This should be required reading for any one attempting to make their own using the S&B method. There is one area we differ at that I feel is important to discuss...
Years ago, I read somewhere that the use of the plastic bottle for a reaction vessel was ideal at the time, because certain ones could withstand the pressures required due to their ability to stretch. We know that the more pressure you can build, the more ammonia gas you can generate to fuel a reaction with the lithium. It may be my paranoia, but its hard for me to fathom that a glass round bottom flask is sufficient for that.
A friend of mine came up with a really nice reaction vessel that I'd like to share. He acquired one of those old school pressure cookers, the type with a lid that had multiple screws you had to tighten in order to seal it. The pressure regulator safety valve, as well as the pressure guage was removed, and a higher reading gauge was installed as well as a small ball valve in place of the bleed off valve. He opted to coat the inside with a teflon liner as his thinking was that the metal body of the vessel may short out the lithium.
We used this vessel successfully for a long time, achieving quite high pressure (150 psi, we were too scared to venture much higher than that). We found that the reaction time to be much lower when using higher pressure, it didnt take long to exhaust all the lithium. The one big drawback to this vessel was the inability to check in the reaction while it was happening without opening the lid.
Ive heard of certain fire extinguishers being cleaned out and used in the same manner, another friend made a vessel using 3" schedule 80 pvc pipe and fittings. He also Teflon lined the insides.
Edit: Also, aluminum foil and HCI does work, you must add a moisture catcher in line on your hose, rather it be a container with a dessicant or a couple of loops to catch the moisture it generates.
