Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Mystery Glassware Identification Thread

Mystery Glassware Identification Thread

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carrant - 2-4-2016 at 21:55

These items were included in an auction lot that I picked up.

The auction lot consisted of vortex mixers and these items, which were labelled as accessories.

The only label is on the bottom of the large piece with the two cylinders (second picture).

I visited Ann Arbor Plastics' web page but didn't find any links to their scientific products department.
Ann Arbor Plastics

I've tried to assemble the pieces but they don't seem to fit, so I've been wondering if perhaps they are a collection of disjointed pieces that were tossed in the auction lot OR maybe there are pieces missing from the set.

Harristotle - 3-4-2016 at 03:21

They are parts for liquid chromatography, beloved of biochemists of old.
The red bases attach on either side to a glass tube, have a plastic "bed support" and the glass tube is packed with a gel - usually a dextran that is selective for molecular size (eg Sephadex, Sephacryl). There should be a thin pastic tube that comes out of the long white "pipes" that go into the red bits. There is probably the brand name Pharmacia written on some of that stuff.

The plastic base with the two disks recessed in it is a gradient maker. You fill up the highest on one side, and the lowest concentration on the side with the hole drilled under it. You pop a magnetic stirrer on the lowest side, then draw fluid out. This gives a low-> high gradient that is useful to elute (salt off) proteins from columns, or to make a variable pore-sized acrylamide gel for electrophooresis.

Nice, reminds me of my youth. Great for protein purification/separation, not much else.

[Edited on 3-4-2016 by Harristotle]

carrant - 3-4-2016 at 07:54

@Harristotle - Thank you for the information!

urenthesage - 15-4-2016 at 04:57

Quote: Originally posted by electrokinetic

I recently received a rather large treasure trove of glassware from a friend who is a chem professor. Incredibly, he found all of it in or by the dumpster when he was leaving work!!!

This piece is stuck to the top of a Vigreux column. My friend had no idea what it was other than the obvious: it was part of a distillation setup. I have searched google, and posted it on another forum. Someone finally suggested that it is probably a distillation splash head, and I think he's probably right, but I thought I'd post it here and see what the community here says. After all, as the someone also pointed out, if it is a splash head it would be pretty pointless at the top of a fractionating column.

This looks to be a custom made high capacity drying tube.

[Edited on 1-13-2016 by zts16]

Ruski - 27-4-2016 at 09:42

In This video on Potassium Chlorate Electrolysis there is a particularly bizzare piece of glassware, any ideas what you would call this thing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FyGP-zSpZo

aga - 27-4-2016 at 11:04

The first one is what is called a 'Beaker'

The next one i would call an offset 4-neck head, although i just made that up.

JJay - 27-4-2016 at 11:29

That's a reaction vessel. I think the 4-neck thing is called a "reaction vessel head." I understand that reaction vessels are not uncommon in industry; they certainly look easier to clean than boiling flasks.

Dr.Bob - 28-4-2016 at 09:11

I have some of the reactor heads with 3, 4, and 5 joints, the bottoms I don't have much of, so if anyone has the bottom but not the top, let me know. They are basically jars with flanges, so that part might be cheaper, but few things in chemistry are reasonable.

jamit - 28-4-2016 at 09:23

I have the bottom and top of these reaction vessels. They are amazing! Way better in my opinion than rbf for distillation -- they look amazing. Plus it is so much easier to clean. the key piece of equipment for these reaction vessel are the clamps. they are not cheap. around 100.00.

Texium - 13-5-2016 at 10:03

Found this today at my school. It has a fritted disc in the right chamber, and the tube connects the two chambers, but the vertical part at the botom is just a solid piece of glass.

j_sum1 - 14-5-2016 at 03:26

Interesting piece of glass. Let's see if we can figure it out.

The only plausible reason for the fritted glass that I can think of is for filtering. Long and thin so it must be a hassle to clean -- unless of course it is only going to trap a very small amount of something. And of course it needs to be on suction. Left side has ground glass joint so suction adapter can be put on easily.

I think it is a device for cleaning gases. Filter particulates out on one side. Dessicate it on the other. Actually looks pretty useful to me. Short solid bit of glass probably fits into a holder of some kind -- either for use or for storage.

j_sum1 - 14-5-2016 at 05:39

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ace-glass-soxhlet-apparatus-50-30-in...
Advertised as a soxhlet. Obviously it is not. But what is it?

And then there is this one:
www.ebay.com/itm/Kontes-glass-dual-column-evaporater-condens...

[Edited on 14-5-2016 by j_sum1]

Funkerman23 - 1-8-2016 at 22:14

If this helps, its part of a sulfur determination apparatus. Here is a site that sells them ( supposedly) http://www.krackeler.com/catalog/product/3668/Corning-Pyrex-... . I'll have to look elsewhere for docs on how to actually use said apparatus though, as I have never needed one nor have had the chance to use one..

Quote: Originally posted by zts16

Found this today at my school. It has a fritted disc in the right chamber, and the tube connects the two chambers, but the vertical part at the botom is just a solid piece of glass.

[Edited on 2-8-2016 by Funkerman23]

Metallus - 4-8-2016 at 00:59

I found this glassware in the place where I work. I asked everyone who worked in that lab, but noone has a clue on what it is and it looks like it hasn't been used for like 15+ years.

It's a bit sad, considering it is in good condition (just a bit dusty). I'm somewhat certain it was used for some type of distillation.

I've drawn a sketch to show how the flasks are connected:

The first flask is connected to a serpentine and to what resembles a condenser. The second flask is connected to a pipe that dips in the "condenser" and there are small holes on it (maybe to absorb/desorb gas?).

It got 2 heaters (caldaia), 1 cooling system (raff) and a "line" button that I don't know what is used for.

There is also a tube connecting the two columns which is regulated by a switch.

Any idea on what it is and how and why it was used?

I tried figuring out how it works but I'm stuck in a loop:

1) Let's assume you start filling the "condenser" from the bottom to the top with water; since it's connected to the 1st flask, by gravity it will also inevitably fill the 1st flask up to the height of the top exit. If the filling rate is slow, the water will not be able to overflow and pass through the serpentine. Start heating the 1st flask: if the water in the 1st flask was isolated, it would evaporate, pass through the serpentine, condense on the cold water of the condenser and finally exit. However, since they are linked, I don't see the usefulness of doing such thing (you would be heating water that gets replaced with cold water everytime and would not be able to evaporate. Even if the filling rate was so slow to allow for the evaporation of water, you would have hot water in the 1st flask and in the "condenser", so why would you do such thing?).

2) Let's assume you fill the 1st flask to the height of the bottom entry, then stop. Start heating the 1st flask: the water will evaporate, pass through the serpentine that dips in... hot water and then exit. Because the 1st flask and condenser are linked, the water will be hot in both, so I don't really see the purpose of this.

3) Let's assume you don't fill the condenser and close the water entry/exit. Start heating the liquid inside the 2nd flask; this will evaporate and pass through the pipe that dips in the condenser. If it condenses, it will end up in the 1st flask. Start heating the 1st flask, the freshly distilled liquid will evaporate again and pass through the serpentine, "condense" (??) and exit. This way it would function as a multi-step distillation, but then what is the purpose of the condenser? Couldn't it have been manifactured in a less complex manner if that was the purpose?

What really bugs me is the fact that the first flask is linked to the condenser.

PS: I wouldn't know how to disassemble it. Every piece is melted together, so there is no way to clean/scrub it from nasty stuff, if not passing tap water through it. This led me to think it was mainly used with water or for degassing something not so nasty. Maybe to distill water? Don't know

[Edited on 4-8-2016 by Metallus]

Sulaiman - 4-8-2016 at 04:51

it could just be a dH₂O still,
water in at right, auto-fill of first pot (2) distill to pot1 for a second distillation ?
(assuming a glass disc sealing the bottom of the condenser)
The clip on the condenser could be something like a thermistor or thermal switch to remove heating power in case of loss of cooling water flow?

Use discontinued due to poor location of drain taps ?

[Edited on 4-8-2016 by Sulaiman]

Metallus - 4-8-2016 at 05:55

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

it could just be a dH₂O still,
water in at right, auto-fill of first pot (2) distill to pot2 for a second distillation ?
(assuming a glass disc sealing the bottom of the condenser)
The clip on the condenser could be something like a thermistor or thermal switch to remove heating power in case of loss of cooling water flow?

Use discontinued due to poor location of drain taps ?

[Edited on 4-8-2016 by Sulaiman]

I went and checked. Indeed the bottom of the condenser is sealed. Damn, I looked at it from every angle and it didn't seem sealed at all. That was the single thing that was irritating me. The fact that the condenser and the flask were connected didn't make sense at all to me. I had to actually fill it water to see that it wouldn't go in the first flask.

Ok, with this setup now it makes sense:

Boil water in the 2nd flask, it evaporates and condenses in the pipe that is isolated from the condenser (it doesn't actually dip in it as I feared but goes through it). The condensed water enters the 1st flask where it boils again and condenses in the serpentine, and finally comes out.

Now I only have spare questions:
1) What are those small holes in the pipe for? I can clearly see these super tiny holes, maybe not big enough to let water through, but what are they for?
2) Is there any particular reason as to why the first time it condenses it's through a straight pipe and the second time it condenses is thorugh a serpentine?
3) Do you think this setup could be employed to distill something else outside water? I mean, something that may actually require a second distillation, like crude oil, or a fuel or some alcohol etc. Which substance would benefit the most from this apparatus? We already have an automatic machine for ultrapure distilled water and I wanted to give this apparatus a reason to exist. It looked cool the first time I saw it

Sulaiman - 4-8-2016 at 06:55

are they holes? (not clear on my laptop)
could be Vigreaux-style indentations to increase surface area
which would answer Q2 also.

Metallus - 4-8-2016 at 08:26

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

are they holes? (not clear on my laptop)
could be Vigreaux-style indentations to increase surface area
which would answer Q2 also.

Yes, taking a close look to the pic I posted, they look like inward fingers, so they are most likely Vigreaux indendations as you said.

Do you know what use could have the pipe connecting the two flasks? Why would you ever connect them with the switch?

Sulaiman - 4-8-2016 at 09:08

my guess would be a three way valve;
left/none/right connected to outlet, hole in tap is a 90 degree bend ?

Metallus - 5-8-2016 at 01:42

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

my guess would be a three way valve;
left/none/right connected to outlet, hole in tap is a 90 degree bend ?

Today I confirmed that those indendations aren't exactly vigreaux ones (the latter have a 45° inclination, these are at 0°), but they are most certainly used for the same reason.

As far as the valve is concerned, I found out that . ... it has no outlets lol. It's simply sitting there, with no holes, blocking the connection between the two flasks no matter how you turn it. It is just a plug.

I don't know why they'd put it there. Maybe pull it out to empty omogeneously the two flasks? What would be the purpose of such thing though?

And assuming it was just a replacement for a valve that got lost, why would you manifacture said valve with a 90° outlet fashion? Do you think there could be an application for a valve that actually connects the two flasks when switched on the "on" position?

Sulaiman - 5-8-2016 at 02:35

I would remove the drain tap for inspection as the hole (or groove) may be blocked with carbonates etc.

Metallus - 5-8-2016 at 03:00

I had already removed it for close inspection. It's a frosted tap, smooth and flat. I also inspected the bottom, which was transparent, to see if I could spot an internal "canal" or something, but it is just a plug.

I'll go take a photo
-
With flash and without (I wetted it to see through the frosting)

[Edited on 5-8-2016 by Metallus]

Toady - 16-10-2016 at 06:56

Greetings.

Toady here, aka Tsathoggua, but you can call me Tsath'.

Tried to register under that nick, but it looks like it was already taken. Although I do not recollect having registered previously. Not surprising, post excitotoxicity clusterfuck. May well not have been me, of course.

Anyway, first post. A mystery bit of glass, going for pocket change on ebay some time ago, snapped it up and figured I'll find out what it's for then put it to good use.

Seller had no idea, it was part of a mixed collection of random items and it seems like they just happened to have a piece of lab glass knocking around.

The top is a ground glass female fitting with a fairly long, curved hose barb about 1'' from the end of the ground glass joint proximal to the barb, connecting to a bulb, a bump trap I'm thinking here, which has an upward curved short connecting section of glass tubing leading down into a male joint, which widens just slightly at the beginning of the joint taper and above it, compared to the downward section, which also connects (this is the secxtion on the left) to the wider bore section of glass connected to the bulb, situated above the left hand fitting on the lower end is another tube connecting it with the central bore, U-bend shaped, whilst the right side bears another male joint of similar shape, with a doubly connected section of tubing, the lower connection is situated just above the bottom of the central bore. Whilst the one connected by the U-bend on the left hand side leads directly into the base.

Not seen anything like this before. Best I can think of is some kind of Dean-Stark/still bastard-child.

j_sum1 - 16-10-2016 at 19:36

I'll agree that it is weird. Left side looks like the siphon on a soxhlet. Right side looks like Dean Stark -- or more particularly the type of collection unit used in essential oil extractions. I can't really see how you would get the two to work together though.

Toady - 17-10-2016 at 10:27

Could it be for removing water or other solvent from a second solvent azeotropically whilst recirculating the solvent from which the second substance (be it water or other solvent) is to be removed through either something like a soxhlet thimble or other filter of some kind?

Not familiar with the equipment concerning essential oil distillation you speak of, aside from the principles of steam distilllation. However the way I would go about a steam distillation of course, is going to differ from how industry does it.

aga - 17-10-2016 at 13:21

This one looks really odd, and cool too.

Stab in the dark: wierd distillation gizmo.

Condenser goes on top.
Collection flask goes bottom Left.
Boiling flask goes bottom right.

Vapour enters the central column via the middle right hand pipe.

Condensed liquid collects at the bottom of the central column until it overflows via the bottom pipe into the collection flask

The left hand pipe serves as pressure equalisation for the collection flask.

If the collection flask is full, liquid can overflow back into the boiling flask by the bottom right hand pipe.

The top right hand pipe is there in case it all goes fubar with airlocks and the liquid somehow fills the central column.

Maroboduus - 19-10-2016 at 15:01

Looks like a reversible oil separator to me. One way around it collects lighter than water oils from steam distillation.
Reverse the collection and boiling flasks and it collects heavier than water oils from steam distillations.

And it could obviously do the same for any other distillation with a 2 component distillate.

This is just what it looks like to me. Never seen one before though. But it seems to be a simple and elegant way to achieve those ends without a bunch of external tubing or valves.

j_sum1 - 19-10-2016 at 15:22

Quote: Originally posted by Maroboduus

Looks like a reversible oil separator to me. One way around it collects lighter than water oils from steam distillation.
Reverse the collection and boiling flasks and it collects heavier than water oils from steam distillations.

And it could obviously do the same for any other distillation with a 2 component distillate.

This is just what it looks like to me. Never seen one before though. But it seems to be a simple and elegant way to achieve those ends without a bunch of external tubing or valves.

I think you got it.
Now I want one.

Maroboduus - 19-10-2016 at 15:36

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

Quote: Originally posted by Maroboduus

I think you got it.
Now I want one.

Same here. Natural products make great starting materials for some of the most interesting reactions.

j_sum1 - 19-10-2016 at 15:52

Agreed. I have an enormous camphor-Laurel tree outside my house. (Actually, the streets are lined with them. They look great but have very invasive root systems.)
Anyway, on my list of things to do is a camphor extraction. Now there's an excuse to buy a soxhlet.

Chemetix - 19-10-2016 at 16:17

I can make any glassware that takes your fancy. The customised odd looking stuff is always more fun.
Our website:
http://www.ptlabservices.com.au

j_sum1 - 19-10-2016 at 16:42

Quote: Originally posted by Chemetix

I can make any glassware that takes your fancy. The customised odd looking stuff is always more fun.
Our website:
http://www.ptlabservices.com.au

Looks great chemetix.
Details of your prices and shipping policy would be nice. Maybe you could write yourself a little ad in synthsource. See my sig for details.
(The aussies may as well take over the site.

)

Chemetix - 20-10-2016 at 03:13

Thanks J_sum. I generally do professional work where the customer asks for a quote and raises a P.O. for the job. I hadn't really thought about the hobby market until now.
For now I'm happy to take inquiries and I'll see what I can do to meet a budget. I'll look into synthsource, (mind if I U2U you J_sum with some questions?)

P.S. my site is being rebuilt ATM and there a few things missing, the tricky e-commerce stuff is harder to set up so it's basics for the moment, it's best to send an e-mail with an inquiry and I'll get back to you for the time being. (I miss the simplicity if a yellow pages ad and a phone; whoever said the information age would make life easier-lied)

NedsHead - 3-12-2016 at 21:04

I stumbled across this "chemistry experiment item" lol http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/katoomba/collectables/chemist... it looks like it's seen a lot of "experiments"

Aquired some glassware and an old rotavapor-R

Hazza001 - 11-1-2017 at 12:31

Hi all this is my first post on this forum so if this isn't in the right place please move it

I recently aquired a Buchi Rotavapor-R and with is came an odd piece of glassware and wondered if anyone could help me identify it. I dont think it belongs to the Rotovap but I could be wrong?

The tube on the left has graduation marks to 25cm3
The tube on the right has a very thin tube running up the centre

If you would like more detailed pics let me know

Thanks for your time

H

[Edited on 11-1-2017 by Hazza001]

Maroboduus - 11-1-2017 at 15:48

Looks kinda like one of those things for getting liquids out of storage bottles without exposing them to atmospheric contamination.

(Just what you need to keep your SO3/ dimethylformamide complex from turning too orange on you before you can use it to make a certain amide for the next Dead show.)

DJF90 - 11-1-2017 at 16:05

Its an auto-filling burette?

Hazza001 - 11-1-2017 at 22:22

Ah that makes sense I did come with a bulb for applying pressure so it could work for both purposes will test it at some point with some water.
Seems like one of types things which would be a nightmare to clean ha ha
Thank you
H

Texium - 11-1-2017 at 22:41

They are a nightmare to clean. I have one (pictured earlier in this thread I believe) and it's been sitting around dirty for months now since the last time I used it. They're cool, but regular burettes are actually less of a pain in the ass I think.

DJF90 - 12-1-2017 at 02:07

It is intended to sit in a bottle of standardised solution ready for whenever the need for titration arises. As such it is not meant to be cleaned on a regular basis, rather dedicated to a single titrant.

Mabus - 14-1-2017 at 07:22

Quote: Originally posted by zts16

They are a nightmare to clean. I have one (pictured earlier in this thread I believe) and it's been sitting around dirty for months now since the last time I used it. They're cool, but regular burettes are actually less of a pain in the ass I think.

10 ml automatic burettes are a huge pain in the neck to not just clean, but operate. If your liquid is more viscous than water, and you pump it too quick in the burette cylinder, very often it will get stuck midway due to capillarity. You will have to keep the burette valve open and keep refilling the burette cylinder until the solution level is high enough that it will push the air downwards, though I've had cases when even that didn't work, the liquid would sometimes drain around the air bubble, and I had to completely empty it and restart all over again until I finally managed to fill it properly, which sometimes would take like 10 minutes when it should only take 1 minute. Any automatic burette with a volume larger than 10 ml is much easier to maintain and use, even when they clog.

j_sum1 - 5-2-2017 at 03:55

This was fun to watch. But I haven't got a clue what it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uICxaafY_M

And these!!! There's some weird stuff there. And maybe 10% is obvious what it is for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIcpc0eJ5XE

[Edited on 5-2-2017 by j_sum1]

Chemetix - 5-2-2017 at 13:27

My suspicion is that the first one is a custom steam distillation flask, it has an integrated distillation flask with the water boiling flask.

The other items in the second youtube vid are exam pieces for glass blowers. You get given a drawing which contain elements of glass blowing skills and become progressively harder to do in a given time as the course progresses.

Activated carbon filters and weird timber mortar and pestle like thing

Panache - 18-2-2017 at 01:51

unionised - 18-2-2017 at 06:35

Not a filter as such: it's an air sampling tube
http://www.skcinc.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5...

Panache - 27-2-2017 at 15:03

Firstly the wooden thing from a couple of posts back is a crucible die, for stamping out foil crucibles.

This thing here is the dandest thing. It is finely cut black stone, very heavy and has two electrical fittings to it where it would appear something sits. Never seen a bit of kit made from stone and

Lefaucheux10 - 5-3-2017 at 08:10

here one piece of glassware

there is no hole between the two part

any idea ?

[Edited on 5-3-2017 by Lefaucheux10]

Sulaiman - 5-3-2017 at 08:45

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abderhalden's_drying_pistol

Lefaucheux10 - 5-3-2017 at 08:47

thank you very much i was thinking of an sublimation thing ...

Dr.Bob - 5-3-2017 at 18:45

If anyone here wants their own drying pistol, I have a few of these. I don't know if I have the other piece (tube with a male joint to put the drying agent into), but I can look around.

j_sum1 - 5-3-2017 at 18:59

I don't understand how this works. Is it some kind of cold finger in a gas stream?

Deathunter88 - 5-3-2017 at 22:43

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

I don't understand how this works. Is it some kind of cold finger in a gas stream?

The idea is you put your compound that you want to dry in the inner class chamber. Then you hook a round bottom flask and a condenser onto the outer chamber. After that you can connect a drying tube or something to the third joint leading into the middle chamber where you placed your compound. After that is all done, you choose a solvent that has a boiling point at the temperature you want to dry at. Say you have a heat sensitive compound that decomposes above 60 degrees. Then a solvent you could use would be acetone, since it has a boiling point of 56 degrees. Since the tube with your chemical is immersed in the vapor stream, it will be kept at a constant temperature (the BP of the solvent you use). Quite ingenious actually.

j_sum1 - 5-3-2017 at 22:50

Quote: Originally posted by Deathunter88

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

I don't understand how this works. Is it some kind of cold finger in a gas stream?

So you need a drying tube with a female joint to make it function properly.
Or you could use a two neck flask, condenser and a thermometer well with a glass wool plug pushed half way down and some CaCl2 on top.

i love these ingenious ideas people have come up with and thinking how I could achieve the same or similar result.

Brom - 9-3-2017 at 10:55

I found this in a small box labeled special cell B. Any ideas what it is designed for?

diggafromdover - 9-3-2017 at 11:03

If the wire is resistance wire, then the cell could be used in a device like a ketene generator.

Brom - 9-3-2017 at 15:09

Now that i think of it, i found some leads in the same drawer that i found the item in. Ill get them next time i go by and maybe it will help to figure out what it is for sure.

A Halogenated Substance - 24-3-2017 at 10:14

I bought a piece of glassware from an antique shop that I found interesting today. I originally had thoughts of using it in part as a drying tube or some kind distillation setup piece.

The owner said that to him, it looked like a piece of equipment used to brew moonshine (though I have no such interests).

Anyone know exactly what this is and perhaps some good lab applications for it?

byko3y - 24-3-2017 at 10:34

Looks like a burette blank to me.

Any Ideas?

SgtAltek - 30-3-2017 at 08:05

Found this in my chem lab, my teacher doesn't even know what it is.

gdflp - 30-3-2017 at 08:11

That looks like a Soxhlet extractor modified so that the material to be extracted is outside of the vapor path. In a normal Soxhlet, the chamber containing the material to be extracted is heated by the vapor coming off the lower flask, something which is actually advantageous in many cases. It can be undesirable though, so I would guess that it's basically a Soxhlet extractor for temperature sensitive compounds.

[Edited on 3-30-2017 by gdflp]

100PercentChemistry - 9-4-2017 at 18:30

Anyone know what this is? The clamps feel like tungsten.

Panache - 21-4-2017 at 05:48

The first two I believe Are the same device just different scales and configurations and they came from the same bulk lot.
The third one I have a bunch of different sizes etc, I'm guessing electrochemical thing?
The forth is my fav fuck knows whatitis item.

Panache - 2-5-2017 at 01:15

Fuck me 100%chemistry, I have one of those I have kept for about a decade, except the only have the glass part on the far right. No idea what it's for!

j_sum1 - 31-5-2017 at 18:57

For sale on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Glass-Column-4-tube-Connections-350m...

Any ideas?

Milipore filter

RogueRose - 1-6-2017 at 09:50

I found this unit for sale and I'm not exactly sure how it works and want to verify it before I buy. The bottom piece that has the 40/35 joint and vacuum port is the receiver - correct? What size paper would this use and can the filter paper/material be custom cut to be placed in there and can a piece of cloth be used if large particles are only needed to be removed?

I found this for $10 + shipping which seems good - is there anything I should know about these before buying? anyone know what diameter paper this would use?

Mabus - 2-6-2017 at 02:55

I work with a similar device.
The ground glass joint is connected to a thick Erlenmeyer flask with an external ground glass joint, while the lateral glass tube is for the vacuum hose. Like this.
As for the filter paper used, I cannot say until I know the dimensions of the plastic ring which contains the fritted glass, the the unit I work with accepts filter paper of Ø 45-50 mm. If you know the dimensions of the fritted glass and plastic ring, you can know what filter paper you can use, but if your filter paper is too big, you can cut it to size, just make sure the filter paper surface is at minimum slightly bigger than the fritted glass, because if it's smaller, it will not cover the space between the fritted glass and the plastic ring and the liquid will leak through that crack.
I haven't tried cloth, but given how thin the paper needs to be to prevent leaking, I would not recommend it.

Harristotle - 2-6-2017 at 04:51

I used one of these many years ago.
We used to put a 0.22um filter on the frit, seat the whole thing on top of a Buchner funnel, and connect it to water vac via another 0.22um filter. Then we would filter sterilise our Eagles media + 10% fetal calf serum. We would use this for growing liver cells.

Now I think that they mostly are sold pre-mixed.

I still can feel the pieces of a pasteur pipette that is in my index finger, from when I tried to pull the glass pasteur pipette that we attached to that same pump and used as an aspirator! Young and stupid once!

RogueRose - 3-6-2017 at 01:50

Thanks for the replies! That helps determine if it will be useful.

NedsHead - 10-7-2017 at 02:54

This one popped up on Gumtree Aus https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/torrensville/miscellaneous-g...

looks to be mounted upside down as an ornament, any idea what it is?

Sulaiman - 10-7-2017 at 03:58

It looks like a three-phase mercury arc rectifier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury-arc_valve

NedsHead - 10-7-2017 at 06:45

Thanks Sulaiman that has to be it, I was wondering what the electrodes fitted in the arms were about, I've never heard of these old rectifiers, very interesting

glassware

keetrp - 30-8-2017 at 11:56

Anyone know what this is used for ?

SWIM - 6-9-2017 at 18:39

How about this? It's got indentations like a Morton flask.
It's got an external jacket with hose fittings.
It's got 4 necks (two 10/30, two 24/40).
It's got a bottom exactly like a blender, complete with the blades and the splined fitting on the bottom to drive it.
It won't fit my blender's base, but I think it would actually fit right on some larger ones I've seen.

It looks like it's for making really sciencey milkshakes.

I just can't figure what you'd do that would require all these features on one item.

j_sum1 - 6-9-2017 at 18:48

Looks to me like a reaction vessel for when you want good temperature control and strong stirring. I don't see anything particularly strange about it.
You might also consider that the vessel and lid might be interchangeable with other equipment. IOW, someone wanted a jacketed stirring vessel and needed more than two necks and so picked off the shelf a configuration that would work for them.

SWIM - 6-9-2017 at 19:02

It's the sharp steel blades in the bottom that I find strange.

But thanks for your input, it gave me new insights on various things.

[Edited on 7-9-2017 by SWIM]

Double condenser? Please help ID and use of it

organicchemist25 - 16-9-2017 at 09:34

I bought this off of someone in bulk buy of glassware a few years ago. It definitely looks custom made as some of the connections are not the prettiest with tiny air bubbles, but seems totally fine for its use. I am attaching a pic. I would like to know what it might be used for. It's two condensers in one? It looks like a claisen adapter with an additional short path modified into it? BUT, the both lead to the same receiving flask. My only educated guess would be that it separates the mixture and when it enters the receiving flask is separated into layers?

Please let me know what it could be used for and a possible example. Thank you

[Edited on 16-9-2017 by organicchemist25]

SWIM - 16-9-2017 at 10:14

It looks identical to some variable reflux heads I have seen except it has no valve between the splitter and the lower condenser.

The idea is that the upright condenser establishes a reflux in the column, and some of the returning condensate goes through the lower condenser to be further cooled and collected.
Don't know how well one works without the valve though.

It would be used for difficult fractionations where returning some of the distillate to the column would be needed to help maintain equilibrium.

[Edited on 16-9-2017 by SWIM]

Double condenser? Custom made. Please help with use.

organicchemist25 - 16-9-2017 at 11:19

I bought this off of someone in bulk buy of glassware a few years ago. It definitely looks custom made as some of the connections are not the prettiest with tiny air bubbles, but seems totally fine for its use. I am attaching a pic. I would like to know what it might be used for. It's two condensers in one? It looks like a claisen adapter with an additional short path modified into it? BUT, the both lead to the same receiving flask. My only educated guess would be that it separates the mixture and when it enters the receiving flask is separated into layers?

Please let me know what it could be used for and a possible example. Thank you

Oh, and, I know one looks like it could be used for refluxing? But still has an exit for vapors that get past the column?

[Edited on 16-9-2017 by organicchemist25]

SWIM - 16-9-2017 at 12:03

It's STILL a partial take off distillation head.

And it would still be better if there were a valve just above the lower condenser.

organicchemist25 - 16-9-2017 at 12:09

Ahhh, ok. Thank you

organicchemist25 - 16-9-2017 at 18:29

I'm sorry I had posted this twice. I had checked back a few minutes after first time posting and didn't see it in the current posts. I didn't realize the first had been moved. I thought it didn't post, so I reposted later a second time. I now know to post these types of questions in the mystery glassware.

thanks.

Identify this glassware please

mike14017 - 12-10-2017 at 02:03

Hi

I'm hoping somebody can help me identify these 2 pieces of glassware, I've bought a job lot of used laboratory glassware and I can't find these anywhere.

Thanks in advance

Mike

unionised - 12-10-2017 at 11:49

You have a weighing burette and about a third of a vacuum filtration system

http://www.multilab.biz/laboratory-glasswares/bottles/b15-lu...

http://www.medicalexpo.com/prod/merck-millipore/product-7087...

mike14017 - 12-10-2017 at 14:09

Hi unionised

Thanks for the information

Mike

Any ideas?

NZniceguy - 1-11-2017 at 04:37

Hi guys, I'm fairly new here but saw this thread and had to post my weird items of glass. I especially love the sphere inside a sphere inside a sphere....the coloured stuff in them is just food colouring and water. thanks for any help identifying any of these.

Chemetix - 1-11-2017 at 04:59

It looks like you have broken pieces of a vapour diffusion pump.

NeonPulse - 16-11-2017 at 00:26

This is just a straight 50cm tube with a 24/29 ground glass joint on the bottom. I was thinking it is maybe an air cooled reflux condenser? Maybe it is something more specific? Can anyone tell exactly what it’s use is?

ABBF53F9-A7B2-4FA1-A6B6-E0A22C05CE74.jpeg - 2.2MB

TheNerdyFarmer - 16-11-2017 at 06:04

If it's fused quartz, it could be used for something like reaction involving catalysts where you put your metal catalyst in the middle of the tube, pass your gas through it, and then heat it up. May be a good peice for making nitric acid from ammonia. Pretty useful peice of glassware if you want to get into catalysis. Not 100% sure what the ground glass joints are there for, I guess it is to make it more versatile.

Edit: the YouTube channel "Astral Chemistry" uses tubes like this a lot of times for catalytic reactions.

[Edited on 16-11-2017 by TheNerdyFarmer]

LearnedAmateur - 16-11-2017 at 06:39

It's probably for multiple uses, I wouldn't pin it down to just one for the following reasons:
a) Condensers with ground glass joints usually have one at both ends so they can be used for distillations and reflux, otherwise they are designed for 'bung and tubing' setups and would just be a glass tube - it's rare to have a mixture of QuickFit and older connecting styles unless you're dealing with very specialised and custom made pieces in a complex arrangement, which this probably isn't since D/R are basic lab procedures.
b) Reflux, in most cases, requires an actively cooled condenser so that the vapour isn't pushed out of the top and lost. I can imagine this being used with less volatile solvents than say ethanol or acetone, but there isn't much point when you can get a better condenser with a wide range of solvent compatibility, that is more effective at a shorter length (150-300mm) thus reduces the risk of accidentally breaking the glassware.
c) If using this purely for catalysis, it would require a bung and a glass tube to introduce gas since the diameter is around 20mm, quite large for a laboratory hose. It would be far easier and safer to have a barbed gas port on the end or a ground joint for gases which may cause the bung to perish.

Just my thoughts, doesn't mean it can't be used for the proposed applications but it certainly isn't limited to just one. The great thing about glassware is that you can use many pieces for a wide variety of procedures, especially simple pieces like this, there is no right or wrong way to assemble an apparatus just as long as it does what you want.
Edit: two other applications are as a simple fractionating or chromatography column. Glass or cotton wool can be used to pack the end, and then it can be filled with whatever you want. For the latter, you can get QuickFit stopcocks with a female joint, increasing the versatility compared to a single unit.

[Edited on 16-11-2017 by LearnedAmateur]

TheNerdyFarmer - 8-12-2017 at 09:11

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-6-Kimax-Kimble-Flask-Glass-500...

zkAAOSwAVxZvc6R

I do not own these, I just found them on eBay and was curious. What is the silver looking mirror made of and why is it there. Does it block out light? Is it made out of an inert metal such as platinum? I look forward to seeing what you guys come up with. Thanks!

Corrosive Joeseph - 8-12-2017 at 10:52

Anybody know what this is..........?

/CJ

CharlieA - 8-12-2017 at 18:22

Is that a hole in the bottom bulb? Seeing the scale on the long tube my first thought is that this some kind of manometer or gas volume measuring device.

SWIM - 8-12-2017 at 18:26

I think that's an automatic buret, or at least the filling tube part.
I have something similar I got in a bulk lot of used glassware.

Corrosive Joeseph - 8-12-2017 at 18:40

Apologies for the short and blunt question.......... And my picture being kinda upside-down

When this contraption is screwed in place with its white plastic seal (to whatever??), the 'bottom' bulb actually is actually at the top of the system. And yes, there is a pin hole on the bulb.
It seems liquid can move up the inner long tube and into the outside tube the smaller one is encased in.
And can then drain out the small arm

Graduations on the outside tube are in tenths of millilitres and the total scale covers a range of 20ml.
At the base of the scale are the letters 'MBL'....... What is this.........?

The selected piece was in a random lot of glass that was saved from the dumpster at a local factory.

Everything else was quite useful........ And this doesn't even fit anything.........

/CJ

[EDIT] - Howdy SWIM. You posted while I was writing.

[Edited on 9-12-2017 by Corrosive Joeseph]

unionised - 9-12-2017 at 14:32

MBL is a brand. Possibly from May and Baker Ltd.

Chemvironment - 9-12-2017 at 16:49

Automatic burette gets my vote too

Screenshot_2017-12-09-16-47-54.png - 84kB

Corrosive Joeseph - 9-12-2017 at 17:11

Thanks guys....... Nailed it

/CJ

j_sum1 - 15-12-2017 at 16:00

Two recent exhibits. I'll post them separately.
I found them both while unpacking boxes into my lab -- originated from a garage sale lot I picked up a while back.

Exhibit A
Looks like a ground glass erlenmeyer but the top looks like it has a built-in funnel. The stopper looks like it is designed to vent something. But there is no hose barb. Close inspection of the stopper shows a notch so that it does not seal fully.
It looks like it has been designed for some specific purpose but that purpose eludes me. My bes guess is some kind of pressure-equilising addition system where you fill the funnel with some liquid which drips into the flask and reacts producing a gas. The dripping creases when the presure gets too high.
Ok. I might have answered my own question here. But Does anyone want to guess a specific usage? I think it is a clever idea but I can't think of it actually being that useful for most of what I do.

The whole question is a bit moot anyway -- I managed to break the stopper while cleaning it.

j_sum1 - 15-12-2017 at 16:04

Exhibit B

No ground glass -- I guess it is designed for rubber stoppers. I guess you could add a straight tube and you would have a liebig. But is that the intent? Every application I have thought of comes just shy of being properly useful.

Chemvironment - 15-12-2017 at 16:27

Simple air condenser? Idk with the barbs
Maybe a gas drying tube?
[Edited on 16-12-2017 by Chemvironment]

[Edited on 16-12-2017 by Chemvironment]

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