Bunsen burner fuel supply

[TheCrane]

I am working on putting together a basic home yeast lab. Does anyone know how to set up a fuel supply for a bunsen burner at home?

 

[ajdelange]

When I did it I went to a plumbing supply house that carried specialty stuff and got a laboratory gas cock which I had the plumber hook up to the propane in the building. He was most unhappy about it and swore we'd never pass inspection but we did (because of oversight or because the installation followed code I do not know). So that's one way to do it. I do not recall having to get a special propane orifice for the burner itself or having to order a burner designed for propane but that may be memory failure on my part.

 

[Hermit]

Are you talking about plumbing something from the existing house gas supply or something like a small portable propane tank?

 

[ajdelange]

I put my lab over a new garage (with my brewery on the ground floor in the back). The brewery was plumbed for gas (for the water heater and boiler) and the "lab" (designed to double as a guest or au pair suite) has a stove/oven in it so it was little extra effort to run a gas pipe to the "kitchen" island and install the gas cock in the counter. It's like what is (or used to be - I guess that sort of thing is considered too dangerous these days) in every high school or college freshman chem lab.

 

[TheCrane]

Thanks guys, your setups sound nice. However, I don't have gas or propane lines at my house, so I was thinking more along the lines of a portable supply.

 

[nutty_gnome]

What about a small mountineer/hiking stove. Probably about 60 bucks in total and of course, small and highly portable. Most of them are Kerosene or alcohol powered. Safe too with sturdy stands meant to hold a pound or 2 of cooking food. Check out campor or REI.

http://www.backcountry.com/brunton-raptor-stove

This looks like it fits the bill for under 30 bucks. Get the fuel cartridge from any walmart/outdoor store.

demo video here:

damn! I want one of these now....

 

[nutty_gnome]

Also... in the olden days, all anyone had was one of these... it may be all you require for sterilisation of your loop and the 'updraft'....

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D7JL0E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Not as sexy as a bunson burner, of course.

 

[TheCrane]

I actually have something like that already and was considering it. Flaming loops and performing aseptic transfers is exactly what I plan to do. I agree that it would work well and be relatively safe. The problem is that the fuel canisters are expensive and don't last very long. For now, my default plan is a good ol' fashion alcohol lamp, but a bunsen burner would be so much geekier and actually have a few already.