While making a cup of tea, I came across my family's tea pot... Not too interesting you say, but this was a very interesting tea pot...
It is a "new" kind of tea-pot. It is made from Pyrex Glass and its "moving-parts" are stainless steel. It works as follows: You
open the lid, pour in the ground coffee/tea, add water, replace the lid, push down the plunger, and then pour.
I don't know if I'm describing this tea-pot very well, but I hope you get the idea now. The plunger in this teapot is made from stainless
steel, and the bottom "platform" has holes in it (like a dessicator. I imagine that instead of putting coffee beans, one could put a
dessicant in the pot, push the plunger down, and then place the item to be dried on top of the plunger.
Also, the spout on the tea-pot will have to be covered. That will be the only modification needed (and a very small one) to have yourself an
"improvised" dessicator. Total cost should be maybe $15.
EDIT: I just found out that this device I speak of is called a French Coffee Pot...although my searches into French Coffee pots have yielded nothing
of the sort of device I have. I will try to find a picture.
[Edited on 3-15-03 by Samosa]tangent - 15-3-2003 at 21:08
actually it's called a "french press"
on the topic of desicators - I have a real one, but need a base plate - does anyone have a spare one they want to part with?
-ttom haggen - 18-2-2004 at 21:38
I was thinking about making a desiccator. However, I have a french press and I think I might try this. If I put some CaCl in the bottom of the pot and
placed a dish of nitromethane on top of the press, do you think this would sucessfully remove the H2O content? How long should I wait?Saerynide - 19-2-2004 at 02:19
Why not just put whatever you want to dry in a beaker, then put the beaker into an airtight glass food jar (the ones with the clamping lids) and toss
a lot of CaCl2 in there around the beaker?tom haggen - 19-2-2004 at 08:53
I will try that too. Right now I was running a test. I put a shot glass filled with CaCl2 inside a jar and surrounded it with water. The shot glass
doesn't seem to be picking up very much water. I think it is because the water level is below the desiccant.DDTea - 19-2-2004 at 11:49
With liquids, can't you simply add a suitable drying agent directly to it? Or is there some reason you are choosing the dessiccator way?I am a fish - 19-2-2004 at 12:02
Quote:
Originally posted by tangent
actually it's called a "french press"
Don't you mean "Freedom Press"?
Seriously though, it is also known as a "Cafetiere".tom haggen - 19-2-2004 at 16:08
Well Mr. Samosa, You have just answered one of my questions. I suppose I will try it your way. I don't think I have ever posted without editing.
I guess I have a lot of typos. I'm sure saying this is setting me up for some kind of joke. Anybody out there with any wit?
[Edited on 20-2-2004 by tom haggen]tom haggen - 20-2-2004 at 16:05
Actually Samosa, I got to thinking (look out) if I use the desiccator method with a liquid I won't have to go thru the trouble of filtering out
my calcium cholride later on. I'm finding that when I put a glass of water surrounded by calcium chloride in side of an air tight jar, that its
not really working that well because there is no air flow.
.........Ground Control to Major Tom.......over......
Hermes_Trismegistus - 20-2-2004 at 18:13
Quote:
Originally posted by tom haggen
if I use the desiccator method with a liquid I won't have to go thru the trouble of filtering out my calcium cholride later on.
Slower than a fly in molasses, git yerself a filter flask.
Dessicators dry powders quickly due to the large surface area to solvent quantity ratio afforded by the grains and spaces between the grains.
Even so, drying can take some serious time.
Liquids have a flat surface.
You'll grow old trying to dry solvents that way.
Accept some losses of solvent/product as a function of the practicible act of chemistry.
Sorry partner. It is how it is.......overtom haggen - 20-2-2004 at 19:03
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.....
Man thats a "major" bummer, I guess I will have to get a darn filter flask then.
P.S. Tom Haggen is not a Major, He is a lawyer.
[Edited on 21-2-2004 by tom haggen]IgnorantlyIntelligent - 22-2-2004 at 07:20
Where might one find CaCl2?
Whenever I need the water removed from my NG I just put it in a shallow pyrex dish I have and let it sit for a week. The water will be floating at the
top. I then put it in a long test tube remove yet more water. It's completely clear by now and ready for fun.Saerynide - 22-2-2004 at 10:24
You can buy it in these containers with 2 layers which you put in your closets to keep the moisture out.
I know what your talking about ingorantly intelligent, When all the water floats to the top it is much easier to suck it off with an eye dropper when
its in a container with a small diameter(test tubes). Unfortunately I couldn't find any of my test tubes the other day. I'm going to have to
blame that on my little sister!
