Status of OpenPCR

[Philip McIntosh]

We were thinking about getting an OpenPCR machine for our school. @openpcr hasn’t posted on twitter for quite a while so I am wondering what the status of the project is. Anybody know?

Thanks,

Philip McIntosh

Colorado Springs, CO

ndpmc...@mac.com

philipmcintosh.com

[Bryan Jones]

I think the OpenPCR project was largely a success. The people behind it (Chai biosciences) had another successful kickstarter for a qPCR machine (i.e. PCR w/ optics to measure fluorescence). It looks like their focus is now pretty much just on the Open qPCR machine and reagents to go with it, I'm not sure if you can still order the original OpenPCR. Check out @chaibio on twitter. 

The original machine was a good product. I have one that has had regular use for years and even generated published results. That being said, another really good option (and probably even more cost effective) is to get a used thermocycler from ebay, or your local University's used equipment store.

--
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups DIYbio group. To post to this group, send email to diy...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to diybio+un...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/diybio?hl=en
Learn more at www.diybio.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DIYbio" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to diybio+un...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to diy...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/diybio.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/diybio/342A6C9F-C574-4E62-B4A2-31EE5C5491ED%40mac.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Andrew Barney]

Yeah, i think the OpenPCR project was a success. As far as i know they are still selling them. Should be a good option. The MiniPCR project looks nice also but i don't think that's an Open Source Hardware project. There is a new machine called the NinjaPCR i think designed by students in China, it is based off the original OpenPCR and has some of the same components and is Open Source, but i don't think it is a commercial product (yet?), though it is smaller which looks nice.

[Kermit Henson]

MiniPCR is a nice machine, it works as expected but the fan noise can be annoying

Ninja PCR is original from Japan (https://github.com/hisashin/NinjaPCR), but you still hace the problem of the heat block.

The main problem that every DIY-PCR machine faces is the heat-block and how to perform the holes for the epps.  Anyways, my group already ordered the drill bits for the heat block. It costs arround 150-200e. Too much if you just want to build one machine, but may be a solution could be using glass capilars or something similar.

[Nathan McCorkle]

Maybe once your group uses the drill bits, you could pass them along
to another group? Then that group would do the same, and so on.

> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/diybio/3e3fa40e-d944-4864-9038-5078ec1fae22%40googlegroups.com.

>
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--
-Nathan

[Kermit Henson]

Dont think that pass the drill bits could be an option, sorry. To spend 150e and dont know in which state they will come back, for me (or my group), is not an option. The designs are open, I can send them.

What could be an option is to perform the holes in our lab, but the interested should pay all related spends (metal block, transport...)  But, like I said, we are still waiting for them

[Pieter Waag]

It would be great if you could share the design files. For those of you that are considering to build one yourself, here are our source files: https://github.com/BioHackAcademy/BHA_Thermocycler

The aluminium block is indeed the only part that was custom made.

[Forrest Flanagan]

Familab hackerspace in Orlando has one of the OpenPCR qPCR machines and it's pretty darn cool. The only funny bits about it is that it comes as a kit and you can't move the thing without having to recalibrate the lasers, so it has its own little spot of countertop and it's hell to pay if anyone jostles it.

--
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups DIYbio group. To post to this group, send email to diy...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to diybio+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/diybio?hl=en

Learn more at www.diybio.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DIYbio" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to diybio+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to diy...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/diybio.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/diybio/54e93ebd-9c48-4759-a56b-4d9d4f116030%40googlegroups.com.

[Andrew Barney]

I too am interested in what bits you are using. I am also thinking of fabricating my own heat block and was wondering how to do it. CNC with a ball end mill is probably the best method, but perhaps with a tapered end mill i could do it manually. Are your bits actual drill bits or did you buy a tapered end mill?

Andrew Barney

Loveland, CO

[Kermit Henson]

For those who want their own drill bits....

http://www.diybiogroningen.org/mediawiki-1.22.0/index.php?title=OpenerPCR_metal_parts

On the website, you can find this:

"We had our drill bit made by a company called RVP Engineering in The Hague, it's a custom metal manufacturing company. I am sure that there should be companies like that near Groningen. The drill bit costed approx. 80 euro."

It's almost true, but RVP charged us 150e. Im not quite sure if they hire a 3rd party or they do the drills on their own installations  :/

I tried to contact with several manufacturers on Texas, but no success. For sure there must be some cheap manufacturer for this job, and it could be a big step on open PCRs machines.

I know that you could use a CNC, but with the this drill bits the job is quite easy and fast.

@Pieter: where do you put the epps? can you show/share some pictures?

[Andrew Barney]

Wow. Those are very nice custom drill bits indeed. I'm jealous actually. Wish i currently had the money to get my own set. Though i am taking a CNC machining class this upcoming spring so i should have some time to work on a personal project and have access to some ball endmills, so i may end up going that route myself.

I assume you plan to use these bits in an actual mill and not in a drill press right? A drill press would wobble and have too much play that you would not get the tight fit you are looking for.

Though i do wonder how much surface area is actually needed. According to this page (https://sudoroom.org/wiki/Open_Biotech/PCR) it says: "PCR tube holder - This is what will hold the PCR tubes. In commercial machines this is usually a block of with holes for the PCR tubes. The holes are usually only deep enough for about 50% of the PCR tube." If that is true in some commercial machines then that makes me think they only worried about contacting the bottom of the tubes and not the upper half. I understand that more surface area is better, but there is a difference between best and good enough.