Spagyrics

[Steven]

Fellow Alchemists, what is your preferred method for calcining? I live in a town house, and a lot of the methods I’ve seen, like open flame, may not be very practical for my living situation. Any suggestions??

Discussion

[barre]

Hey Steven

I believe I mentioned this prior, but I do all of my calcining outside in a hooded cooker … this is the only operation I do outside of the lab. Much of what I calcine creates smoke, especially herbs that have been infused in an oil medium. It takes a good amount of successive calcinations to turn ashes from black to grey and finally to white. The ashes are then rinsed with distilled water and distilled with a final recovery of the elemental salts once dehydrated.

[Steven]

Ah perhaps you did, I find it difficult to keep up with all the discussions being had on this platform!

Ok, so like a bbq or a smoker? I was leaning towards a portable camping stove with a hood on it myself, that way if the neighbours have any complaints about the smoke I can always take off into the woods for a few days and do my calcining

[Aron]

Hey Steven,

I like the alchemical discussions! I separate the sulfur + mercury from the salt through a buchner funnel under vacuum. I take the salts outside and then incinerate in a corningware dish. I let things turn white and smolder at which point I turn the ashes. Afterwards, I begin calcination over a hardwood fire for several hours. I then bring the crude salt and corningware inside to finish up on the stove top. Then begins dissolution and 3 round of leaching to get pure potassium carbonate. The contrast between the Nigredo (dark) and Albedo (light) work is fascinating to watch. I’m still very much learning and would love to hear how others are approaching this.

[Steven]

Ah I see, you do the part that should create the most smoke outside, and finish the job inside. I like that approach! I’m still playing with different ideas. I want to try and keep the smoke as contained as I can, because I do live in a neighborhood. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

I look forward to hearing more about your discoveries Aron!

[Aron]

I’ve found small rocket stoves don’t produce too much. There are also propane burners but you do miss out on the actual fire element when you use those.

[Steven]

Hmm, a rocket stove wouldn’t be a bad idea. But yes, I don’t want to miss out on the fire element! For all the modern tech of this era, sometimes I feel like modern Alchemists have a tougher go of it haha

[Author]

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