# Do you flask your own?



## PHRAG (Jun 26, 2006)

Who here does their own flasking? Would you mind sharing photos of your glovebox, and tips on how to do it?


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## littlefrog (Jun 26, 2006)

PHRAG said:


> Who here does their own flasking? Would you mind sharing photos of your glovebox, and tips on how to do it?


 I used to, long ago when I was in graduate school. Just haven't gotten around to doing it again, and i need to.


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## paphjoint (Jun 26, 2006)

A view of my lab - Used to use my kitchen as a lab - but this is much better, this is my flow hood without the flow - have not experienced any contamination problems yet


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## Paphmania (Jun 29, 2006)

Hey Uri.
I think your lab is free of contamination by your chemist experience!!!


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## DavidH (Jul 2, 2006)

Nice setup! I'm currently working on building mine but with a fishing vacation coming up next week and leaving for the middle east on 1 Aug, it's going to be delayed till January.

I've got the flow hood and brand new filter for it. I've just got to create/make the enclosure. I'm stuck between simply using a plastic shower curtain for the sides, going through the effort to properly cut (and size) lexan, or just use wood on the sides and lexan on the top and front.

When it's not in use, I want to put in a shelf and let my seedlings/flasks grow under flourescent lights as a spacesaver.

My filter is an Ulpa vs Hepa (99.997%). Got a great deal on Ebay for the flow hood I found at a surplus store (brand new - the front filter portion was banged up).


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## Bob Wellenstein (Jul 5, 2006)

David, if you have a laminar flow hood, it is likely a class I if it is intended for flasking (it will have airflow from the back to the front, horizontally). If that is the case, at least if it is a "real" HEPA filtered class I where the filter essentially covers the entire back, you do not want to put a front on the enclosure. A front will create resistance to the air flow, and turbulance at the front that can actually defeat the prurpose of the hood and introduce contamination.


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## DavidH (Jul 5, 2006)

Bob,

thanks for the advice! I was thinking of having a thin flexible clear sheet of plastic that can move with the breeze to keep my face out of the cabinet area (not a requirement but Fred Clarke (Sunset Valley Orchids) recommends it for inexperienced flaskers so they don't contaminate the inside by having their face/body cross into the flow area).

Are you recommending not having anything in front and simply practice keeping your face/body out of the cabinet structure?


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## littlefrog (Jul 5, 2006)

Self control and practice...

If you are working in that type of hood, you are relying on sterile air blowing any contaminant out of the workspace (at your face, hands, and body). To be effective, there should be little to no obstruction, which makes turbulence, which sends junk flying all over the place (even the junk you can't see). So, keep your workspace uncluttered. Don't put possibly contaminated things (your hands, tools, etc) behind an open flask. Just work on being aware of how the hood works, and where your hands are. You will get used to it.

I'm used to another kind of hood, which blows a sheet of air down vertically, isolating the interior of the hood from the exterior. So that is where i'm most comfortable. If I had time to use a hood, anyway...


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