Straight to base: why does it even work? Three questions

[mercurio]

Hi,

I am attempting my first "straight to base" procedure. For 100g of bark, I added:

* 1 Litre of water
* 50g of lye
* 0.5 litre of naphtha (note: not done this part yet)

Question 1: Are the proportions correct, give or take? I seem to be reading a lot of different numbers... The PH seems to be sitting at around 13 now. Maybe more lye?

Question 2: *Why* does this work? I used A/B before, and this is my first S/B attempt. When I read about it, it was clear that you need the DMT in crystal form, which is why you had to do the acidic step. So... whY/

Question 3: What about using a "hybrid" method? That is, having the DMT simer in acidic water for say 1 day, and then keep going as you do with a STB tek? My feeling is that that would become either a "lazy A/B" or a "un-lazy STB"...

Any hints would be *fantastic*, thank you!

Mercurio.

 

[geko42]

Hey,

well Swim is new to the nexus as well as extractions but swim has done alot of reading and is not a complete noob when it comes to chemistry.
Swim just finished some STB Extractions and seams to have done well, (pulled about 1.5% in 2 pulls first pull was 1.2%) using a Lazy man Tek, with a sodium carbonate wash

but i digress.

any who back to your questions are you using powdered or solid MHRB? swim is assuming MHRB because u said bark

Hi,

I am attempting my first "straight to base" procedure. For 100g of bark, I added:

* 1 Litre of water
* 50g of lye
* 0.5 litre of naphtha (note: not done this part yet)

Question 1: Are the proportions correct, give or take? I seem to be reading a lot of different numbers... The PH seems to be sitting at around 13 now. Maybe more lye?

swim also came across many different recipes but it seams you will be ok with that PH some will even argue that that is to much, and you will have more of a chance at ph 13 to get more stuff carried over thats not spice. swim personally found some teks doing 1:1 lye to mhrb, trying it himself swim got the results posted above

Question 2: *Why* does this work? I used A/B before, and this is my first S/B attempt. When I read about it, it was clear that you need the DMT in crystal form, which is why you had to do the acidic step. So... whY/

Swim believes and please some one correct me, that when doing a STB tek the idea is using the strong base you not only break down the plant material but you break away the dmt from the plant material and it is left floating in the base solution (insoluble in that layer so it wont bond). when solvent ( naphtha ) is added it readily bonds with the spice. the problem being so does some of the plants fats etc.

Question 3: What about using a "hybrid" method? That is, having the DMT simer in acidic water for say 1 day, and then keep going as you do with a STB tek? My feeling is that that would become either a "lazy A/B" or a "un-lazy STB"...

swim has read teks using a hybrid method just remember to use hot plates or crock pots and not open flame. ( you can get them super cheep at any tar-M@rt store etc)

swim has not done enough to recommend swim can only share his opinions readings and observations.

and that is make your self some sodium carbonate (look up stove top method its super easy) and wash your pulled layers.

swim hopes that he was some help and good luck.

 

[mercurio]

Hi,

(trying again, I don't think my previous one worked)
Since you know about chemistry and I have a PH tester, how high do you thing the PH should be ideally?

Mercurio

 

[geko42]

Hi,

(trying again, I don't think my previous one worked)
Since you know about chemistry and I have a PH tester, how high do you thing the PH should be ideally?

Mercurio

sorry for not being clear. Swim believes ph 13 is perfect. swim believes the extraction will work at ph 11 + ,but swim knows PH 13 works great as that's what he used last time

 

[MySmelf]

A ph 11 may be fine to freebase DMT in a A/B but a ph 13+ is needed to "digest" or breakdown the root bark as well as freebasing the DMT. Also a half liter of naphtha is a lot and you'll end up having to evaporate most of it to get any significant amount of DMT to freeze precipitate out. I would suggest no more than 100ml per pull.
50g of lye for 100g MHRB sounds a little on the low side though it may work fine. I usually use at least 75g lye per 100g MHRB.