Hi Carrie and all,
I have bought dessicant capsules [indicator-colored silica gel inside 
clear plastic] from a company called United Dessicants (sorry, no 
address at hand).   They came in two sizes, about 2cm and 4cm long, 
sold as 1.5 or 3g.   A colleague told me a while back he couldn't 
find them any longer.   I just tried their old phone number 
[609/662-6500] and got a 'no longer in service' recording.   I don't 
know if they're out of business, or just don't make this product any 
longer...maybe someone can track them down?   One factor may be that 
the capsules are recyclable [can be dried for re-use by storing 
overnight in a 60degree oven].  I've actually had the ones I use now 
for years!  No repeat business, no more product availability, I guess.

I also have silica gel beads that are heat-driable - they're sold to 
put in the bottom of dessicators ["t.h.e. dessicant" from EM 
Science].  Much less messy than drierite, but not as convenient as 
capsules.

I'd be interested to hear if someone on the HistoNet has a 'source' 
for dessicant capsules.  I wonder where the vitamin pill people get 
the little plastic vials of dessicant they use?

cheers, -Donna

>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: 22 Feb 2001 16:46:14 -0600
>From: "Carrie Kyle" <ckyle@cvdls.ucdavis.edu>
>Subject: need vendor info......
>
>hi all,
>hope someone can figure out what i'm looking for....  :-)
>i need to find a vendor for drierite.....but not the loose stuff.  i've used
>some in the past that was in clear capsules, making it nice and easy to use in
>slide boxes and you could clearly see when they needed to be changed out with
>fresh capsules.  the problem is that can't remember who our source was.  i've
>checked vwr and fisher with no success.
>thanks,
>carrie kyle-byrne
>ucdavis-cahfs
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