[BetaAmyloid]

Hi,

     I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of any materal projects (anything that can be built, no solution mixing, etc.) that revolve around chemistry that could be performed through the process of composing household materials or through buying materials from a local hobby store. I am interested in starting a project that is very hands on that may take quite a bit of time and precise building, something that gives a challenge to be completed.

     Any ideas of what you guys have built in the past, nothing exceptionally handcrafted, but something to the point of rigging a project together.

     For instance, I was thinking about building a mass spectrometer, which would be very difficult and would not perform to the capabilities of a normal spectrometer (since there is no vaccum in the atmosphere...) but it would still be a fun project which allows knowledge and may show some skewed results upon completion. This project is a little out there, but, is there anything that you guys can think of that allows a challenge such as the one above?

Thanks.

[nj_bartel]

nothing exceptionally handcrafted and you want to build a mass spec? 

[Yggdrasil]

How about trying to build a microscope?  It might not seem chemistry related since microscopes are most widely used in biology, but the skills required to build a microscope come in handy if you become a physical chemist and have to work with optics to do spectroscopy.

[BetaAmyloid]

nothing exceptionally handcrafted and you want to build a mass spec? 

Well, I kind of meant the parts used to build it - not how it was actually built. 

How about trying to build a microscope?  It might not seem chemistry related since microscopes are most widely used in biology, but the skills required to build a microscope come in handy if you become a physical chemist and have to work with optics to do spectroscopy.

Cool Cool, I'll look into it, I have before, but I couldn't seem to find a site with detailed procedures..

[Borek]

Spectrometer based on CD used as grating.

[BetaAmyloid]

I was actually thinking about creating a semi-vacuum chamber homemade. To make sure, the just of a vacuum chamber is the container (a household watertank), a hose (durable thick hose, maybe PVC), and a vacuum pump (a 3 CFM AC pump), right?

Is there anything else necessary to complete a chamber, since there would be no air entering the chamber since the pump would be running the full time it is being worked in?

This would at least allow for a small amount of lowered atmospheric pressure inside the container, right?

Also, what would make a good seal, caulk, heat? Such as on the edges of the door allowing one to enter into the chamber.

[nj_bartel]

I wouldn't attempt to create a vacuum in something not designed to hold it.

[cth]

It is a risky business because it may implose when you put vaccum in it. Caution

[BetaAmyloid]

Yeah...I thought about that, but I figured a household watertank would be pretty sustainable. I guess there is always the risk though, so I'll stick with saying it is too risky to complete. 

If I think of any other crazy things, I'll be sure to ask. 

Thanks

[Grundalizer]

Mass specs cost 250,000$ dollars, if not more, if you can build one in your basement for less than that start a company.

Build a homemade stir plate, lots of plans going around on ways to build one, it is an essential piece of any chemistry lab.

I found this site yesterday on another post on this forum, this guy knows how to salvage.

http://citsci.blogspot.com/