Getting chemical equipment and lab supplies

[DLawson]

Those who would give up essential chemistry in the pursuit of liberty deserve DSLRs.

Um, or something.

 

[removed account4]

This is somewhat disheartening to me as I have wanted to mix my own chems for quite some time.

varyav

my guess is that PE was buying something that was not
a regular thing that one would purchase to make a developer ...
i know i don't plan on buying panchromatic dyes anytime soon ... maybe that is what he was getting ...


PE
why don't you register yourself + your enterprise as a DBA so you can use your
business name instead of personal name as the purchaser, and register yourself
with whatever entity they want you to register with. it costs about 10$ here to register as a DBA ...
john

 

[VaryaV]

Thanks everyone.

 

[MattKing]

How about "PhotoEngineer Products"

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I haven't had a problem finding anything I need. I've even purchased sodium hydroxide, which is theoretically illegal for sale to the general public in New York City, at B&H, and I've ordered it online when it wasn't available locally. I purchase from Artcraft, Photographer's Formulary, Bostick & Sullivan, and occasionally from Mostly-Metals (which I think may be operating under a new name lately--not sure if he's still in business).

 

[Photo Engineer]

I really think you guys are over-reacting a little tiny bit. What is the big deal with registering with the DEA (now DHS)? Do you own a car? is it registered with the DMV??? You don't think twice about that - do you? So what's with all this drama over registering with the Gov so that you can buy chems?

I was just at the local supplier the other day...bought a quarter pound of Silver Nitrate. Apparently, it has some non-photographic uses....so, yup, they checked my id and made sure that I was already "on file" as having registered. What's the big deal?

Brad;

Let me be clear on this. I am registered with the DEA (DHS) but there are still prohibitions that absolutely forbid shipping certain chemicals at all. But, to continue my story, I was trying to buy plastic tubing for a pump and this was also forbidden. It is not a chemical, but a lab supply.

The company would not sell to me, nor would it sell to another company in my name and drop ship it to my home. Even registered as a corporation (a real pain in the tush in NYS) they would not deliver to a residential address.

And, since the tubing was proprietary for peristaltic pumps, I could only get it from two sources. Neither would sell and the third could buy it but not drop ship it. It therefore took 3 months to figure out the route by which they could get it to me.

I've discussed this with the sales people of several supply houses and they have all described how hard it is to stay in business what with all of the regulations, inspections, restrictions and etc. on chemicals and chemical suppiles. So yes, I can get Hydroquinone and other things from the Formulary, but in some instances, I hit a stone wall. Believe me, it is there.

Wards Scientific used to sell everything to everyone. Look at their web site or catalog today and you will see "restricted" applied to many items which they will only sell to schools or corporations that can prove their bona fides. About all I can get from them now are hot plates, stirring bars, and spatulas. (Yeah, I can get more than that. This is just an illustration of the problem. Twenty years ago, the catalog was open to all)

PE

 

[Saganich]

If anyone has trouble I make purchases through my employee which is a large Medical School with a large teaching hospital so I have little trouble from suppliers. Drop me an email.

 

[Sim2]

They will wait, until the time is right to unleash terrorism against us that was unthinkable 20 years ago. I know very little about the conflict in Northern Ireland in the 1970's-almost nothing. I DO know, however, that neither side in the conflict, CUT OFF THE HEADS OF THE THE OTHER SIDE AND POSTED VIDEOS on the evening news (obviously, the wasn't YOUTUBE back then.)

I really, really, really don't want to get political here, but......

(With apologies to all Irish, North or South). During that "conflict" nail bombs were used on humans as well as horses - with edited footage on the evening news, two soldiers were beaten to death by a crowd after taking a wrong turning with one body tied behind a car and driven around - on the news, people were "knee-capped" for minor transgressions (shot through the knee from the back). It, like most civil wars (disturbances) was a bloody, horrific and lawless conflict - to bring this into a discussion about product availability is odd. How amny other conflicts shall we compare to? The Cezh uprising, Chechnya, Kurdistan, Korea or perhaps Vietnam.....

The hardline fundamentalists have waited a thousand years to avenge the Christian crusades, and as you say, they have infinite patience, so they are prepared to wait another thousand years. With a "foe" like that, perhaps it is best not to antagonize them, they are in no hurry after all. It is possible that they might be slightly less miffed if we stopped invading their countries and trying to force an alien style of government and society on to them. It is slightly ironic that a single bearded man can move from country to country, run a terrorist campaign without being spotted by the most technologically advanced country in the western world.

If a similar event had happened to say China, hypothetically, they would probably have sent a few bods off to quietly kill the main perpetrators and be done with it, similar to how the Russians allegedly deal with people they don't agree with. I doubt very much if they would nearly bankrupt their own country on a foreign venture that history dictates will not be won.

Although, at present I do not buy much in the way of raw chemicals, it saddens me deeply that the freedom to be able to choose is being eroded under the guise of war of fear. When a persons freedom to buy a plastic tube is restricted by the fear that it may be missused then perhaps the arguement has been lost. Why commit an act when merely the fear of that act being committed erodes civil liberties.

*Free access to plastic tubes for all*
Apologies for the rant..

 

[KWhitmore]

I really think you guys are over-reacting a little tiny bit. What is the big deal with registering with the DEA (now DHS)? Do you own a car? is it registered with the DMV??? You don't think twice about that - do you? So what's with all this drama over registering with the Gov so that you can buy chems?

Perhaps you've been lucky so far?

This year I ran into problems trying to order pre-mixed film and paper developers from the U.S. It wasn't always this way. Rodinal and Lith to be exact. If I wanted the rest of my order shipped to me, I HAD to drop those 2 items from my basket. Major bummer.

Kathy

 

[Hexavalent]

I had a lab supply firm tell me that they could not sell or ship gelatin as it was a scheduled substance, and extremely dangerous.
Although I am grateful for them looking after my health, I have taken my business elsewhere.

 

[Photo Engineer]

I had a lab supply firm tell me that they could not sell or ship gelatin as it was a scheduled substance, and extremely dangerous.
Although I am grateful for them looking after my health, I have taken my business elsewhere.

You may be surprised, but gelatin is considered dangerous.

Every master batch is shipped with an analysis of the content referring particularly to Anthrax, Botulinus, Staph, and Strep bacteria. It is a problem in the manufacture of gelatin.

So, the government is "protecting" us.

PE

 

[BradS]

Brad;

Let me be clear on this. I am registered with the DEA (DHS) but there are still prohibitions that absolutely forbid shipping certain chemicals at all. But, to continue my story, I was trying to buy plastic tubing for a pump and this was also forbidden. It is not a chemical, but a lab supply.

The company would not sell to me, nor would it sell to another company in my name and drop ship it to my home. Even registered as a corporation (a real pain in the tush in NYS) they would not deliver to a residential address.

And, since the tubing was proprietary for peristaltic pumps, I could only get it from two sources. Neither would sell and the third could buy it but not drop ship it. It therefore took 3 months to figure out the route by which they could get it to me.

I've discussed this with the sales people of several supply houses and they have all described how hard it is to stay in business what with all of the regulations, inspections, restrictions and etc. on chemicals and chemical suppiles. So yes, I can get Hydroquinone and other things from the Formulary, but in some instances, I hit a stone wall. Believe me, it is there.

Wards Scientific used to sell everything to everyone. Look at their web site or catalog today and you will see "restricted" applied to many items which they will only sell to schools or corporations that can prove their bona fides. About all I can get from them now are hot plates, stirring bars, and spatulas. (Yeah, I can get more than that. This is just an illustration of the problem. Twenty years ago, the catalog was open to all)

PE

So, Ron, what I hear you saying is that:

1) things are not the way they used to be.

2) you're (very?) frustrated because you cannot buy or get shipped to your home a proprietary (specialized?) bit of plastic tubing.

3) As far as you can tell all of the basic materials that one might reasonably need to mix one's own B&W film and paper developers (Metol, Hydroquinone, Sodium sulfite, Borax, Sodium Carbonate, Potassium bromide, Phenidone, Ascorbic acid, even Sodium hydroxide, Silver Nitrate, Ferric Ammonium Citrate (green), Ferric ammonium oxalate, etc....) are all still very much available to the ordinary consumer and at reasonable prices.

Is that accurate?

 

[Q.G.]

I ordered a bottle of Rodinal from neighbouring Germany.
Now i get it why it takes so long to get here...

 

[adam hirsch]

I understand your point, and, as I said, I know nothing about that conflict in Northern Ireland. I brought it up to underscore the point that we're up against a fundamentally different enemy, today. They do NOT repect human life, even their own. Odd as it may appear, I believe my bringing it up is relevant to this thread, b/c in my opinion, too many people, today, take a similar attitude as yours (and, btw, I RESPECTFULLY disagree with you...let me repeat, RESPECTFULLY,) that we, as a civilized society, should be cognizant not to upset the terrorists. Just lay low, under the radar. Give them what they want. Hopefully, they'll go away. Spare us. Maybe, if we, the US, represent the Palestinians in the conflict with the Israelis (as opposed to MEDIATING the conflict,) then Al-Qaeda will NOT have suicide bombers plan to hit the NY subway system. Maybe if we stop using the word terrorism, altogether, and replace it with....idk, "unwanted external conflict," or something, then Iran won't develop the bomb and they won't (concurrently) threaten to wipe sovereign countries "off the map." Maybe...if we're nice. And, btw, how often has the US, or the UK, or France, or Nigeria, or Egypt threatened to wipe another country off the map....???
Again, I respect your opinion. In fact, I'm appreciative of this form and this site. I love analougue photography, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a member. I mean that; however, to me, very little is done in a vacumn. My photography, as important as it is to me, will only continue to exist, if we protect our countries, or socities, and way of life. Our borders, and our cultures.
To end my rant, I'll say that I am honored to be a part of this site, am grateful to be able to purchase the chemicals I need, and, appreciate other photographers, like yourselves who care about the traditional process like I do (and, who are more knowledable than I am.) What you are picking up from me is the fear that there are people out there that have one goal, and that is to destroy us, our kids, and our western values. I believe that I have recognized this (I'm sure you all have, also,) but, I'm willing to do whatever it takes (legally, and from a societal standpoint) to protect our children from this enemy. I just don't believe that PC, and appeasement are the answers. All they know is strengh, so we must deal with them from a position of strengh. Any sign of weakness, guilt, or indecision.....they'll eat us up.

If this seems OT, I'm sorry; the initial point of the thread triggered this rant. Sorry.

 

[BradS]

I understand your point, and, as I said, I know nothing about that conflict in Northern Ireland. I brought it up to underscore the point that we're up against a fundamentally different enemy, today. They do NOT respect human life, even their own.....

Adam,

I respectfully suggest that you spend some time in the library and read more of the the history of human conflict. I believe that, if you do, you will gain a new and valuable perspective on the current events, tactics and policy.

 

[adam hirsch]

meaning?

 

[VaryaV]

I haven't had a problem finding anything I need. I've even purchased sodium hydroxide, which is theoretically illegal for sale to the general public in New York City, at B&H, and I've ordered it online when it wasn't available locally. I purchase from Artcraft, Photographer's Formulary, Bostick & Sullivan, and occasionally from Mostly-Metals (which I think may be operating under a new name lately--not sure if he's still in business).

Thanks for posting these companies, David. Bookmarked!

If anyone has trouble I make purchases through my employee which is a large Medical School with a large teaching hospital so I have little trouble from suppliers. Drop me an email.

I will keep this in mind, Saganich if I have an problems

 

[BradS]

meaning?

Read! and discover the truth for yourself.

 

[Hexavalent]

You may be surprised, but gelatin is considered dangerous.

Every master batch is shipped with an analysis of the content referring particularly to Anthrax, Botulinus, Staph, and Strep bacteria. It is a problem in the manufacture of gelatin.

So, the government is "protecting" us.

PE

The product I was trying to order was histological grade (bug-free).
I should have mentioned in my post that I was told by the supplier gelatin is very dangerous when inhaled, and can create an explosive atmosphere. I supposed a silo full of gelatin dust would have its hazards.

Nonetheless, be wary of the next aspic you encounter!

 

[Q.G.]

I always am.

 

[Sim2]

And, btw, how often has the US, or the UK, or France, or Nigeria, or Egypt threatened to wipe another country off the map....???

Don't rise to this, don't rise to this, don't rise to this, don't rise to this, damn....

For the defence may I call:
The Hundred Years war, England tried to destroy France;
The Holy Roman Empire against the (primarily) German barbarians;
Israel vs Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula;
The Russians in the Cold war;
The French, English and Americans in the Cold war (seem to remember a certain R. Regan and the "bomb the commies" quote;
The English and rightminded Christians of Europe against the armies and civilizations of Saladin;


And in summary, The U.S.A and the Empire of Japan, not once but twice did the bomb drop. Thrice and more would follow till not a living soul was left standing to fight for the honour of the Emperor, 'twas only averted by the surrender and humiliation of the Living God of Shinto in the embodiment of the Emperor. (Somewhat sneakily extracting their revenge by making Toyotas that don't stop and buying up all the U.S. treasury debt stock - they are inscrutably patient, when will they strike back?)

Should we expand to include the Chinese embracing Tibet or Pol Pot on safari in Cambodia, Rwanda vs anybody nearby who looked oddly at them, oh, and Nigeria seems to keep threatening to empty my bank account in an economic warfare via many an email scam!

Yep, not many threats or actions really.

 

[VaryaV]

Nonetheless, be wary of the next aspic you encounter!

Damn...... I love a good aspic.

 

[Sim2]

Adam,

I respectfully suggest that spend some time in the library and read more of the the history of human conflict. I believe that, if you do, you will gain a new and valuable perspective on the current events, tactics and policy.

LOL! Good advice.

Have a vague memory of a sea battle back in ancient Greece where over 10,000 were said to have been killed in one day and the sea ran red with blood (wasn't there of course, so may be heresay ) though I am sure that as they were not todays fundamentally different enemy all the killing was done with total respect for human life. (See subsection on crucifixion of captured enemy).

 

[Q.G.]

Josephus tells us how a fart killed 30,000.

Don't know what the 'perp' ate (though it probably wasn't unleavened bread), but surely it must go on the 'restricted' list.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Remember Idi Amin?

PE