{"id":3070,"date":"2013-05-20T04:49:47","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T08:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/labrigger.com\/blog\/?p=3070"},"modified":"2013-10-04T19:21:14","modified_gmt":"2013-10-04T23:21:14","slug":"cheap-diy-kwik-cast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/labrigger.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/20\/cheap-diy-kwik-cast\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheap DIY Kwik-Cast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"rg\"<\/p>\n

I find WPI’s Kwik-Cast<\/a> handy for some things around the lab. When we were modest users, the price didn’t bother me too much. However, when we started going through so much of it, I wondered if there was a way to buy it that fit our consumption level a bit better.<\/p>\n

Both of those pots together were about $50. (Body Double Fast Set – Trial Size, Reynolds Advanced Materials) It’s not an exact match for Kwik-Cast, the color is slightly different and maybe other properties as well, but it’s very similar and works for our application.<\/p>\n

\"rg2\"<\/p>\n

These are the double-barreled syringes and mixing tips I bought. <\/p>\n[company reference removed] <\/p>\n

That company didn’t want to field the orders. They emailed me and complained about universities contacting them directly. You can try their distributor<\/a>. Or try another lead, e.g., this<\/a>, or this<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2mm x 8 Element, Needle Tip
\nqty. 1-99 – $0.91 each (WPI charges about $2.90 per tip, about 318% more)
\nqty. 100+ – $0.637 each (Buy 100 for $63.70. From WPI, 30 tips cost $87.00, 455% more)<\/p>\n

4B19 Double barreled syringe
\nqty. 1-99 – $1.953 each
\nqty. 100+ – $1.367 each<\/p>\n

Here, you can see below that the WPI Kwik-Cast kit uses the same syringes and mixing tips, at least as far as I can tell.<\/p>\n

\"kwik-cast,<\/a><\/p>\n

From WPI, each of these syringes (with contents) is $85.<\/p>\n

So you can buy the DIY stuff above ($50), 50 tips ($9.10 * 5 = $45.50), and 10 syringes ($19.53) for a grand total of $115.03<\/strong>. This would cost $850 + ($29 * 5 = $145) = $995.00<\/strong> from WPI.<\/p>\n

Plus, with the DIY way, you’ll still have the vast majority of your silicone elastomer left over from the $50 kit. I’m not sure I’ll ever run out.<\/p>\n

The drawback of the DIY way is that you have to fill your own syringes, or have an undergrad do it for you. I used a couple of 5 mL syringes, and it took maybe a minute or two to do one syringe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\n

I find WPI’s Kwik-Cast<\/a> handy for some things around the lab. When we were modest users, the price didn’t bother me too much. However, when we started going through so much of it, I…<\/p>\n

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