Sulaiman - 6-7-2015 at 15:11
For distillations up to about 300C
what is a good and cheap cloth to use for thermal insulation?
The books that I have read use asbestos cloth!
I'm looking for a cheap easily available alternative.
I have tried some glass fibre cloth (the type used for car bodywork patches using resin) but it leaves bits of itself everywhere.
Marvin - 6-7-2015 at 15:16
We just used glass wool at university and threw it away afterwards.
numos - 6-7-2015 at 15:17
Just a suggestion, but maybe steel wool layered with cotton, the steel wool against the glass will withstand the heat, while cotton will keep you from
getting burned. Definitely cheap and non-toxic.
Sulaiman - 6-7-2015 at 15:48
I may try the steel wool idea as I have some stainless steel wool on order as packing for a small (C2/00, B10) Hempel type fractionating column.
I may also 'steal' some glass wool from the loft insulation.
Thanks guys.
aga - 6-7-2015 at 15:53
Aluminium foil works well if you half-scrunch it up.
Cheap too.
Edit
A 'half-scrunch' is to crease it up by crushing.
If you crush too much, it becomes a small dense mass rather than a lot of folds to trap air in your Al foil.
[Edited on 6-7-2015 by aga]
macckone - 6-7-2015 at 19:50
Glass wool for wrapping pipes works well. Fiber glass mat for auto repairs also works well.
Another substance that works well is perlite but the you need something to contain the perlite.
Mesa - 7-7-2015 at 19:43
The roof insulation material in most houses works pretty well. It is also free, though your house might get a tad colder in winter as a result 
.
Sulaiman - 7-7-2015 at 22:23
My stainless steel wool for column packing arrived yesterday so I will set up over the weekend and see which option is the easiest.
Thanks for all the input.
zed - 13-7-2015 at 17:30
Well, you probably don't have a Harbor Freight outlet where you live. But, hereabouts....They sell heavy duty glass-fiber-type blankets, for welding
use. Check their catalog.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=welders+...
Not too expensive. Nice. Clean! Love you long time.
[Edited on 14-7-2015 by zed]
Sulaiman - 13-7-2015 at 18:23
I had a look on UK eBay but did not find similar,
but in searching for it I did find this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291330686401?_trksid=p2060353.m143...
A silicone rubber coated fiberglass sheet
which I may try if other options are not easy/clean.
Edit: 14Jul15 ordered one since cheap and looks ok
[Edited on 14-7-2015 by Sulaiman]
ave369 - 13-7-2015 at 23:47
Glass wool is a pretty versatile tool in a home lab. It is useful as a high temperature thermal insulator, it is useful as a substitute for a glass
filter, too.
zed - 16-7-2015 at 12:43
Harbor Freight does ship, but shipping from the U.S. would be too expensive. Perhaps they have a European outlet that ships? You could inquire at
their U.S. offices
There is an inherent wrongness in the acquisition difficulty, guys on the other side of The Pond
sometimes experience.