• Members of the previous forum can retrieve their temporary password here, (login and check your PM).

Choosing a tek

C

CokFLHX

Rising Star
I see that some break down the plant matter with acid solution called an A/B extraction, and there is STB or straight to base.

Can somebody smarter than me with experience in these matters help to explain this?

In my mind if STB works, and is faster, why would anybody do the acid step?

I’m only third extraction. The first time, I did the A/B purity flakes tek.
The second I tried STB and feel like the yield was just as good, and I ended u with pretty, white crystal.

I’m currently on my third, following Vivek’s tek which is A/B extraction with a defatting step. Defatting seems to me, the only reason why you would choose to do A/B vs STB.

Thing is, I habanero don’t have any formal training or education with chemistry or or the use of lab equipment. I’m sure there is a really simple answer.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to reply to my question and lend what knowledge you can.
 
Defatting is unnecessary with MHRB, but it's beneficial for most other plant materials.

The burgeoning amount of named 'teks' only serve to obfuscate what any one person might be doing, so it's better to go into extensive and precise detail of what you've actually done in each extraction.

Extraction is more like cooking than chemistry, so it's best not to be daunted by it all and simply check out the sticky thread which explains the basic principles of extraction. Only a few key concepts are involved.
 
The choice is entirely yours, though certain methods are better depending on your starting material and how you intend to use the product.
 
CokFLHX said:
I see that some break down the plant matter with acid solution called an A/B extraction, and there is STB or straight to base.

Can somebody smarter than me with experience in these matters help to explain this?

In my mind if STB works, and is faster, why would anybody do the acid step?

I’m only third extraction. The first time, I did the A/B purity flakes tek.
The second I tried STB and feel like the yield was just as good, and I ended u with pretty, white crystal.

I’m currently on my third, following Vivek’s tek which is A/B extraction with a defatting step. Defatting seems to me, the only reason why you would choose to do A/B vs STB.

Thing is, I habanero don’t have any formal training or education with chemistry or or the use of lab equipment. I’m sure there is a really simple answer.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to reply to my question and lend what knowledge you can.
Click to expand...
When the plant material contains fat, like ACRB: A/B.

When it has virtually no fat, like MHRB: STB.

When you want to put in the extra effort for a slightly higher yield: hybrid teks like the ones from Cyb.

The rest is just a rehashing and renaming of the same old STB, A/B and hybrid teks.

Then as an extra you also have something called dry teks, and more exotic teks to minimize environmental impact.

I myself either use STB for MHRB, or Cybs hybrid tek (also for MHRB).

The dry teks and more environmental teks are usually a bit harder to understand and perform, so better skip those when you are a starter.

Either way: read any tek beforehand and ask here on the forum anything that you are not sure about or want to have explained as to why such as step might be needed.

Fully understanding a tek makes for better yield, best practices, improved Health & Safety and harm reduction. Also it's very fulfilling to fully understand any tek so you can eventually fine-tune any tek to your 'cooking' preferences (as @Transform might say).


Kind regards,

The Traveler
 
Last edited:
I used the above tek that included the defatting stage. I feel like my yield was significantly less than with simpler teks. It may have been the bark. Who knows? But if the consensus is defatting isn’t needed with MHRB I’m going to the cub hybrid tek next. I want to maximize the yield.

Also, after I had an extracted all I could, I dissolved it back into heptane and did three washes. I had a yellow/orange blob that I could t get to redissolve. From what I read this is normal. The blob is made of impurities.
Thing is, after freeze precipitating, I lost almost HALF of the spice. It went from slightly off white to pure white, however. Is this normal, or did I mess up you think?

I’ve also noticed there are the crystals, but when you scrape the dish there is a darker crud that builds up on the razor that is stickier and darker than the crystals. Not much, but it’s there.

I have been scraping this off into the same vial as the spice pre wash.

But there is always some even after washing. What is this?

Thanks again everybody for your input. I love this site.
 
CokFLHX said:
I used the above tek that included the defatting stage. I feel like my yield was significantly less than with simpler teks. It may have been the bark. Who knows? But if the consensus is defatting isn’t needed with MHRB I’m going to the cub hybrid tek next. I want to maximize the yield.

Also, after I had an extracted all I could, I dissolved it back into heptane and did three washes. I had a yellow/orange blob that I could t get to redissolve. From what I read this is normal. The blob is made of impurities.
Thing is, after freeze precipitating, I lost almost HALF of the spice. It went from slightly off white to pure white, however. Is this normal, or did I mess up you think?

I’ve also noticed there are the crystals, but when you scrape the dish there is a darker crud that builds up on the razor that is stickier and darker than the crystals. Not much, but it’s there.

I have been scraping this off into the same vial as the spice pre wash.

But there is always some even after washing. What is this?

Thanks again everybody for your input. I love this site.
Click to expand...
Long story short, DMT polymerises, and this orange, polymerised blob is insoluble in heptane. Mini A/B helps to depolymerise it.

Heptane retains some dissolved DMT, exactly how much, or how little, depends on how cold your freezer gets.

Most of your lost yield was in the orange blob. Concepts of purity can become seriously challenged by reversible polymer formation!
 
I read this too late. I did a re-ex and had a huge pile a goo that I assumed was impurities and tossed out. Less than 30% was left after freeze precipitation. I think I threw away most of my yield.

Lesson learned!
 
Transform said:
Long story short, DMT polymerises, and this orange, polymerised blob is insoluble in heptane. Mini A/B helps to depolymerise it.

Heptane retains some dissolved DMT, exactly how much, or how little, depends on how cold your freezer gets.

Most of your lost yield was in the orange blob. Concepts of purity can become seriously challenged by reversible polymer formation!
Click to expand...
Would you mind going into more detail on that? Could the long story short go back to long? I appreciate you taking the time to explain these things and help.
 
Transform said:
Long story short, DMT polymerises, and this orange, polymerised blob is insoluble in heptane. Mini A/B helps to depolymerise it.

Heptane retains some dissolved DMT, exactly how much, or how little, depends on how cold your freezer gets.

Most of your lost yield was in the orange blob. Concepts of purity can become seriously challenged by reversible polymer formation!
Click to expand...
Here are some pictures of what I have. Should I not throw this part away?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7583.jpeg
    IMG_7583.jpeg
    913.2 KB · Views: 3
  • IMG_7582.jpeg
    IMG_7582.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 3
  • IMG_7580.jpeg
    IMG_7580.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 4
You could try a mini A/B which is : dissolving the remains in dilute vinegar, filter or decant to remove any left over solids, then add base and then extract with NPS as before, only on a much smaller scale. You should find the NPS separates much better without any plant matter in there, so it will go quite quickly. Then freeze precipitate your NPS as normal and if there was any significant amount of DMT left it will crystallise out.
 
Transform said:
We have a bunch of threads going into this which I'd rather not duplicate here. See what you can find, I may look them up when I have spare moment.
Click to expand...
I had to stop work the other day. I had the goop that I included a picture of. This is what I found in the jar when I was able to get back to it. It looks like some of the spice formed big white crystals while the other spice formed big crystals but they’re amber colored.

Should I dissolve this in dilute vinegar and to the mini a/b? I’m sorry I wish I had the guts to just do this or that, but like 30% of my yield is in here and I don’t want to ruin it on accident.

I really really appreciate the time you guys take to help me out
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7585.jpeg
    IMG_7585.jpeg
    1.2 MB · Views: 2
Back
Top Bottom