"Appal Energy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > You really want to stay away from glass. Caustic splattering all over hell > and half of creation due to a minor lack of attention or slip is not a > pretty thought.
Indeed, but spills can happen with plastic or stainless as well, so you should always be on your guard whenever dealing with methoxide in any container and in any quantity. Actually, for small quantities I like to use a Pyrex or Kimax flask (cheap on eBay), and a magnetic stirrer. (also cheap on eBay). The brand names aren't important, any borosilicate glass will do. I'm just partial to Corning's Pyrex and Kimble's Kimax brands because I know they're quality equipment. Several people have for a long time recommended a blender with a glass jar, which can usually be found for around $20 at a thrift shop. If you decide to go this route the first thing you want to do is make ABSOLUTELY SURE the seals in it are good. Perhaps even to the point of replacing them. Kits to do this are available at most small appliance stores, and some stores will even put them in for you, for a small fee. And never mix methoxide in a blender without the lid on, and never mix methoxide in a blender on anything but the _lowest_ speed. > Mixing alcohol and catalyst generates great amounts of heat, to the point > that the alcohol can boil. I've never had this trouble when mixing ~6g per liter. The alcohol barely got warm at that dilution. Where you _really_ see the heat is when making concentrated solutions like for soap making. That's when the solution _really_ gets hot! But then to disperse the heat one thing you should definitely is to start the stir _first_, and then add the NaOH to the alcohol while it's stirring. > Using plastic jugs is not a wise idea, as generally people tend to think > they can simply place the lid on and shake vigorously. > > That's a disaster waiting to happen...pressure can build up... lids can pop > off...seams can split. Definitely _very_ bad idea. If you want to use a jug the only kind of cover you want to put onto it is plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. This will keep any pressure from building up, and you can tell when it's trying to because the plastic wrap will bulge. And the only stirring you want to do with methoxide in a jug is to _swirl_ it. Shaking it is just asking and begging and _pleading_ for trouble! Better yet, get or make yourself some better method of doing it. > If I had to reccommend, I would suggest gentle agitation in a thick HDPE > container, inside a retainment vessel of some sort, to catch spills, slops > and leaks. And a cover. Don't mix methoxide in any container unless you can put a cover on it to prevent splashing. Even if you have to _make_ a cover for it. The extra effort and time it takes to do this might _literally_ save your skin. > AND NEVER.....unless you really want to take on a high risk for eye damage > and an expensive ER and optomological specialist's visit.....NEVER mix > alcohol and catalyst or work with the mixture without safety goggles. At least safety goggles. A face shield is better than safety goggles when dealing with methoxide. And a full length plastic apron, and chemical gloves _with gauntlets_ are a must. They're expensive, but they're far cheaper than a visit to the ER. If you're dealing with larger quantities of methoxide then plastic boots are also a good idea. Protective equipment is cheap. Reconstructive surgery is expensive. And build yourself a spill kit. Even if your spill kit consists of nothing but a bag of dry-sweep and a jug of vinegar it can make your life much easier in the event of a spill. If you're using the acid/base method then you want to include a jug of baking soda solution in your spill kit. > Bases can do far more damage to eye tissue in a shorter time period than > acids. Indeed. Bases can do more damage to _any_ biological material much more quickly than acids. Especially eyes. For this reason if you can't have an emergency shower and eyewash station available, and most of us can't, then you want to have running water available _and have it running_. It may seem like a waste of water, but if you need it then you need it RIGHT NOW and you don't want to fumble around trying to turn it on. Better yet, portable emergency eyewash kits are available from anywhere that sells safety equipment, including most tool catalogs. They aren't absolutely necessary, but they are a good idea. As always, safety equipment is MUCH less expensive than medical bills. I don't mean to scare anyone off by recomending all of this safety equipment, but whenever you're handling caustics you need to protect yourself. This is true whether you're making biodiesel or soap or anything else that requires caustics, particularly if it involves large quantities of caustics. And it's particularly true of methoxide, because not only is it caustic, but it's also quite toxic as well. Spending a few dollars on safety equipment just might prevent you having to spend many thousands of dollars on medical bills. AP -- Aviation is more than a hobby. It is more than a job. It is more than a career. Aviation is a way of life. A second language for the world: www.esperanto.com Processor cycles are a terrible thing to waste: www.distributed.net ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4. No Minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/BgmYkB/VovDAA/ySSFAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
