Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Thu, 11 Mar 1999 02:04:05 -0500 (EST)
On Wed, 10 Mar 1999, Sil Horwitz wrote:
> At 99/03/10 04:54 PM -0500, Judy wrote: (small part - most snipped)
> >
> >Artcraft sells silver oxide for $1.40 a gram if you buy 15 or more grams,
> >$1.90 a gram if you buy fewer. You make a liter -- thats 10000000000 cc
>
> A liter (litre in most other countries) is 1000 ml, approximately 1000 cc. (In
> case that is confusing, a "cc" or "cubic centimeter" is no longer identical to
> a milliliter (ml), but very close. Still, it's best to use the scientific term,
> and to get the zeros in the correct amount.)
Gee thanks Sil, and here I was thinking a liter had all those zeros. Silly
me !
> >However I can direct you to the drain cleaner: Red Devil. Supermarket.
>
> Not all drain cleaners are sodium hydroxide, and even those that are often
> include a few aluminum granules to create a reaction to assist in dissolving
> the greases in a drain that needs to be cleaned. These would be death to making
> silver oxide. Check the label, though they don't always list all the materials
> in a proprietary mixture. If the aluminum or other metallic materials aren't
> shown in the ingredients list, a quick glance at the substance in the container
> will show dark specks if they are present. The lack of the dark specks does not
> mean, however, that other materials harmful to the reaction are not present, as
> they could be similar crystals, though I have not seen any like that. Draino
> definitely does have the aluminum flakes. There are other drain cleaners that
> are organic solvents, but these are liquids.
Truth to tell, I myself never use anything but certified technical grade
official sodium hydroxide, or sometimes potassium hydroxide either.
They're actually not expensive and widely available from all our sources.
I like the kind that comes in pellets because, one, it doesn't clump, and
two, you can spoon it up easily because it doesn't clump, and three, if
you want just a teeny bit you can take just one pellet without measuring.
It takes longer to dissolve, but what's your hurry?
As for the drain cleaner, can't you take a joke at ALL ?? I was just being
bad. Having gotten instructions NOT to SAY anything I hadn't TRIED, what
RIGHT thinking GIRL could RESIST saying I haven't DONE this!! Now you've
gone and spoiled it. No fun if I have to spell it out. Oh darn.
Next thing someone will sue me because they got the drain cleaner and put
it in their DRAIN and it went right through it -- and that is the truth,
absolutely no joke. Drain cleaner is called Red Devil because it is in
fact an instrument of the devil... By the time the drain is clogged, and
you pour this stuff down there, brothers & sisters it's gonna make cement,
9 times out of 10, and/or eat right through your pipe and I have the
plumbing bills to prove it.
If your drain is clogged, get a snake, a long strong one. Or just call the
plumber right off. It's cheaper.
Judy
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