glass chemical bottles

[matteiflex]

hi all,
i've been using plastic concertina bottles for some time but i always liked the idear of using glass bottles. i'd like to find some i can fill to the brim and use as a one shot for working solutions. what do you use and where can i buy them from in the U.K.? any advice and working practices with storing chemicals will be appriciated.

 

[Bob-D659]

Unbreakable plastic PET type plastic ones are as good as glass, Usually found in the beverage aisle complete with water or soda type drinks in them.

They are way better than concertina type bottles.

 

[John Koehrer]

Pharmacist, Chemist, Druggist? Common language my foot.

 

[Mike Wilde]

Surplus bottles from things like: My kids cough syrup, vitamin pill bottles, mouthwash bottles, bread machine yeast bottels (220mL- perfect for storing developer for my single reel size of steel reels tanks).

Yes, pop/soda bottles. Low air permiability to keep the fiz in keeps stray air out when repurposed for the darkroom. Remove original labels, and re-label clearly.

 

[mgb74]

Unbreakable plastic PET type plastic ones are as good as glass, Usually found in the beverage aisle complete with water or soda type drinks in them.

They are way better than concertina type bottles.

Common PET bottles, even for carbonated beverages, are oxygen permeable over time. So they may be perfectly adequate - but not as good as glass (at least in theory).

Some PET bottles have better oxygen barriers than others - I think those are used more for drugs/medicines and similar uses (rather than food). I do use PET bottles for working solutions.

 

[Steaphany]

I know some color chemistries have solutions which degrade from Oxygen exposure. Check what you are using to know when glass is necessary. I just use glass for everything. My bottle source is:

http://www.specialtybottle.com/

 

[Mark Fisher]

I'm a fan of amber Boston Rounds (type of bottle). I get them from SKS Bottles in the US. I suspect there is a similar supplier in the UK. I've broken a few in the last few years so i just got a new supply today.

 

[Bob-D659]

Kodak RA4 mixed colour developer and D76 both seem to last about a year in 2 liter soda and 500ml water store brand bottles. I haven't kept any longer than that(hmmm, better check the back corners under the sink). I wouldn't worry about the oxygen permeability of them, and they are unlikely to smash when they hit the floor.

 

[Wade D]

Brown glass bottles are nice if you can get them for free. If you can avoid breakage they will last a lifetime. Mine are 40 years old and were had for free at the local drugstore. They couldn't reuse them and had to dispose of them. Now most medicines come in plastic bottles but they are still free for the asking as long as they are washed out.

 

[steven_e007]

I got my brown glass bottles with child proof caps from the local chemists shop. They used to have 50, 100, 250 and 500 millilitre bottles behind the counter for dispensing things like cough medicine from larger bottles. Usually they would sell these for a few pence (although often demanded suspiciously to know what I wanted them for...)

Note I said 'got'... Past tense. Alas the trend now is to sell everything pre-packaged so many chemists don't mix up or dispense in the shop very much. Still worth asking, though, they may have hundreds of bottles 'out the back' they don't want any more ;-)

For 500ml and 1 & 2 litre sizes you need to ask for 'empties'. The cough syrup 'Calpol' is sold in 1 and 2 litre sizes, ask them to put the empties on one side for you. This is paracetamol in sugary syrup. Needs a good thorough wash, but nothing nasty or difficult to clean.

Last few bottles I got, just a few days ago, were from the local vet. Vets still dispense from bulk containers, so if the local pharmacist has stopped using bottles, try there...