Chemical Mixer

by moon161

6.0K187

Intro: Chemical Mixer

Does anyone still mix D-76 or other photochemistry in their kitchen? It doesn't disolve too well with the agitation that you can supply with your arm and a spoon. Making a stirrer out of 3/8" tubing was much easier than finding and buying one- camera stores are not what they used to be by any stretch of the imagination.

STEP 1: Cut and Knot 3/8" Plastic Tube

The stirrer is just a 3/8" plastic tube, probably vinyl from home despot or similar. 2 feet is about the right length for stirring in a gallon milk jug.

A simple knot near the end makes a weight that will swing around when you spin the tube.

STEP 2: Chuck Into a Drill

3/8" tube barely fits my 3/8" chuck. Make sure to size your tube to fit your tools.

STEP 3: Rock and Roll.

This works much better than arm supplied agitation, a lot faster too.

HEY! DON'T FORGET TO FLUSH THE CHEMICALS OUT OF THE TUBE BEFORE MIXING A DIFFERENT CHEMICAL.

8 Comments

mainecoonmaniac 15 years ago

I would use a stirring paddle. Shaking a jug or using a drill to mix photo chemicals cause rapid oxidation of chemicals which will degrade the shelf life.

duckarrowtypes 17 years ago

When I mix fixer (just sodium thiosulfate) and distilled water, I just pour the crystals in the jug, add water, screw on the cap to my milk jug and shake it up. Why get out the drill?

duckarrowtypes 17 years ago

Sorry... Your mod is cool and inventive. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk.

moon161 17 years ago

Nonsense. "Why do civilian Hummer's only seem to fit 1 or 2 people?" is a similarly perceptive yet important question.

moon161 17 years ago

I'll try that. For some reason developers stuck in my mind as being a pain in the ass. For a while I used Rodinal cause the liquid stock lasts a long time and you just dilute 30:1 or so. To bad you need someone to lie to the post office to ship this hazmat.

Building Books 17 years ago

wouldn't a modified paint mixer (for drills) be more effective + quieter?

moon161 17 years ago

A few reasons I like this: No noise problem- I didn't hear it over this drill. I have a mixer that I use for slip and ceramic glaze. It'll spit back at you if your not careful, and won't fit in the mouth of a milk jug. No problems with mixing effectiveness- it took me longer to scrounge the tube, and get ready. I used to have a Kodak stirrer that I cut the end off of so I could chuck it up in the drill, but this cost about $9.50 less.