuckels.

[Edited on 30-12-2005 by chochu3]

[Edited on 30-12-2005 by chochu3]

HPIM0507.JPG - 46kB

12AX7 - 31-12-2005 at 20:59

Pffbt, grow up!

...

(Attached: approx. 10 pound ingot of magnalium metal.)

Tim

PhallicMagnalium.jpg - 52kB

Lotek_ - 31-12-2005 at 23:35

cy broke one of my 600ml beakers last nigt....

he had it sitting on this smooth plastic lunchbox kinda thing(insulated little box that fit like 1.5 soda cans. it makes a good ice bath for small beakers). the beaker had ice in it and we guess that it slowly built up a layer or water under the beaker causing it less fiction. we were sitting at our computers and all of a sudden, crash! the bugger slid right off the lab table.

heh so dont let beakers sit on small insulated surfaces near the edge of a table. heh.

anyone know where to buy inert stoppers? like teflon coated rubber or something?