Someone was looking to provide this awesome substance to a group of extremely close friends who don't trust outside sources at all.
Using the basic outline of marsofolds tek, 500g MHRB only yielded about .9g of product.
In the acidic solution, roughly 1350 ml of water was used with 500 ml of 8% white vinegar. The solution was actually split into two pots to allow for easier cooking (One pot with 350g mhrb, 975 ml H20, 335 ml vinegar and the other pot had 150 g mhrb with 385 ml of water and 165 ml of vinegar). After simmering for about an hour, the two solutions were mixed and the process repeated again for about 45 minutes more with slightly less total solution (same ratio though). A third cook was not feasible under the situations, obviously accounting for some loss of yield but this was anticipated. With all the acidic solution mixed and cooled a little bit, about 65g of NaOH were added into the jug. Conditions didn't allow for drastic heating of naphtha at the time, so about 400 mL of VM&P was only slighted heated by running hot water from a maxed out sink over the container with the naphtha. Obviously I know this was nowhere close to ideal heating, but hey you gotta use what you have sometimes. About a day or two later two more naphtha pulls were conducted, both times with naphtha heated pretty well within a jar in a simmering water bath. The naphtha pulls were put through a sodium carbonate watch after each was separated. Then evapd down significantly and freeze precipitated out.

I know the process was far from flawless, but even figuring in the exclusion of a third acidic heat bath and an initial HOT naphtha pull, a yield of .18% is frankly pretty lame.

Should the ENTIRE basic solution have been slightly heated as well? And is it possible that too much carbonate was used during the wash? Any input would seriously be appreciated, great forum here with a crazy wealth of knowledge. Thanks guys

Oh and another factor that might have played a slight role- the basic solution was left standing outside in a shed during the process. So when the naphtha was added the NaOH solution was not even room temperature (not freezing at all, but probably no more than 55* F.) SWIM's a chem student and the more detail, the better! Gracias