Hi Blue, I'm going through my first DMT extraction right now! I'll also post a summary when I'm done. It seems I wasn't as prepared as I thought for this and am about halfway through, but already want a few more items to assist with the extraction, which I'll pick up today.
Here's what I've learned already:
#1 is to take safety seriously and I'm glad to see that side of things mentioned in the first reply. They aren't wrong about gloves and goggles. That bit in Fight Club where the guy burns his hand with lye isn't just a joke. I've never had to learn that the hard way and don't want anyone to have to do so.
What I have just learned the hard way is - do not perform any part of the process while distracted, and do not try to skim off a top layer using your mouth for suction - it's safer and easier to siphon off the bottom layer from underneath. I've copped a taste of solvent and acidified gunk from trying to use tubing to remove the top layer and getting distracted, and at that moment remembered that part of what I was taught in chemistry many years ago - don't use your mouth for this sort of thing! If I had been working with a basic layer the results would have been most dire. It's best that I risk copping some flak for being an idiot if someone else can learn from my mistakes.
What I've been doing is writing out what I plan to do for each step and this helps the way I think about things, and leaves less room for second-guessing every step of the way. I'm more or less following Cyb's Hybrid tek but taken on board some sensible sounding suggestions regarding defatting due to the material I'm using.
Thrift shops can be a great source for utensils if your budget is limited. Don't settle for plastic - use glass. A little plastic is perhaps unavoidable without a proper lab set up e.g. funnels, tubing for siphoning, baggies as a separatory funnel, but should be kept to an absolute minimum.
potnoble, Elrik, downwardsfromzero and monomind, from another newbie - thanks for your advice!
The stars keep burning,
Worlds keep turning,
Through joy and pain,
Forever learning.