Australia's Science Forum

Thank you Richard, all sounds very worthwhile
Have a great weekend,
Cheers,
~Robyn

Dear Labman,
great idea!
will get some fish oil on my next outing! It must help!
Thanks,
~Robyn

Hi All, :-({|= I need your opinions again. I am so grateful this forum is available to ask !!! We are the proud users of a beaut new Corrosives cupboard only a little more than a year old, costing over $1,000. We keep our acids here - hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, acetic as well as small amounts o...

Thanks to all replies.
I have emailed both Haines and Serrata asking for more details on their springs and am awaiting replies.
~Robyn

Hi All, could colleagues let me know what their school uses for Year 11/12 physics experiments in the way of Hooke's-type springs?? Our springs are either too hard (ie they don't extend) or way too soft. We need a supplier of a spring that will be able to be used in the context of the equation: F=kx...

Hi Kathryn, in the past I have put a pin through the body (thorax) and then placed the pinned moth onto a piece of polystyrene (something like 5cm x 5cm). It then goes into a container, (lunchbox or similar) with some crystals of naphthalene. The crystals keep the little beasties away that feast on ...

Hi pkij,
My Serrata catalogue (02 9651 3033) has them, known as glass specimen tubes, in sizes 50 x 13mm; 50 x 25mm; 75 x 25mm and 100 x 25mm, starting at $26/100.
Good luck,
~Robyn
I am sure you can request a catalogue.

Hi Bullster,
I would recommend asking the supplier if they have a preferred repairer but if that fails, try Serrata (9651 3033) or ISSCO (Industrial & Scientific Supply Co) on 02 9743 2588 or John Reid of Broken Bay Communications 0407 498 520.
Good Luck!
~Robyn

Hi,
our teachers are very fond of painting firm plant/tree leaves with clear nail polish. This when dry, can be peeled off and placed on a microscope slide for viewing. They seem very happy with the results from pittosporum (native privet) leaves.
Cheers,
~Robyn

On the other hand Nicole, if you wanted to save the specimen: The broken cover slip could be eased off by soaking the slide in some xylene in a fume cupboard. Xylene is the solvent for Canada balsam which is probably the original mountant. A drop of Canada balsam can then be put on the slide and a n...

Hi Lab,
Serrata (02 9651 3033) have both plastic & glass T & Y connectors.
Cheers,
~Robyn

Hi Robbie,
We have some magnets called 'Super Magnets' (sintered from Neodymium Iron Boron) about that size.
From Scientrific 02 6645 8111.
Watch out - those things can be dangerous! Strongly recommend the 'sleeved" ones.
Cheers,
~Robyn

Hi, Back in the early 1990's there was a 2-year, one night a week course at Granville TAFE called the "Science Lab Attending Course". It was a very handy course covering all that Science Lab Assistants and Technicians are asked to do and provide - Biology, Geology, Chemistry, etc. It might...

Hi,
we have sent our exhausted bar magnets back to the distributor at Warchope in the past and they can re-magnetise them for a small fee.
They were great as they re-painted them, provided new spacers and metal keepers and new boxes. Still working well.
Cheers,
~Robyn

Hi All, our teachers regularly do an experiment reacting dilute sodium thiosulfate solution with dilute hydrochloric acid. This produces in the reaction, hydrogen sulfide gas solution which we get returned to the prep room in a waste container. I know a recommended way of disposing this waste soluti...

Hi, the website supplied are good aren't they, especially the second one. Our set-ups include: 250 mL sidearm buchner flasks, & 50mm (outside diameter) buchner funnels. The trick is to get a funnel size that will be compatible with the filter paper that fits inside (you can always trim your own ...

G'day,
Livingstone International have a large range of evaporating basins in their schools supply catalogue and I think the size you require is amongst them.
You can contact them on 1300 855 988,
Good luck!
~Robyn

Hi Pommy,
a good glassware soaking solution is Pyroneg detergent.
(available from Science Supply, 1300 857 544, 3kg approx. $55.)
Good luck with this one - a difficult problem!
~Robyn

Hi Robbie,
thanks for your information. I have checked the Seton site and it is a great reference.
Cheers,
~Robyn

G'day All,
can anyone tell me if there is a standard system out there for labelling sensitive rooms in Science buildings?
eg: CHEMICAL STORE - RESTRICTED ACCESS!
I would be very appreciative.
Cheers,
~Robyn