Help a Newb out ^_^

[Psyren]

Ok so ive got 8lbs of food grade sodium hydroxide, 2 Quarts of VM&P naptha, and 1 kilo Mhrb on the way.
Im planing to do STB.

Let me see if im on the right track here.

Ive read to do smaller batches rather than one large batch? So instead of 1 kilo of mhrb mixed into a kilo of lye/water how many batches should i break it down into?

Ive read that I want to let the lye and water mix well then sit for a while before i add the mhrb?

I was thinking the longer i let the Lye/water and Mhrb mix sit the more ill be able to pull out of it? but then i read that pulls more oils out? How long do you guys usually wait before you add the naphtha?

Ive read alot of mixed opinions how hard to shake the naphtha/lye water/mhrb and for how long to shake/stir the mix.

It seems the best way to freeze precepitate the naphtha/dmt is first set out at room temp for a while and then in to the fridge and then to the frezzer?

Im gonna stop there, lots of questions and im kinda all over the place with em.
Id appreciate any help or any little tips & tricks that are left out of the teks.
ill continue to read read read and educate myself thru the post on the nexus.
Thanks so much for your time
peace

 

[Entropymancer]

Ok so ive got 8lbs of food grade sodium hydroxide, 2 Quarts of VM&P naptha, and 1 kilo Mhrb on the way.
Im planing to do STB.

I would really not recommend processing a whole kilo with an STB process. 15 to 20 liters of mimosa-lye sludge doesn't sound like a good time.

Ive read to do smaller batches rather than one large batch? So instead of 1 kilo of mhrb mixed into a kilo of lye/water how many batches should i break it down into?

Depends on your equipment to some extent. If you're really set on STB, it would probably be good to break it up into five or six batches (this way each batch could be done in a 1 gallon carboy). But don't get them all started at once... it's probably best to start with one or two test runs (maybe 50 grams) to make sure you've got the process down. It'd be a shame to waste a whole kilo of bark through a beginners error.

Ive read that I want to let the lye and water mix well then sit for a while before i add the mhrb?

As long as the lye is dissolved, you're ready to add the bark. Letting it rest doesn't accomplish anything.

I was thinking the longer i let the Lye/water and Mhrb mix sit the more ill be able to pull out of it? but then i read that pulls more oils out? How long do you guys usually wait before you add the naphtha?

This is one advantage of A/B processes, there's no need for guesswork and waiting games. To avoid oils, it's probably best to start pulling within a couple hours of adding the bark. After completing the initial pulls, the lye-bark soup could be set aside for a day or two before doing a final pull.

Ive read alot of mixed opinions how hard to shake the naphtha/lye water/mhrb and for how long to shake/stir the mix.

Don't shake it, mix it.

It seems the best way to freeze precepitate the naphtha/dmt is first set out at room temp for a while and then in to the fridge and then to the frezzer?

You might grow bigger crystals that way... but if you're into fancy crystal-growing, that's more something to mess around with after you've collected the final product. Just chucking the naphtha in the freezer is fine.