magnetic stirrer

[RalphLambrecht]

i'mlooking for a good an resonably priced magnetic stirrer in germany. any suggestions?

 

[eclarke]

No question, buy a Corning hotplate/stirrer..a lottle more expensive but a high value and it will mix four liters of chemistry. If you are mixing small batches like one liter, a stick blender, also known as an immersion blender, works extremely well. I can make a liter of D76 in room temperature water in about five or ten minutes..Evan Clarke

 

[holmburgers]

If budget minded, you can score any number of varying grades in the used market. Laboratory surplus, university liquidation, eBay; places like that.

 

[jochen]

Hello Ralph,
the most known manufacturers of magnetic stirrers in Germany are IKA (Janke&Kunkel) and Heidolph. One of the biggest suppliers for laboratory equipment is VWR (a subsidiary of Merck), they offer a complete IKA kit of stirrer with electronic contact thermometer (IKA RCT classic) for about 400 € (new). A used stirrer in good condition should cost well under 100 €, but you should have a critical look for the general condition of the equipment (corrosion, dirt from chemicals). If you do not need the heating and temperature control, there are also models on the market who can only stir, even very simple ones. Normal stirrers can stir up to about 5 liters but boiling water only to about 2 liters in a reasonable time. With the electronic contact thermometer you can hold a constant temperature of about +/- 1° C.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

that's what i bought, got it for 152 euros. works great.

 

[Bill Burk]

On that auction site, item 200650820772, is a water-powered stirrer (two available).

No connection with seller, but I found one of these at a rummage sale and am very happy with the way it works.

You hook up with flexible hose to your sink's water supply and adjust speed by running water faster/slower.

I particularly enjoy that there is no shock hazard if something spills.

 

[keithwms]

Go to any nearby college or high school and see if they have an old one they want to get rid of. These things get tossed out routinely because students spill stuff on them.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

isiy ok to leave it running overnight unatended?500b of sulfite don'i dissolve that wquickly.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I wouldn't have a problem leaving the stirrer run overnight, but if it's the hotplate combo type stirrer I think I'd leave the hotplate off while unattendend. Fire is a nasty thing and it gets nastier as it gets bigger. So, if you want to run the heat you could put it someplace where there's is no chance of that fire getting bigger. Like maybe outside for overnight use? Just a thought on the safe side, JohnW

 

[Bill Harrison]

magnetic....

Evan, Stick blenders introduce a lot of air... not good for D76. I used to shake it in a plastic bottle and couldn't understand why my D76 didn't hold up as long as my lab mates, mixed at the same time. Magnetic stirrer is better.

 

[eclarke]

Evan, Stick blenders introduce a lot of air... not good for D76. I used to shake it in a plastic bottle and couldn't understand why my D76 didn't hold up as long as my lab mates, mixed at the same time. Magnetic stirrer is better.

Hi Bill,
I have two heated Cornings and use them most often. When I want a liter of D76 at room temp, right now, the stick ismthe bomb. It also helps to keep the stick under the surface to avoid dragging air in. I use about 3 gallons of developers a week, all ome shot so have no issues with keeping properties. The Haist formulamfor D76 eliminates the hydroquinone, making the stock much more stanle..Cheers, Evan

 

[Bill Burk]

I wouldn't have a problem leaving the stirrer run overnight, but if it's the hotplate combo type stirrer I think I'd leave the hotplate off while unattendend. Fire is a nasty thing and it gets nastier as it gets bigger. So, if you want to run the heat you could put it someplace where there's is no chance of that fire getting bigger. Like maybe outside for overnight use? Just a thought on the safe side, JohnW

Makes sense. Wouldn't want to be the one responsible for burning your house down because I told you to leave it on all night (Since your magnetic stirrer is new and industrial it should be good for it).

I once told a friend it was safe to ignore the yellow light on his dashboard, because "I do it all the time." Well, I guess what you can do with British cars doesn't necessarily apply to Japanese cars, because shortly - matter of days - his engine blew.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

It's the Lucas Electrics...

 

[John Wiegerink]

Back in the 60's and early 70's I had several friends that thought it "Cool" to drive MG's and Triumph's. The guys with the MG's had more than there share of brake problems while both had headaches in the electrical department. It seemed both MG and Triumph were equally bad the minute water or the slightest corrosion entered the picture. Cool cars, but my friends didn't own them very long. Of course Michigan road salt/weather condition aren't nice to any car, but those British bombs were real bombs there.
I just had my heated mixer/stirrer apart for a repair/adjustment and it looked pretty bullet proof. I'm sure you could leave it run unattended and 99 out of 100 times you'd have no problem, but that 1 out of 100 could be a killer. No body takes more chances than I do, but this is one chance I won't take. I'm sure Ralph knows that also. JohnW

 

[AnselAdamsX]

What about the ones made in China? $178 shipped for a new one. I'm thinking about getting one to try my hand at dry plates.

 

[John Wiegerink]

What about the ones made in China? $178 shipped for a new one. I'm thinking about getting one to try my hand at dry plates.

I looked into(kinda) the Chicom Stirrers before I bought my last used one, but decided to pass since I knew nothing about them. The prices were good, but the shipping was a killer. I'd rather have a used Corning, Thermolyne, Fisher, Ika, etc. no mater how old, than a possible dud. Not saying they are bad, just saying I don't know. I do like the fact that you can control heat at a more precise measure than I can with my older ones and that could be a big plus. I have had the Thermolyne apart and can say it is build to last as I would imagine most of the other ones I mentions are also. Remember, what looks nice on the outside can be not so nice on the inside. If you do get one please report back and let us know what you think. JohnW

 

[AnselAdamsX]

I went ahead and ordered one from China. It arrived today. There was a delay in shipping. They were out of stock. Three weeks from payment to arrival. The box was bubblewraped. The box was still fairly beat up. The first thing I did was to put 500ml of water and set it for 55°c. It overshot by a few degrees and then settled down to the correct temp. On close inspection I found a crack in the corner of the ceramic heater. So know I will see what kind of support I get.