why safety is always important!

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artart47

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
545
Location
North Cape, wi
Hi Friends!
Don't ever think " Oh! I'm just decanting some solution" or "It's just a few seconds to test with a Q-tip" why bother with the safety glasses! You never know what freak thing that you never thought of will happen and you could loose your eyesight, get burned or worse!
I just want to share something that happened yesterday. never expected it, but, it could have been serious.
I was using my turkey baster to remove to solution from the top of a large beaker of copper chloride solution. I was squeezing the bulb and sucking up the liquid, then would tip it back on the edge of the beaker to let the liquid fill the bulb so I could expel the air. then I'd suck up a second bunch of liquid. When I gave the bulb a squeeze to empty it into a second beaker, a thin stream shot out a hole in the bulb, past my shoulder and went on the ground. Could have got me in the face.
I'm going to get a face shield instead of the glasses.
Things can go wrong in a second! NEVER take safety lightly!
artart47
 
In honesty if your using household items them expect problems and failures, they are made to cope with domestic situations not harsh chemical environments, even laboratory equipment will fail if subjected to abuse or from ageing.
Always always test your equipment and discard old and worn pieces as many of the chemicals we use are dangerous, keep all your working kit clean and free of acids or alkalis after use, if it looks tired and worn change it.
 
Art

Check out your local farm supply &/or veterinary & get your self some large syringes - they are more reliable & "much" easier to control & work with then a turkey baster

The 2 with the tape (red & yellow) are 60ml size & I have put a length of tubing on the end where the needle goes for reaching down into the bottom of the beaker

The red tape marks that one for being used with nitric solutions & the yellow tape is marked for chloride solutions

The two with the larger nozzle end are used for starting siphons - small one for shorter hoses & large one for longer hoses

they hold up quite well to the acids

Kurt
 

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The two lower syringes in Kurt's picture can be found in many grocery stores in the utensil section. That is where I get mine for $1 each or a two pack for $1.69. I love them used the way he mentioned. Nitric is a bit hard on them but they still last quite a while.
 
I'm just very glad you didn't get hurt! Veterinary syringes last a while, costs close to nothing and have multiple uses.

Marco
 
Shark said:
Nitric is a bit hard on them but they still last quite a while.

If you rinse them out right away they will last longer

If there are any solids suspended in the solution that seems to be harder on them then the acids

Kurt
 
kurtak said:
Shark said:
Nitric is a bit hard on them but they still last quite a while.

If you rinse them out right away they will last longer

If there are any solids suspended in the solution that seems to be harder on them then the acids

Kurt

That is very true. The ones I use do last a while, but will eventually play out. I think it is mainly because they are for kitchen use rather than vet supplies. What ever it is, I would be almost lost with them.
 
Using a syringe compared to decanting.

For:
  • No splashing
  • fine control
  • The ability to suck from just under the surface
Against:
  • $1

A year on, I still like to use one of these. http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=20505&p=211192&hilit=60ml+syringe+catheter#p211192
 
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