I have spent dozens, if not hundreds, of hours reading and re-reading various TEK's and discussions. I tried both Noman's and Whatcha's STB, and the first came out with almost no crystals and the second came out with tan and brown powder I could not clean even with heptane recrystallization.

I have read many criticisms of STB's and how they do not come out clean and having to do multiple recrystallizations to purify is harder than just doing an A/B. So I'd like to do an A/B, but I feel very limited by the equipment and chemicals I have on hand.

1. I have no crockpot (as required by Marsofold's and Third Eye's A/B TEK).
2. I have no buchner funnel or pump (as required by Vovin's A/B TEK).
3. I have no food dehydrator (as required by Ron69's d-limonene A/B TEK)
4. I have no electric kettle or electric stove (it's gas) (as required by Q21Q21's food-safe TEK)
5. I have no IPA or fumeric acid (as required by BLAB TEK)
6. My freezer does NOT go to -20 C, as required (apparently) by every TEK calling for freeze precipitation. It think the lowest setting is 0 C.
7. My MHRB is pre-powdered VERY fine. I cannot open the bag without a fine mist of powder rising up. Marsofold's TEK indicates that the particles should be no smaller than 1mm for best results, but I've got to believe mine are much smaller than that. I don't know if any TEK's are better suited for very fine MHRB.

Am I just Shit out of Luck for any TEK because of my weak freezer? Am I just Shit out of luck for any A/B because of my lack of electric cooking appliances?

I really want to do a successful and clean extraction. I've got a pound of pre-powdered MHRB, lye, naphtha, heptane, d-limonene, pickling lime, vinegar, distilled water, sodium carbonate, activated charcoal, and a separatory funnel. I feel like it should not be this difficult to find a TEK that fits what I have on hand, because I feel like I have a pretty normal kitchen and I have to believe many people out there are in the same boat as me, in terms of what we have and do not have in terms of kitchen appliances.

Any ideas or suggestions?

You could do the BLAB and salt with vinegar instead of FASI.
Acetate is decently versatile.

BTW gas is better than electric for any stove top teks. Better heat control.

No need to worry!


There is no need for a crock pot, you can do everything in a normal saucepan on the stove.


No need for specialised pumps or funnels, you can improvise by decanting, using pipettes, turkey basters, plastic jugs etc. etc.


I am not familiar with this tek but you can use many other things such as household radiators and the like to evap liquids, just mind you don’t use open flames if evapping flammable solvents.


No need for kettles or electric stoves, you can heat things with the hot water tap or hot water from the stove, again watch naked flames are not used with flammable solvents out.


Not played with BLAB yet...


Does your freezer freeze ice cream? If it does it will be fine. If the worst comes to the worst you can always evap your solution.


Marsofold’s tek will work fine with finely powdered bark.



Nah Just have a play and don’t be afraid to experiment. Spice extraction is very forgiving!

Have fun!