#1 Science Forum For Lab Technicians

Years ago I got new components made up from Haines, the size available was not compatible with all my existing quick fit. Mine are 24/29. Haines were very helpful. Expensive though. I have never had the need for 1000ml flasks but have had some donated from a research facility.

I had a Duracell AA explode, spat out the carbon rod. Aldi take old batteries, don't know about Lithium.

What are people currently using for dissection trays? We have a heap of ice cream container lids but the bio teacher has requested actual dissection trays. Upon searching, I can only find the wax ones. I've never used those before. At my previous school we had shallow grey trays but I must be using...

Here it depends on the teachers. Some years we do staff morning tea with the current theme, quizzes etc and student lunch time activities. This year we only did the escape room through Stile.

The Cs-137 generator is actually really handy, I'd be surprised if you couldn't find another school in Tas to take it off your hands. It's a fast, simple, safe and clean way to show radiation decay in the classroom. I'd take it from you but we already have 2. I would ask your science teachers to co...

I have a plastic jar of calcium oxide that I'm pretty sure hasn't been requested in the nearly 4 years I have been at this school. Is this chemical ever used?? I want to get rid of it. It is in a zip lock bag but the jar itself is quite expanded and I am paranoid of touching it and having it explod...

Did you google it? I just did, looks brilliant. Bring it to our lab tech meeting and we can all problem solve it. Also send a pic to our ex mad physics teacher, SP. Also Harvey at Principles and Practise might know.

Use for classic rate of reaction experiments, to show/measure how temperature and concentration effect the rate. Use 2M HCl and 0.25M sodium thiosulphate. The two chemicals react to form a sulphur colloid makingthe solution cloudy. The time taken for the precipitate to obscure a cross marked on a p...

I'd love to hear feedback too. We only have 1 designated prac room, set up to enable a second small class if required, but every so often I have a group work in my prep room, if a senior class is desperate. I have to push trolley loads of equipment to other rooms and these lab kits might be perfect.

We do this prac every year, but chemtalk has an alternative to bromine water somewhere, iodine soln maybe? I recall only about 3 or 4 test tubes per prac though. Stinky and fumehood is critical.

I have an actual small windowed room for display, like a shop front. It was where the corridor was blocked in though. I have a special high shelf for the airtrack. The equipment store room has windows to a classroom and glass shelving with big sliding melamine doors on my hand side so I have a stack...

Thanks all. I may be blind, but I can't seem to find any from Haines or Science Supply Australia. I don't want the capillary tubing sets, just some capillary tube with one internal diameter. It's for several different uses, but specifically this time it is for a prac where they make thermometers - ...

As it is in ziplock bags etc, I doubt it is harmful. Personally I'd just open it feel the texture and take it from there. Test the prac with it, if it works use gloves and do it, kids can't take it home anyway. Also what is the prac without borax that works? If it is used properly borax is no worse ...

As an ex-fire fighter who attended 2 school fires, we did not have time to be checking manifests in the event of a fully involved structure fire and they were both overnight so without a contact person on site there is no way to log on to the system anyway. It sounds nice in theory, but in reality ...

My register/stocktaking document is off the Vic ed dept site. It is in alphabetical order, it tells you chemical/substance, room for amount, container size, strength, hazardous substance, dangerous goods, dangerous goods class with description, sub catergory and packaging group. eg Acetic acid glaci...

They shouldn't eat science experiments so use gelatine. Personally I hate the smell so I use jelly crystals, and whatever, split peas, pasta, no lollies etc. I have all different pasta shapes dyed different colours for one cell prac and they glue them onto a bit of card. I think bits of wool for wig...

Welcome back to you all too. Invite all your labbie friends to get back onto chemtalk, I miss the daily discussions. It's a lonely job when you're the only school lab tech for miles.

Keep me posted, I want to know if the iron oxide works.

I think the 0.1M is for precipitates. We use the foil for magnet pracs. Maybe the solid in crystal gardens. All waste is collected. PPE used. Dont touch it, drink it, or sniff it etc. Most of our chemicals will have associated dangers. You should always err on the side of caution and use PPE.

Use a stopper. I have a stack of lids that seem to fit lots of little bottles. Don't know where they came from though. I use little bottles for powder testing, keep them in kits.