Hey all! Firstly, I apologise if this was posted in the wrong area; please move it if so!

I've been doing some tests on local Phalaris and Acacia (sophorae and pycnantha as far as my own ID takes me) to get an idea of alkaloid content. Just small runs for each, no washes. Most recently was on 100g shredded Pycnantha bark (sustainably sourced); 2x 500ml boils in ph3 water (vinegar as acid), combined and reduced to 500ml, basified with Sodium Hydroxide to a ph of roughly 13 (ph meter only reads to 11, but naoh was added incrementally to mathematically equal 13), and then pulled with warm Diggers Shellite while solution was still warm. 2 pulls of 200ml were used, evapped down to 150-200ml in front of a warm fan.

For all of my extraction attempts using Shellite, the solvent has never turned cloudy. Not when blown on, not when cooled or heated...and logically, I think, no crystals precipitate in the freezer. the Phalaris extract left a tiny amount of translucent goo behind on full evaporation. Could have been water...definitely not active, at that dose at least, and no indole smell. But (especially with Acacia) should I not have extracted SOME tannins at least, even if no desirable alks are presen

I have done my research but find only posts dating years back, and one report that the formula was changed... So my question, mostly, is this; is Diggers brand Shellite still a viable solvent for our uses? If so, the problem lies in my extraction technique...


Thanks in advance to any advice or input! Cheers!

Sorry for the double post, but I thought I should update...

Sometimes I really frustrate myself with my impatience...crystals and goo have now precipped in the Shellite from the 100g pycnantha bark. It just took a whole 24 hours AT LEAtST. I use a bar fridge (live in a cabin) and the freezer is very small, so that could explain the slow precip.

But my solvent still is not cloudy. very slightly if I blow on it when cold, but it does have a faint yellow tinge.

Either way, my apologies for the redundant question; all seems solved now.

Cheers!

I'll put your mind at ease and let you know that shellite is a perfect solvent for extracting DMT. The chemical makeup to my knowledge hasn't changed but it pulls the goods very very well. I've never had anything but resounding success with it.

All Acacia species I've ever worked with require a back-salt to get rid of a lot of plant fats/NMT in order to crystallize efficiently. I purposefully split 2 pulls the other day one I left as normal, the other back salted and crystallized. Gotta love the gooey stuff sometimes.

As a rule of thumb try to give it 24 hours - it generally takes between 18 to 24 hours to form good structures. If it's not really clouding up then it's likely a low alkaloid containing base material. The color whether yellow or white is largely irrelevant.

Happy extracting!

I also use Diggers Shellite, (UN 1268 ). Working with confusa has produced good results.
A few years ago Diggers released UN 127* (twelve seventy-something, can't remember sorry), this had a modified formula.
This stock seems to be disappearing from shelves now with the original returning.
Perhaps a shortage on supply forced them to use an alternative ingredient?

Anyways - well done with your experiments. The pycnantha is rampant in my area, would be good to know your findings.