Dying "Disposable" or "Single Use" Syringes

[canonfodder]

Both Refillers and CIS users may make use of these plastic syringes.

After a time, they seem to degrade somehow, becoming sticky or difficult to operate, with distinctly greater operating friction.

I know that I should just trash the syringe that becomes a drag, but I can't help wondering what it is that makes the excessive friction show up.

I have tried individually: Washing carefully, Applying vaseline, Cleaning with solvents, Applying silicone lube, and nothing helps. Some of these things seem to be absorbed by the black seal with a distinctly counterproductive swelling of the seal. I have not gotten around to trying chicken fat, but will soon. (Chicken fat is my favorite lube for tapping aluminum or high speed milling of plastics.)

So does anyone have a solution? So far, the only thing that works for me is prompt disposal.

 

[Grandad35]

canonfodder,

I don't use syringes any more - I switched to the squeeze bottles from Howard Electronics (http://www.howardelectronics.com/kahnetics/squeezebottles.html) some time ago.

I had the same problem with sticking syringes as you, and I just removed the plunger and lightly coated the seal with vegetable oil when that happened. It's not a permanent fix, but it's easy to reapply when needed. There's no reason that chicken fat won't work as well.

I have always understood that silicone oil was the lubricant of choice for syringes (specifically polydimethylsiloxane), and that is what is on the seals of new syringes.

 

[IGExpandingPanda]

Both Refillers and CIS users may make use of these plastic syringes.

After a time, they seem to degrade somehow, becoming sticky or difficult to operate, with distinctly greater operating friction.

I know that I should just trash the syringe that becomes a drag, but I can't help wondering what it is that makes the excessive friction show up.

I'm not sure exactly what the issue is, other than the rubber seems to be covered with a power that seems to lubricate it. When it became an issue, I used a spot of lawnmower ether, which contains a silicon based lubricant. Just a tab and towel off with a paper towel and that seems to renew it.

But bottles are so much easier.

 

[alexandereci]

Why go through all the trouble? Unless you guys can't buy syringes in the USA? A trip to the local pharmacy here and I can get syringes with or without needles from 1cc to 30cc, but 50cc syringes are hard to find.

Have you tried "working" the plunger before using the syringe? Pull it out and push back in before using, makes it easier to work with it.

 

[Ron350]

The black rubber used in disposable syringes is so cheap it will degrade with exposure to tap water.


Canonfodder

I was given a 10cc luer-lock syringe that has a shinny gray rubber plunger that does not swell.
I will have to see if I can get any more.

Found this o-ring plunger syringe but they are pricey. The only advantage would be the ability to choose the replacement o-ring material. http://syringesupplies.com/?mainURL=/store/category/a6iw/Syringe_Only.html?category_id=a6iw

http://syringesupplies.com/?mainURL=/store/category/a6iw/Syringe_Only.html

Alexandereci here in the US each state has different laws about the sale of syringes. Here in Alabama the laws are strict about selling a syringe even without a needle on it.

 

[stratman]

canonfodder,

I don't use syringes any more - I switched to the squeeze bottles from Howard Electronics (http://www.howardelectronics.com/kahnetics/squeezebottles.html) some time ago.

Second that Grandad35.

The Howard Electronics bottles are excellent for refilling - faster overall to use and less risk of a mess than with syringes. I cap the needle and leave it on the bottle. Printed out a label for each bottle to keep things in order.

 

[pharmacist]

This is called material fatigue. Just throw away the syringe (needles can be polished to regain it's sharpness) and take a new one. For less than 2 for 10 syringes + long needles I don't bother about it.

 

[Nifty]

Grandad35 / stratman, I'm going to go buy a couple of these. What size do you recommend? Are the bottle "heads" pretty universal / interchangeable?

 

[websnail]

Just a thought but silicon lubricant and ink is generally a bad idea... I've heard that with the Canon printers at least it tended to kill the heads and/or clog jets.

That's third hand but I remember it cropping up in discussion about the Canon CIS and issues I was having.

 

[Grandad35]

Grandad35 / stratman, I'm going to go buy a couple of these. What size do you recommend? Are the bottle "heads" pretty universal / interchangeable?

This is the size that I use. They are specified to come with 1/2" long needles, but I called them and asked for a 1.5" long needles instead. Any Luer lock needle should fit the cap.

They also sell caps for the tips of the needles, but they didn't fit well enough to provide a proper seal or prevent accidentally being knocked of during normal handling. I bought some small rubber stoppers from a local hardware store and drilled into them by about 1/2" with a 1/16" diameter drill, running the drill bit in and out several times to enlarge the hole a little to give a snug fit on an 18 gauge blunt needle. Be aware that there will be a lot of rubber debris left in the hole, so take one of the needles and run it all the way in and out of the newly created hole numerous times to get each hole clean - the loose rubber will push up into the hole in the needle . The needle can be cleaned by blowing air through it - you can inspect it by looking through the needle (from the luer lock end, of course). With an air-tight seal on the needle, you can keep your ink in the squeeze bottles between refills and you only have to open a bottle to refill it from your bulk container when it is empty. Once you try this system, you'll never go back to syringes.

Just a thought but silicon lubricant and ink is generally a bad idea... I've heard that with the Canon printers at least it tended to kill the heads and/or clog jets.

I agree that silicone fluid would be bad if significant quantities of it got into the nozzles. However, many of us have been using syringes that come with this lubricant for quite some time with no obvious ill effects. Since the lubricant is immiscible with water and is only a very thin film, it is unlikely that very much of it actually makes it to the nozzles. Chicken fat might be the safer choice, however.