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Chemistry Equipment


In order to do anything really useful, you need to have SOME good equipment. Even a standard Pyrex mesuring cup will get you off to a huge start. At first I used such equipment along with glass jars to hold things. Chemicals where basic things from the hardware store. This hasn't changed much as they provide most everything you need to synthesize anything else. Useful chemicals are acetone, methonol, hydrochloric(muriatic) acid, sulpheric acid(some drain cleaners), and sodium hydroxide(lye).
Many experiments require a heat source. This can be as simple as an electronic heating element like a wok, but just don't use your stove! Ideally I suppose you would have an official electric heating plate/stirrir or a Bunsene burner.
Here is a list of my current equipment:

Beakers

6 50mL beaker- Pyrex, 1 broken(strong water jet pushed it out of hand when cleaning), from an Ebay lot("beaker lot"), maybe around $25 with shipping

1 100mL beaker- old style Pyrex, my first "real" piece of chemistry glassware, came with a chip

1 150mL beaker- Pyrex, from beaker lot

1 200mL non-pour friendly beaker has no markings, I assume its not heat resistant and am assuming this size

1 600mL beaker- some sort of special markings, I'd have to look at it, I think it said "Flynn Glassware", some sort of promotional piece, from "platinum lot," lot cost $0.50

1 1L beaker- my largest beaker, from beaker lot

Flasks

Boiling Flasks

2 100mL round bottom boiling flasks- generously donated by my neighbor who has been there to teach me many interesting things and help me achieve my goals

1 1L boiling flask- from Salvation Army thrift store, chipped, but hasn't broken...yet, old style

2 2L boiling flasks- generously donated from a friend at my mom's work, he has helped me through chemistry and electronics projects, co-worker and founder or sonolumisence project idea, old style

Erlemyer Flasks

1 125mL Erlemyer flask- old style Pyrex, 40mm shell lot, lot cost me $5

1 250mL Erlemyer flask- new, from a garage sale(didn't buy anything else), was pretty random, found it in the kitchen, paid $2

Side-Arm Flasks

2 125mL side-arm flasks- got these in my volumetric flask lot, I think one of these had some sort of clear crystals in it when I got it...not sure what they where

1 250mL side-arm flask- got this in my volumetric flask lot

Volumetric Flasks

1 5mL volumetric flask- Kimex, smallest one I've ever seen, all volumetric flasks are from an Ebay "volumetric flask lot", so aptly named. Paid around $15(including shipping) for entire lot

2 10mL volumetric flask- one of these has faint markings(Kimex one, other is Pyrex)

1 25mL volumetric flask- only volume mark left, I'm assuming its this size

2 50mL voumetric flask- one has faint markings, both are Kimex


Graduated Cylinders

1 100mL graduated cylinder- Pyrex, my second piece of "real" glassware, unfortuntaly it was broken in an accident and is down to 40mL..maybe I'll post a section showing cause and effect of why you don't do certain things in chemistry one day, got it for $2, was in very good condition

1 100ml graduated cylinder- not heat resistant, from some aquarium equipment, got for $1


Glass Tubing

1 drying tube- took me a while to figure out what it was for, from 40mm shell garage sale.

1 bent glass tube- from Lionel set, the Lionel tubes don't fit my stoppers!

1 straight glass tube- from Lionel set


Test Tubes

2 "medium" test tubes- I know they normally give measurements...but I don't know them and don't feel like measuring it. Not marked with any "Pyrex" sort of symbol, so I'd imagine they aren't heat-proof.

2 "small" test tubes- from Lionel chemistry set...probably was a collectors item...kind of beat up...oh well! Was missing the lamp anyway, not marked heat resistant, but I know that you are suppose to be able to heat them


Ring Stand Related

1 bunsene burner- kindly donated by my friend at the local hardware store, big, has a grid on top, made by Fisher Scientific

1 ring stand- very clean, has square, metal base, donated by friend at hardware store(Steve)

1 3 pronged clamp- allows for pressure adjustment, donated along with ring stand

2 rubber clamps- got from some photography equipment, one is a little broken, but still useable if you are careful

2 "beam" connectors- got from photography equipment garage sale, made by Fisher Scientific, use to connect multiple rods together, not sure on name


Household Pyrex

2 custard cups(regular size)- this came from the same sale as my first beaker

1 custard cup(large)- same sale as others, great for drying things

1 measuring cup- Pyrex, I actually have several of these, but I'll have to check exatly what I have


Micelaneous

1 Electrophoresis power supply(Fisher Biotech 105)- broken, but thats why I have it

1 Face shield- very good ideam, especailly when executing a project that has a high enthalpy and rapidly releases gases


Still have to inventory stuff out in my actual lab. Mostly these are the larger items, and some items that I had stored in my room. There are more volumetric flasks, some beakers, and maybe some other stuff I've forgotten. I'd also like to add pictures of all of these. They are low resolution, so they shouldn't be too bad.

So...I've totaled up what I think I've spent, and all of the above glassware(plus some stuff I haven't added yet) has cost me:

$25.00(beaker lot)

$15.00(volumetric flask lot)

$5.00(40mm shell lot)

$3.00(approx thrift store purchases, actually less than this)

$2.00(first beaker lot)

$2.00(250mL Erlemyer flask)

$2.00(graduated cylinder(Pyrex))

$1.00(graduated cylinder(regular))

$0.50(platinum lot)

--------

$55.50

Doesn't seem too bad to me considering the amount of stuff I have. I love efficiency! In any case, I've been pretty happy with my investment and it has allowed me to try all of those fun things you aren't suppose to do in the lab.

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