I learned, the hard way, to avoid extreme temperature changes.  I either
preheat solution IN coplin jar with waterbath or start it in MW (inside a
zip lock baggie), never add cold solutions to a hot coplin jar and vice
versa, plus wash coplin jars IN my lab.  Every dishwasher we have had over
the years was heavy handed, and chipped the begollies out of jars (they
never paid to replace them!).  For Steiner and Steiner, I preheat the
coplin jar in a waterbath, then preheat solution in an erlenmeyer, add
minimal ingredients to flask just before use, mix, pour into jar (with all
temperatures the same).  Predicting bottom dropping out is beyond me
(nature of bottle glass), I often put coplin jar inside a waterfilled
beaker inside a water bath, to contain released contents (and close lab
door!) 

Takes a bit thought, but with limited budgets, a dislike for chipped glass,
my jars have lasted for years.  Other labs have to supply their own jars, I
do not loan mine out (mean old lady syndrome!) anymore.  It works!



>Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2000 17:14:49 -0400
>From: Geoff McAuliffe <mcauliff@UMDNJ.EDU>
>Subject: Re: Pyrex coplin jars
>To: Gayle Callis <uvsgc@msu.oscs.montana.edu>
>CC: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>
>Gayle Callis wrote:
>
>> In all my years of histowork, I never found a source of Pyrex coplin jars!!
>>  and would have begged, borrowed or stolen to get such a beast!!!
>>
>> After making other people in other labs replace these pricey little jars,
>> they started to pay attention on how to handle them in heated solution
>> situations.  Had my share of the bottoms falling out but I learned!!
>
>So how do you do it? I have broken more than a few.
>
>Geoff
>--
>**********************************************
>Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
>Neuroscience and Cell Biology
>Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
>675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
>voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029
>mcauliff@umdnj.edu
>**********************************************
>
>
>
>
>
Gayle Callis
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-4705
406 994-4303