Freezing complications (not melting issue)

[Global]

Ok, so basically for a few weeks I was making pretty pure, white crystals by freezing the DMT in my freezer in a glass tray with a cover on top. The food in both the freezer and fridge below it began to taste like the naptha. I tried to remedy the problem with plastic wrap to no avail. As a result, I had to start evaporating the solvent as opposed to freezing it which resulted in a much more impure, dark brown-red product, and not nearly as much of it (not to mention the evaporating process takes significantly longer than the freezing process). I looked into trying to get a separate freezer, but was having issues finding one I can afford (~$100 or less). Then I thought maybe I could put it back in my old freezer if I were able to find some air-tight, tray-like containers but I was having difficulties locating these as well. So my question is if you guys think that using a large zip-lock bag might work as a substitute for the tray, and once all the solvent is removed from the bag after freezing the DMT, that the bag could then just be cut open so the crystals could be scraped clean. Do you guys think this could work or would be effective in solving my problem?

 

[DoingKermit]

No need to buy a new freezer or resort to using a zip-lock bag. I use an old Doritos Dip jar and have never had problems with my food tasting like naphtha. Any container with a screw on lid should suffice. Hope that helps.

 

[Global]

I was thinking of that, but I also thought that such a jar could prove problematic with trying to scrape the crystals out.

 

[1664]

I wouldnt use a zip loc bag, as it will probably react with the naptha. You need HDPE plastic to be sure of no reaction. Have you tried defrosting your freezer to get rid of the smell? Is it possible you spilt a little in the freezer compartment and it has not evapped away due to the low temp?

re: DK's post - I use pyrex dishes of an appropriate size for the size of extraction. I just cover them tightly with cling film. As long as you are not tempted to peel the cling film back when it is frozen, this keeps an airtight seal, and does not leak. The benefit of this method is that they are very easy to scrape after your freeze precip.

 

[Trickster]

.. I tried to remedy the problem with plastic wrap to no avail. As a result,

Very strange. Maybe you do not seal your jug hermetically? I've been using food wrap film for years and never had even a trace of smell of naphta im my fridge or freezer. I do not even have a lid on top of the jug. Properly sealed jug will have relative negative pressure in the fridge and should not let naphta fumes escape. An indication of the negative iside pressure is the concave form of the film surface. Try wrapping the jug in several layers of film.

evaporating process takes significantly longer than the freezing process).

Under a fan on high I can evaporate 100 ml of heptane in less than 30 min.

 

[Ljosalfar]

One should have no problem removing crystals from a glass jar - if a significant amount is unable to be removed, rinse the glass jar with a small quantity of warm naphtha and evap that.
SWIM also finds she can freeze a volume of alkaloid-rich naphtha (STB tek, MHRB), precipitate a slush at the bottom, pour off almost all the solvent and then evap the slush - what results is an orangey wax that smokes nice, or cleans up nice, whichever.
L

 

[dmt005]

SWIM was worried about this very issue her self. So what she did is she used an old minifridge ( doesnt work ) and when its time to freeze she buys about 5 lb of dry ice and places it in the bottem of the fridge and places the Naptha on a tray right above it.

This cuts the freezing time down alot. HOWEVER 5lb of dry ice only lasts about maybe 10 hours. To cause heavy precip it usually only takes about 3 hours. At this time the Pyrex bowl she uses is cold enough to hurt when she picks it up and holds on to it.

OR

You can try and use a container with a lid on it , that might help.