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extraction

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NoFacesOnlyMasks

Rising Star
So I've been attempting extraction for some time, and I've had no luck. I'm using an Acid/Base extraction method. Vinegar is the acid. At first I was getting this green gunk in my naphtha, then I realized that it was because I was using Coleman's camp fuel and they add some kind of anti-rust agent. Then I switched to VM&P Naphtha, and that stopped happening. Now I'm having major issues with yield - quite simply, I'm not getting anything. Here's what I think the problem is - I'm using Ammonia as my base. I can't seem to find pure lye anywhere without ordering online, which I'm not interested in doing.

So here's my question (please don't answer unless you know):

Does Ammonia work as a base? My solution turns black, as it should according to every tek I've read. It reaches a pH of about 9.5, which is low but above the pKa. I used the acid step to unhook the DMT from the plant material, so that shouldn't be an issue. If Ammonia does not work, are Draino crystals really pure lye? Where can I buy pure lye with cash in the US?
 
No, ammonia is not strong enough base for that, hence your problematic yield.

I dont know about lye sources in USA, maybe someone else can help, but you can look into dry teks such as amor fati or q21 which use calcium hydroxide as a base, or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide.

Or you can try extracting using sodium carbonate as a base, but then first of all there will be more chances of emulsion, and also you cant pull with naphtha, you're gonna have to use a solvent like xylene (yuck!!) or so otherwise you'll have also problematic yields.
 
If you can't get lye go with a dry tek. Keep your basified solution though, it still has your spice in it...if you can get some lye you can still pull with naphtha.
 
Check out Lowe's... go to the plumbing section and the Lye should be next to the Draino. It's called Roebic or something like that. It comes in a white plastic jar with yellow on the label. SWIM found it at Lowe's. Gotta love that place :) Not sure if it's at every Lowe's though.
 
endlessness said:
No, ammonia is not strong enough base for that, hence your problematic yield.

I dont know about lye sources in USA, maybe someone else can help, but you can look into dry teks such as amor fati or q21 which use calcium hydroxide as a base, or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide.

Or you can try extracting using sodium carbonate as a base, but then first of all there will be more chances of emulsion, and also you cant pull with naphtha, you're gonna have to use a solvent like xylene (yuck!!) or so otherwise you'll have also problematic yields.
Click to expand...

would it really be as simple as adding 1:1 sodium carbonate with calcium hydroxide? From what I read, it requires a lot of heat or other steps besides merely mixing them.

You mention emulsions with sodium carbonate. Are you talking about an STB? Does sodium carbonate work just fine with A/B, in which there is no solid plant material involved? Why does sodium carbonate increase the chances of emulsion?
 
Apoc said:
endlessness said:
...or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide.
Click to expand...

would it really be as simple as adding 1:1 sodium carbonate with calcium hydroxide? From what I read, it requires a lot of heat or other steps besides merely mixing them.
Click to expand...
I am also wondering the same thing. I haven't been able to find pure lye in my area, and it's not something I want to order online, same as NoFacesOnlyMasks. I have both calcium hydroxide and sodium carbonate, but don't know how to go about combining them.
 
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