The Home Scientist 025 - Where to get lab chemicals

Some ideas about the best and least expensive places to obtain laboratory chemicals, including local sources and on-line vendors from whom I've ordered and found to be reliable.

Seattle Pottery Supply: http://www.seattlepotterysupply.com

Elemental Scientific: http://www.elementalscientific.net

HMS Beagle: http://www.hms-beagle.com

MakerShed: http://www.makershed.com

Home Science Tools: http://www.homesciencetools.com

Category:

Education

Tags:

• chemistry
• biology
• physics
• forensics
• earth science
• home science
• home scientist
• robert bruce thompson
• home schooling
• home school
• homeschooling
• homeschool

[TheHomeScientist]

Those sites are specifically ones that sell to individuals. Maker Shed, however, is getting out of the chemicals and science equipment business (other than microscopes) as of the end of this year. They're having an excellent sale right now on items they have left in stock, with a 75% discount off the prices they show with the items.

[Tinutaja]

Do any of these sites accept international orders?

[TheHomeScientist]

@Tinutaja

I doubt it. Keeping up with chemical shipping regulations in one country is difficult. Trying to ship chemicals between countries is nearly impossible.

[edgeeffect]

Excellent! Now all I need to do is find someone from the UK who can give me a similar catalogue of suppliers and I'm very happy indeed.

[TheHomeScientist]

@edgeeffect

Google for "readily available chemicals". You'll find a UK site by that name that has two pages, one for organics and one for inorganics, with sources for many different chemicals, including UK sources.

[CAIDMASTEROFPYRO]

what is lab grade i bought potassium nitrate that was labeled lab grade is it like 99%

[TheHomeScientist]

@CAIDMASTEROFPYRO

Lab grade is very high purity, but the actual percentage varies. Lab grade chemicals aren't assayed like reagent-grade chemicals, which is why they're generally cheaper.

[demnlordd666]

hey there just curious, but you mentioned 25% acetic acid I believe when you were talking about chems from hardware/home improvement stores. where do you find that one? or what is it used for? thanks I went through and bookmarked several of the places you mentioned. though I perfer being able to drive to a store to get chems, ordering is a necessity when you get more serious, thanks for the pointers, I did a fair amount of college chem and am enjoying tinkering in my spare time again

[unsub919]

Great Videos ,my childhood passion for chemistry has reawakened although I haven't done any experiments yet just plenty of readingand second hand shopping for glassware etc. Looking for cheap coffee pots for beakers since they are clear and designed to take direct heat. May see if I can get a clear teapot to work for vacum filtraton using the spout to attach the vacuum tube.

[98JMA]

Try eBay for any chemical first - you can often get a huge range for brilliant prices:)

[soreff]

Another pottery supplier that is helpful is uspigment.

In particular, I've purchased rare earth oxides from them

(Samarium, Praseodymium, and Neodymium) with reasonable

prices and no problems.

[gleepdiddly]

Is rooto still being sold at Ace?

[purplemutantas]

@Kilooscarromeo Home brew shops carry it. Try your local home brew shop or look at online brew shops.

[purplemutantas]

@PyroPortrayal United Nuclear is good. I picked up some Erlenmeyer flasks and beakers from them. I got the set of 5 flask and the set of 5 beakers. It's a good assortment of lab glass to get you started. I plan on ordering more stuff from them.

[theman2160]

Woooooo! Go united nuclear! They sell uranium metal and cool tee shirts!

[98JMA]

Would you reccomend eBay??

[98JMA]

@mach352

Potassium permangante, a very powerful oxidizer.