Proper Base in A/B extraction

[NoFacesOnlyMasks]

Sorry for posting this in the general questions section, my bad.

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?

 

[Seraph]

Don't use ammonia, use lye. Lye is drain cleaner, look as hard as you can to find it at your hardware shops/hardware stores. All you need is a purity of >98% which is easy enough to find if you look hard enough, you know you're looking for sodium hydroxide don't you?

 

[endlessness]

why are you posting again the same question as here:

extraction - Welcome discussion - Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

?

 

[NoFacesOnlyMasks]

Sorry. I posted the first question in the wrong section. My bad. Please forgive an ignorant noob.

Anyway, I know I'm looking for NaOH, Sodium Hydroxide, and I know I'm looking for something pure. It's just that most drain cleaners don't list their chemical makeup on the back, they only say stuff like "warning, contains Sodium Hydroxide." I feel a bit weird asking the people at the hardware store "hey what's the chemical makeup of this cleaner? Do you have exact percentages on this?" Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I'd like to get an answer from here. Can you give me a specific brand that is of sufficient purity?

 

[SnozzleBerry]

Red Devil Lye is available from several retailers online and is 100% NaOH

Ace hardware is the only store I am aware of in the US that still has 100% lye in the store and they may or may not make you sign your name for it.

Personally, I'd just order it online and read up on either soap-making or bio-fuels (soap making is probably more plausible should anyone ask questions). In all honesty, I wouldn't expect a knock on your door...you're not doing massive extractions with absurd quantities of lye are you? Right, then any assumption that the police are going to chase you down over the routine purchase of small quantities of lye for soap-making is most likely paranoia on your part.

 

[holysatan]

There are a couple of Ace hardware stores in SWIM's vicinity. But SWIM only found 12 x 1 lb packs. It's expensive as well as a shit load of NaOH. Is it a good idea to buy so much of it? I mean in both buying and possessing such a high volume. Doesn't it raise eyebrows when buying it in the store? What should SWIM say he is planning on doing with it if the people at Ace ask questions?

Some might say SWIM is being paranoid, but is being paranoid in the world we are currently living in (saw on Nexus about the student from U of Minnesota) such a bad thing?

SWIM went to Lowes to procure some earlier this evening and the guy there had a constant smirk on his face (as if he knew SWIM is up to "something") as he said none of the big stores are carrying that anymore.

SWIM plans to go to Ace tomorrow morning and could really use some advice/tips/safety measures in this regard.