Australia's Science Forum

Hi everyone,
Just wondering what is the weirdest thing you have had to buy for science?

Not really weird, but the look on the assistants face at Coles when I bought 12 pkts of Tally-ho papers. But when I think of it the weirdest thing would be some of the teachers I've had to work with over the last 20 years, OH MY.

um so what were the tally ho papers used for?
I had to buy like 14 or more bike pumps and a few bulk packs of vaseline, dont know what the assistant was thinking but I can imagine, lol

A really big weekend NOOOOOOOOOO cleaning lenses I had a heap of naughty cherubs helping me.

ok so are they a replacement for kim wipes? or was that your excuse to buy them for the weekend?

I had to buy 124 condoms for yr 9 - to be blown up to demonstrate how safe they are (the chemist asked if I was going to be busy overnight), and every year I buy 4 tubes of KY jelly and 6 packets of glow sticks - chemiluminescence.

Tell me, which size did you buy, lol?

Every labtech should have a packet of condoms in the desk - AND in the car..why? For the car: they are excellent for carrying large quantities of water if you happen to break down and need water for engine.. in the desk - well again they are useful for liquids.. and I know one art department who uses them to fill with plaster of paris, when they set the shape is a good one for students to sculpt heads..
I have bought beer, for a beer battery, one packet of every type of cigarette on the market... and don't forget nappies..

The Chemist recommended XL size.

I am sure the people at woolworths wonder what am going to cook with some of the combinations I buy.
10 boxes of matches, metho, kero, bi carb and vinegar, eggs, tea bags and milk powder, onion and potato and liver!
Yes it was a lovely BBQ, thanks for asking

I also learnt that you can only buy 3 packets of aspro at any one time, anymore than that the register buzzes loudly!

Narelle01 wrote:
I also learnt that you can only buy 3 packets of aspro at any one time, any more than that the register buzzes loudly!

Your kidding I've got to get some more next week, since Alka Seltzer are near non-existent these days. That's why they took junket tablets off the shelves for a while apparently.

I've still been able to buy Alka Seltzer from Woolies or the chemist, but the supermarket is a bit cheaper.

yes woolies are cheaper - about 5.95 a packet, $8 from the pharmacy.
So i have to stock up over a few trips for when we are doing that prac.
And thats why I use aspro - its a lot cheaper....maybe even trying the homebrand ones...

I self checked out last time I bought 6 packs of alka seltzer. It did set of an alert but I knew the girl who came to assist and she let me go!!

Actually, I remember buying about 6 packets of Alka Seltzer from the supermarket and it did ring alarm bells. The supervisor realised I was from a school and okay'd it.

My local Woolies always say that if I like I can buy aspro in several transactions in the one visit. They are happy to do it this way because of course they know I buy them for science. Maybe your Woolies will do this for you?

maybe my local wolies is a bit slack then as I never get asked anything when I purchase it.

i use a school account, and you need to spend 20 or 30 minimum to use it (depends who is on the register), not sure how it would go doing 3 transactions on one invoice for school?
And dammit, i forgot to get a packet to replace one that has been ordered :-/

I got an alert at the self checkout because I was buying a packet of plastic knives. Yes I am over 18, but seriously they're made of plastic...

For the molar mass of butane I have to buy many individual cigarette lighters, and the Woolies lady gave me some very suspicious looks. They also flat out refused to sell me cigarettes (yes for a prac), I think they thought I was a student! Well I had no problem taking my business to the tobacconist two doors down, and they had no problem taking my (the school's) money.

I think the one that draws the most comments is when we stock up for building mousetrap racers. The Bunnings checkout person always asks about our pest problem when I buy 50 mousetraps at once!

Hi,
What year group and what else do they use for the mousetrap racers? Sounds like fun.