Easier Filtering !!!!

[Kitchen Chemist]

Originally Posted by Harvey Balboner
Saw this from Corleone on another board, haven't tried it yet, but looks brilliant!

My fina filtering invention (post #1)

OK, maybe someone has thought of this before, but regardless I feel very proud and figure I should post it for those with a short temper like myself.

I don't know about the rest of you, but sometimes filtering 100ml's of fina can be very frustrating and enough to throw your bp through the roof. Nothing worse than having to exert total effort to push the oil through the damn filter to the point where sometimes you get splashback where you push too hard and oil is forced through the plunger. I HATE THAT! My fingers get red and painful from all the pressure exerted. Not to mention there's something about the stupid researchkit kits that cause the filters to clog after a crummy 10ml's.

Well I figured out that since the filters work both ways(yes you can filter reverse), that if you slide a credit card in between the plunger and finger grip to create pressure, and then duct tape the bottle to upside down position you can just sit back, relax and let gravity do it's job. It will filter itself into the syringe and you will have nice filtered fina effortless.

That's my contribution for the week

[Matthew D]

interesting very interesting..

[Chemo]

hehehe...the innovation of this method is great! For those that convert small quantities frequently this should help with the lobster hand syndrome

Chemo

[Chem101]

Some filters will work both ways. Others will not. The membrane is of course the same in either direction, however the network of supports inside the plastic case is in many cases designed only to hold pressure in one direction. Whatman GD/X type filters are a prime example of this, as they can "blow out" if filtered with suction rather than pressure. Also I have found (by ruining a large batch of HPLC preps) that if you place a syringe filter onto a syringe before pulling back the plunger, leur lock it down, and then pull back the plunger with no liquid it can and often does resultin the afforementioned "blow out".

My advice to those who want to try the method posted above is to experiment first with some extra filters. Also a small bar clamp with a hole drilled in it could in theory accomplish the same thing using pressure rather than suction.

Good luck, and nice ingenuity.

[jediclampet]

I m doing my first synovex conversion right now and the whatman filtering is a pain in the ass!

It seems that it's going slower the longer I've been filtering, or maybe I am just geeint more impatient.

Does the filtration go slower because the filter gets "worn"? If I used a new whatman would the filtration go faster?

[Matthew D]

it takes longer because it is getting clogged..

[jediclampet]

Could anyone tell us which types of filters are reversible and where they can be bought?

[Kitchen Chemist]

Whatman gd/x are for sure other then that i'm not sure. I tried this tonight and wasn't very successful. Maybe i'm just too impatient or maybe because i had some .22um rather then .45um filters i dunno. I wasted a lot of gear with those .22um motherjotis.

[ironviking]

I got a c-clamp which fits on to the syringe, I just turn it little by little, still takes time but it sure is easier on the hands

[Kitchen Chemist]

I actually tried filtering some gear normally with those .22um 45mm whatmans and it takes very little time if you use a 10ml syringe. Just leave the unfiltered gear in a pot of boiling hot water for 10 minutes or so and you can do 10ml in like 60 seconds i'd say.

[jamie williams]

what is estrogen solubilizer made of?

[Tiftan090]

I don't see how taping a credit card to the plunger and placing it upside down equals using the filter in reverse. Its just upside down, it still flows the same way through the filter.

[massmonster]

I think he means start with the plunger in the down position. pull it back to create a vacuum. The credit card is to keep the plunger in the up position and also because everyone has a credit card handy and its length roughtly matches the stroke of a 10cc syringe.

[Tiftan090]

Oh yeah you're right. Didn't read that carefully enough.

[BMW]

the best filters ive ever used and only use are gelmans. they are the mst freeflowing .22's ive ever used

[DR.D]

the best filters ive ever used and only use are gelmans. they are the mst freeflowing .22's ive ever used

Yeah, but some work better than others. I noticed this one time too, but I don't remember if it was the Gels with the green, red or purple lettering. I don't think it was the nylon. Which are you using and how many mics?

[BobbyRay]

I like to use a small caulking gun and put the 60cc syringe in it, gently squeezing the gun a little at a time so as to not blowout the filter. You can do this with a 30cc syringe, too. You still have to manually filter it but it saves your thumbs!

[DR.D]

I like to use a small caulking gun and put the 60cc syringe in it, gently squeezing the gun a little at a time so as to not blowout the filter. You can do this with a 30cc syringe, too. You still have to manually filter it but it saves your thumbs!

Now that is innovative!

[Nullifidian]

Better yet, you can buy a motorized pump, hook one end of a tube up to the oil you are drawing from, then put the filter and needle on the other end.

Just turn it on and walk away.

It's probably about a $300 upfront investment but save major major headaches.

[BobbyRay]

Dr. D,

I actually read that somewhere else, so it isn't my original idea. I don't know who came up with it, but it does work like a charm.

The best way to filter large volumes is to use a Stericup or Nalgene vacuum filter. You just pour the oil you want to sterilize in the top, attach the hand pump (researchlabsupply sells both) and pump it up to a certain level and it will do all the work. When its done you can unscrew the bottom glass bottle with the sterilized oil in it and then transfer it to vials. The bottom reciever/glass cup is reusable and autoclavable.