DCHAS-L Archives Nov 10 2009 - Re: Tool selection for removing hoses from glassware

Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:36:25 -0700
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From: DAVID KATZ <dakatz45**At_Symbol_Here**MSN.COM>
Subject: Re: Tool selection for removing hoses from glassware
In-Reply-To: <34704B7D15D2C14BA7F130CB44313E3F01DCE758251C**At_Symbol_Here**EXCHMB.ornl.gov>

I'm still an old-fashioned fan of rubber tubing rather than Tygon tubing. For normal lab operations, where the tubing carries water for cooling, rubber tubing has awlays worked well, is easily connected to faucet adapters and glass condensers, and is easily removed at the end of an experiment. Just get the correct size to fit the apapters/conncectors snugly, not too large, not too small with a wall thickness suitable to the job at hand. Also, the flexibility of the rubber tubing allows for better construction of distillation apparatus, etc.

Tygon tubing can be difficult to connect (for some reason, what's available in the lab is not always the correct diameter), can slip off a condenser if not pushed on far enough, and can be difficult to remove after as little as 30 minutes. Also, there is not enough elasticity to Tygon tubing and softening it with solvent, to connect it initially, makes the removal more difficult. In my 40 years of experience, most of the problems with tubing sticking to glassware, where a device is needed to remove it, it was Tygon-type tubing.

When Tygon, or another chemically resistant tubing is needed for apparatus, the best rule is, if it is not removed easily, leave it alone and call the lab professional who knows how to safely deal with the problem.

David

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David A. Katz
Chemist, Educator, Expert Demonstrator, Science Communicator, and Consultant
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----- Original Message -----

From: Jeskie, Kimberly B.

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU

Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 10:16 AM

Subject: [DCHAS-L] Tool selection for removing hoses from glassware

We=92ve been looking hard at our hand injuries lately and are focusing on cutting tool and glove selection. One thing in particular that we haven=92t been able to come up with a good solution for is a tool that works well for removing tubing that has basically seized or =93become one with=94 the glass connections on condensers, cold fingers, etc. I=92m sure you=92ve seen this before and most people reach for their pocket knife or a razor blade. It generally ends badly. Either the blade slips or the glass breaks and in either situation we end up with stitches. Anyone found a tool that works better under these conditions?

Kim

Kimberly Begley Jeskie, MPH-OSHM

Operations Manager

Physical Sciences Directorate

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

(865) 574-4945

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