AUTOCLAVE questions

[Miss Disaster]

So, I am saving to buy an autoclave (which will probably take months!) I'm really only doing about 2 tattoos a week, if that, except on myself and my hubby, so I'm looking to get something small, but sufficient. Any suggestions on what to look for? // Do I have to send out spore test strips, or can I check it on my own? // Does an autoclave usually come with directions (let's hope so!) Also, do you always have to put your tubes and such in an ultrasonic before autoclaving or is scrubbing enough? Just want to be sure, and know exactly how to do things. thanks

[Papa Gee]

The least expensive autoclaves are the stove top models. Psssst-Here's a little secret. Dont tell no one ok?

A stove top autoclave is nothing more than a canner/pressure cooker. Not a regular pressure cooker mind you. But a CANNER pressure cooker.

Your average pressure cooker fom Walmart probably wont hold an even pressure for the time required to achive sterilization. But a canner is made of really thick material and carries a heavier jiggler on the top valve. This will allow you to use it at about 20 PSI. They take a long time to get up to heat and also to cool down. Because of the almost inch thick aluminum walls. If you dont have a gas stove I would recommend getting a camp burner plate with a propane bottle. This will allow you to sterilize your equipment in a room other than your kitchen. You can get a 40 Qt model for under $200.00. Thats pretty big.

Also you need to purge the first head of steam to create a vacumn inside the chamber during the cycle.

There, I just save you about three hundred dollars.

The ultra sonic should be used to break up the ink and blood in the tubes then do the scrubbing.

Unimax has a pretty good spore testing deal. For about $7.00 they send you a test kit. You run it through a cycle and mail it back to them. They send you a letter with the results. With a stove top I would test at least twice a month.

[Miss Disaster]

thanks for the tip Papa Gee :o)

[thew750]

HMMMMMMMMMM,

Check this out. Autoclave http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/Revolutionary-Science-Autoclave-New-19767_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ52647QQitemZ65580 37388QQrdZ1QQtcZphoto

Pressure cooker http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Manttra-Programmable-Electric-Pressure-Cooker-8-Qt_W0QQitemZ4404871908QQcategoryZ20672QQtcZphotoQQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Look familiar. Not sure, but something seems funny there.

[voodoo]

400 or 70$ ? for the same thing? also look at the disclaimer---usda pending on the 400$ one! :shock:

[el tatuaje]

hey voodoo, good to see your back bro.
remember guy's and girl's you get what you pay for, your health and the health of your clients aren't worth risking buying something cheap just because it makes do.
that's my take on it.
el

[stealthninjamark]

im curious about the bags you put the stuff in. do you have to use new bags every single time you clave? that sounds expensive as hell.

assuming you have a clave already...
is it cheaper to use the clave for everything, or is it cheaper to use disposeable everything?

[XHAZE]

Yep. New bags, one use. Most come with indicator patches which will change colour when sterilizing has been completed correctly.
Apart from the cost of the autoclave and euipment,stainless etc I think the disposable gear runs about the same price and is lesser in quality than using stainless but they save heaps of time and if time is money......

[Unnerving]

And you should send out test spore kits every week. The defend symbol on sterilization bags will change even if you hold the bag over boiling water. Not Enough, always test spore. Make sure.

[stealthninjamark]

just wondering.... why the use of new bags each time?
what goes in comes out sterile right?
that should include the bags to i thought. guess not.

[Unnerving]

Sterilization bags are fearly cheap. Plus once you open the bag they are pretty hard to reseal enough to keep all air out of, the whole point of using the bag in the first place.

[tatt2u]

Also you need to purge the first head of steam to create a vacumn inside the chamber during the cycle.. how do you do this---- I have a ALL AMERICAN stove top and was wondering if I needed to this aswell but I use disposable & sterile ready to use stuff mostly thanks for everyones help

[tatt2u]

What do you mean by purge the first head of steam to create vacumn :oops:

[Lurking Fear]

bring your autoclave up to 10 psi, then release the pressure , then bring it up to pressure to sterilize and watch the pressure gauge keep it in range you may have to adjust the heat, 30 minutes.

[Papa Gee]

Sorry to take so long to get back here. Lurking Fear is right. Bring the clave up to pressure then release it. Bring it back to pressure and let it run the cycle.

[tatt2u]

Thanks alot for the info. you guys!

[kate]

you can get a box of 200 self seal bags for under 10 bucks.

[Rockslinger]

Well To those out there who was wondering I bought one from Wal-mart and actually had it spore tested it came back clean you can purchase Autoclave cleaning products but as everyone else has said no need to take a chance use Disposable and be safe one can never be too safe although it does work in a jam but please have it tested first >!

[amoroque]

Ohhhhh man! Here we go again!

My personal feeling is that it doesn't matter if a pressure cooker does the job, whether it was from Wal-mart or NASA, it is still a pressure cooker. Always get the right tools for the trade even if it means saving up for a little while.

As others have said in numerous other posts, if you want to get respect and be taken seriously dont use something to cook food or can food. I mean this could be a life or death decision (AIDS KILLS).

[undercover art]

Don't use a pressure cooker to sterilize yer equipment. Thats it, no discussion, no exceptions, no bending of the rules! Don't you want to appear as professional as possible? Cutting corners ain't gonna get you there! Yeah autoclaves can be pricey, but what isn't pricey in this trade? Pressure cookers can be used to sterizile instruments, but not by you! If yer ever stuck in the rain forest and need to sterilize a blade well enough to do emergency surgery, I guess you could maybe use a pressure cooker. But if yer just trying to save a few bucks off the price of an autoclave, I'm glad I'm not your client! You pay extra for the assurance that it does it's job! An autoclave has been tested and developed for sterilizing instruments, a pressure cooker has been tested and developed for making yummy jams and other foods, USE THE CORRECT TOOL FOR THE JOB!!!

[prosthetis]

I was looking around today and found a site that sells all kind of autoclaves. The real lab type and they got some for as little as 650 bucks man. same ones as I have seen for 1100. I wouldnt get work done in a place that just "cooked" thier tubes and such would you? If anyone wants to know where those claves are then pm me.This is a medical supply.

[fcp1011]

also for those of you looking at ebay make sure youre buying a true autoclave not someone buying pressure cookers and selling them as autoclaves with a huge markup. dot matrix printers were $30 now people are selling them for $130 labeled stencil maker.....lol

[TattooSteve]

Sometimes you can find a Doctor or Dentist that is upgrading and they will let their Autoclave go cheap. I bought two this way. Call around and see. Also check with the medical suppliers that provide medical equipment. They usually know who has what.

[mozzer337]

I have looked on Ebay and I have came across ads like this.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-AUTOCLAVE-DE-LUXE-240-volts_W0QQitemZ290083906995QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1670 5QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I aint really sure what to look for and I am getting close to the time when can I buy an autoclave but cant really find anything around the £250 mark that I can afford. Everything seems to be twice as expensive as that.

[liarsenic]

Cheapest one I used was the Prestige 2100, around 700$ but very reliable for that price.

[femme]

anyone got any good uk links they could pm me? i could just imagin what customs would slap on somthing like an autoclave when it came to the uk from america