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cools immediately when you put it in a folded paper towel with rubbing alcohol in it like you are supposed to do..

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Telektonon said:

Flame the needle, then insert it in the jar BEFORE it gets a chance to cool. The first drop of water that comes through will cool it down, then your fine. You'll only kill a few spores so don't worry.

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RogerRabbit said:

I just squirt a drop or two out of the needle while still red hot, and then stick through the jar holes. It seems silly to flame sterilize, and then touch the needle to anything before using.
RR

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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
I just squirt a drop or two out of the needle while still red hot, and then stick through the jar holes. It seems silly to flame sterilize, and then touch the needle to anything before using.
RR



I have followed the above advice for some time now and have been extremely successfull. As a matter of fact, this last set of jars were 100% contaminant free. That is a first for me! I usually have at least One jar that goes bad.

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FallenAngel said:

How long does it take for a spore syringe needle to cool down to a temperature that wont harm spores after flame sterilization? I know its not necessary to wait that long for it to cool because the inoculate will cool it down but I dont want to risk killing any spores. Thanks.

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RogerRabbit said:

I just squirt a drop or two out of the needle while still red hot, and then stick through the jar holes.  It seems silly to flame sterilize, and then touch the needle to anything before using.
RR

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This is the way I learned to do it and the way I always have. It's never been the reason for a failure

I suggest you listen to RR, he is a Golden God

fahtster said:

the only downfall to that is melting your inoc holes instead of puncturing them (assuming you are using self healing ports)... that would be a no no. 

cake holes should work fine that way tho.

faht

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How long does it take for a spore syringe needle to cool down to a temperature that wont harm spores after flame sterilization?

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doc34 said:

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How long does it take for a spore syringe needle to cool down to a temperature that wont harm spores after flame sterilization?

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I wipe my needle with an alcohol soaked paper-towel/napkin right after flaming the needle to remove any carbon deposits and to keep any contaminates from falling onto the needle and to cool down the needle prior to insertion. Why take any unnecessary risks.

That's how I do it and it never has failed me yet. I would hate to know that my jars contaminated because I didn't wipe my needle after flaming with the alcohol soaked towel, just because a contaminate fell onto the needle during me moving it from the flame to the jar. Not to mention the black carbon deposits(if using a lighter instead of an alcohol lamp) that leave a black spot in the polyfill.(for noobs, this could be mistaken for a contaminate later down the colonization process) Also, I use the alcohol soaked paper-towel as a shield to protect the polyfill(keeping contams from falling on it) during inoculations.


Of course, I do open-air inoculations on my kitchen counter-top too;)

But, that's just me.


Doc

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