Merc

[72598]

Does any one know where I can buy mercury mixture as used in carb sticks?

[Polarbear]

I work for a Dairy and mercury gauges are quite common, throughout the plant, etc.. I bought some mercury through my machinists shop foreman at the plant. I do not know his supplier, but he knew how to get it! I tell you, its "heavy stuff" and a tiny little bottle is a pound+. I had lost it from my merc stick and needed to replace it. The Bing Agency, of Bing Carbs fame, may well have an answer(sales), too. Losing the mercury is a bad thing, of course and it should be handled with extreme care. Cleanup is extremely hard and it goes everywhere in tiny, tiny little balls, as it hits the ground. A magnet may work, if it gets out of control. Randy13233

[flash412]

It is not a mercury mixture, it is an element, Hg. Look in your local yellow pages or online for chemical supply houses.

[barryg]

Just check your Periodic Table of the Elements. :doh

[Jeff488]

Just curious as to why you need the stuff.
If you're making carb sticks, why not just use ATF? That's what I did. I bet it's cheaper than buying the mercury.
Is it even possible to buy a quantity of the stuff without some sort of EPA permit?
As toxic as the stuff is, I would rather not have to deal with it.

[BMWRich58]

Just curious as to why you need the stuff.
If you're making carb sticks, why not just use ATF? That's what I did. I bet it's cheaper than buying the mercury.
Is it even possible to buy a quantity of the stuff without some sort of EPA permit?
As toxic as the stuff is, I would rather not have to deal with it.


I believe eventually the mercury gets contaminated by water vapor in the air.

I bought replacement mercury through PartsUnlimited via a SnoMobile Dealer.
Most 'cycle Dealerships have them "PartsUnlimited" as a vendor for buying their supplies and aftermarket parts from.

[535is]

Guys, speaking as a former chemist, I can tell you that the major advantage mercury has over any other liquid is that it's dense, so the total amount needed in a column is smaller. However, that also introduces a problem of precision since a small pressure differential may be difficult or impossible to read, and this is magnified by a larger column diameter. That's why the glass columns designed specifically for mercury are so small in diameter.

Mercury also has a low vapor pressure, so it won't quickly evaporate under a vacuum (which is your primary purpose here: measuring a partial vacuum). Water and alcohols have a higher vapor pressure, so they will not work as well, but most common oils (You want ultimate safety? Use vegetable oil.) should work as well as mercury.

Bottom line is, almost any other commonly available liquid with a low vapor pressure is going to be safer and probably more precise in this application.

[Jeff488]

And if you use clear tubing, a yellow yard stick and red ATF, it looks cool.:groovy