
DIY mass spectrometer measures potassium in dietary salt substitute [video] - tau255
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIKhUizkXxA
======
gus_massa
This is in the "Applied Science" channel. The idea of what is a DIY project of
this guy is very high. The videos are very interesting, but expect a lot of
work to reproduce it.

Also, it's interesting to notice that the project is somewhat based in an old
Scientific American article. In the old times, the articles in that
publication were much more technical than the current ones.

~~~
brudgers
To me, this doesn't seem more _technically_ involved than many DIY software
projects that wind up on the HN front page. The big difference I see is meat
operations require workspaces. A laptop isn't enough. Control of suitable
real-estate is probably the highest barrier other than ordinary commitment. A
shop makes making things easier or a lab for doing science.

~~~
gus_massa
This is not one of the more technical crazy projects in the channel [1], but
he use two vacuum pump (it's necessary because one work at normal pressure and
the other work near vacuum) and he has another one that he is not using. Also
soldering the OpAmp is not very difficult, but at this amplification level my
nasty cold welding will probably cause problems.

[1] Have you seen the one about aerogels?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X24np30GS2o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X24np30GS2o)

~~~
brudgers
Thanks. The aerogel video was awesome. I have a friend who freelances organic
cosmetics benchwork on the dining room table. Chemistry PhD. Stainless pots,
white powders, and picks up the kids from practice. Doing something all the
time normalizes it.

