Set Up Your Home Chemistry Lab

A concise introduction to home chemistry and methods/utensils for an improvised chem lab setup - for those interested in setting up their very own home chemistry laboratory.  

Tired of watching a nurdrage video and not having the means to try it at home? Make a lab.  We will be using various methods shown in The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, online videos, other instructables,  and some methods I've conceived on my own. We will try to minimize cost wherever possible and thus use the most readily available materials. However, I will present a more costly albeit better quality option for some of these. Read with an open and resourceful mind and be able to expand on these ideas. 

Note: No experiments are involved.
Link to source of inspiration: http://www.scribd.com/doc/21654883/The-Golden-Book-of-Chemistry-Experiments

This site has basically anything you'd need in a home lab: http://www.hometrainingtools.com/chemistry/c/3/

Step 1: Materials and Tools

The first step in any procedure should be to collect the materials needed. To set up a lab, a good way to start is to scavenge your garage, kitchen, etc. for useful items. Also, you must start a collection of sorts, i.e. keeping in mind not to throw away that liquor bottle you just finished. Of course, you will end up needing to shop for some of these - A great deal of these items are  readily available at the dollar store. 

Look for these easily accessible items: 
-glass jars
-glass bottles 
-glass vase
-metal or plastic tubes (i.e. from pens,)
-wire hangers : you can shape these into a number of useful contraptions with pliers
-ash tray : for dealing with molten glass or igniting a substance. 
-aluminum cans: top can be cut off with a can opener and used as a container. 
-spice vials 
-plastic containers and organizers
-latex, neoprene, or nitrile  gloves
-boxes (for storing)
-knife
-razors 
 -sponges
-rags or old clothing for cleaning/polilshing
-cloth pins 
-glass or steel rod
-scrap wood 
-school supply boxes 
-clamps
-lighters/matches
-super glue
-corks (@Michaels)
-candles
-toothbrush -as cleaning utensil
-spray bottle
-funnel and coffee filters for filtering solutions 
-plastic pail for waste
-liquid soap dispenser
-permanent marker 
-measuring cup
-paper towels


Might Have to Buy:

-glass medicine droppers (@ Walmart): you can also use these as shaping glass - see how in step 7.
-Brasso Metal Polish (optional - for aesthetic purposes)
- goo gone ( or any functional label remover)
-beaker 
- flasks (@Michaels)
-rubber chair tips (@ Walmart)
-test tubes (@ Hobby Lobby)
-aquarium tubing (@Walmart) or vinyl tubing (@Home Depot)
-red and blue litmus paper
-6v battery
-sand paper
-white sticker labels (@ Office Depot, Walmart)
-epoxy putty (@ Walmart, Home Depot)
 

Tools:

-Pliers
-Glue gun
-Bernzomatic micro-torch [very much recommended and not that expensive]  (@ Home Depot)
-Scissors 
-Tweezers
-Test Tube Holder 

Hardware:

-Homemade alcohol stove Or Camping lamp modified as an alcohol burner @ walmart.
-Distilling Apparatus (I will make a separate instructable for this one). 
-Wire Stands
-Wire Test Tube Holder
-A scale for measuring small amounts of substances


 

Comments

[ostomesto]

Awesome instructable! Great for someone who is ready for the chemistry lab but doesn't want those chemistry sets where everything is done and laid out for you. No freedom in those. Very nice instructable!
What did you do about the fumehood? I know one can be made and works pretty effectively but everyone has their own ways, whats your set-up?

[poikilotherm]

Excellent instructable! If my parents were only less opposed to me doing chemistry experiments in the house...

[evilpuppy]

Your awesome

[techno guy]

I went on the Michael's website and I couldn't find the little flasks that you were talking about. Can you give me the link or item number or something?

[awent0428]

You can find the glassware at hobby lobby.

[TheGuerrillaAlchemist]

This is brilliant! I created this account for the same ideas presented here, just for Alchemy rather than Chemistry. If I use any of these ideas I will definitely credit you. Thank you!

[beehard44]

Any tips on how to stop law enforcement from mistaking it as a drug lab?
I'm thinking of starting a home lab and i'm really worried about this, especially in a country where there is confusion in who-raids-who, public paranoia with chemicals, lack of test equipment and a faulty judiciary system.
Any tips?

[Pyrophoric]

Don't worry, a lot of activities involve a certain level of risk. But be very careful with chem. Do not buy dangerous precursors, such as fertilizer or pharmaceuticals in large ammounts. Also, check what's legal in your state through a normal google search. A lot of stuff you can substitute, such as erlenmyer flasks (illegal in texas).Avoid, if you can, fumes and explosions. If you keep to yourself and never cause any trouble, then you should be fine. A meth lab looks really run down and disorganized. Lifeless. A real chemist's lab has much more organization. You need to follow a lab book and keep a lab manual, and even keep a white board up with "smart stuff" on it. What I'm trying to say is, usually meth labs are just kitchens with no real science and if you show you're genuinely interested in the science, it should be convincing.

[rjbatc]

Haha, sorry, but illegal erlenmeyer flasks? That must be the most ridiculous thing I have heard in the last weeks. Really?

[Sovereignty]

I was really looking for something fr this exact type ible. Thank yu.

Also, thought i'd mention that I like t use the empty Yankee Candle jars that have lids, or any similar candle jar for chemical storage, etc. My wife goes through 3 or 4 of those candles a month.

[deth2all]

Ok kids, lets make some meff

[spawnos3717]

Or perhaps some GITD brownies?....

[spawnos3717]

A couple of other sources to consider for free or low cost items...freecycle.org and craigslist.

[dr.knowitall]

looks like the makings for a clandestine meth lab. nah jk, good job.

[angellicktrooper]

thx for posting this after the recust of me and some others ^^

also nice instructable ^^

[Pyrophoric]

No Problem! Glad You liked it.

[hotheriontroll]

This is a totally cool Instructable! When I was a kid, I hada series to Gilbert Chemistry sets and "flasks" were usually those bulb shaped shampoo bottles. My condenser was plastic tubing in a larger tube. Thanks for reminding me how much fun it all was!

[TheOlMaestro]

Great instructable!

For the reader's reference, here is a link to a pdf of the Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments:

I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[greyyguy]

The site doesn't appear to allow direct linking to the file, but here is the page that links to it: http://chemistry.about.com/b/2010/11/30/download-the-golden-book-of-chemistry-experiments.htm

[Pyrophoric]

Well thanks! The link didn't take me to the pdf, but it's still relevant.

[TheOlMaestro]

Dang. You're right. Sorry - that link worked this morning, really. Try this one.

[Pyrophoric]

This one works. Thanks for the reference.