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Is there an optimal plug for maximum filtration rate, and fine mesh size? What is it?
Excess smb in AR
- Thread starter 7CHEESE8
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Googled as per suggestion. Still not too specific as to what most solid sizes are, as far as mesh sizes. I would like to pre filter most solids before running it through the constricted Charmin filter so it doesn't clog as readily. Anybody know what size prefilter works best so my lazy cheap ass doesn't need to go buy a bunch of different mesh filter sizes?
Charmin filter are for difficult solutions not for general filtering.
The fineness is decided by how hard you stuff your plug into the funnel.
And if it is fibre glass cotton, paper or what ever you choose to use.
The fineness is decided by how hard you stuff your plug into the funnel.
And if it is fibre glass cotton, paper or what ever you choose to use.
I use a #2 Whatman or an equivalent lab filter for most everything these days. It is rare that I need anything else. I do use a vacuum flask and Büchner funnel with them. Still on occasion I need something more and depending on what the problem is determines what I make the Charmin plug from and how tight I pack it. I like the fiberglass insulation as it can pack very light for fast coarse material or packed tight and will stop most anything from passing through. It takes some practice and experience to get a good feel for using them but can work really well, especially on smaller jobs. Cotton balls work well and can be packed tight enough to practically stop the flow all together. They can be a bit more finicky to pack loosely in my experience. The heavy paper type shop towels do a good job but are more problematic getting them just right as well.
I feel filtering is the biggest problem for most people trying to get a very clean and shiny gold button. I know it was my biggest problem and the hardest for me to overcome. I started testing various “filters” by running muddy, gritty water through different stuff and settled on my #1 choice of fiberglass and my #2 choice of cotton balls.
Don’t hold me to this but I think the #2 Whatman filter is a 5 micron filter. Been so long since I checked I can’t remember for sure.
I feel filtering is the biggest problem for most people trying to get a very clean and shiny gold button. I know it was my biggest problem and the hardest for me to overcome. I started testing various “filters” by running muddy, gritty water through different stuff and settled on my #1 choice of fiberglass and my #2 choice of cotton balls.
Don’t hold me to this but I think the #2 Whatman filter is a 5 micron filter. Been so long since I checked I can’t remember for sure.
I am making a correction, after weighing again the material after it has been dried completely the yield of processing over 2kg of some weird mylar cables is less than 1 gram 0.57g . It is also in the form of a very fine gold. With all the work involved and everything it is only the learning experience that is left of this. I wanted to start with this material because it was only one type of material.
Geo
Well-known member
Find a used coffee maker at the thrift store. The kind the basket is detachable. Remove the basket. The basket should sit squarely and securely on top of a 1L beaker. Use the coffee filters made for the coffee maker. It is slow but it's premade and ready to use as soon as you get it. After the solution passes through the coffee filter once, you can pass it through a funnel plug. I use cotton balls as they incinerate with very little ash. The first pass, pack the cotton balls in so that water passes through in a thin stream. This will catch the next biggest solids after coffee filters. The next pass through the funnel plug will be with the cotton balls packed tightly enough that just water will only drip through. This will give you a crystal clear solution. It is time consuming. If it is your material and there are no time constraints, it is cheap and easy. Vacuum filtration with lab grade slow filters are relatively faster when you need it done as quickly as possible.
Several years ago I found a plastic cup holder for use on the beach. I would cut the tip off making them into a funnel with an “x” in the middle. These were great as you could use a plug on them and vacuum them on a flask as well. I will see if I can find one or maybe a picture of one. I have not seen them for sale in several years but I haven’t looked for them either.
Close. Think of a funnel with the drain hole closed. Best I recall these were made somewhere in Florida, or the logo was from Florida. It maybe that I am thinking that because that is where I bought them. I bought a dozen for $5.
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Thanks all for the responses.
