# I give up (nitric)



## upcyclist (Jan 28, 2016)

Okay, I give up. I can't find anyone in the Baltimore/DC area willing to sell me less than a hundred gallons of nitric acid. It might be because I haven't used an actual yellow pages directory, and I'm realizing that lots of traditional chemical supply places couldn't give a hoot about advertising or listing on the interwebs 

I set up an account with Sigma-Aldrich to see if they'll sell to me. I'm sure I'll get hosed on hazmat shipping charges. I may add a couple more things (DMG, perhaps) to spread out the shipping costs a bit and make myself look like less of a terrorist.

--Eric


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## mls26cwru (Jan 28, 2016)

I used Duda Diesle... its always going to be expensive due to hazmat shipping charges... Only thing I can suggest is buy in volume. I got 10L for $220ish. I am always keeping an eye out for better prices though. I am not sure, but if you can find a place local you may be able to pick it up in person and avoid that hazmat shipping.


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## Anonymous (Jan 28, 2016)

Maybe hook up with a couple of other guys and buy a large batch between you at the right price?


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## jeneje (Jan 28, 2016)

http://www.greenwayproductsinc.com/
Ken


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## Grelko (Jan 28, 2016)

http://www.jadesci.com You should be able to get 500ml, 2.5L etc, I'm not sure if you need a buisness license or not.

They sell pretty much everything, fumehoods, hotplates, lab glass etc. It's in MI.


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## Smack (Jan 28, 2016)

Grelko said:


> http://www.jadesci.com You should be able to get 500ml, 2.5L etc, I'm not sure if you need a buisness license or not.
> 
> They sell pretty much everything, fumehoods, hotplates, lab glass etc. It's in MI.



I get my DMG from Jade and they are very picky about where they ship to.


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## Grelko (Jan 29, 2016)

Smack said:


> I get my DMG from Jade and they are very picky about where they ship to.



Thanks for the info, I was thinking about getting some beakers and other things from them, but if it's going to be a pain, then I'll just try somewhere else.


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## upcyclist (Jan 29, 2016)

Smack said:


> I get my DMG from Jade and they are very picky about where they ship to.


Sigma-Aldrich is the same way--no PO boxes, no residential addresses. 

I also found Consolidated Chemical & Solvents LLC--they say shipping is free (which I'm sure means "built into the price"), but they do carry nitric. Anyone have any experience with them?

My other tactic will be to figure out what other industries use nitric, and call them and see where they get their supply. The catch is they gotta be small enough that they don't use the "minimum order 15 gallons" folks.


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## rickbb (Jan 29, 2016)

Last time I bought some was from Allied Chemical in Texas. Decent price, didn't try to take me to the cleaners on shipping either. 

Didn't need to ship to a business, shipped UPS ground right to my house. I think I ordered from their Amazon listing.


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## Smack (Jan 30, 2016)

Just under 26 cents per gram from Jade.


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## Geo (Jan 31, 2016)

I don't think they will ship to a PO box but they will sell and ship to anyone. 

http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=nitric


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## maynman1751 (Jan 31, 2016)

Geo said:


> I don't think they will ship to a PO box but they will sell and ship to anyone.
> 
> http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=nitric



Geo is right. I have purchased from dudadiesel through e-Bay. No problem.


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## upcyclist (Feb 1, 2016)

I just got an order confirmation from Jade, so I guess they don't have an issue with my address. Yay!

Although I don't get their prices--they had (from the same supplier) both a 500mL bottle and a 6x 500mL bottle set for within two dollars of each other. I may have screwed up and 6x means something else to a native chemist, but their markings are all over the place since they use different suppliers. You can see nitric strength measured in percent, degrees Baume, Molars, and Normals on their site.


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## necromancer (Feb 1, 2016)

as i have mentioned in the past,
I have talked to the local Pool Supplies shop owner, he orders me 4, one gallon jugs of 70% nitric acid at a time from his HCL supplier
he knows what i use it for, i have shown him videos of my process & brought in buttons. wearing my company T-shirt helps too.

talking to people that can assist you can never hurt !! 

it's all about thinking outside the box, if you think inside the box you will run into the edges real quickly !!


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## upcyclist (Feb 2, 2016)

necromancer said:


> as i have mentioned in the past,
> I have talked to the local Pool Supplies shop owner, he orders me 4, one gallon jugs of 70% nitric acid at a time from his HCL supplier
> he knows what i use it for, i have shown him videos of my process & brought in buttons. wearing my company T-shirt helps too.



Great tip, thanks! That was exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of when I said something along the lines of "talk to folk in other industries that use nitric."


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## goldenchild (Feb 3, 2016)

upcyclist,

You can get an awful lot of sodium nitrate and H2S04 for relitively cheap and make your own. But if you don't want to mess with making your own try these guys.

http://www.sierrachemicalcompany.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=1106&category_id=6&keyword=nitric+acid&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

They used to have the prices listed but after subtracting the deposit I remember the price per gallon was very reasonable.


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## iamsogreg (Feb 8, 2016)

I'm about to give up!

I purchased 2.5L 68% HNO3 from a not-to-be-named supplier; but it doesn't act the way it should. I suspect that I received the wrong thing. For instance, I tried the way cool experiment with copper wire (under a fume hood) - no red fog, no green liquid - just a very slow yellowing. The fumes are indeed choking, so it seems reactive - but - I ordered some HCL at the same time. Could the supplier have shipped HCL in the bottle labeled Nitric Acid also ?


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## FrugalRefiner (Feb 8, 2016)

Did you add some water?

Dave


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## iamsogreg (Feb 8, 2016)

I tried it both diluted with an equal volume of distilled water and in concentrated form.


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## Grelko (Feb 8, 2016)

Is it possible that the copper wire had some type of coating on it?


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## iamsogreg (Feb 8, 2016)

No, no coating.


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## Grelko (Feb 8, 2016)

Since I don't use Nitric yet, others would be able to help better with this. The other things I could think of would be to, scratch the wire with a blade or file (check with the nitric afterwards) just to double check, that there isn't some type of clear coat on it, or try to dissolve a different type of metal. If it works properly after that, it was the copper wire, if not, it could be the Nitric.

Just trying to narrow it down a bit.

Edit - added to it


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## Barren Realms 007 (Feb 8, 2016)

If the wire is not coated and you diluted it with the same amount of water and you didn't get red nox fumes I would say you got the wrong stuff delivered to you.


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## iamsogreg (Feb 8, 2016)

Thanks for your response - I've suspected for awhile that it wasn't HN03; it just didn't act right. I think the supplier must have put HCL into that bottle also. Said supplier has at least some history of delivering the wrong chemical (which really could be quite dangerous, depending). Time to switch.


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## upcyclist (Feb 9, 2016)

iamsogreg said:


> Said supplier has at least some history of delivering the wrong chemical (which really could be quite dangerous, depending).


Um, yeah. That could be really bad. 

I'm sure you're trying to maintain a sense of professionalism by not naming them, but I for one think it's appropriate to post (perhaps in a different thread). Not a "these people [create negative pressure], never use them" post, but a factual account of what happened and that you've heard it's not the first time. In my opinion, doing so would be a service to the community.


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## iamsogreg (Feb 9, 2016)

I wouldn't know what thread to post that in. Even though I've lurked on this forum for a long time, I joined so that I could ask that question.

I have contacted the supplier and suggested that they learn about the reduction of defects via the Six Sigma methodology. I don't really want to name them at this time - however, I think the takeaway is this: Don't assume that you received what you ordered - test the chemicals that you receive! We work with some potentially dangerous substances, nothing should be left to chance. And everyone makes mistakes, even a five or six sigma company will make a few (six sigma = 3.4 defects per million opportunities).


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## upcyclist (Feb 10, 2016)

iamsogreg said:


> I wouldn't know what thread to post that in. Even though I've lurked on this forum for a long time, I joined so that I could ask that question.


To me, here in this Chemicals subforum would be most appropriate. The moderators may have other ideas, but that's why we pay them the big bucks 

Speaking of which, if you were to post something in the wrong forum, the mods here are great about fixing it for you with a minimum of fuss. Heck, they must be great--they tolerate _me_!


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## kadriver (Feb 11, 2016)

I've been using GFS Chemical.

Six 2.5 liter bottles delivered for about $240

But, you must have a company name and no delivery to residential addresses.

kadriver


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## astrick99 (Mar 13, 2016)

Hello everyone this is my first post. this is a great forum! I'm learning a lot and having fun doing it. 

Anyways, please don't think I'm laughing at anybody's pain, but I found this thread to be somewhat amusing. I work at a nitric acid plant, hundreds of pounds per hour, 65% Nitric literally on tap!

Truly, I wish you all the best of luck.


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## NobleMetalWorks (Mar 13, 2016)

goldenchild said:


> upcyclist,
> 
> You can get an awful lot of sodium nitrate and H2S04 for relitively cheap and make your own. But if you don't want to mess with making your own try these guys.
> 
> ...



Sierra is okay, Shape out of Oakland has a little better pricing if you are looking for small quantities.

http://www.shapeproduct.com/www/ContactUs.aspx

Scott


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## ZippyTheWonderMonkey (Apr 5, 2016)

I get mine from a local place here in Texas. thermalscientific.com is their website and they ship.

2.5l was $70-something


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## Rmwatson78 (Apr 9, 2016)

Duda Diesel has sent me 10 liters of Nitric twice now, and although I have a legal business name, it's still my residence that they ship to. I never had any problems with them although I was under surveillance by the Feds for awhile and I'm not sure how they got their information. They definitely wanted to know what the Nitric was for.


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