a friends extraction container's lid has rusted from within.. he managed to get it rather clean, but there is still some rust he couldn't remove..

is this a lid which should be replaced?

also that friend would like to know about plastic coated insides of pickle jar lids. a friend did a few extraction in a pickle jar and after a few the coating was completely dissolved. the friend is now worried that the coating has somehow ended up in his spice.

the spice looks quite clean with a slight yellow tint. would the plastic precipitate out along with the crystals or would it stay in the solvent?

also my friend has heard about people using HDPE containers for extraction.

my friend has some empty PE containers from distilled water. could my friend use these for extraction? my friend is currently on the lookout for a big container in which more can be extracted at a time. he thought about getting a 5liter HDPE container.

anyone know if PE is just as good as HDPE? some labmarkets call their HDPE containers PE containers.. is this the same thing?

he also heard of people using empty milk canisters for extraction. are those the same ones as the distilled water comes in?

PE and HDPE are different. I am not 100% about the difference other than HDPE is high-density polyurethane.

I have used HDPE with naphtha and bestine without any problems. Others have used polyurethane without any issues.

Toluene and Xylene will melt HDPE and PE so it is unadvisable to use it with those solvents.


Remember that milk jugs (HDPE) can and will melt with high temperatures (including the heat from basification) so go slow and don't add too much base too quickly. My friend has had one loose it's handle due to overheating and let me tell you the mess that it made in his room was unbelievable, not to mention the smell!

strange.. my toluene got delivered to me in a PE canister.. i got it stored on my balcony because it even stinks through the container. it also evaporates through the container.. hope its good for use. i should store it somewhere safer i guess.

damn that store!

SWIM doesnt like to use any plastic at all in extraction...only glass and stainless steel...dont want any of that shit in his spicy

yeah thats the best. the problem is getting glassware big enough for a 5l extraction so a friend thought he'd try a 5L HDPE jug.

you could try a 5 gallon extraction...all you need to get is a glass beer brewing carboy...you can get between 18-20 grams from two kilos...with SWIM thinks is 4 gallons of basified water...plus another half gallon of solvent...tis fun!

Now that IS wierd! I have seen toulene eat up many plastics including polyurethane...dunno?

I've said it once and I'll say it again, if you are using a STB don't use glass (goes for A/B too for that matter)! Lye etches glass and over time you will be one little bump away from an exploding glass jar of caustic liquid.

ahh SWIM will remember that

do do you think it will still be safe using that toluene? the container doesnt seem to be damaged.. i guess the lid just doesnt fit tight enough for none of it to evaporate.

for now i will try and store as much of it as i can in other containers. do you think i should ask that vendor for a refund?