Re: [DIYbio] Re: Technical help with selecting equipment for personal Synthetic Biology Lab

[Cory Tobin]

> Oh I found the http://diyhpl.us/wiki/diybio/faq which helps would be
> better to stick to top. I have been searching through the google groups and
> found that people have been saying any old rectified 120v power supply will
> work and that cheap power supplies are hard to come by. But if someone can
> clarify a bit more that'd be great.

I posted a tutorial on building a cheap (~$25) power supply here:
http://wiki.biohackers.la/Cheap_Power_Supply It only puts out 60VDC
(non-selectable) but it should be sufficient if you have a small-ish
gel box. I suppose I should link to it from the diobio wiki.

-cory

[Dakota]

My friend and I were going to use the gel box open source files from IO rodeo to have one cut by a 3rd party and mailed to us.  The company quoted us $78 for all the cutting, so we figured we'd just support IO rodeo instead and pay an extra $20 and get it with the banana plugs, platinum wire, UV plastic tray etc.  I think for "open source" gel boxes, it's IO Rodeo or the PEARL gelbox.

http://www.iorodeo.com/

http://www.iorodeo.com/content/mini-gel-electrophoresis-kit

We ordered it last week but it hasn't shown up, hoping Wed or Thur, and we'll let the list know how it works.

As for other things...ask any local colleges or university lab technicians if you could have any of their old E-waste or machines they are going to throw out.  I snagged 2 hot plates from school that were going to be thrown out because either the heating element or stir bar mechanism was broken.  One of them didn't have anything wrong with it and works fine, the other has a busted stirring mechanism but acts as a hot plate fine.  I also got 2 old power supplies they wanted to get rid of simply because they had a bunch of new smaller ones.

So you never know what is collecting dust somewhere.

As for Ebay..I got a PCR machine off there.  It seems that most of the resellers have no idea what the machine even does, and have no way to really test it (run a reaction then run it on a gel).  They just list it as "functions properly" if the screen turns on or one of the plates gets hot, so it can be a gamble.

I'm still looking for a micro centrifuge and an incubator as well, and will probably get them off either ebay or a local re-seller who has a huge warehouse.  Check out craigslist or google "lab equipment resellers".  Most of the resllers I see are way too expensive, but this local guy seems to have decent prices.

www.labx.com also has lots of surplus, but they have pretty bad search and sort functions.

That incubator you listed from ebay doesn't look too bad, and isn't too expensive.

Good luck.

[Phil]

3. Is there a benefit to using OpenPCR vs a used PCR? At $600, it takes up too much of my budget. It seems like a used one on ebay will work just fine like this one for $300: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermolyne-Type-37900-Culture-Incubator-Model-137925-/120965047293?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2a1423fd

OpenPCR is too expensive for hobbyists. The PCR machines you can buy on ebay for under $300 are probably better, but I haven't done a feature comparison - I just know the ones on ebay have programming capability.
Unless you want to do 96-well plates or use tiny PCR tubes because that's what your centrifuge takes,
just look for a Cetus 480, for which you should pay a total of about $100 including shipping.
However, that link you gave is to an incubator, not a PCR machine.

[Nathan McCorkle]

On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 6:31 PM, Jing <luo....@gmail.com> wrote:
> Oh I found the http://diyhpl.us/wiki/diybio/faq which helps would be
> better to stick to top. I have been searching through the google groups and
> found that people have been saying any old rectified 120v power supply will
> work and that cheap power supplies are hard to come by. But if someone can
> clarify a bit more that'd be great.

some people have gotten away with a AC power dimmer switch and diode
rectification... not sure if you can buy the rectifiers
easily/cheaply, but dimmer switches are probably ~$5

--
Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics

[Darren Zhu]

If you wanna swing by SF/Palo Alto, I can give you an extra gel box of mine.  Might even have a spare power supply and broken thermal cycler in a corner...

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 2:38:55 PM UTC-7, Jing wrote:

Hi! I'm trying to build my own synthetic biology lab on a budget in the Davis, California area (if your interested). I'm looking at a $2000 budget for all equipment and initial supplies with hopefully a little left over to run a simple fluorescent e. coli experiment to see if it all works. I saw how some people have been able to build a working lab in a closet in SF for $600, so I think it's doable. And I would extremely grateful if someone could lend just a little bit of your expertise. And I plan to buy a lot off of ebay for used equipment.

1. I don't know what kind of electrophoresis power supply to get? There's a lot of specs I don't know about and they get really expensive. All I ever did was set the voltage and turn it on/off! lol If you could help me find a suitable one on ebay that would be incredibly helpful.
2. Is there any specifics about the kind of gel box to buy? I have the feeling certain kinds of plastics and designs maybe unfavorable.

3. Is there a benefit to using OpenPCR vs a used PCR? At $600, it takes up too much of my budget. It seems like a used one on ebay will work just fine like this one for $300: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thermolyne-Type-37900-Culture-Incubator-Model-137925-/120965047293?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c2a1423fd

Google docs of setup budget:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Al7q_hlUl6DSdE1adjY2Ni05SUZCODNtdkR3ek1rV3c

I really appreciate any help! Thank you!

[Nathan McCorkle]

That power supply is fine, it isn't adjustable and 60 volts will run slowly, but it sure is cheap! You could see if you could buy another boost converter to 120 volts to gain some gel running speed.

As for DNA, either you pay current prices for synthesis, use PCR and restriction enzymes to cut and paste, or wait for synthesis process to fall in a year or three.

On Sep 17, 2012 11:21 PM, "Jing" <luo....@gmail.com> wrote:

@Cory Thank you for the power supply set up! I'm really considering using this to put in my lab, and luckily I have some family that are good with electronics.

@Dakota Thanks for the heads up on iorodeo, they're a good place for a gel box if I need to buy one. And thanks for the warning about the eBay PCRs, I'll try to shoot for one with a return policy =) Btw if you were looking for a centrifuge and you were thinking about going for a dremelfuge, maybe go with this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FWXEO6/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2      The reviews claim this dremel has a much quieter operation because of less vibration. And less vibration is supposedly better for whatever your trying to centrifuge.

@Phil Thanks for the advice, yeah I was eyeing those on ebay from Perkin Elmer. Lol, I accidentally copy/pasted the wrong thing. Thanks

@Nathan McCorkle It sounds like your saying relying on just that skimps on some features. Do mind sharing what features you say are indispensable? Would this work for you http://wiki.biohackers.la/Cheap_Power_Supply   ?

@Darren Zhu Thank you!!! That'd be a great help in getting all of this set up. Luckily I was planning on swinging by Biocurious to pick up reagents at some point this week. Let me know if you want me to pick up something for you as well.

One other question that's been bugging me. Where do you guys typically get the target DNA that your looking to engineer into your organism? Because most proteins have a sequence larger than what we can cheaply synthesize. I do know about some of the stitching techniques out there, but I was wondering if you guys had found another way.

I appreciate everyone for all your help! This has definitely helped minimize first-time mistakes and made this project a lot easier. Thank you!!!

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[Patrik D'haeseleer]

Here's another very cheap (and somewhat dangerous) electrophoresis power supply:

http://www.science-projects.com/PowerSupply.htm

Just a 110V dimmer and a rectifier - probably under $20. Got a huge ripple, but that doesn't seem to matter much for electrophoresis. If you happen to have a 1:1 isolation transformer sittings around, that would make it a lot safer.

Patrik

[Mackenzie Cowell]

What are you doing for pipettes?  Did you find some on ebay?  What's a good price for a set of 4?

Cheers

Mac

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[Cory Tobin]

> What are you doing for pipettes? Did you find some on ebay? What's a good
> price for a set of 4?

The cheapest I've seen is around $120 for 3.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=H10+H100+H1000&_sacat=11815&_odkw=&_osacat=11815
They're basically cheap Chinese knockoffs of Gilson Pipetteman brand pipettes.

-cory

[Dakota]

and petri dishes cheap as heck  

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/451059241/Petri_Dish_90mm_15mm.html?s=p

I've heard people with success stories from Alibaba, and people with nightmare stories (months to get items). Still, if the price is right, might be worth a shot.

[Dakota]

Just found them on Alibaba for $7-$9 per set

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/544442264/200_1000ul_Transferpettor_pipettor_Liquid_Handling.html?s=p

Quite a profit margin that guy is making if he's getting bids on them on ebay @ $100 + .   

[Cory Tobin]

> That power supply is fine, it isn't adjustable and 60 volts will run slowly,
> but it sure is cheap! You could see if you could buy another boost converter
> to 120 volts to gain some gel running speed.

There's a couple of other common boost converters sold on ebay that
can do 80V or 97V. That should probably be sufficient for small get
boxes. The only reason I used the 60V model was because I had already
purchased it for a different project.

-cory

[Cory Tobin]

> Just found them on Alibaba for $7-$9 per set
>
> http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/544442264/200_1000ul_Transferpettor_pipettor_Liquid_Handling.html?s=p

Damn, that's crazy cheap. Granted it's only for a single 200-1000uL
pipette. But still...

I saw a couple of other sizes listed on alibaba as well, but
unfortunately the only one I could find that does 1uL costs $45
http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/124730061/Adjustable_pipette.html

Still, a set of 200-1000uL ($9), 50-250uL ($9.50) and 1-10uL ($45)
will only cost $63.50, almost half the cost the set on ebay.


-cory

[Nathan McCorkle]

what would the generic name for a speedvac be? it's basically a
centrifuge inside a vacuum chamber with a condenser on the vacuum line
to collect solvent. sometime the centrifuge chamber is heated too.

HPLC on alibaba looks like starting at about $8000, still too much for
a single DIY person, but maybe a community lab could afford one! I
know hackerspaces go in on 4'x8' laser cutters that cost about as much
($6k-9k)

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[Mega]

Hi, I think for a personal lab this isn't needed. But I didn't know those were to be this cheap!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Nichiryo-Oxford-8-channel-P200-40-200-uL-pipette-pipettor-pipet-/221124198081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337c077ec1  Maybe someone can use it :) 

[Dan Wright]

Here is agarose for 200 per kilo. Seems like a good deal. What do you think? Other than  It comes from a sock company on Alibaba and it is named indumy. Anyone want to split it? Cheapest on eBay is 360 per kilo.

Dried
Effects:	electrophoresis
Primary Ingredient:	polysarchride
Grade:	electrophoresis grade
Packaging:	Bag, Bottle
Place of Origin:	Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
Classification:	Specific Reagents
CAS No.:	9012-36-6
Purity:	>98%
Brand Name:	INDUMY
Other Names:	agarose
EINECS No.:	232-731-8

Packaging & Delivery

Packaging Detail:	0.5kg per bottle or 25kg/bag
Delivery Detail:	one week

Specifications

Agarose is a neutral polysaccharide widely used as electrophoresis support in biolabs.

      Agarose is the most popular support DNA or RNA electrophoresis because of the large size for rapid diffusion and low background.

      It is easily prepared by standard boiling or microwaving Its high gel strength make it easy to handle gel without fracturing even at lower concentration This product is with low EEO reduces disruption of DNA separation There are no nuclease and protease activity in this product.

 

On Sep 19, 2012, at 3:11 AM, Mega <masters...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi, I think for a personal lab this isn't needed. But I didn't know those were to be this cheap!  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Nichiryo-Oxford-8-channel-P200-40-200-uL-pipette-pipettor-pipet-/221124198081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337c077ec1  Maybe someone can use it :) 

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[Nathan McCorkle]

I'd go in on agarose

[Mackenzie Cowell]

I would too.  Need a bunch for  some kits and workshops I'm working on, I would be happy to up the size of the order to get some better economies of scale.

[John Griessen]

On 09/20/2012 06:09 PM, Mackenzie Cowell wrote:
> to get some better economies of scale.

How would one robotize this recipe? IOW, "Why buy China if a local robot is cheaper?" (Forward looking comments --
legal disclaimer of the usual stock operator sort...)