#1 Science Forum For Lab Technicians

Who/where would I contact for someone to come out and test our Auotclave?

When does an SDS 'expire'? I currently just update them yearly to the newest released/revised from a primary source in Australia

Welcome back everyone! Hope everyone has had a good break and is ready for the year!

Quick question, I have a lot of e-waste and textbooks that I need to dispose of. Does anyone know of any companies in NSW that takes books for recycling/repurposing, or of any companies that take old microscopes ...

Thank you MM and Pm, this info is very helpful!

Hi all,

My SAM has asked me if I need to include the cleaners chemicals in our schools chemical register. I haven't in the past.
My question is, do you guys include them in your registers? Is it a requirement?

TIA

The sand is a great idea bigmack!
In regards to the metal tin, my only concern would be that something could react with the metal? I don't know If that would be the case, just trying to cover all bases.

Hi all,

Just curious to how everyone would store a damaged lithium battery while they wait for disposal to be organised? The battery isn't reacting.
My thinking was tap up the terminals, wrap it up in a fire blanket and put it inside of a glass container in a flame cupboard, or tap the terminals ...

bigmack wrote: 24 Nov 2025, 10:20

RosalieL wrote: 24 Nov 2025, 09:21 How do you all store your spring balances?

No very elagently .
However , this is not my solution , the Physics teacher has his own way of doing things

IMG_3415.jpeg

This would be a perfect visual representation of how ours are stored...

Hi all, not sure if this is the right thread.

I have a bunch of equipment here (microscopes, transformers, ray boxes, etc) that is in need of some serious repairs. It is well out of my ability.

Does anyone know someone I can contact for some repair work?
Located Western Sydney.

TIA

We struggle to find plucks but everything else (eyes, hearts, kidneys, livers) seems to be readily available around here, however the price has become a bit crazy.... something like $450 for 32 eyes.
The rest is a fair bit cheaper but everything has been, at minimum ,$200 for a set of 32 (as ...

Thank you PM and littltesttube!

Does any have a non-toxic recipe for slime?
My HT wants to do a 'making slime' experiment for STEM night this year and has requested that it be non-toxic. Only slime I have ever made uses borax and PVA glue so thought I would poke the brain trust and see what you labbies have done in the past

Made phenolphthalein agar this morning. I followed the same-old recipe but it's now below 30 degrees Celcius and still totally liquid. AAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGH! I've never had this happen before. Does anyone know what could have gone awry?

Oh. I didn't use a thermometer to check it hit 100 degrees - I ...

Full PPE was inclusive of leather shoes, long pants, lab coat, gloves, hairnet, safety goggles and a N95 mask. She also followed aseptic techniques as well
Hope that helps

I second PM's statement. We had a student here last year with similar health vulnerabilities. She was given the option to sit out of the prac and just observe me doing the prac on her behalf which was ultimately the path we chose to take. She was offered to do it with full PPE, and like PM said, SB ...

It's definitely not necessary but I figured it might deter the students from trying to drink it. Wouldn't surprise me if they still did haha

I would say that you have to create a custom label. I just had a look and came up with this.
I did add "DO NOT CONSUME", however that only shows on large labels

Thank you all it is greatly appreciated!

Hi all,
My HT has requested that I source some liquid nitrogen (as well as the vessel it needs to be contained in) and dry ice for our STEM night this year.
Was just wondering if anyone knows of any companies that stock liquid nitrogen and dry ice. The supplier doesn't need to stock both, I am ...

Yea... after getting the price I was a little shocked. We are spending almost $500 on bull eyes!
I am going to stick to buying from Southern Biological moving forward. May take a little longer for them to arrive but it's almost half price.