[M.D. Holloway]

Yup - the refractomer just takes a drop and should be cleaned with IPA after each use so a sample will not monkey it up. As for the hydrometr, your buddy will have one of those as well to test the ethanol content of his hootch but he may take exception to you raid his wine making tools to test your coolant!

The kind at the parts store is a glorified turkey baster with a plastic BB in it. they work fine. You can also get the glass kind that your bud prolly has. those are better (more sensitive) but fragile.