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I'm not offended by the volume he's producing, just the act of doing low value chemistry work at home making something gross, it will get repeated by less capab

I'm not offended by the volume he's producing, just the act of doing low value chemistry work at home making something gross, it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I don't think there should be a monopoly on knowing how to do stuff but this is different, maybe the youtube viewership monetization, I cannot place my finger on it. I'm saying this is a dumb synthesis to show off, there is no value in the product, if anything it is a disposal liability, and it's in a home lab. One mistake and you get a chlorine cloud or an organic solvent spill in a residential setting. It glorifies understanding where the electrons or protons jump but its super basic. Like how hungry for validation do you need to be to show off your recent degree or internet recipe scavenging. Solvents are commoditized. Chlorinated solvents need to be phased out. Whereas, in industrial settings that are vilified for justifiable reasons there is increasing scrutiny on any solvents introduction to processes especially chlorinated types for good reason. I'm saying it's a dumb thing to do and totally misses the mark for educational videos. That guy who makes chips in his garage with nasty etch gasses, high voltage magnatrons, photoresist, and projector litho I'll admit is really cool and impressive but may pose a greater neighbor threat if a mishap happens.

girvo 4y ago
> …it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve been active in underground chemistry forums for 15 years at this point, and the thing it drove home to me is that 99.9% of the people on there are armchair chemists, and only a tiny fraction actually do any home chemistry. It’s all exciting to read about and watch, but for the most part people steer clear (for sane, good reasons). I can’t imagine this will be any different, same with NileRed, same with Explosions and Fire. Agreed on the need to phase out chlorinated solvents, but again I’m much more worried about Joe Blow buying DCM paint stripper from the hardware store and not understand what it is than I am someone who does know what it is watching someone else synthesise chloroform.
- sterlind 4y ago
  I'm hoping that with mushrooms getting legalized here soon, we're on the path to where eventually I could get a hobby license to synthesize psychedelics on a small scale, the way some people brew beer for fun. I'm in the same boat as you I think. I got into ochem as a teenager reading BL and thee Hive, but never did anything with it other than read and fantasize. if it were legal I'd do it in a heartbeat, it's just not worth the risk to me.
  - girvo 4y ago
    I did a BSc in Chem/Maths, and I’ve done certain synthesis ahem “experiment at home. But most of the really interesting novel ones I’ve wanted to try require more glassware and equipment than I can be bothered to acquire, even ignoring the legality aspect. Where I live it’s illegal to have quite a lot of glassware lol
- ok_computer 4y ago
  > Joe Blow buying DCM paint stripper That's what gets me too. I cannot believe how much apparent threat there is in popular media about getting cancer from ocean straws (I'm not a fan of polymer waste and single use but still) and people go to any hardware store buy cheap latex 'water borne' paint with a nasty ether & NMP, fertilizer, weed killer, TCPM paint stripper, new carpeting or furniture on a recurring basis, vinyl siding and flooring, and synthetic fabrics. Then turn around and think 'lol corporations are bad for making CD cases or whatever someone should really do something about that' or vilifying modern production technology that we've become dependent on for high value battery, cars, chips, and medical devices. Like how are advanced economies supposed to function if they lose capability to produce necessary inputs in-house to an extent. Anyway hardware stores are full of environmentally and health questionable materials, its not right. I think it has to do with societies' tendency to despise labor. Good point though, I digressed, I think the hill to climb to start something like one of these experiments is enough to dissuade most viewers from repeating.
- jamesash 4y ago
  I run a fairly well-known organic chemistry website. Occasionally I receive notes from amateur chemists who want advice on various aspects of lab prep. Sometimes they are amusing, like getting late night calls from amateur CBD chemists. Other times they are scary. Two of my correspondents turned out to be so completely in over their heads there was no helping them. One guy, a former electrical engineer, was making elemental chlorine and pirahna solution in his condo. The other was convinced he was close to finding a new drug for curing cancer - he sent me a Chemdraw file with impossible structures - and was hell bent on fluorinating a compound using DAST. I had to cut off all contact with both, lest it be seen that I was aiding and abetting their reckless behavior...
sterlind 4y ago
> On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I recently watched YouTube channel where a guy made phenethylamine from bitter almond oil (benzaldehyde) via the P2NP route. other videos featured anthranilic acid, steam distillation of sassafras, and GBL. I'm astounded he hasn't been banned or raided, but it was massively cool seeing him run these synths in the middle of some forest.
- girvo 4y ago
  bb.expert also has complete drug synthesis procedures up too!

girvo 4y ago

> …it will get repeated by less capable viewers in uncontrolled environments. Maybe. I dunno, I’ve been active in underground chemistry forums for 15 years at this point, and the thing it drove home to me is that 99.9% of the people on there are armchair chemists, and only a tiny fraction actually do any home chemistry. It’s all exciting to read about and watch, but for the most part people steer clear (for sane, good reasons). I can’t imagine this will be any different, same with NileRed, same with Explosions and Fire. Agreed on the need to phase out chlorinated solvents, but again I’m much more worried about Joe Blow buying DCM paint stripper from the hardware store and not understand what it is than I am someone who does know what it is watching someone else synthesise chloroform.

sterlind 4y ago
I'm hoping that with mushrooms getting legalized here soon, we're on the path to where eventually I could get a hobby license to synthesize psychedelics on a small scale, the way some people brew beer for fun. I'm in the same boat as you I think. I got into ochem as a teenager reading BL and thee Hive, but never did anything with it other than read and fantasize. if it were legal I'd do it in a heartbeat, it's just not worth the risk to me.
- girvo 4y ago
  I did a BSc in Chem/Maths, and I’ve done certain synthesis ahem “experiment at home. But most of the really interesting novel ones I’ve wanted to try require more glassware and equipment than I can be bothered to acquire, even ignoring the legality aspect. Where I live it’s illegal to have quite a lot of glassware lol
ok_computer 4y ago
> Joe Blow buying DCM paint stripper That's what gets me too. I cannot believe how much apparent threat there is in popular media about getting cancer from ocean straws (I'm not a fan of polymer waste and single use but still) and people go to any hardware store buy cheap latex 'water borne' paint with a nasty ether & NMP, fertilizer, weed killer, TCPM paint stripper, new carpeting or furniture on a recurring basis, vinyl siding and flooring, and synthetic fabrics. Then turn around and think 'lol corporations are bad for making CD cases or whatever someone should really do something about that' or vilifying modern production technology that we've become dependent on for high value battery, cars, chips, and medical devices. Like how are advanced economies supposed to function if they lose capability to produce necessary inputs in-house to an extent. Anyway hardware stores are full of environmentally and health questionable materials, its not right. I think it has to do with societies' tendency to despise labor. Good point though, I digressed, I think the hill to climb to start something like one of these experiments is enough to dissuade most viewers from repeating.
jamesash 4y ago
I run a fairly well-known organic chemistry website. Occasionally I receive notes from amateur chemists who want advice on various aspects of lab prep. Sometimes they are amusing, like getting late night calls from amateur CBD chemists. Other times they are scary. Two of my correspondents turned out to be so completely in over their heads there was no helping them. One guy, a former electrical engineer, was making elemental chlorine and pirahna solution in his condo. The other was convinced he was close to finding a new drug for curing cancer - he sent me a Chemdraw file with impossible structures - and was hell bent on fluorinating a compound using DAST. I had to cut off all contact with both, lest it be seen that I was aiding and abetting their reckless behavior...

sterlind 4y ago

> On the other hand, I always thought things like anarchist cookbook and erowid type stuff is great for knowledge sharing. I recently watched YouTube channel where a guy made phenethylamine from bitter almond oil (benzaldehyde) via the P2NP route. other videos featured anthranilic acid, steam distillation of sassafras, and GBL. I'm astounded he hasn't been banned or raided, but it was massively cool seeing him run these synths in the middle of some forest.

girvo 4y ago
bb.expert also has complete drug synthesis procedures up too!