[NHCOLL-L:1983] Largemouth Containers summary

[Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center]

Dear all-



At the request of several people I have summarized the responses to my query
regarding largemouth specimen containers, which you will find in the body of
this email below. We are very appreciative to all of those who replied. Good
luck to those who are still searching!



Cheers,



Susan T. DeVictor

Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center
Marine Resources Research Institute
PO Box 12559
Charleston,  SC 29422-2559
USA

Email: sertc at mrd.dnr.state.sc.us
843-953-9098

Please visit the SERTC website at
http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/marine/sertc


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        Try the people at Fisher Scientific. They have a wide variety
of sizes of jars. We use them for all our alcohol collection storage.
Get the jars with TFE-lined tops. We have found that they do not leak
(through evaporation) alcohol at all.



If you have any kind of an affiliation with a University, check the
prices there. Fisher may give them a tremendous discount. We can buy
stuff from Fisher for half price or less because they are the sole
source provider for lab stuff here on the Davis Campus. Before that it
was VWR. All these companies are middlemen between the manufacturers of
the jars (Qorpack or something like that) and the end users.

Steven L. Heydon


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Hi- you might try BioQuip, I use them to order Museum Jars that have a
constant diameter up through the mouth of the jar.

Good luck,

Debbie



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Here are some jar websites:

http://www.museumjars.com/medical/museumjars/jars.nsf/Outerframeset!OpenFram
eSet

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=USPlastic&categ
ory%5Fname=Jars&Page=1

http://www.specialtybottle.com/store.asp



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We use 3.5-6 gallon buckets with "Gamma Seal" lids.  These screw-top lids
are tough and do not leak.  Order frrom United States Plastic Corporation,
www.usplastic.com, for $7.90 apiece.  Discounts are available for orders of
8 or more.  Mary K. Wicksten, Texas A&M University



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To find this type of jar has been a problem for every Museum or collections
facilities, I guess.
We use plastic containers (flat, round, wide, good quality; any kitchenware
company has them) sealed with a little silicone to avoid evaporation of
ethanol. It works find for specimens which are stored for long period; when
it dries, silicone makes a perfect seal, similar to an O ring. Use of very
little colorant (Janus green, Methylene blue, Bengal rose) mixed with
ethanol help checking level.
If you ever find a company saling glass containers of this type, let me (or
the List?) known.
Thank you.
Michel E. Hendrickx



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But watch out for polypropylene tops - they go hard and craze with time
(years) when exposed to alcohol fumes - thus creating a BIG problem when the
alcohol evaporates and the lid falls off (or into the jar!).  Polyethylene
seems OK but is hard to find.

Brian Jones



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Have you tried Scientific Specialties Service, Inc?
Phone: 1-800-648-7800

Pete Key



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I too have found that large jars (above 64 oz) are hard to find and
expensive. The old Whitall-Tatum jars did very well, but are now scarce and
in demand as collectors' items.
One possible solution is to do what many Ichthyology collections do and keep
a large tank of alcohol that contains multiple lots in wire cages. This also
allows simultaneous monitoring and maintenance of a large amount of
material.

Regards,

PC.


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If you need large mouths jars go to the mountains for moon shine jugs!

Loren