What to use to siphon?

[dolven]

what can be reliably used to siphon up solvents like xylene or toluene? Nearly every option I see still has some plastic parts to it. I saw someone recommend this somewhere on the forum, used with a glass pipette attachment. would this likely work as the glass attachment for it? I know that would still have some plastic components, but at least it seems it would be a lot easier to ensure none of it gets close to the plastic during pulls.

For now, I just got a big ass, nearly foot-long, metal turkey baster. it has a bulb of thick rubber, but im going to aim not to pull so much at a time anyways that any could get close to the bulb.

If i have any alternative options that would work well, id like to know

 

[Nydex]

I used to faff about with a glass pipette with a manual pump on top like the one you linked, but I find using a separatory funnel like this one is infinitely easier and faster, and they're not that expensive at all. Just make sure the cap is made out of a plastic that has some innate corrosion resistance so as to not leach any plastics in your basified soup.

Good luck!

 

[dolven]

I used to faff about with a glass pipette with a manual pump on top like the one you linked, but I find using a separatory funnel like this one is infinitely easier and faster, and they're not that expensive at all. Just make sure the cap is made out of a plastic that has some innate corrosion resistance so as to not leach any plastics in your basified soup.

Good luck!

I will prob go for the separatory funnel eventually, but for now i have about 40$ to spend on it. so Ill just be getting the pipette. Did you find it difficult to prevent any of the solvent from touching the plastic, or as long as you use it mindfully was that not an issue?

thanks

 

[Nydex]

as long as you use it mindfully was that not an issue

This.

 

[dolven]

This.

is there any reliable way to clean the pipettes after using with a solvent or is it best just to dispose of them after each extraction?

 

[Nydex]

is there any reliable way to clean the pipettes after using with a solvent or is it best just to dispose of them after each extraction?

Depends on what they're dirty with. I've found that in most cases, a hot IPA bath cleans most glassware.

 

[acacian]

Sep funnel is cheap and makes for a much more tidy and streamlined work process. The rubber pumps on pipettes are prone to warping/dissolving in some non polar solvents. A nice 1L erlenmeyer is also nice as the swirling motion you can use makes for faster and more thorough mixing of the polar and non polar phases.

None of the standard glassware useful for DMT extraction is expensive or usually monitored by law enforcement.

 

[lugh]

Sep funnel is cheap and makes for a much more tidy and streamlined work process. The rubber pumps on pipettes are prone to warping/dissolving in some non polar solvents. A nice 1L erlenmeyer is also nice as the swirling motion you can use makes for faster and more thorough mixing of the polar and non polar phases.

None of the standard glassware useful for DMT extraction is expensive or usually monitored by law enforcement.

The Erlenmeyer flask sounds like it would make life much easier! Both for swirling and to be able to pour into a separatory funnel. I already own some flasks already that I used for mushroom cultures, I think next time I'll finally get a separatory funnel..

My last run I used 1 gallon mason jars with one piece autoclavable lids ( mushroom cultivation) and some 10 ml glass pipettes from Amazon, fortunately with the better pipettes you can avoid suctioning solvent into the rubber bulbs but it's still quite tedious, as is mixing the solvent/soup in a gallon jar. It's just not very efficient.

 

[Transform]

I will prob go for the separatory funnel eventually, but for now i have about 40$ to spend on it. so Ill just be getting the pipette. Did you find it difficult to prevent any of the solvent from touching the plastic, or as long as you use it mindfully was that not an issue?

thanks

Some separatory funnels may come with a glass stopper, and anyhow, the neck should be a standard taper for which glass (Quikfit) stoppers should be available. One thing I've noticed (admittedly though, not having examined modern stock) is that the funnels are often made to fit a "C"-type stopper, which is shorter than "B"-type. The latter will still work, but the end protrudes downwards into the funnel vessel a bit when used with a "C"-type neck.

Re the pipettes, if you're doing a lot of culture work, an autopipette of some kind would be a good addition to the laboratory. The handheld ones generally require disposable hard plastic tips, so it would be necessary to research carefully before using with a strong solvent like xylene. Materials compatibility charts can be found online quite straightforwardly.