Australia's Science Forum

And one for me too please!! Ta muchly!!

robyn@triode.net.au.

Robbie

If you are looking for 1 L plastic containers (with a handle) or 2 L ones, Serrata stock them.
I don't like carrying heavy glass containers either. I feel very much safer with plastic. I find the 1 L ones are great for using in the labs and they are usually large enough for most classes.

Robbie

Are oven bags really ok to use in a pressure cooker?

Robbie

I changed to using gelatine instead of peptone some time ago. It works well, is cheaper and much easier to obtain. Just use the same amount of gelatine as you would use peptone.

Cheers,

Robbie

Same as watch glass only bigger. Some call all sizes by the term watch glass, other people call the small sizes watch glass and the larger ones clock glass.

Robbie

Another way you could try is to use a very small gauge knitting needle to push the wick through.

I have found thin, long knitting needles useful for all sorts of things!

Cheers

Robbie

When is the big day Sass?

Robbie

Hi Robyn,

What a lovely name!!

If none of these other suggestions work out, James from Eyepoint Instruments in Sydney (02 9673 0012) goes on trips to different country areas visiting schools, colleges, hospitals, etc. He may be able to include you on his next trip north.

Cheers,

Robbie

I changed to using Napisan also. Soak over the weekend and it is clean as. And without dangerous toxic nasties...

Robbie

Cecilia,

Forgot to say congrats on you new role in life

All the best to the little one

Robbie

We are being refurbished starting in June. Five of our six labs and one prep room will be done. As I understand it, we were not consulted as to what we would like. For example, even with the colour scheme. We will have yellow and orange labs with blue doors and even if we bought the paint we can't h...

Ever tried doing something with dry ice?

Make glug: cornflour, food colouring and water. Is it solid or liquid? The kids can take some home in cliplock bags.

Cook some popcorn. Again, the kids can take some home.

Robbie

Hi Trish,

Many thanks for the info!!

Robbie

Hello all, Some time back in the discussion on lab refurbishments someone mentioned that the school hired a container to store stuff during the construction time. Was it Bonnyrigg?? If so, where did you hire it from, for what period of time and what was the cost? We are due to go through this "...

I have never been told what to wear. I don't wear denim but probably cos I'm not fashionable! Most of our science teachers wear jeans - or mini skirts - and some wear dressy thongy things on their feet. Highly inappropriate in a science lab... Strange when I have been frowned on just for wearing sho...

Hi Sass,

We have always bought from Southern Bio and have had good quality.

So don't you have some spare time on Sundays...

Robbie

As I understand it, the acid is added to clear the solution so it is not murky. Therefore, I make up the solution with the copper sulfate first and then just add how ever much sulfuric acid is needed to clear the solution. I don't think the molarity is critical - just so it does the job!

Robbie

We get our dry ice from Fiegerts, the local ice making company at Asquith. Use it for a bit of drama on open nights. (They sell it but don't make it themselves.)

Robbie

We have faculty meetings every second week to which I am invited and expected to attend. In fact, the first item on the agenda is the Lab Assistant's Report!! That is my chance to demonstrate, explain, request, plead, etc. It seems to depend largely on the HOD as to whether I am requested/allowed to...

My teachers just love telling me at 3.30pm Friday what they will need period 1 Monday and then telling me that is 48 hours notice - more than the 24 hours required!!

Robbie