Basic Alchemical Tools

Alright, people!!! I spent approximately a week to make the descriptions of all the basic alchemical tools. The same information you can see in my first post of this thread... just look bellow, read and enjoy. Later... tell me your opinion. grin

Basic alchemical tools

Since the alchemy has ever discovered, to all alchemists it is popular to have their own alchemical workshops or workrooms, in which they can experiment (euxperi) with the substances, which can be found in the World of Caelereth, by using special tools and vessels. Through generations these tools and vessels were simply called "Tools of an Alchemist" and only alchemists understand how to work with them and how to craft them. As the most of these tools are made out of a glass, the main methods of crafting them are with the help of glassblowing, tinkering and blacksmithing crafts, therefore true alchemists need not only the knowledge on the properties of the substances, but also the appropriate knowledge in, already mentioned, crafts.

In the alchemical workshops most commonly use special tools and vessels, which are made out of a glass and sometimes even out of a metal. These most important tools and vessels are vials, flasks, boiling glasses, funnels, measuring vessels - measunderi, meabuls, medicine glasses, and the like.

Types of basic alchemical tools:

The measuring vessels: Measuring vessels are all those vessels that are used to measure a certain amount of the liquid. All these vessels are made only out of a glass.

Measunder; meacyl (Gnomish: Ertumefit; ertumaril): The measunder, or differently called - meacyl, is a cylindrically shaped vessel, which has several measuring lines that are drawn on the wall of the cylinder and shows a certain capacity. Each line has a value of 1/25 of a sip. There are measunderi of various maximal capacities - 1/5, 2/5, one, two, four, ten, twenty, forty and eighty sips. To correctly measure a certain amount of liquid, you must pour the liquid into the measunder until it's surface reaches the drawn line, which you need. Measunderi can also be various in some technical details. Some of them can be with the spout and some - can be without it. They can be wide or thin in diameter, short or long in length. The bottom of measunder also is very important. It has to be smooth and without roughnesses to ensure that measunder will stand on the table still and not slanted to the one or other side, otherwise there is a possability to measure an incorrect amount of liquid, that will affect lasting euxperi and as a result there will be untrue, or sometimes even unwanted, outcomes. (click here to see the picture)
Meabul (Gnomish: Ertubelgic): The meabul is a round, flat-bottomed flask with a narrow and long neck, on which is drawn a measuring line that is in the middle of the neck, and shows a certain capacity. If measunder can measure various capacities at a time, then meabul is created to measure only one certain capacity at a time. There are meabuls of various capacities - one, two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve, twenty, forty and rarely eighty sips. Meabuls are used to make the solutions with precise concentration. To make precisely concentrated solution, at first, you have to place the meabul on the horizontal surface. Then, by using a funnel, 1/2 or 2/3 of a meabul fill with the solvent and add powdered substance or liquid, that have to be dissolved in already poured solvent. After that, gargle the vessel to mix up the solvent with the substance or liquid. When you see that all powdered substance has dissolved, add the rest of the solvent until it's surface almost reaches the line and gargle the vessel again. The last drops of the solvent add intently until the surface of the solution reaches the line. It is highly restricted to warm up the meabuls, because the warmth can make them wider in the diameter, therefore badly affecting the measuring results. There even were situations, when warming up meabul ends with its rupture. (click here to see the picture)
Medicine glass (Gnomish: Rum simars): The medicine glass is a conical or cylindrically shaped vessel, that has the measuring lines on it's wall, which show a certain capacity. Each line has a value of 1/5 of a sip. As well as measunderi and meabuls, medicine glasses can also vary in capacity, but the alchemists mostly use those medicine glasses that have the maximum capacities of two, four, ten, twenty and forty sips. If the measunderi and meabuls are used for measuring precise amount of the liquid, then medicine glasses are used only for measuring an approximate amount of the liquid. (click here to see the picture)

The vessels that have a thin walls: These vessels should be very resistant to the influence of the aggressive natured substances or high temperatures, as well as to their sudden changes. As the name of this category of the vessels says, all of these tools should be with thin walls.

Boiling glass (Gnomish: Firnel simars): The boiling glasses are a cylindrically shaped vessels, which can be long and small in length. The length of the long boiling glasses must be twice as big as their diameter. These glasses can be with a snout or without it, with measuring lines on their walls or without them. The capacity of these glasses can be various: long glasses can have a maximum capacity of two, four, six, ten, sixteen, twenty-four, forty, eighty, one hundred and twelve sips, small glasses - 1/5, 2/5, one and up to two hundred sips. It is restricted to heat boiling glasses on an open fire. They can be heated only on the closed heating surfaces, like on a home furnace, and in various kind of baths. (click here and here to see the pictures)
Flask (Gnomish: Flog): The flasks are a conical shaped vessels with a flat bottom and narrow neck. They are made out of glass that has a high resistance against the aggressive natured substances and high temperatures. The capacity of these flasks is various - starting with 2/5 of a sip and up to two hundred sips. In appearance they differ by the length of a neck and by their diameter. These flasks use for making the solutions or during the researching euxperi. You should remember that these flasks can be heated only on the closed heating surfaces. (click here to see the picture)
Table flask (Gnomish: Duberflog): The table flasks are rounded, flat-bottomed vessels. The flat-bottom insures flask's stability on the horizontal surface. The table flasks can have various length of a neck and capacities - starting with one and up to two hundred sips. The usage and resistance of these flasks are the same as a simple flasks. (click here to see the picture)
Rounded bottom flask (Gnomish: Soldelmicran flog): The rounded bottom flasks have a neck of various length and diameter, and their bottoms are totally rounded, therefore such flasks can not be placed on the horizontal surface in vertical position, but can be fastened to a fastening rod. The capacity of the rounded bottom flasks, that have long necks, can vary from four to one hundred and twelve sips, but the capacity of the rounded bottom flasks, that have short necks, can vary between two and forty sips. These flasks are used for heating the liquids during the long time period on the open fire. (click here to see the picture)
Vial (Gnomish: Mun): The vials are a small, cylindrically shaped glacial tubes, with closed lower ends. Their length can vary from three nailsbreadths, four grains up to two palmspans, six nailsbreadths, four grains, but diameter can vary between two nailsbreadths and two nailsbreadths, four grains. The vials are used only for working with small amounts of the substances, therefore the vials should be filled no more than 1/4 to 1/8 of their total capacity. It is restricted to fill the vial full. Heating the vial on the open fire, you should begin to do so in direction from top of the vial to it's bottom, otherwise - heating the vial in an opposite direction, it is a huge possability that the substance, that is inside the vial, will slop out of it all over the place, and if it is very explosive or corrosive substance, the outcome can be very unpleasant. During the euxperi, the vial should be held in the hand, but when heated - it should be fastened to a fastening rod, which is made out of iron, or it should be placed into the vial claw. The vials are placed and held in the vial stands (clean vials should be placed with opened end downward, but during euxperi - with opened end upward). After the euxperi the vials should be washed very carefully. (click here to see the picture)

The vessels that have a thick walls: The main advantage of these vessels is elevated durability. As any other tool in the alchemists workshop, these vessels are made out of a glass that is very resistant to the corrosive substances. These vessels are made with a thick walls and have lowered durability against heat, therefore they can easily rupture if heated, and that is a thing that should not be done with the vessels of this type.

Funnel, vi, fillion (Gnomish: Gnufilim): The glass funnels, that are also called vi or fillion, in the workshop of an alchemist can be used for various goals - filtration, separation of solutions, for pattering solid or powdered substances into the other vessels, or for pouring liquids into the other vessels etc. Therefore they can vary in appearance. Funnel is a conical shaped vessel that has a tube, that is molten to the top of it, and this tube has a delicate truncated end. The size of the funnel is determined by it's diameter. Usually alchemists use only eight different sized funnels, which diameters are: 1.) three nailsbreadths and two grains, 2.) five nailsbreadths and two grains, 3.) six nailsbreadths and four grains, 4.) one palmspan, 5.) one palmspan, four nailsbreadths and four grains, 6.) two palmspans, 7.) two palmspans, four nailsbreadths and four grains, and 8.) two palmspans, nine nailsbreadths and four grains. (click here and here to see the pictures)

Overview about the vessels that are made out of a porcelain: These vessels, as well as the glacial ones, can be divided into two groups - vessels with a thick and thin walls. Peculiarities, advantages and possible usages of porcelain vessels, are deffined by the thickness of their walls. The porcelain vessels with a thick walls are durable and resistant enough to the influence of the aggressive natured substances. That's why they are generally used if there is a need to use strength - grinding, blunging and mixing the solid substances, or differently called Earth substances - Yrth Peryodiqa, into the powder. The porcelain vessels with a thin walls are even much more resistant and durable to the aggressive natured substances and sudden changes of the temperatures, than the porcelain vessels with a thick walls. Therefore they are generally used for heating of the substances on the open fire. However, the porcelain vessels have their own disadvantages - they are heavy, expensive and not translucent.

The vessels that are made out of a porcelain and have a thick walls:

Mortar (Gnomish: Gno tiglim) and Pestle (Gnomish: Tiglim kig): The mortars are a massive half-spherical shaped vessels that are made out of a porcelain, have a thick walls, and are used for grinding the solid substances. To make the usage of mortar comfortable enough, each of them needs a pestle that is in an appropriate length and size. The outer surface of a mortar, excluding it's flat bottom, and handle of a pestle is covered by a glaze, but mortar's inner surface and the head of a pestle is mated and porous. Such construction ensures the grinding of the solid substance into a powder. The mortar's flat bottom is not covered by a glaze only to make it still, if put on the horizontal surface. The mortars can be made out of a various materials - grey iron, black iron, copper and glass, but most commonly are used those mortars that are made out of a porcelain. They can even be made in various diameters and sizes. Working with mortar, you must remember to fill it no more than 1/3 of it's capacity to ensure easier work with it during the euxperi. It is restricted to heat mortars, because on warm surfaces or above an open fire, mortars may often rupture. The mortars are also restricted to place in water baths, because their flat bottoms soak in a very large amount of a water and mortars become very heavy. The only way how you can heat the substance, that is inside of a mortar, is by the warmth of the sun or by placing the mortar near some kind warm source, like the home furnace. (click here to see the picture)

The vessels that are made out of a porcelain and have a thin walls:

Tiny bowl (Gnomish: Ifin cegil): The tiny bowls are a tiny porcelain vessels with a rounded bottom. The bowl's inner surface is covered by a glaze, but the cover for the outer surface of the bowl can vary. The sizes of these bowls are deffined by their diameter, which can vary between two nailsbreadths, four grains and one fore, one palmspan, one nailsbreadth, three grains. Overall, there are eight sizes of these bowls and their capacity can also be various - starting from one sip to one hundred and eighty four sips. The tiny bowls can be heated on the open fire, in the furnaces and in the water baths. They generally are used for heating the substances and for their evaporation. It is restricted to take and hold the hot tiny bowls with bear hands. When you want to heat something in this bowl, at first, you should fasten it into the bowl claw and only then you can start heating by taking the handle of the claw, in which is fastened this bowl. Doing so you avoid being burned heavily. (click here to see the picture)
Crucible (Gnomish: Crubibel): The crucibles are a conical shaped porcelain vessels with a flat bottom. The crucibles are very much like the tiny bowls, except that the crucibles are much more resistant to the heat and sudden changes of the temperature than the tiny bowls, therefore you can put the crucibles into the furnace without a fear that they may rupture. If a tiny bowl you use to heat or evaporate the substance, then a crucible you can use only to melt solid substances, like metals and the like. The crucibles can be made out of a quartz and black iron, but usually alchemists use those crucibles that are made out of a porcelain. As well as the tiny bowls, hot crucibles also are restricted to hold and take with bear hands. When you want to heat something inside of a crucible, at first, you should fasten it into the crucible claw and only then you can start heating by taking the handle of the claw, in which is fastened the crucible. Doing so you avoid being burned heavily. (click here to see the picture)

The other tools of an alchemist:

Fastening rod (Gnomish: Umeg fer) and it's details: In alchemical workshop often are used other, much complicated devices and for their creation are used the fastening rods, the fastening rod's claws (Gnomish: Ferglirec), or also called - the fastening rod's branches (Gnomish: Ferfilec), and metallic rings (Gnomish: Steeloitil). With help of these tools it is possible to fasten the vials, flasks and funnels to the fastening rod. If you wish to make some kind device, which would consist of various vessels, you should use glacial tubes (Gnomish: Simarli mef (Simarli - "glacial", tube - "mef"), plural form: Simarli mefi) with the corks (Gnomish: Kret - "cork", plural: Kreti), that are used for closing the vessels and making the connections between them. It is important to remember that before placing corks inside of the tubes, you should moisten them from the outside, to make them get into the opened ends of the tubes better. The tubes you should hold near the cork, otherwise there is a possability to brake them and have your hands cut by broken glass. The fastening rods are made only out of a metal - black or grey iron, and look like a simple rods, which are 1 ped high and 1 nailsbreadth thick, and one of their ends is molten to a board, which is 2 palmspans in length, 2 palmspans wide and several nailsbreadth thick. The board also is made out of a metal. The fastening rod's claws and metallic rings also are made out of the same metal as the fastening rod. The fastening rod's claw is a tool, that looks like a claw, in which you can fasten a vial, flask or any other tool, and then, with a help of a small refling, that is on the claw, you can fasten it to the fastening rod. The metallic ring looks like a rod on whose end is a ring. Usually these rings are wide enough to make the round bottomed flasks stand still in these rings and not fall through them. The metallic rings also has a refling, which helps to fasten them to the fastening rod.
Claws for the tiny bowls and crucibles (Gnomish: for tiny bowls - Ifinglirek, for crucibles - Cruglirek): These claws look like a simple fastening rod's claws, have the same usage method and are made out of the same material, but the difference is in size and they have no refling. For tiny bowls usually use the claws that are no more than two palmspans, one nailsbreadth, four grains in length. For the crucibles are used two different sized claws - one of them is one ped in length, but the other - one fore, one palmspan, six nailsbreadths, three grains in length. The longer crucible claw is used for the crucibles, if you need to put them out or into the furnace, but the shorter crucible claw is used, if you need to heat the crucible on the open fire.
Vial claw; vial branch (Gnomish: Munglirec; munfilec): The vial claw looks exactly like a claw for tiny bowl and have the same usage. The alchemists named them differently only to ensure the order in the workshop - each tool should be in the correct place and should be used by the alchemist as he or she wishes.
Vial stand (Gnomish: Munfer): The vial stand usually is made out of a wood. It looks like a small, empty, wooden box, whose only one side has many holes that are wide enough to put the vials through them and make them to hold still in the stand. The vial stands are used in situations when you need to put a vial somewhere aside, but it contains some kind substance, that will be usefull in euxperi later and should not be sloped all over the place.
Glass rod (Gnomish: Simarsfilec) and metallic spoon (Gnomish: metallic spoon): The small glass rods and metallic spoons are used for variety of tasks. The small glass rods, which can be 1 palmspan in length, are used for mixing liquids, but the small metallic spoons, which also can reach only 1 palmspan length, are used for heating the substances over the open flame or for taking some solid or powdered substances, because all substances are restricted to take with bare hands. In reference to this, among the alchemists there is a saying: "You will never know how substance will show itself, when touched with bare hands."
Alcohol lamp; spirit-lamp (Gnomish: Alcohols fir kig): The alcohol lamps, or differently called - spirit-lamps, are used for producing flame for boiling and warming the substances. Of course, the same effect can be achieved by warming the vessel in or upon the furnace.