Should I dissolve the sodium hydroxide crystals in distilled water first

[Lighthealer]

Before I add it to the the reduced acidified solution . Using a/b extraction. Or should I pour the crystal directly into the solution . I’ve seen it done both ways and wondering which is best and which is safest . Thanks

 

[Hyper Turtle]

I prefer to dissolve it, first. That way, i can see what happens, and make sure it dissolves fully and doesn't form a clump or something (which i'm afraid could potentially break the glass due to uneven heat).

I've done it the other way too though, i don't think it really matters too much.

 

[Lighthealer]

Well unfortunately I made a rookie mistake and decided to transfer the naphtha and dmt solution into a smaller skinner ball jar to make the first pull easier because I was only using 250 grams of root bark and had 500 ml of solution . But unfortunely I transferred to a jar that I had cracked early by trying to warm the naptha on a induction stove before adding to the solution . Any how glass was a bit cold or whatever ans heard the bottom crack so I quickly transferred into another jar. And just added the heated water tonthe warm bath I had going in the sink . Anyhow when I went to tranfer the solution from the 64 oz jar in to a 1000ml jar I picked up the wrong one . Because I didn’t throw it away like I should have instantly . So I grabbed the wrong jar and put it in the one that had a crack . Any bottom just fell out when I turned it upside down one last time before going to set it down to settle and do my first pull after a few more times shaking it . Anyhow just went into the sink . No harm done just hard work down the drain . Won’t make that rookie mistake again lol.

 

[Lighthealer]

Thank you so much for responding to my question . Was actually my first post . I’ve been reading everything I can on this website . So much awesome info . Read a significant amount of the entheogenic college course too . Most is a repeat of the stuff you can find on here but was put together nicely . Totally believe in what this website stands for .

 

[Hyper Turtle]

Aw man, I'm sorry to hear. I've lost extractions to similar mistakes, it's never fun. But yeah, live and learn :=)

Generally we recommend to do smaller extractions in the 25-100g bark range, the first few times.
100g mhrb should yield 1g of DMT or more, enough for 20-50 smoalks.

Anyway, welcome to the dmt-nexus

 

[wattlez]

Thank you so much for responding to my question . Was actually my first post . I’ve been reading everything I can on this website . So much awesome info . Read a significant amount of the entheogenic college course too . Most is a repeat of the stuff you can find on here but was put together nicely . Totally believe in what this website stands for .

The site is amazing, so much useful information... I had a glass break yesterday (Not borosilicate, I used a magnetic stirrer and my experiment became a vinegar puddle in a split second). Lesson learned.

I don't pre mix my lye, instead I just spoon it in slowly into a borosilicate container with my plant material. I haven't had a successful extraction yet however, so don't take my word for it

 

[Lighthealer]

Well thanks:roll: :roll: for making making me feel like I’m lm not alone in failing lol. Sorry you lost yours too.

 

[Loveall]

I don't mix it separately. I add it to the bark. It makes it warm and I don't need heat for first pull.

No issues or difference vs doing it separately (other than the heat shortcut)

 

[Toshido]

Before I add it to the the reduced acidified solution . Using a/b extraction. Or should I pour the crystal directly into the solution . I’ve seen it done both ways and wondering which is best and which is safest . Thanks

As long as you are adding it SLOWLY (I do a third at a time if using 50g MHRB) you should be fine. Some people add straight to the soup to get it nice and hot because of the exothermic reaction created by adding NaOH to water.

I use a magnetic stirrer and hot plate that is already at the proper temperature. So I mix my water and NaOH solution separately in a beaker before adding it to my Erlynmeyer flask w/ soup on the hot plate.

If you're doing a lazyman's tek a/b or something similar, do your thing and just be safe (Add slowly and wear gloves). As for me I'm OCD and like to prepare steps in their own vessels before adding to the main flask. This is the Tek I created and am using now, but I need to update a few steps because there may be some redundancy with my basification stage in terms of temperate and time spent on the hot plate.

My A/B Tek is just below, in my signature.