31 replies to this topic

[adamw]

Hehe I bet that's time consuming.. Also be sure you don't get any cross contamination!!

As for the colour - you have to be very careful when cooking because it will darken fairly quickly. One minute it may be white, then look 10 minutes later and it will be done. Cook it any more and you will have a carbonised mess!

[Ritual33]

You could always buy the stuff, I get mine for around ?2.30 per kilo which is waaaay more than I need, prob better stuff too, the dextrin that I made last wasnt anywhere near as good quality.

Regards,
Drew

[sizzle]

I find my homemade dextrin works just fine, so long as it sticks then it's fine really.

[fishy1]

Hehe I bet that's time consuming.. Also be sure you don't get any cross contamination!!

As for the colour - you have to be very careful when cooking because it will darken fairly quickly. One minute it may be white, then look 10 minutes later and it will be done. Cook it any more and you will have a carbonised mess!

it's quicker than oven cooking, and i make up 50g batches at a time, i don't use dextrin much.

[starfish]

Hi all , i've added a reply, instead of starting a new topic, as my question is along the same lines:-

Today i made a batch of dextrin, using the same brand product as in the green man process, im looking for a colour conformation more than anything, i used half a box of said product, set the oven to gas mark 6, and checked the temp using an infrared thermometer, to my suprise, it registered 200 degrees on the top shelf and 184 degrees in centre of the oven (top shelf tray was 3 inches from the top of oven, middle shelf, was 14 inches from top of the oven, dead centre), just to re confirm my tray was on the top shelf , anyway, i cooked the product for 2 hours 35 mins, and ended up with, what i can describe as a uniformly, very light yellow powder, another description would be of champagne colour, and just as a note i have seen wedding dresses this colour, it looks almost silky in appearance, against the light, i know i've not burnt it as the powder on the edges of the tray, that i did not move, turned a caramel colour, which were obviously cooked too much, does this ring true too you people in the know ?, ie have i arrived at destination dextrin, as it's the first time i've done this and can not find a picture colour refrence anywhere, or should i test with iodine crystals untill i become competent?

[chemicalwazi]

Hi all , i've added a reply, instead of starting a new topic, as my question is along the same lines:-

Today i made a batch of dextrin, using the same brand product as in the green man process, im looking for a colour conformation more than anything, i used half a box of said product, set the oven to gas mark 6, and checked the temp using an infrared thermometer, to my suprise, it registered 200 degrees on the top shelf and 184 degrees in centre of the oven (top shelf tray was 3 inches from the top of oven, middle shelf, was 14 inches from top of the oven, dead centre), just to re confirm my tray was on the top shelf , anyway, i cooked the product for 2 hours 35 mins, and ended up with, what i can describe as a uniformly, very light yellow powder, another description would be of champagne colour, and just as a note i have seen wedding dresses this colour, it looks almost silky in appearance, against the light, i know i've not burnt it as the powder on the edges of the tray, that i did not move, turned a caramel colour, which were obviously cooked too much, does this ring true too you people in the know ?, ie have i arrived at destination dextrin, as it's the first time i've done this and can not find a picture colour refrence anywhere, or should i test with iodine crystals untill i become competent?

The last lot i made took about 3 hours. If you stir your cornflower every 1/2 hour or so, you will get a more uniform 'bake' yes it is a light yellow you are looking for. Try it out. Does it bind comps? I think you have arrived at destination dextrin

[starfish]

The last lot i made took about 3 hours. If you stir your cornflower every 1/2 hour or so, you will get a more uniform 'bake' yes it is a light yellow you are looking for. Try it out. Does it bind comps? I think you have arrived at destination dextrin

Thank's for that wazi, i've not had chance to test if it bind's yet, hopefully i'll get chance this weekend, and i'm going to get some iodine crystal's this afternoon from the chemmist if they have them .

starfish.

[karlfoxman]

Thank's for that wazi, i've not had chance to test if it bind's yet, hopefully i'll get chance this weekend, and i'm going to get some iodine crystal's this afternoon from the chemmist if they have them .

starfish.

I also find the smell a goos indicator if its working, mmm moist dextrin.

[fishy1]

I also find the smell a goos indicator if its working, mmm moist dextrin.

is that why my dextrin smells horrible?

[karlfoxman]

is that why my dextrin smells horrible?

Whenever i have used it, it always smells nice and sweet. Its either me being slightly strange by liking the smell or could be your dextrin is not dextrin. Does it bind star/comps??

[starfish]

Whenever i have used it, it always smells nice and sweet. Its either me being slightly strange by liking the smell or could be your dextrin is not dextrin. Does it bind star/comps??

mmm, your both right about the smell, (odour), i never noticed it when i was cooking it, but when i came in from work just, and walked in the kitchen, i could smell it, kind of like a sweet creamy smell, and i bagged it up airtight as soon as it had cooled, so the odour obviously lingers, but it's quite a nice smell.

I have also been to every chemmist in town on the way home from work, and not one sells iodine crystals, i know they used to because i have seen them in the past, would iodine tablets, used for water purifying, perform the same test, or would the binders used in them effect the outcome ?.

starfish

[JamesH]

Iodine tincture is what you need, that is a solution of iodine in ethanol. It can be found in any chemist, it is used as an anticeptic.

[fishy1]

my dextrin smells like that kids cement you get when they make miniture houses with them.

[starfish]

Kid's cemment , we used to use mud when i was a kid , anyway i've ordered 4x 25ml bottles of iodine tincture from the chemmist today should be here on monday 0.69 pence each, but in the mean time, im just gonna go ahead and have a go at binding some comp's this afternoon.

starfish.

[Zinginex]

This may be the stupidest thing i have ever asked but instead of using dextrin for stars/comps could you use watered down PVA glue?