Dremelfuge, the one-piece low-cost centrifuge
Cathal Garvey
Dremelfuge is a rotor designed to fit standard lab microcentrifuge tubes and miniprep/purification columns, to be spun by either a powerdrill or other chuck-loading machine or by a popular rotary tool.
Dremelfuge features an easy click-in loading system which holds tubes parallel to the plane of rotation for optimum pelleting and delivery of force.
Intended basic applications of Dremelfuge include column purification (tested to work with miniprep columns) and bacterial/cell debris pelleting (under testing). With standard microcentrifuge tubes, the average rotary distance is 4cms.
Dremelfuge is open-source hardware. Source files are available on Thingiverse, linked from the items on Shapeways. The Creative Commons license used entitles copying, sharing and remixing for any non commercial purpose. Please consider that professional printing services qualify as commercial use.
Two editions of Dremelfuge are available for purchase at
www.shapeways.com/shops/labsfromfabs
One has an axle which can be gripped in a chuck fitting. The other is intended for fitting to a cutting-disc-holder for rotary tools such as a dremel*.
Please share your results and experiences on Thingiverse!
Note: Although I have shown Dremelfuge to work at 3000rpm/400rcf, and intend shortly to test at dramatically higher speeds on a low-cost rotary tool, I don't endorse or recommend use of Dremelfuge as anything but an ornament. Dremelfuge poses a serious safety hazard if used for any other purpose. Please take every precaution if you decide to take such risks. Further advice on Thingiverse.
*Design assumes a disc holder diameter of 3mm and a screw diameter of 2mm. Other designs available on request.
Bryan Bishop
> Dremelfuge is a rotor designed to fit standard lab microcentrifuge tubes and
> miniprep/purification columns, to be spun by either a powerdrill or other
> chuck-loading machine or by a popular rotary tool.
I looked around and I can't seem to find any solid models. Are there
any .STEP or .IGES files for this design? Thanks.
Cathal Garvey
I'm afraid not: Makerbot (my prototyper and the standard for Thingiverse) uses .stl, as do Shapeways. I've never had cause to use any other format. However, you might find a way to convert either the stl or .off format outputs that OpenSCAD uses as .step. Let me know if you do: I hunted for a converter before to no avail.
Tonight, I print and test Dremelfuge on the rotary tool it was named for. At 10krpm, that'll mean 4400g on an eppie. If you don't hear from me later, I've probably injured myself trying.
On Dec 29, 2009 5:23 PM, "Bryan Bishop" <kan...@gmail.com> wrote:On Tue, Dec 29, 2009 at 8:58 AM, Cathal Garvey <cathal...@gmail.com> wrote: > Dremelfuge is a rot...
I looked around and I can't seem to find any solid models. Are there
any .STEP or .IGES files for this design? Thanks.
- Bryan
http://heybryan.org/
1 512 203 0507
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Paul Anderson
> Dremelfuge is a rotor designed to fit standard lab microcentrifuge tubes and
> miniprep/purification columns, to be spun by either a powerdrill or other
> chuck-loading machine or by a popular rotary tool.
>
>
Congratulations!
--
Paul Anderson
VE3HOP
wacky...@gmail.com
http://www.andersonloco.com
QRP ARCI #13228, GQRP #12447
Bryan Bishop
> I'm afraid not: Makerbot (my prototyper and the standard for Thingiverse)
> uses .stl, as do Shapeways. I've never had cause to use any other format.
You can convert from .STEP or .IGES to .STL, but you can't go the
other way around. This is why I really really recommend you do all of
your designing in CAD tools instead of meshers. You can always get a
mesh from a solid geometry model, and even run it through on a
makerbot, but when you only have a mesh, you limit the number of tools
the artifact can be made on. :-(
I suggest HeeksCAD for starters.
http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/
Nathan McCorkle
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Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics
Cathal Garvey
Just a note for those seeking the recessed "Dremel" edition, it's down while I replace it with a more properly sized one. One that should actually fit the Dremel cutting-tool-holder widget. It'll be back shortly!
Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback. And sorry about the mesh Bryan!
Bryan Bishop
> Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback. And sorry about the mesh
> Bryan!
I was wondering if you would be willing to make another version of the design?
Cathal Garvey
At some point I may learn another language for solid designing and re:make it, but at the moment I'm occupying my time testing the current version on a Dremel. If you're handy with a modeller, I invite you to replicate it though? Provided I could get a copy of the resulting source/model for Thingiverse, in case others need a solid too.
Cathal Garvey
Quick update: Dremelfuge works comfortably at 10krpm. It can exert a maximum RCF of about 52000g, more than enough to shatter microcentrifuge tubes as it turns out. Dremelfuge itself is completely undamaged after this abuse.
This means that, when used within the speed envelope corresponding to normal lab forces (no faster than 16,680 rpm, or 14k RCF), Dremelfuge should be perfect for any DIYbio applications. It even evinced a robust disregard for unbalanced tubes.
As always, for reasons of liability I do not endorse use of Dremelfuge as anything but an Ornament.
Video forthcoming.
keen101
Anyway, i like the idea of a low-cost centrifuge, but isn't the idea
of using a dremel tool a bit junky?
I understand the idea is to use parts that are cheap and available
anywhere, but it seems to me if many of the people here already have
makerbots or repraps, then it wouldn't be too much of a step to get a
decent motor with a speed controller circuit hooked up?
That way it would be safer, more usable, and more professional? Sorry
if i misunderstood something. Anyway, great work so far! Keep up the
good work.
(oh, and by the way i dont have a reprap or makerbot, but i wish i
did.)
-Andrew Barney
Northern Colorado
Cathal Garvey
You're quite right: A more complicated device that had better control systems and support would be a superior piece of lab equipment. These exist today, and cost over a grand, and occupy a large area on a workbench.
Dremelfuge was explicitly designed to be:
A) Cheap
B) Accessible
C) Simple
All in all I think I've done very well achieving these ends. If I were to have made it more complicated in any way, it would have cost far more to produce, and wouldn't have been possible to sell through Shapeways (which requires no investment from me and keeps the costs/complexity of manufacture low).
As things stand, I have demonstrated the Dremelfuge to work with Drills, dremels, minipreps and eppies. It is officially the cheapest available centrifuge, even including the cost of a totally basic rotary tool, and can equal or exceed professional-level centrifuges in terms of RCF applied to samples. Used properly, it can be used for any lab procedure requiring a microcentrifuge.*
Personally, I'm pretty happy with my "Junky" design. :)
-Cathal
*Don't use dremelfuge as anything but an ornament. ;)
Cathal Garvey
Please excuse my eccentric appearance and inability to avoid saying "ah" in the first ten seconds. Focus on the science people, the science!
wulfdesign
if I can convert it to STEP. in Rhino3D.
I've got a couple of ideas I'd like to try out on the conversion
process (by hand).
this is as good a file to try it with as any.
-L
Bryan Bishop
> I can't currently use OpenSCAD but will look at the .stl file and see
> if I can convert it to STEP. in Rhino3D.
>
> I've got a couple of ideas I'd like to try out on the conversion
> process (by hand).
> this is as good a file to try it with as any.
Neat, thanks. You might have to do it by hand, yeah. :-( I'd like to
hear of your progress or what steps you have to take, etc. You're my
hero!
Cathal Garvey
Alec Nielsen
> A demo of Dremelfuge is now up on Youtube:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86WnXeTZO_Y
I love this! It's high time I got my hands on a 3D printer. Excellent work, man.
Alec
Cathal Garvey
Tito Jankowski
Tito
On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 9:08 AM, Cathal Garvey <cathal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks! :) I gotta say, it wouldn't have happened if I didn't have a
> Makerbot.
>
Cathal Garvey
Thanks Tito!
Tested it with bacteria and mammal cells today:
www.twitpic.com/vvau6
www.twitpic.com/vvb2l
Both pellet just fine! :D
On Dec 30, 2009 9:37 AM, "Tito Jankowski" <titoja...@gmail.com> wrote:
Very slick. Good work, Cathal, great video too!
Tito
On Wed, Dec 30, 2009 at 9:08 AM, Cathal Garvey <cathal...@gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks! :) I gotta...
> -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "DIYbio" group....
Tito Jankowski
Cathal Garvey
Next on the list: Vacuum Manifold! ;)
Cathal Garvey
Tom Randall
spins is dying and this looks like a perfect replacement. What is the
difference between the Recessed Edition and the Chuck Edition shown at
Shapeways? I will definitely get one for spinning 1.5 ml Eppendorfs.
Will definitely not use this for "ornamental" purposes only.
> Please excuse my eccentric appearance
You appear completely normal, I was expecting nose rings and tattoos
from the comment.
wulfdesign
Dremel disc attachment tool.
and the Chuck Edition has a printed plastic Chuck.
I was thinking that the metal Dremel chuck would be stronger but
it appears that the Eppendorfs fail way before any DremelFuge parts
give out.
-Larry
Cathal Garvey
Correct on all counts! I made two editions to allow people to pick one to suit their available tools. The recessed edition is designed specifically for the dremel cutting-disc holder, whereas the chuck edition can be used with any drill, router or machine that can grip it.
I can design other recesses for different tools on request, too.
I hope I'll get to hear about these non-ornamental uses, and that it serves your needs well! Always play it safe though. Enjoy it! :)
On Jan 1, 2010 5:41 AM, "wulfdesign" <wulfd...@gmail.com> wrote:
think the only difference it that the Recessed Edition you use a metal
Dremel disc attachment tool.
and the Chuck Edition has a printed plastic Chuck.
I was thinking that the metal Dremel chuck would be stronger but
it appears that the Eppendorfs fail way before any DremelFuge parts
give out.
-Larry
On Dec 31, 5:09 pm, Tom Randall <tarand...@gmail.com> wrote: > This looks extraordinarily useful. M...
Nathan McCorkle
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Tom Randall
vacuums and more serious tubes than microfuge type eppendorfs. The
limitation there may be the power drill or other device doing the work
of generating the rpms and how long it would last and the heat it
might generate.
On Jan 1, 2:20 pm, Nathan McCorkle <nmz...@gmail.com> wrote:
> What happened to the failed microtubes??? So can we use this to do
> ultracentrifugation stuff with caesium chloride gradients and separating
> proteins, etc?? I hear DIY enzyme production and purification!
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopycnic_centrifugation
>
> That article says it requires 100,000 x G but the dremel can provide half of
> that... so maybe we can increase the rotor radius, or still do some decent
> protein purifications if we use enzymes linked to differing amounts of junk
> aminos to alter the density significantly between unique enzymes.
>
> There is no reason this should be considered an ornament as long as there is
> a protection bowl around the device, unless of course we start finding that
> the device itself is self-destructing.
>
> -Nate
>
> On Tue, Dec 29, 2009 at 7:05 PM, Cathal Garvey <cathalgar...@gmail.com>wrote:
>
>
>
> > Quick update: Dremelfuge works comfortably at 10krpm. It can exert a
> > maximum RCF of about 52000g, more than enough to shatter microcentrifuge
> > tubes as it turns out. Dremelfuge itself is completely undamaged after this
> > abuse.
>
> > This means that, when used within the speed envelope corresponding to
> > normal lab forces (no faster than 16,680 rpm, or 14k RCF), Dremelfuge should
> > be perfect for any DIYbio applications. It even evinced a robust disregard
> > for unbalanced tubes.
>
> > As always, for reasons of liability I do not endorse use of Dremelfuge as
> > anything but an Ornament.
>
> > Video forthcoming.
>
> > On Dec 29, 2009 9:52 PM, "Cathal Garvey" <cathalgar...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Well, the design is currently made in OpenSCAD, which doesn't support
> > outputs besides .stl and .off. OpenSCAD and Sketchup are my suites of choice
> > and I haven't worked with Solids before.
>
> > At some point I may learn another language for solid designing and re:make
> > it, but at the moment I'm occupying my time testing the current version on a
> > Dremel. If you're handy with a modeller, I invite you to replicate it
> > though? Provided I could get a copy of the resulting source/model for
> > Thingiverse, in case others need a solid too.
>
> > --
> > 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<diybio%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>
Nathan McCorkle
CsCl gradients, at least for DNA, usually require hours of spin time,
vacuums and more serious tubes than microfuge type eppendorfs. The
limitation there may be the power drill or other device doing the work
of generating the rpms and how long it would last and the heat it
might generate.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to diybio+un...@googlegroups.com.
Cathal Garvey
Although the device itself is able to survive 33,000 rpm admirably, the Eppies were less fortunate. Above the speeds you'd use on a normal centrifuge, it seems the plastic isn't that strong, and the eppies shattered and flew off the rotor. So, unless you want to experiment with tougher glass eppies (read DON'T), this isn't really intended for anything a normal microcentrifuge could do.
And yes, if you decide to use this (at your own risk), you could do protein or dna purification, but probably only with affinity columns suited for microcentrifuge work. I don't like to think of people going up to the full 52,000g or higher with this!
I can only ever endorse this for ornamental use, because it'd be very easy for someone to hurt themselves if they didn't take suitable safety precautions. I don't want to be responsible for personal harm, so I encourage anyone thinking of using this for other purposes to wear goggles, spin in a pot, etc etc. Just be really careful!
Meredith L. Patterson
> And yes, if you decide to use this (at your own risk), you could do protein
> or dna purification, but probably only with affinity columns suited for
> microcentrifuge work.
I have a bunch of plasmid miniprep columns that fit into 2mL eppies,
actually, so I've just ordered a Dremelfuge in order to give that a
try. It'll be easier than finding a US->EU transformer that can handle
the current my microcentrifuge takes, that's for sure!
> wear goggles, spin in a pot, etc etc.
Dremel makes a rather nice drill press attachment which I'm going to
try with this, as it holds the tool in the correct position and is
very stable. (I've successfully drilled clean holes through 1/4" steel
with it, so it definitely keeps the vibration down.)
Cheers,
--mlp
Derek
http://openwetware.org/wiki/TOP10_chemically_competent_cells
This requires spinning down fairly large batches in the main lab's
refrigerated centrifuge, which I don't always have access to. In
trying to scale things down to be done at my bench microfuge, the
volumes work out to be able to prepare about one transformation's
worth of competent cells in an epi. Good enough, but the cells are
sensitive enough that most of them die during the unrefrigerated spin.
Dremelfuge is interesting in that it seems like by filling the bottom
of the metal bowl I'd be spinning in with dry ice that I might be able
to keep the ambient temperature low enough to keep my cells alive.
Of course, I'd love to be able to spin larger tubes to prepare more
than one transformation's worth at a time.
1) does the dry ice in the bowl scheme sound reasonable?
2) does it sound feasible to scale the dremelfuge up to handle 15ml
centrifuge tubes rather than epi's? (I think the answer here is no, at
least not without a really big metal bowl!)
3) any other ways around this problem, for instance are there decent
competency protocols that aren't as heat sensitive that I might not
know about? (without going to electroporation or something else that I
don't have sufficient equipment for.)
Thanks for any ideas!
--Derek
On Jan 2, 4:40 pm, "Meredith L. Patterson" <clonea...@gmail.com>
wrote:
Derek
discussion, not changing it for the whole thread (changing it back
now...)
Cathal Garvey
Cool! Let me know how it works! Bear in mind the latest design has a slightly bigger rotary distance, and with 2ml tubes you'll have to re-derive your intended rpms for the gees you need.
By way of reminder:
Gees = rpm^2 * rotary radius in cms * 0.00001118
Hope it doesn't take too long!
On Jan 2, 2010 4:40 PM, "Meredith L. Patterson" <clon...@gmail.com> wrote:On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 3:55 PM, Cathal Garvey <cathal...@gmail.com> wrote: > And yes, if you deci...
I have a bunch of plasmid miniprep columns that fit into 2mL eppies,
actually, so I've just ordered a Dremelfuge in order to give that a
try. It'll be easier than finding a US->EU transformer that can handle
the current my microcentrifuge takes, that's for sure!
> wear goggles, spin in a pot, etc etc.
Dremel makes a rather nice drill press attachment which I'm going to
try with this, as it holds the tool in the correct position and is
very stable. (I've successfully drilled clean holes through 1/4" steel
with it, so it definitely keeps the vibration down.)
Cheers,
--mlp
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "DIYbio" group. To po...
Cathal Garvey
No, you forked it alright!
My thoughts:
- Eppies are spun "by the neck", which is part of the reason I could make the rotor so small. The rotor pretty much has to be small if you want to spin it by dremel, so it'd have to be a drill-fuge for anything bigger. Falcon tubes don't have a "neck", just a lid that'd pop off easily. You have to seat them on their ends when spinning.
- So to spin Falcon tubes, you'll need to have a bucket-style centrifuge, which probably means printing very sturdy, low-centre-of-gravity buckets, plus a pivot piece to seat the buckets in, plus a rotor which swings the pivot pieces. You'd probably use lengths of metal to connect the rotor to the pivots, maybe standard pieces like contraptor or makerbeams when they become available.
- This means more parts and a wider rotary distance, with moving parts as part of the rotary design. More parts means more points of potential failure.
So I'd say, you could certainly do this with a printed centrifuge, but it would want to be for low gees because the odds of failure are much higher, and the mass of the ejecta in the case of a failure are much much higher also. I can't remember offhand, but I reckon you'd need high gees for preparing competent cells. I'd reckon a multi-part centrifuge would be more suited to mammal cells that call for lower gees.
Also, you'd want a drill/machine you can slowly ramp up, because with a multi-part bucket rotor you'll need to start slow until the buckets have spun outward properly.
If you want a hand designing such a multi-part centrifuge, I'd be happy to help! But I don't foresee it being safe.
I'm planning to use my dremelfuge for prepping competent cells, by spinning it in a cold room, fridge or freezer. Your idea to use dry ice is pretty neat, I'd love to see your results if you do it! Bear in mind that when spinning, dremelfuge itself and the dremel you attach it to produce strong air currents, so it'll blow away the cold air unless it's contained somehow. Perhaps if you were to cut a dremel-neck-sized hole in the lid of a pot you could have a fairly closed cavity in which to spin, which would enable benchtop applications.
