Problem Making Lye

by Ashley
(Springfield, Missoui, USA)

I'm trying to make lye using wood ash using the method described on your website (in a bucket with a hole at the bottom).

I had about a quart of brown lye water drip out over the course of about a day and a half, then it stopped dripping.

I wasn't sure any more would drip, so I went ahead and poured that lye back into the ashes to drip through a second time.

This time, only about a cup of brown lye water has dripped out after several days, and the ashes have become like clay, with some clear dirty grayish (not brown) water on top.

Is there any hope of getting any more lye water from this batch of ashes?