I'm planning my first extraction soon (the plan is STB), but may have run into a little snag. I've seen a few other topics here where people specifically point out using glass turkey basters to insert and remove the naptha for an evap. Would a plastic baster work just as well for the naptha? I'm just getting into researching the chemistry of the constituent substances of the tek I'm looking to use, and really know nothing about naptha. Might be a dumb question, but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

As always, check the FAQ first

https://wiki.dmt-nexus.m...use_for_my_extraction.3F

https://wiki.dmt-nexus.m...use_with_my_chemicals.3F

Oops, my fault. As a new member, I'm gung ho about asking questions and getting more information!

You can also get stainless steel basters

I have one. They are ok, but the problem is that you can't see what you are pulling! Once you get the gunk nasty in there, it can stick to the sides and come in next pulls. But if you are pulling and transferring in to a smaller container and let the gunk settle and pull again, then that baster works good.

My fave and I think it has helped many. Is the simple eye dropper. It takes about 5 minutes or less to do pulls and is very accurate! How it's done: pull normal, then when you get near the bottom of the solvent, you the place the dropper on the side of the container where the liquid tension is. It's fantastic!

HDPE doesn't react with lye. http://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin147i.html or milk jugs(should be hdpe as well check the labels)

pour the naphtha into epsom salts, the gunk will adhere to them. then pour off the naphtha.
people who worry about getting lye in their product should do this anyway

But it is contraindicated for use with the types of non-polar solvents being used...

I am more worried about the plastic lining(BPA plastic) thats used in mason jar lids than some phthalates that may or may not even be there also when you do a pull I don't think there's enough time for contamination but in the end I am not the experience one here or have any idea about chemistry. Take my opinion with a grain of salt, it is just what I think.

At what step in the process would you do this?

This is after you pull.

Is there a particular amount of time that you should let it soak in the epsom salt?

just pour off the naphtha carefully as if you want to separate it as best as you can (and you do) into a glass container, like a jar, with a thin layer of salts covering the bottom.
any residual basic water or emulsion will stick to the salts, and you can easily pour off the naphtha into another container.

there's no specific amount you'd need, just a bit to bind any residual water containing lye.