HobbyGel - The Parameterised, Makerbot-Printable Gel Casting Kit

thingiverse

This design complies with the Open Source Hardware definition at http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW. It's expected that derivatives will also be free. Gel electrophoresis, a common procedure in genetic and molecular biology, involves using agarose or Agar-Agar to cast a gel containing a DNA-binding dye. The DNA strands are then forced through the gel with voltage, separating by size and collecting dye. Electrophoresis requires costly equipment like a casting set, priced higher than necessary. This Thing, the HobbyGel Casting Kit, addresses this issue with an affordable alternative. The HobbyGel Casting Kit includes a 5cm X 6cm Gel Boat and multiple comb options to cast wells for DNA samples. For larger-scale electrophoresis, there's also the LabCompat Gel Casting Kit, designed for the Bio-Rad Mini-Sub Cell-GT rig. Both kits are available in competitive prices from Labs From Fabs (http://www.shapeways.com/shops/labsfromfabs). The HobbyGel kit, including a 7-Well Comb and Casting Boat, is priced at $59.73 in Europe. It will be available in opaque, tough plastic or translucent acrylic, with the latter potentially allowing UV transillumination. Instructions for printing the HobbyGel GelBoat and comb are provided on the creator's shop website. Post-processing may be necessary to ensure smooth casting, but feedback is welcome for further improvements. For those interested in home-brew DNA extraction and visualisation without UV or Agarose, links to relevant articles are available.