Where purchase mercury?

[epoche]

I recently move to a new home and in the uHaul transport I lost about 1/2 of the mercury in my Motion Pro economy sync tool. Motion Pro does not sell replacement mercury and I hate to have to buy another just to get the mercury.

Anyone know where I could purchase a small amount of mercury. Tried numerous Google searches with no luck.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I recently move to a new home and in the uHaul transport I lost about 1/2 of the mercury in my Motion Pro economy sync tool. Motion Pro does not sell replacement mercury and I hate to have to buy another just to get the mercury.
Anyone know where I could purchase a small amount of mercury. Tried numerous Google searches with no luck.

I'll qualify my answer by saying I don't really know (pretty helpful so far?) But if it's so strictly controlled that you can't buy it, you might buy a big old thermometer in an antique shop somewhere and drain it. No idea what that might cost, of course, or even how much you need, but old thermometers did use mercury and a big one had a fair amount. (I remember playing with mercury as a kid from sources like that. How did we ever survive our childhoods?)

 

[lnewlf]

Can't buy it anymore...supposed to be a replacement for it for synchronizers which doesn't work well at all.

 

[Crash Cash]

I got 8oz from https://www.unitednuclear.com/ about a year ago.

I did this when I found I couldn't buy mercury synchronizers any more, and the new Motion Pro tool sucked so much, so I tracked down 3 mercury tools on EBay, and they were w/o mercury. Nowadays I'd buy a CarbTune.

Edit: see https://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_pa...products_id=163 for a direct link.

Another edit: Motion Pro no longer sells even the tool itself. They have this shitty thing with some sort of blue fluid in it which didn't work at all when I bought one. Don't waste your money on it.

 

[BkrK12]

If you know someone at your local University, assuming it has a Chemistry or Physics curriculum, they can probably get you some.

Edit:

Just found this:

www.unitednuclear.com

Never mind, already found.

 

[buckster]

I got 8oz from https://www.unitednuclear.com/ about a year ago.
I did this when I found I couldn't buy mercury synchronizers any more, and the new Motion Pro tool sucked so much, so I tracked down 3 mercury tools on EBay, and they were w/o mercury. Nowadays I'd buy a CarbTune.

Edit: see https://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_pa...products_id=163 for a direct link.

Another edit: Motion Pro no longer sells even the tool itself. They have this shitty thing with some sort of blue fluid in it which didn't work at all when I bought one. Don't waste your money on it.

Thanks very much, I'd been looking myself for the same reasons for almost a year. My order was accepted, it wasn't cheap but I like my current tool and didn't want to change so I bought it. Hopefully it'll ship with no issue.

 

[RaYzerman19]

The Carbtune comes with a small orifice tube which you cut up and make flow restrictors. Wondering if the Motion Pro could use that type of restrictor (I think any tiny orifice will do as long as it passes some vacuum), and fill it part way with two-stroke oil or tranny fluid.... similar to a homemade one I did a couple of years ago..... if the oil gets sucked in, no harm.

A buddy of mine has a Motion Pro with no merc..... I'll have to borrow that to see what can be done.

 

[wfooshee]

The Motion Pro comes with restrictors. I have it, I use it, I like it, have had no problems with it. The down side to it is you have to match the tubes to each other when you start, as each has its own reservoir, rather than a common reservoir. You hook all four tubes to an adapter and apply engine vac to the adapter, then there's a little screw-type adjuster you use to match the levels to each other. Once that's done, you remove the 4-to-1 adapter and connect each tube to its own port, and go to town.

If you leave the restrictors out, it's useless. Fluid vibrates too far, too fast.

A replacement fluid in a mercury device would be significantly lighter, may throw the whole works off. Just guessing, but I'd think it would show much higher vacuum than actual, what with being displaced futher because of the weight difference, more fluid pulled up the tubes, maybe even enough to render the gauge useless.

 

[brick1]

I recently move to a new home and in the uHaul transport I lost about 1/2 of the mercury in my Motion Pro economy sync tool. Motion Pro does not sell replacement mercury and I hate to have to buy another just to get the mercury.
Anyone know where I could purchase a small amount of mercury. Tried numerous Google searches with no luck.

I'm a dentist.

We used to buy the stuff in bottles. Find a dentist who has been working for 25+ years, and ask him what he did with his old mercury. Often they have some languishing in a back room somewhere.

I was happy as anything to give mine to a mechanic. To dispose of it, it needs to be transported in a hazardous material truck. We're talking a cup of the stuff. Not much really. Too expensive to dispose of, especially when we know someone out there can use the stuff.

 

[epoche]

I recently move to a new home and in the uHaul transport I lost about 1/2 of the mercury in my Motion Pro economy sync tool. Motion Pro does not sell replacement mercury and I hate to have to buy another just to get the mercury.
Anyone know where I could purchase a small amount of mercury. Tried numerous Google searches with no luck.

I'm a dentist.

We used to buy the stuff in bottles. Find a dentist who has been working for 25+ years, and ask him what he did with his old mercury. Often they have some languishing in a back room somewhere.

I was happy as anything to give mine to a mechanic. To dispose of it, it needs to be transported in a hazardous material truck. We're talking a cup of the stuff. Not much really. Too expensive to dispose of, especially when we know someone out there can use the stuff.

Thanks, I'll try that route, don't want to spend $45 for a bottle from above supplier.

 

[SacramentoMike]

<snip> "I think any tiny orifice will do . . ."

That seems to be the consensus around here.

 

[RaYzerman19]

The Motion Pro comes with restrictors. I have it, I use it, I like it, have had no problems with it. The down side to it is you have to match the tubes to each other when you start, as each has its own reservoir, rather than a common reservoir. You hook all four tubes to an adapter and apply engine vac to the adapter, then there's a little screw-type adjuster you use to match the levels to each other. Once that's done, you remove the 4-to-1 adapter and connect each tube to its own port, and go to town.
If you leave the restrictors out, it's useless. Fluid vibrates too far, too fast.

A replacement fluid in a mercury device would be significantly lighter, may throw the whole works off. Just guessing, but I'd think it would show much higher vacuum than actual, what with being displaced futher because of the weight difference, more fluid pulled up the tubes, maybe even enough to render the gauge useless.

Understood.... I was assuming each tube was it's own reservoir, and one would fill all 4 by the same amount. It would be the weight of the mercury that would prevent the level from going too high, and a lighter fluid may in fact go right up to the top since the tubes are relatively short...... however, having no reference point (actual vacuum reading), one also has to assume the current setting on cyl. 3 is OK and balance all to match it. It is more important to match than the actual vacuum reading itself (which varies with idle speed). If I had a Motion Pro with no mercury, I would try it for fun.

<snip> "I think any tiny orifice will do . . ."

That seems to be the consensus around here.

If Dolly could only talk.........

 

[ctfjr]

There is another source you could probably get some for free.

Mercury thermostats are pretty much illegal in most (all?) states to sell. As a previos poster mentioned it is definately a hazmat issue - in any amount. Heating contractors routinely remove the old mercury thermostats when they replace them with new digital devices. The mercury is contained in a small glass tube. I would guess most of them (especially the small guys) just throw the whole thermostat in the trash (very illegal) but larger, more organized contractors will remove the mercury tubes & put them in a hazmat container. They then have to pay $$$ to dispose of them.

So the test is to find such a contractor & explain what you want it for. Most will probably be happy to get rid of it. You then have to break the glass tube & strain out the mercury from the broken glass.

Just an idea

 

[BackintheSaddle]

You may try your local hazardous waste recycling folks to see if they would part with any (iffy) or if they can give you the name of a local laboratory supply facility.

Also try these guys: mercury. We have sent them quite a bit of stuff from work for recycling and they reprocess for sale. Not sure if they would part with small quantities but might be worth a call.

 

[BackintheSaddle]

There is another source you could probably get some for free.
Mercury thermostats are pretty much illegal in most (all?) states to sell. As a previos poster mentioned it is definately a hazmat issue - in any amount. Heating contractors routinely remove the old mercury thermostats when they replace them with new digital devices. The mercury is contained in a small glass tube. I would guess most of them (especially the small guys) just throw the whole thermostat in the trash (very illegal) but larger, more organized contractors will remove the mercury tubes & put them in a hazmat container. They then have to pay $$$ to dispose of them.

So the test is to find such a contractor & explain what you want it for. Most will probably be happy to get rid of it. You then have to break the glass tube & strain out the mercury from the broken glass.

Just an idea

In a related vein, you may also try local auto salvage yards. Plenty of mercury filled switches were used in vehicles (think lift hood, light comes on).

 

[rushes]

This brings back childhood memories...

We used to gather up as many thermometers as we could, and bust em.

That's the coolest stuff to play with...

 

[LAF]

Or maybe just bite the bullet............

Carb Sync

 

[ScottyUSN]

Just don't let it touch your gold. It turns to a solid (gold turns in silver).

 

[johndaub]

I recently move to a new home and in the uHaul transport I lost about 1/2 of the mercury in my Motion Pro economy sync tool. Motion Pro does not sell replacement mercury and I hate to have to buy another just to get the mercury.
Anyone know where I could purchase a small amount of mercury. Tried numerous Google searches with no luck.

Where did it go? I hope the EPA does not read your post. I am a HAZMAT tech and people go crazy over a couple drops of mercury and will spend thousands for clean-up.