This process works really easily with a retort which the ancients used for subtle distillation. I suspect that a retort would be very helpful with the zinc acetate process also. You just need to find a friendly local glassblower. They are not hard to make for a glassblower if you can’t get one off the shelf from a supplier.
I’m lucky since I have a glassblower buddy who is into alchemy also.
1. Placed 30g of NaOH in a 300ml retort and covered with 300ml acetone (BP = 56°c/133°F). Set to sweat
distill at 35°c (95°F). After only 8 hours, nearly 100ml had sweated over into receiving the flask, NaOH had swelled and turned yellow, and remaining acetone above was deep pink-red.
2. After 20 hours, the NaOH had swelled hugely to occupy nearly half the retort and was orange in color. 2/3 of the acetone had sweated over and the other 1/3 was absorbed by the NaOH.
I simply tipped the receiver flask contents back into the retort for a second distillation, keeping temperature at 35°c. That evening the acetone remaining above the NaOH was dark brown, almost black in color.
3. Next AM, about 1/2 to 2/3 of the original acetone has distilled over with temp. raised to a bit over boiling (56°c/133°F). In the retort, the NaOH has completely dissolved into the deep brown oily liquid which now is a new compound with a boiling point above the acetone. I invert the distillation train again, pouring the acetone back into the brown oily warm liquid for a third distillation of the acetone.
PM > 2/3 plus acetone again distilled over at 60°c. Inverted the distillation train a third time.
4. Next AM.. again 2/3 plus acetone again distilled over at 60°c., and again inverted train for 5th distillation.
PM... Temp. raised to 68°c. Retort cooled to 40°c and train inverted for last time and allowed to cool to RT overnight. Next AM.. Retort at RT of 14°c and mix was a solid, dark brown granular mass. Distilled off acetone for 6th and last time at 70°c. 175ml acetone was then decanted from receiving flask and put aside for later processes.
5. Remaining dark brown oily mix in retort was slowly heated above 100°c and a yellow oily fluid began passing over the retort. Boiling became more noticeable at 129°c (BP of mesityl oxide) and a clearer distillate passed.
Temp. was then raised passed 150°c (302°F) and a foggy cloud then condensed as clear oil in the retort arm.
Process was stopped as distillation slowed and final distillate was 50ml oil of 2 distinct layers, 25ml yellow layer above (isophorone and byproducts?) and 25ml clear layer (mesityl oxide?) below.
Nick tells us that.....”And though it appears success has now been achieved, there is yet another step which can be performed with another catalyst that will convert these oils into a compound able to dissolve metals faster.” So apparently these oils can be enhanced further and it appears that there may be various “flavors” of mesityl oxide, some more potent than others, as that from zinc acetate.
Subject: Acetone path 
Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:46 am
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