DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 4 Joined: 23-Mar-2011 Last visit: 24-Mar-2011
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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?
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 14191 Joined: 19-Feb-2008 Last visit: 06-Feb-2025 Location: Jungle
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No, ammonia is not strong enough base for that, hence your problematic yield.
I dont know about lye sources in USA, maybe someone else can help, but you can look into dry teks such as amor fati or q21 which use calcium hydroxide as a base, or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide.
Or you can try extracting using sodium carbonate as a base, but then first of all there will be more chances of emulsion, and also you cant pull with naphtha, you're gonna have to use a solvent like xylene (yuck!!) or so otherwise you'll have also problematic yields.
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The Great Namah
Posts: 3433 Joined: 18-Jan-2008 Last visit: 17-Sep-2020 Location: The place entites go when they smoke allspice
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If you can't get lye go with a dry tek. Keep your basified solution though, it still has your spice in it...if you can get some lye you can still pull with naphtha. The Spice extends life
The Spice expands consciousness
The Spice is vital for space travel
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Never underestimate the power of STUFF!
I am certifiably insane, as such all posts written by me should be regarded as utter nonsense or attempts to get attention.
I don't know SWIM and personally don't trust him at all. If SWIM is posting, most likely I will not respond...as I said, I don't trust the guy. YOU I trust, but never SWIM.
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 252 Joined: 05-Mar-2011 Last visit: 30-Jun-2021 Location: Cali
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Crystal Drano is made up of sodium hydroxide (lye), sodium nitrate, sodium chloride (salt), and aluminum; and I'm fairly sure you don't want to use that. If you have an ACE Hardware somewhere near by, you should be able to find this http://www.acehardware.c....2568452.2631233.2845052“Surrender is inner acceptance of what is without any reservations. If you have lived long enough, you will know that things “go wrong” quite often. It is precisely at those times that surrender needs to be practiced if you want to eliminate pain and sorrow from your life.”
Eckhart Tolle
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 83 Joined: 05-Mar-2011 Last visit: 18-Oct-2011 Location: USA
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Check out Lowe's... go to the plumbing section and the Lye should be next to the Draino. It's called Roebic or something like that. It comes in a white plastic jar with yellow on the label. SWIM found it at Lowe's. Gotta love that place  Not sure if it's at every Lowe's though. All statements by Eternal_LVX are fictional and completely insane and should not be taken seriously. Do not attempt any of these procedures without the supervision of your own eternally divine soul. "The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish." - Terrence McKenna My first breakthrough experience!
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⨀
Posts: 3830 Joined: 12-Feb-2009 Last visit: 08-Feb-2024
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When I need to make soap, Essential Depot comes in handy. http://www.essentialdepot.com/"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -A.Huxley
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 1369 Joined: 22-Jan-2010 Last visit: 07-Mar-2014
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endlessness wrote:No, ammonia is not strong enough base for that, hence your problematic yield.
I dont know about lye sources in USA, maybe someone else can help, but you can look into dry teks such as amor fati or q21 which use calcium hydroxide as a base, or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide.
Or you can try extracting using sodium carbonate as a base, but then first of all there will be more chances of emulsion, and also you cant pull with naphtha, you're gonna have to use a solvent like xylene (yuck!!) or so otherwise you'll have also problematic yields. would it really be as simple as adding 1:1 sodium carbonate with calcium hydroxide? From what I read, it requires a lot of heat or other steps besides merely mixing them. You mention emulsions with sodium carbonate. Are you talking about an STB? Does sodium carbonate work just fine with A/B, in which there is no solid plant material involved? Why does sodium carbonate increase the chances of emulsion?
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 1817 Joined: 22-Jan-2009 Last visit: 04-Aug-2020 Location: Riding the Aurora Borealis
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Apoc wrote:endlessness wrote:...or you can make your own lye with sodium carb+calcium hydroxide. would it really be as simple as adding 1:1 sodium carbonate with calcium hydroxide? From what I read, it requires a lot of heat or other steps besides merely mixing them. I am also wondering the same thing. I haven't been able to find pure lye in my area, and it's not something I want to order online, same as NoFacesOnlyMasks. I have both calcium hydroxide and sodium carbonate, but don't know how to go about combining them.
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