This form of freeing the base is more time consuming and dangerous than making crack, but the result is more pure, and can give a larger yield than converting the same amount of cocaine to crack would.
While both forms of the drug can be called freebase cocaine, only crack (baking soda method) can be called crack.
Procedures for both substances (crack and freebase cocaine) are based on the fact that while cocaine hydrochloride (regular cocaine) requires a high temperature to ignite, base cocaine requires a much lower temperature to ignite. This makes it ideal for smoking.
Freebase
Mix about 1 g of coke in 10 ml of water in a small vial. Slowly add drops of ammonia to the solution. A white milky precipitate will form. Stop adding ammonia when additional drops no longer result in precipitation.
Add 5 ml of ethyl ether, close vial, and shake. The precipitate (freebase) will dissolve in the ether. Siphon off the ether with a pipette (ether and water don't mix), and slowly drip it on a plate.
As the ether evaporates, white crystals will form. This is the evil freebase. Crush the crystals and put under a heat lamp for at least 24 hrs to let the solvent evaporate.
ETHYL ETHER IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. IN THE PRESENCE OF AIR IT CAN FORM PEROXIDES WHICH WILL SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODE! ALSO, ETHER CAN CRAWL FROM AN OPEN BOTTLE AND TRIGGER AN EXPLOSION MANY FEET AWAY.
Crack
Mix 2 parts of coke HCL to 1 part baking soda in 20 ml of water. Heat solution gently until white precipitates form, and stop heating when precipitation stops. Filter and keep precipitate.
Wash precipitate once with water (this procedure usually omitted in street product).
Dry 24 hours under heat lamp. Voila. The product is much less pure (there is lots of baking soda left) but the procedure is safer.
Common Crack Method
Mix 2 parts of coke HCL (regular cocaine) to 1 part baking soda in 20 ml of water. Heat solution gently until white precipitates form, and stop heating when precipitation stops.
After gentle heating, the freebase coke will float to the top, any excess soda will precipitate to the bottom.
Given that, you'd never filter it, and the 24 hour heat lamp thing is unrealistic, too.
Just collect the compound that rises to the top, and you have the finished product.
Note that what you're trying to do is start and sustain a chemical reaction (bonding the hcl with the base-soda) so as long as the reaction is happening you don't have to continue heating."
It's probably best done under an explosion proof laboratory hood, just ask good ole Barry for funding a give him a cut, it's all about leadership and learning.