New Finds

I found Tasco well slide kit at a second hand store. It comes with both single and double well slides. The kit has cover slips and a dye Neutral Red. Well slides are used for allowing for live specimens to be monitored and studied. Can be both a dry or an aqueous environment. The aqueous environment can be studied using a drop of water in the well or using a cover slip hanging drop.

 

 

Well Slides

 

This Money detector has a light that shines from underneath with a regular white light or can shine a UV light from above. It has a magnifier you can look at the object from above and a millimeter scale that the object sits on. The UV light can be used to look at petri dishes of bacteria or yeast that have been transformed to glow in the dark. To view crystals and/or rocks for glow in dark properties. 

Money Detector

Remember UV light(radition) is dangerous. Do not look at it and use at your own risk. Understand all the precautions.

Books New and Old - Build It Yourself Science Laboratory

Written by Raymond E. Barrett.

Written in 1963

This is one book that I found at my library when I was younger. It was one of a handful of books that taught me science. I would take it out as much as I was allowed to. I read and reread it over and over again. I created many of the projects and did many of the experiments that you find in the question sections.

I was already building my lab from what ever I could find and re-purpose for use at home. So I was so excited when I found this book. I believe I really wore out this book. It was still on the library shelves until around 8 or so years ago. One day I went to find it and it was no longer there. I did end up finding a used copy later on so I purchased it for my own library.

It is broken up into 3 sections: Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Physics was broken up into 6 other sections: Astronomy and Light, Atomic Energy, Electricity and Magnetism, Forces, Measurement and Motion, Geology and Meteorology.

Written 2015

The book has been re-edited and reprinted "the annotated Build-It-Yourself Science Laboratory" and now brings it up to date. Some things that are used in the original book are not legal or are dangerous or can not be found any longer. This new book helps to make it more useful for today's scientist.

Projects include:
Cloud Chamber
Vacuum pump
Microscope
Barometer
Radiometer
Microtome
Etc.

Over 100 pieces of equipment and 100's of projects. This book is a great way to learn to look at items and see other uses for them.

Spectrometer Version 3 Continued

Figure 1

I have been continuing the build for version 3 which holds the sample inside the container. In figure 1 you see the 3D printed sample holder, here I have a test tube but it does hold cuvettes as well. Next to the holder on the right you can see an LED. This one is a bright white LED. I intend to use a RGB LED so I can choice different colours or wavelengths. It will also be removable so I can use IR and UV LEDs.

Figure 2

Figure 3

In figure 2, I use a 3D printed slit holder and then mount 2 single edge razor blades which are adjustable. With the other 3D printed parts I hold the slit mechanism in place within the spectrometer. This allows for removal of the slit so it can be adjusted. In Figure 3 you can see the unit put together.

Figure 4

And in figure 4 you see allthe components put together with the sample and slit holder, LED source, diffraction grading and web cam all in one box.

This is all put together in a wooden box I found at a dollar store. I still intend to make this smaller so I can easily carry with me. I do have access to a 3D printer so it was easier for me to print the parts I needed. But all the parts could be very easily cut from foamboard.

Spectrometer Version 2 and 3

I have continued working on my spectrometer. I focused on 2 types, one that places the sample on the outside the spectrometer between the light source and the slit. The other where the sample is placed within the housing in a sample holder.

Version 2 Image 1

Here in the first version (image 1) you can see the camera and the diffraction grating are mounted on the right side at a 30 degree angle. Both camera mount and grading are 3D printed but can easily be made by using metal or plastic 'L' brackets.

Image 2

In this image (image 2) you can see how I mount 2 single sided razors to create my slit for the light to go through to the diffraction grating and then to camera. The razors have a very sharp edge and I am able to make very fine slits for the light to pass through. There is a small notch in the razors that the screws go through that allows for adjustment of the blades to increase and decrease the width of the slit.

Image 3 Version 3

In this 3rd image I am still working on this spectrometer. There is a camera holder with a 30 degree angle positioning, next going to the right is going to be a grading holder (the hole has been drilled to hold it in place). From there we go to the slit and then the sample holder. All these I have 3D printed. On the right side of the box you can see the hole drilled out to mount my LED light. I intend to use different light sources that have - white LED, RGB LED for different colours, UV LED, IR LED and different lasers, red and green for now.

Both cases are painted black on the inside. All 3D printed parts were printed in black PLA. I am using the Theremino spectrometer software.

I am also looking at building a nano-drop spectrometer more on that later.

Digital Microscope Version 2

This microscope views the specimen from below. Here I use parts from an old CD-Rom drive, a web cam, block of wood to hold it together, laser pointer lens, some foam board and glue.

Fig. 1

Taking apart the CD-ROM (fig 1) I keep the carriage that moves laser LED along the CD. This allows the specimen stage to move up and down to focus it. The gears on the side are used for the focusing, the bottom gear is used for regular focus and the top gear is used for fine focusing. I manually move the gears. I may look into using the gear motor to electrically move the stage.

Fig. 2

I mount the carriage on a thick piece of wood (fig 2) to allow stage movement and support.

Fig. 3

The specimen mount (fig 2, right of image), is made from foam board. and (fig 3) then mounted on the carriage with Gorilla glue.

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig 4 and 5 show the whole thing put together. You can see the stage is up and then is lowered to focus the image.

To raise the magnification of the camera I used the lens in a cheap laser pointer and mounting it  on the lens of the camera. This does give higher magnification, about 100-150x but is not as powerful as a compound microscope which can get to 800-1000x. I found that when using live mounts, living organisms many times it is best to view them from underneath.

All the parts I had were just laying around which made this a very inexpensive build. I am sure that it is easy to find a junked or used CD-Rom or DVD. The camera is just a cheap webcam again something you might be able to find from a friend or thrift shop. Mine was a dollar store purchase for $3. I find that this microscope does work better than my first version, especially with the focusing.

Stocking Stuffers

 Stocking Stuffers

If you need some stocking stuffers for your budding scientist here are some items I found at dollar stores that are very useful for any ones lab.

Holder for my stains

In this picture you will see I found some plastic dropper bottles, which can be used to hold microscope stains or chemical solutions for experiments and storage. These bottles fit nicely into the lipstick holder I found there as well. It perfectly holds 12 of these dropper bottles in nice neat rows. The top row is larger and does not separate the bottles. I hold alcohol swabs (another stocking stuffer) in the top row.

Dollar store finds

In this picture there is a q-tip holder and q-tips. I use these for alcohol and acetone applicators. The 2 bottles have a push top that allows for the pumping out of alcohol and/or acetone. Cotton balls and a container to hold them. Cotton swabs, smaller plastic jars that can hold chemicals and specimens in.

I have also found medicine droppers, food colouring, etc. As can be seen here there are many inexpensive items that can be used in the lab, that are inexpensive enough for stocking stuffers.

Spectrometer

fig. 1 Public Lab Spectrometer 3.0

fig. 2 Inside of Public Lab Spectrometer

fig. 3 Spectrometer I am Putting Together

Spectrometer

I am trying to build a spectrometer. The first figure you see of the spectrometer that was purchased from Public Lab by friend that he has let me use. It works well uses a DVD for a diffraction grading. The biggest concern with this product is the camera inside is always coming loose (fig 2) and there is no place to put the sample that you are testing. Need to make a sample holder.

https://publiclab.org/wiki/desktop-spectrometry-kit-3-0

In the third figure (fig 3) you see I am using many of the holders from my optical bench except I picked up a magnetic white board to hold these holders. It is larger and being white I can see measurements on the red ruler much easier.

I 3D printed a slit and a sample(cuvette) holder and used my own diffraction grading that I purchased from Amazon. For the camera I am trying a PS3 camera that I found for $3. For the software I am using Theremino spectrometer. There website has plenty of information about spectrometers.

https://www.theremino.com/wp-content/uploads/files/Theremino_Spectrometer_Construction_ENG.pdf
 
I will be continuing the spectrometer build using different web cams and enclosures. I will keep posting as I build it.

New Centrifuge From the Old

New Incubator

I found this inexpensive centrifuge and brought it home to find it not working. I took it apart and cleaned it up. It only needed rewiring to get it up and running. Now with this I am able to retire my blenderfuge. In the blenderfuge the center piece kept warping and had to be replaced. I believe this was caused by the very high speeds of the blender. The blenderfuge was much faster than this centrifuge but this one will work for my needs.

Sample Rotator

Parts

Front View

Side View

With very simple items I had laying around I was able to build this sample rotator. It rotates very slowly. This will allow samples to be mixed. I hope to place it in my incubator to attempt to use as a shaker for the media broth for cultures (continual mixing).

Parts: the motor came from an old hand-held vacuum, I bolted a disk from the bottom of a cd holder on to it. The frame is from an old computer power supply box (the top half). I use 1 inch PVC conduit clamps to hold the motor in place. I use broom handle wall clips to hold my culture tubes. They had to be adjusted to fit both 15 ml and 50 ml tubes. They are mounted on the plastic disk with nuts and bolts. It runs using a power supply that ranges from 1.5v - 12 v.

DremelFuge - centrifuge

Warning - be careful when using or building a centrifuge, they are very dangerous. If at all possible try and buy a professional one.

Here is a centrifuge created by Cathal Garvey called DremelFuge. It can be found here:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1483

It uses standard 1.5ml/2ml Eppendorf/Microcentrifuge tubes. Works with both a drill or Dremel.

DremelFuge

I was trying to get it printed out but I was having trouble with it. So I decided I would try to make my own from parts laying around. It consists of a 3.5 inch PVC plumbing cap and a bolt, nut and washer. As seen below I have it running on a drill press. I did try it on a dremel, it worked, but I would not use it that way unless a closed off compartent is built for it (later project).

Homemade dremelfuge

Working in drill press

Condenser

Photo 1 - Parts for Condenser

Photo 2 - Inner assembly

Photo 3 - Fully assembled

Photo 4 - Full set-up

Condenser

A condenser is used for distilling and separating chemicals in fluids. They can be a very expensive item. In the photos above you can see how I made one from items I found in a pet store - total cost less than $5.00.

Items needed:

1) Outer tube (approx. 12 in. long, 22 mm inside dia.) - Large diameter plastic tube - can any kind of tube clear plastic, white plastic or black plastic tubes. As well as copper or glass tubes.
2) Inner tube(longer than outer tube, 16 in. long, 5 mm outside dia.) - Small diameter plastic tube - can also be glass tubing (I recommend glass f you can get it).
3) Inlet and outlet tubes(2)(3 inches long, 5 mm outside dia.) - Small diameter plastic tube.
4) 2-hole rubber stoppers (2) - They fit tightly into the large diameter tube. No. 4 stoppers fit best for my set-up.
5) Rubber tubing(fits 5 mm outside dia. tubing)  - Used to run water into and out of the condenser. This is air tubing in the aquarium section.

First photo shows you the collected items.

Second photo shows how to assemble the inner tubing.

Third photo shows the condenser put together.

Fourth photo shows the condenser in working mode. Notice the baby fruit jar (I talked about this in the previous post) being used as the flask to be heated and the baby food jar(I talked about this in the previous post) is used for collecting.

Glassware

Glassware found at flee market

Improvised glassware for little or no cost

Glassware

In the top picture you can see a group of glassware that I found. I found this group of glassware all 45 pieces for $30.00 at a flee market. it consists of 6 - 400 ml, 6 - 250 ml, 6 - 100 ml beakers. 2 - 500 ml, 4 - 250 ml, 8 - 125 ml, 9 - 50 ml conical flasks. 2 - 500 ml volumetric flasks and 2 - 50 ml bottles. This was a great find.

If you are unlucky or can't afford to buy your own glassware, In the lower picture you can see the glassware I have and you can collect at little to no cost. For flasks you can use glass baby bottles and baby glass fruit juice bottles, these can be heated. These have measurement marks on them and hold about 100 ml. You can ask around your neighbourhood, friends and family if they can save you some (families with babies). Another good item that can be used as a flask is a coffee pot from a brewing station (not seen here).

For beakers you can use baby jars, they come in different sizes and can be heated. Another good source is mason or canning jars, they to come in different sizes and can be heated or sterilized. Also seen in the photo, I have used custard cups for petri dishes, mixing, culturing and condensing as watch glasses, etc.

As you can see there are many options for you to get your hands on much needed glassware. Have fun and keep looking you never what you will find.

Another Old Science Kit

Another Old Science Kit

Here in the top picture you see another set I found, it doesn't have the box though. This is exactly the one my parents bought for me in the 1970's. It is the "Mr. Wizard Experiments in Crystal Growing". I really enjoyed playing with this, I always liked growing crystals. As you can see they gave you plenty of chemicals to work with back then. Mr. Wizard had some nice science kits in the 1970's. I had 2 of them the chemistry set and the crystal growing set.

The second picture is an old catalog from the The Perfect Parts Company. I remember once when we I was young and we where in the United States. I don't remember what store it was but they had a booth with this companies products and there was a huge line up of people trying to buy things. I had wished we had some place like this where I lived, finding lab equipment at a reasonable cost was hard for me when I was young. If you do web check you will find they still exist.

More Links

Here I give you some more links to look at. Some you will find very important to the Citizen Scientist, where to find chemicals and even more importantly chemicals that are incompatible with each other.

1) This link has a very extensive list of commonly available chemicals and where you can find them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commonly_available_chemicals

2) From the Ohio State University College of Biological Sciences this link gives you a list chemicals that are incompatible. I recommend printing this out and keeping it on a wall in your lab for future reference.

Incompatible Chemicals: http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/safety/safety/IncompatibleChemicals.htm

3) I believe that this maybe from the old Modern Mechanix magazine. It shows you how to make a distillation system, a ring stand, etc. Enjoy I did.

Equiping Your Chemical Lab: http://www.vintageprojects.com/science/chem-lab.pdf

4) This is a very large file and takes awhile to load. Every Citizen Scientist should have this and look through it. I even have it printed out, all 900 and so pages. It shows very simple items to build and up to larger more complicated lab equipment. This is the same book I have talked about before ( see link on my blog: This site no longer worksConstructing Inexpensive Lab Equipment) and that link is dead. This is all the pdf files put into one large file. So go and get it now while it is there.

Guidebook to Constructing Inexpensive Science Teaching Equipment: http://www.howtomakeeverything.com/CD3WD/JF/438/28-720.pdf

More Books

I have picked up a couple of interesting books, a couple of older 1960's books and one a little newer late 1990's:

1) Junior Science Projects - 1967 by the Editors of Science Experimenter:

This book has many experiments you can do and many pieces of equipment that you can build. Such as a milli-microampere detector, ion-exchange fuel cell, diffraction grating-type spectrscope, thermistor thermometer, make your own plastic lab equipment (see picture above) and more. Some of the electronic projects require specific tubes, but I am sure with internet searches you can find other ways to make them. A real interesting read.

2) Exploring Science in your Home Laboratory - 1963 by Richard Harbeck:

This book discusses how to build a home science laboratory for chemistry, biology, physics and geology. It walks you through choosing where to locate the lab, which one you would like to build first. Then helps you set it up, from building a work bench with shelves and then a way to remove the air if you don't have a window in your area. From here it helps you build different lab equipment for your lab, such as a simple electric heater, alcohol lamp, drying and sterilizing oven, test tube racks, stands, beam balance and more. This book must have been a real gem back in it's day.

3) A Low Cost Approach to PCR - 1998 by Eva Harris:

This is a good book for the DIYBIO groups. The low cost approach outlined in this book can be useful for the DIYBIO group. It provides a description of the theoretical basis of the technique and practical details of the method. There is a section on materials and chemicals needed in your lab. A section on building your own equipment ie. electohoresis chamber, micro centrifuge, etc. A section on preparing your reagents. I believe a very useful book for the DIYBIO person.

Over Head Solution Mixer

Over Head Solution Mixer

I have been away for awhile. Other things came up and I was unable get back to doing any science and or experimenting. Here is something I did put together this weekend.

Using an old single head mixer, a cocktail swivel stick (it has a propeller at the end of it), lab stand and clamp I am able to make a solution mixer (see second picture). This mixer or stirrer works over head of the solution. Solution container can be a beaker, jar, glass or anything else.

It is very simple to make. I had to heat the end of the swivel stick (the portion that goes into the mixer) and then take a pair of pliers to some what flatten the end to fit it into the notches of the mixer. This holds the stick in and allows for the mixer to spin it.

Other items can be used instead of the mixer, such as, electric screwdriver(very inexpensive to buy or can be found. Most people through them away when the batteries stop holding their charge.), electric motors(such as found in dollar store fans and electric toothbrushes), etc.

Future Projects

Future Projects

I have been very busy lately and with Christmas coming I haven't had as much time to play around as I would like. But here is a list of projects I am working on:

1) converting an old fridge, the bottom section I will use it for chemicals storage unit and convert the top freezer compartment into an incubator.

2) build a flask and plate shaker from an old turntable

3) a roller from an old printer (it rotates and mixes solutions in tubes)

4) a new transfer (sterile) chamber

5) video add-on for the microscope

6) a new work area

So stay tuned in the new year and have a Merry Christmas.

More Lab Chemicals

Here is more to add to the list of chemicals that you can collect for your home lab and where you might be able to get them:

Acetone - (H, D)
Alcohol – Isopropyl (D)
Aluminum potassium sulfate - Alum (G)
Ammonium carbonate - smelling salts (D)
Butane - lighter fluid (department stores)
Calcium Hydroxide - Garden lime (garden stores)
Calcium Oxide - quicklime (H)
Ferric Chloride – circuit board etching (electronics store)
Hydrogen Peroxide – (D)
Lead - fishing weights (sports stores)
Methanol – methyl hydrate solvent (paint stores)
Naphthalene - moth balls (Department stores)
Sulfuric acid - car battery acid (car supply)
Toluene – solvent (paint stores)

I will continue to look for everyday chemicals that can be used in a citizen of science's lab.

The Vortex Revisited

The vortex revisited.

I improved the spinner of the vortex by using rubber instead of foam. In the upper picture you see all the parts necessary to finish the vortex. You need a blender, a nut and washer that fits on the spinning bar of the blender, a juice cap with a hole drilled through it off centre, the juice spout (the cap screws on this to close the spout)remove as much of the cardboard material around it as you can,and the rubber test tube cap from a florist (this is used for providing water for a single flower).

The juice cap is bolted down on the blender spinning bar. The rubber cap is positioned over the nut on the spinning bar. This gives us a place to put the test tube on when we vortex it. Now take the screw top spout and screw it into the cap. This holds the rubber cap in place and has a hole in it to allow the test tube to rest on the rubber. See second picture.

The cost of this vortex was absolutely free. It works very well. Now that I have it working I will clean it up and add it to my growing lab.

Lab Chemicals

As can be seen above I don't keep large quantities of chemicals and all are labeled. Chemicals are the foundation of most labs and experiments. You will need at least some chemicals to do experiments.

Here is a small list of chemicals that you can collect for your home lab and where you might be able to get them. They will get you started:

G - grocery store
D - drug store
H - hardware store

Acetic Acid - pure white vinegar (G)
Aluminium - foil (G)
Ammonium Bicarbonate - spices (G)
Ammonium Chloride - soldering flux (electronics store)
Ammonium Hydroxide - household ammonia (D,H,G)
Aluminium Sulphate - (gardening store)
Ascorbic Acid - spices (G)
Boric Acid - ant and roach killer (H,G)
Calcium Carbonate - tums, chalk (D)
Calcium Chloride - drying agent (H)
Calcium Hypochlorite - bleaching powder (G)
Calcium Sulphate - plaster of paris (H)
Charcoal - (aquarium store)
Citric Acid - spices (G)
Copper - wire (H)
Copper Sulphate - drain cleaner (H)
Corn Starch - (D,G)
Denatured Alcohol - shellac thinner (H)
Glycerin - glycerol (D)
Hydrochloric Acid - muriatic acid (H)
Iron - steel wool, nails (H)
Manganese Dioxide - black material in regular batteries (D,H,G)
Magnesium Sulphate - epsom salts (D)
Sodium Bicarbonate - baking soda (G)
Sodium Bisulphate - Sani-Flush (H,G)
Sodium Borate - Borax (G)
Sodium Carbonate - washing soda (G)
Sodium Chloride - table salt non-iodized (G)
Sodium Hydroxide - Drano (H)
Sodium Silicate - crystal garden kits (toy store)
Sucrose - table sugar (G)
Trisodium Phosphate - TSP (G)
Turmeric - spices (G)
Zinc - metal found in regular batteries (D,H,G)