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Sterile & Lab Equipment
Self-Healing Injection Ports
Grey butyl rubber ports that fit a 12mm hole in any jar lid, so you can inoculate through a needle without opening the jar. The rubber reseals as the needle pulls out.
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Pack of 10. Autoclave and pressure-cooker safe.
The rubber closes behind the needle, so the inside stays sealed
Goes through repeated pressure-cooker and autoclave cycles
Around 5 to 15 punctures per port before it needs replacing
The short version
An injection port is a small grey butyl rubber stopper that presses into a 12mm hole in a jar lid. Once it is fitted you inoculate by pushing a needle through the rubber instead of taking the lid off.
The rubber is self-healing, so it closes again as the needle comes out. That keeps the jar sealed against airborne contamination through colonisation.
What it is
A needle-through port for sealed jars
Each port is a solid butyl rubber stopper, 20mm across, that fits a 12mm hole in a metal jar lid. It seats into a standard mason jar lid. Butyl rubber takes heat well, so the ports go through pressure cooking and autoclaving without losing their shape.
The idea is that you never open the jar. You inject your culture straight through the rubber, and the rubber seals behind the needle as it comes out. That removes the moment when a lifted lid lets contamination in.
This pack contains 10 ports. They suit liquid culture jars, grain and BRF jars, and spawn masters.
How to use it
Fitting and inoculating through the port
Make the hole
Drill or punch a 12mm hole in the centre of the jar lid. File away any metal burrs so the rubber seats cleanly.
Fit the port
Press the port into the hole. It holds by friction, so no glue is needed. If you want extra security you can run a little heat-resistant silicone around it, but it is not required.
Sterilise the jar
Sterilise the filled jar with the port in place in a pressure cooker or autoclave, then let it cool fully before you inoculate.
Inoculate
Work in a clean space, ideally a still air box or in front of a flow hood. Wipe the port with an alcohol swab. Flame the needle until it glows, let it cool for around ten seconds without touching anything, then insert it through the centre of the port and inject slowly. Withdraw the needle straight out and the rubber reseals. A commonly used dose is around 1 to 2 cc of liquid culture per quart jar. Spore syringes are usually dosed a little heavier.
Specification
The detail
| Diameter | 20mm |
|---|---|
| Fits | 12mm hole in a jar lid |
| Material | Butyl rubber, grey |
| Sterilising | Pressure cooker and autoclave safe |
| Reuse | Around 5 to 15 punctures, more with a thin needle |
| Pack | 10 ports |
A port lasts longer if you use a thinner needle. A fine 21 gauge needle can give 10 to 15 punctures. Each puncture takes a little life out of the rubber, so when a port stops sealing reliably, replace it. Inject through the centre, not the edge, to avoid tearing.
What it is not for
Know the limits
A port is the inoculation point, not a breathing point. It does not let gas exchange happen, so a jar still needs a separate filter or filter patch for the colonising culture to breathe.
The ports are also not a substitute for clean technique. Always wipe the port with alcohol and flame your needle. The rubber keeps the seal, but it cannot clean a dirty needle for you.
Common questions
Frequently asked
No. They press into a 12mm hole and hold by friction. Heat-resistant silicone is optional if you want extra security.
12mm. File off any metal burrs so the rubber seats cleanly.
Yes. Butyl rubber handles repeated pressure-cooker and autoclave cycles.
Around 5 to 15 injections per port. Thinner needles do less damage, so a fine 21 gauge needle can give 10 to 15 punctures.
Yes. The port is only for injecting. Gas exchange needs a separate filter or filter patch.
Around 1 to 2 cc of liquid culture per quart jar is a common starting point. Spore syringes are usually dosed a little heavier. Adjust for your culture and jar size.
Inject through the centre, not near the edge, and use a finer needle. Edge punctures and thick needles cut the rubber and shorten its life.
What customers say
Reviews
Great product.
Cool
Like to support this business so bought these from here but perhaps a little pricey for the quantity.
Works perfect, you get what you pay for.
Great service. Nice freebies aswell. Recommended
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Sold for legal gourmet mushroom cultivation and microscopy use in the UK.
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