Tricks of the trade

Hash and Stuff
103

Does this work for live?

1 Like
104

I don’t see why not. As long as the material is packed nice and tight you should have no problem

4 Likes
105

We have done that w stretched out coat hangers on a cordless drill

2 Likes
106

That sounds rad, how about a loop of piano wire chucked in a drill? Some hardware stores stock piano wire (spring steel wire) back in the area where they have the project stuff like sheets/rods/tubes of copper/brass/aluminum.

107

I use this to clean my columns

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LNTO8A/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

14 Likes
108

that looks like the tool I was looking for.

3 Likes
109

Please don’t use cordless drills when cleaning out material columns. I know a guy who is covered in 3rd degree burns from trying that s***.

18 Likes
110

I find iT agood idea that You give an explanation of the danger
Some people don t understand what You are saying

2 Likes
111

I imagine the charge that controls the motor sparked the residual butane in the column.

I like the dog stake. I’m not for using anything electric in a near vacinity of a hydrocarbon extractor.

26 Likes
112

Air pressure tools are the way for these jobs

6 Likes
113

Too bad the torque from an air motor sucks, you have to spin the thing fast through a gear reduction to make up for lost torque. I just use the good ol’ pusher stick! :muscle::crazy_face:

12 Likes
114

Column socks…

9 Likes
115

i let my spools sit outside ovenight before cleaning, I only do 1-2LB runs

1 Like
116

Nitrogen works great for emptying columns as well, gets 5lbs out like a small cannon lol.

10 Likes
117

Or air compressors save the nitro for the system :wink:

7 Likes
118

Good call…here is a little more detail.

  • Qaulity glassware shouldn’t require vacuum grease.

  • cleaning with a good sprayer makes things a bit easier. The nozzle can go further in the glassware. Setting on spray/mist by inserting in the neck of the flask washes of the sides.

    image
    image750×1077 105 KB

  • Avoid sonicating glassware. Over time it will weaken the glass.

  • Wrap a stir bar in a scrubby and put on stir plate to get off nasty tar.

17 Likes
119

Dear @Confluence. The statement good glasswear doesn t Need Grease is one that i can not agree with
I work under deep vacuum meaning that i have preassures of about 1 kg / cm 2 on My glass it gets heated and while heated i Need to be able to move iT
Without Grease i might get away with movment a couple if times but When i Cool My glass after a run and want to dimantel hmm with the heat and pressure there is No way dissassmbeling is gona happen without hazard
So Please don t advise working without Grease Some of us have expensive glass wear and Some of us have cheap but iT has cost us tremendouse effort to obtain
Guy s Grease your glasswear at all times

41 Likes
121

That’s what I was taught, too!

2 Likes
122

Soxhlet
Leader
19h
If the oil was really hot you could have smoked it, check for oil contamination upstream with a blacklight. Hydrocarbons will flurece under blacklight. Change the oil, check for contamination, clean then reassemble! It is possible that the jetstack has some char in it, you can take it out and lightly scrub it with scotchbrite and acetone, then reassemble.Diff pumps are pretty indestructable, clean them out and change the oil and your good to go!
@Soxhlet has long sleaves as i expected :grinning:
Search for vacuumpump oil inside a glass system for vacuum oil contamination with a blacklight :upside_down_face: Nice one !

3 Likes
123

drPaul
2h
If your vacuum gauge bottoms out at a reading of 0.001 in Hg (inches of mercury), that’s 0.025 mm Hg (25 mTorr). That’s not enough low-end resolution for this application. Your Welch 1400 is rated to pull as low as 0.1 mTorr, and most direct-drive pumps (with fresh oil) will pull between 7 and 20 mTorr. You won’t see those levels with your gauge.
Gum rubber tubing is pretty old-school. It will tend to absorb terpenes, which contribute to “background,” or in other words, eventually you will not be able to pump below whatever the terps’ aggregate vapor pressure is. The wire-in pvc is now in general use in instrument applications, and has the added advantage of transparency: when it starts to get fouled, you can at least see the material building up, and either remove to clean, or replace. Gum rubber doesn’t give that added clue that it’s outlived its life.
@drPaul Gives Some good advise Maybe not a trick but a great tip :smile:
Thank You @drPaul

8 Likes