Homemade Chemistry Set

With one or two notable, but prohibitively expensive, exceptions modern chemistry sets all suck. So long term my goal is to make chemistry set that doesn't suck for my nephew. Once I started on the project I was quickly surprised to discover I wanted one for myself as well. Now I am working with my friend Phil on pulling a set together a cheaper chemistry set suitable for both adults and kids.

The set is being built one experiment at a time. These pages document the experiments that both my nephew and I have done together, as well as the ones I plan on doing with him. Eventually I will try and provide enough detail so that each experiment can be replicated, as well as notes on age appropriateness, what went right, and and things to avoid. For now this should at least give other people useful ideas.

Experiments

For grade school scientists
These experiments only use ingredients found in the household and bathroom and simple glassware. The do not require the use of an open flame. Experiments make a good base for building lab skills.
For pre-high school age scientists
These experiments start using more elaborate glassware, glass tubing, and open flames. While closer supervision is required while doing the experiments, they teach a whole new set of skills.
Incendiary Experiments
Every single scientist I know has fond memories of making things go boom when they were kids. These are experiments that can be done safely with kids, while still being flashy and exciting enough to help encourage future scientists.

Making the set

Making Lab Equipment.
Making various basic pices of lab equipment used in the experiments.

Online Resources

Older Chemistry Set Manuals
The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments is just an amazing book. Its from the 1960s, and all of the experiments are safe, or information is up to date, but even 60 years later its still an amazing resource.
Gilbert Chemistry Outfit - 1936 (Need a link to the real manual, this just points to some experiments and adds).
The Chemcraft Book - 5th eddition - 1915
Glassblowing Links
Glassblowing Video Covers basic scientific glassblowing as well as more complicated techniques like how to blow thistle tubes.
The Scientific Glassblowing Learning Center Excellent resource for scientific glassblowing
Teralab Glass Blowing for Vacuum Devices Targeted at glass blowing for tubes and vacuum devices, but still a lot useful information for home scientific glass blowing