A previous STB attempt resulted in failure. Yellowish, oily, low yield proved to be mostly inactive, so I decided to give Q21Q21 dry tek a go in the next attempt. Also, using a different MHRB supplier.
List of Materials- 100g MHRB, shredded.
- 250ml Distilled White Vinegar, 8%
- 200g Calcium Hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), Chemical Grade.
> Edit: This amount of Lime for 100g MHRB appears to be overkill, as stated by tele in this thread. It won't affect negatively the final yield, but probably half the amount is more than enough - high amounts are reported to absorb more solvent than necessary.- Distilled water.
- Hexane, Chemical Grade.
- Coffee grinder.
- Measuring cup.
- 1 HDPE2 container.
- 2 Fitting Stainless Steel Cooking Pots with lid.
- 4 Hermetic glass mason jars.
- Funnel, chopsticks, spoon, coffee filters, razor blades.
- Cat to stare at you from the kitchen door.
Procedure1.- MHRB was finely reduced to a powder consistency using a coffee grinder, around 20g at a time. Hard pieces of bark were fond of getting stuck between the spinning razor and the container, completely blocking the mechanism, so patience and a knife were necessary in order to keep the engine healthy.
2.- Ground MHRB was moved to the HDPE2 container. Added 200ml vinegar, mixed thoroughly until a dark red pulp (consistency of thick soup) was obtained.
3.- The sealed container was left aside for 4 days, stirring the contents daily.
4.- MHRB / Vinegar mix was moved to a stainless steel cooking pot. Added another 50ml of vinegar, and around 100ml of distilled water. The mix was cooked in the stove, at a low setting, letting it reduce slowly for a couple hours approximately, stirring every 5-10 minutes. The result was roughly 60% of the original volume.
6.- Two minutes after turning off the stove, 150g of Ca(OH)2 were slowly added and mixed to the Vinegar-MHRB pulp with the valuable help of a couple disposable chopsticks. The warm mix was left to rest for four hours approximately. In this time, slow evaporation of water and vinegar occurs, taking the mixture to a near-crumbly consistency.
5.- In the meantime, the larger cooking pot was filled 2/3 with tap water (making sure that the bottom of the smaller pot would be soaked when fitting it inside, with no overflow and spilling) and taken to a simmering boil.
6.- The smaller pot with the goodies was placed on top of the larger one, giving it a hot water bath in order to warm up the goodies again. In this moment, adding (small!) amounts of either distilled water or Ca(OH)2 helps to bring the mixture to the desired crumbly consistency. See picture 1.
7.- Turned off the stove (and ANY flame sources nearby) and pour 125ml of hexane in a measuring cup.
8.- (
OPTIONAL SCREW UP) Pour the hexane in the MHRB/Vinegar/Lime mixture. Realize the hexane starts to boil and evaporate due to an excessively high temperature of the recipient. Curse. Open the kitchen extractor at maximum, open the window. Blow at the pot as the hexane evaporates, spreading cool-yet-scary hexane gas waves around. Wait until the hexane has vanished. Remove the pot from the water bath, let it cool off aside for 5-10 minutes. Appreciate the cat's scoffing look.
9.- Measured another 125ml of hexane. Poured slowly. Sighed in relief as it didn't boil this time. Stirred with chopsticks making sure that the solvent ran all around the mixture. Cover with lid and let it rest for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10.- With the help of the pot lid and a coffee filter (the MHRB-vinegar-lime mix is crumbling, loose and likes to fall as you tilt the pot), decanted the hexane into a glass mason jar.
(Note: Certainly some of the hexane is either absorbed by the bark mix, or evaporates through the very high overall surface of the mixture, so the amount of decanted solvent is lower. This appears to be, as said by others, the only drawback of this tek: it is not particularly efficient in the usage of solvent. But I am NOT complaining considering the result.)11.- Sealed tight the jar and placed in freezer.
12.- Repeated 9,10,11 for another pull. Put the second solvent jar in the freezer, rejoiced at the sight of the first pull cloudy white just after 30 minutes.
13.- Covered the mixture and left aside to do another pull (or two) after 24+ hours.
14.- Give high five to cat. Surprise your wife by showing up again in the living room. Let mason jars sleep in the freezer, kissing them goodnight and realizing a nice collection of white globes is already there.
15.- The morning after, poured the solvent through a coffee filter to reuse it for the last pulls. Scraped freebase spice with razor blade, scooped the floaters stuck in the filter. Optionally, wash filter with acetone to retrieve any letfovers.
16.- Feel basically awesome even before finishing the rest of the pulls. Report to the Nexus.
A final note will be added soon with the total yield information. It does look so far higher than I expected, though. Thanks to everyone for their research, information and assistance. I love you, guys
Vodsel attached the following image(s):
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(126kb) downloaded 1,761 time(s). two.jpg
(94kb) downloaded 1,761 time(s)."The Menu is Not The Meal." - Alan Watts