Alternative to Calking Gun

So update on the mechanized caulking gun:

About a week post injection and everything feels good. My biggest concern was that I did mess up the filter somehow. It effectively flowed like there wasn’t a filter there, I was mind blown.

For reference btw this was done with

Castor Oil / 25% BB / 1% BA

Heated up, if I had to guess somewhere around 130-150* F. But that’s a crap shoot.

Point is, it’s pretty much the thickest (most viscous) formula I imagine anyone here would attempt to filter. If you use MCT or similar its going to go like a breeze. I’d consider not even heating it. YMMV.
 
So update on the mechanized caulking gun:

About a week post injection and everything feels good. My biggest concern was that I did mess up the filter somehow. It effectively flowed like there wasn’t a filter there, I was mind blown.

For reference btw this was done with

Castor Oil / 25% BB / 1% BA

Heated up, if I had to guess somewhere around 130-150* F. But that’s a crap shoot.

Point is, it’s pretty much the thickest (most viscous) formula I imagine anyone here would attempt to filter. If you use MCT or similar its going to go like a breeze. I’d consider not even heating it. YMMV.
What kind of filter? Because recently I switched from whatman to biomed and it flowed 7x faster. Thought it was blown it flowed so fast. Like 10ml in 15-20 seconds
 
What kind of filter? Because recently I switched from whatman to biomed and it flowed 7x faster. Thought it was blown it flowed so fast. Like 10ml in 15-20 seconds
Whatman 25mm .22um PVFD.

Yes, the Amazon filters I’ve used, any other brand than what man goes much quicker. No sure why. But I like to stick to the gold standard on filters. That’s not something you want to nickel and dime.

Yeah the mechanized caulking gun took no longer than 1 minute for 50ml
 
Whatman 25mm .22um PVFD.

Yes, the Amazon filters I’ve used, any other brand than what man goes much quicker. No sure why. But I like to stick to the gold standard on filters. That’s not something you want to nickel and dime.

Yeah the mechanized caulking gun took no longer than 1 minute for 50ml
I've been using higher bb and I was worried about the chemical compatibility with pvdf whatmans, so I switched to ptfe by a company on Amazon called biomed. Another couple of people on here have said they've used them with good success. I was concerned about how fast they flowed. But so far no floaters and my leg hasn't fallen off yet.

But yeah major difference in flow rate with the whatmans.
 
Building that is not worth my time to be honest. Rather buy a high end caulking gun.
No just buy a damn vacume pump like the harbor freight one or even one cheaper I can do 500 ml of a brew change out the paper filters once in between and it is filtered within 5 minutes and takes 0 energy and it ends up being way cheaper cause you don’t have to buy those expensive syringe filters
 
No just buy a damn vacume pump like the harbor freight one or even one cheaper I can do 500 ml of a brew change out the paper filters once in between and it is filtered within 5 minutes and takes 0 energy and it ends up being way cheaper cause you don’t have to buy those expensive syringe filters
Transferring, autoclave, etc is my next concern
 
I don’t have any complaints with the JoanLabs 5-30 bottle top dispenser. Works great.
View attachment 289378
Question.....

You're presumably using bottle top filters? Which ones? I read about all these big time brewers using whatman zapcaps but they are not available in sterile nylon, ptfe, or pvdf.

I have read about using an autoclave bag but some people comment it wouldn't get deep in the filter material and these filters are sterilized from whatman using gas or radiation which penetrate the filter material much better. Also I read about a user using ba to sterile it then discarding the first 10-20mls.



Real nice bottle top dispenser!
 
Question.....

You're presumably using bottle top filters? Which ones? I read about all these big time brewers using whatman zapcaps but they are not available in sterile nylon, ptfe, or pvdf.

I have read about using an autoclave bag but some people comment it wouldn't get deep in the filter material and these filters are sterilized from whatman using gas or radiation which penetrate the filter material much better. Also I read about a user using ba to sterile it then discarding the first 10-20mls.



Real nice bottle top dispenser!
I use Celltreat and Nest bio bottle top sterile filters and toss them after use. They about $150 to $170 usd for 24 sterile filters. I use them with a LabFish VP-15L pump. I’ve also recently been using GL45 extraction and filter caps with reusable 50mm 0.10um and 0.05um syringe filters (autoclaved) and it’s also fun. Net32 is a good place for autoclave bags. I still use syringe filters for small test batches of new things.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2867.jpeg
    IMG_2867.jpeg
    788.8 KB · Views: 56
  • IMG_2868.jpeg
    IMG_2868.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 41
  • IMG_2870.jpeg
    IMG_2870.jpeg
    3.1 MB · Views: 42
  • IMG_2871.jpeg
    IMG_2871.jpeg
    2.7 MB · Views: 65
I use Celltreat and Nest bio bottle top sterile filters and toss them after use. They about $150 to $170 usd for 24 sterile filters. I use them with a LabFish VP-15L pump. I’ve also recently been using GL45 extraction and filter caps with reusable 50mm 0.10um and 0.05um syringe filters (autoclaved) and it’s also fun. Net32 is a good place for autoclave bags. I still use syringe filters for small test batches of new things.
Wow, thank you for the wealth of information brother. You have a very professional set up there. I saw that g45 filter cap/syringe filter set up I think on Amazon or dhgate or something recently. I even took a screenshot because it seemed interesting and worth looking into. I've found a few models of that filter holder that are stainless steel. I was considering one of those set ups but wasn't sure how the filter paper was, or if it was strong enough or if anything might get by it on the sides. I also had a concern about potential leeching of the plastic (again why i was looking at stainless versions). I also really considered the capsule filters by whatman because they are easy to source in sterile ptfe and nylon. My only real concern there was how would I sterile the tubing. A big source on sst uses the capsule filters. You can run much more volume through them before they have to be changed.

Anyway, real nice set up man. I'm still stuck with the caulk gun method for now until I find a set up I feel confident in for myself.
 
Wow, thank you for the wealth of information brother. You have a very professional set up there. I saw that g45 filter cap/syringe filter set up I think on Amazon or dhgate or something recently. I even took a screenshot because it seemed interesting and worth looking into. I've found a few models of that filter holder that are stainless steel. I was considering one of those set ups but wasn't sure how the filter paper was, or if it was strong enough or if anything might get by it on the sides. I also had a concern about potential leeching of the plastic (again why i was looking at stainless versions). I also really considered the capsule filters by whatman because they are easy to source in sterile ptfe and nylon. My only real concern there was how would I sterile the tubing. A big source on sst uses the capsule filters. You can run much more volume through them before they have to be changed.

Anyway, real nice set up man. I'm still stuck with the caulk gun method for now until I find a set up I feel confident in for myself.
I’m always learning and simply do this for myself and for fun. The vacuum pump with bottle top filters are the tried and true options I’d recommend vs the extraction and filter caps.

Working on making some oral test caps with various co-solvents, then some creams dispensed in metered dose dispensers. Fun stuff.
 
I made a couple tweaks to the original design to better handle different size vials.

I removed the hole in the bottom platform for the vial. It isn’t as necessary for stability as I originally thought and it is a little more cumbersome to swap out vials.

I set the top platform at a height for the smallest size vial then pile on spacers for bigger vials.
 

Attachments

  • 2.jpg
    2.jpg
    2.8 MB · Views: 17
  • 1.jpg
    1.jpg
    2.7 MB · Views: 21
I made a couple tweaks to the original design to better handle different size vials.

I removed the hole in the bottom platform for the vial. It isn’t as necessary for stability as I originally thought and it is a little more cumbersome to swap out vials.

I set the top platform at a height for the smallest size vial then pile on spacers for bigger vials.
Nice work
 
Back
Top