I don't have access to or can afford a melting   
   point apparatus so I'm trying to do it on the   
   cheap. Initially I had thought about using an   
   oven or maybe a toaster oven but since then I   
   decided it might be better to try using an oil   
   bath on a hot plate. I would put the sample in   
   a test-tube joined to a thermometer with rubber   
   bands and place the ends of the test-tube and   
   thermometer in the oil bath. When about half   
   of the sample looks melted take a reading. As   
   long as I heat the oil slow enough I hope to   
   get reasonable accurate determinations. I'm   
   wondering at what rate I should heat the oil   
   and about how long should it take to get a   
   reading? So far the above is what I have come   
   up with but perhaps there are better ways to   
   take melting point determinations without a   
   melting point apparatus?   
      
   Dura   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)