Help! Some of my distillation equipment won't come apart!

[tigger]

I have a round bottomed flask attached to a condenser that is so wedged in I can't pull it apart (lovely year 10 students ). I have tried heating it over a bunsen in the hope that it would release it but no such luck. Please help, we can't afford to buy a new set of distillation equipment at the moment.

[J]

Have you tried a squirt of CRC/WD40? I find it handy for that kind of thing.
J

[merilyn]

Tigger
I found in a DEET publication that suggests soaking in hot water, then try heating with a bunsen, rotate for even heating and while it's still hot tap gently with a wooden spatula handle (tap in the direction it has to move to come out). Next suggestion is to try soaking in kerosene for about 24 hours or in dilute nitric acid. I haven't encountered this problem yet, but I'm sure my time will come. If all else fails, you can buy replacement parts without having to buy the whole kit, check the major suppliers. Good luck.
M.

[Narelle01]

We have just done this with year 10 today - all my stuff is in pieces and still in working order JUST.
Little darlings decided to play 'lion tamers' with one of the stools, went off at him, another boy decided it was fun to burn everything...cotton wool from the top of the flask, everyone elses too, the 5 matches in his box (i only give them a few each class) the match box itself...and then perch up on the bench....hmm does distialltion equipment come in plastic for those 'bad classes'

So far as getting the stuff unstuck - look it up on you tube it worked for the cork in the flask for me!!

[ellice]

I have a book 'Use and care of Laboratory glassware', written in 1976 (there's a lot of old stuff around here!), and one of the recommendations:
using a dropper, apply the following mixture (which is to seep between the cemented surfaces):- conc HCl 3mL, glycerol 5mL, chloral hydrate 10g. Let stand for some hours. Tap on the bench edge. Unfortunately the last chemical is banned.. but here's another remedy..
again using a dropper, place a quantity of cola softdrink between the stuck surfaces, repeating until it is seen that the dark solution has wet the surfaces.
Good luck

[tigger]

Thankyou all so much for your suggestions. I will be madly trying some of them in the hope something works. I will let you know how I get on.

[matchstick]

maybe you could just put it back in the storeroom as is.....for next year when you need it again....

[Didee]

Got to those year 10s and the rest. If you can clean the equipment I would just store it as it is. I have tried to separate Quick Fit in the past and on two occassions ended up with a tray full of very expensive glass shards . Best of luck with all the suggestions,I hope that you have better luck than I did.

[Robb]

Hi All,

What I have done in the past during my years in industry, was when this occured I always used to use "brute force".....Please dont be afraid and hear me out on this one....

I use a small piece of wood and a hammer. Hold the condenser and rest the piece of wood against the flask and tap the wood at the top whilst every tap you move around the neck of the flask allowing the taps to be spread across the whole circular joint.

Heating wont do this because you are actually heating both glass pieces.

Continue this until it comes off with out breaking.

Two person job. Glass wont break as you are taping the wood with the hammer.

Sometimes the easiest things will need to be adopted.

Cheers,

Robb.....

[Ocean Breeze]

And wear leather or thick cotton gloves and eye protection as you "brute force" it.

[noona]

I also use a bit of wood just tap it with the wood and it will come apart
I have never used a hammer but it will work.

[Shas]

i agree with the brute force bit. but i have vague memories of something like oil or glycerol. this worked for a burette tap once. i could immerse the whole tap/burette tip in a beaker of the stuff. But condenser/ flask joint is a bit big for that!!!!
Good luck

[CC]

I had a piece stuck together recently and my chem teacher stuck it in the freezer just to make it cold and then just pulled them apart. He said the cold made the glass shrink. I don't know but it worked.

CC

[Ocker]

I'm watching just waiting for the reply "OPPS"

[fibreweb]

That happened to me recently with a round bottom flask refusing to came away from one of the Y shaped fittings
It happened at a busy time so the flask was rinsed with the attatchment still joined to it and put back into the store room " to be fixed when I have time".
When I finally got back to it it just came apart with minimal effort possible when it had cooled right down or something.

Wendy

[tigger]

A HUGE thank you to everyone for your suggestions. I did try soaking it soapy water, heating it over a bunsen, oil around the rim etc..
Wouldn't you know it, it was the tap from a piece of wood that finally loosened it (thanks Robb). Then I accidently dropped the condenser on the floor, smashing it! Typical! (must have used too much "brute force". ) This was my face when that happened .
I guess it's cheaper to buy one replacement part rather than two. Anyhoo, thanks again to everyone.

[sunray18]

you should have seen my face when I read your last post....
Seems Mrs Murphy is alive and well....

[Murphy said that Mrs Murphy was an optimist]

[sunray18]

No sorry -
Mrs Murphy was the one who said - Murphy was an optimist!