Hi! Sorry to be so late.
I have never followed this tek, but I am no stranger to the fumarate approach to things. So here's my two cents on your questions:
In step #2 there is acetone in there. Acetone evaporates too quickly to get temeratures up high. Don't go past the 30 degree C mark, and never use a hotplate, I'd say.
I always swirl my fumarates, THEN filter them thought analytical papers. I wash them several times over, but I do this mostly to get rid of the xylene I use myself. Since there's no xylene here, once will probably be sufficient.
I have never had 'sticky and waxy' crystals. I use paper like for my fums. Maybe the temperature is a factor here. If one lives in a hot and humid environment it could be a problem. Perhaps putting in the fridge for an hour or so will help? Anyways, I live in a temperate climate and have always had brittle needles.
In my experience, the needles won't clog up your filter. Your mileage may vary however, so please tell us how you fare with your 120 um-screens!
Ah! Teflon(R). You know, I'm all for experimentation. But I don't relish the idea of risking getting some Teflon(R) in my spice. I'd rather take a little loss. And it's not loss at all, because I recycle ALL my leftovers, including my papers. Furthermore, the white Teflon(R) would make it difficult to see if there is still some scraps on it, and you could be looking at more loss than if you used glass.
Be sure to report back with anything you find, please?
Peace!
benzyme wrote:you're preparing drugs, not salad.