Chemistry Forum

I have been making weak Hcl out of acetic acid and NaCl.
How do I concentrate it. Do I boil down the acetic acid first? I know you can concentrate HCl to ~20% by boiling but how do I know when to stop? Can I strengthen it further?

It will not work.
HCl is a strong acid and acetic acid is a weak acid. You can only make acetic acid by treatment of sodiumacetate with HCl, but not backward.

For concentrating HCl though. How do I concentrate beyond 20%

HCl is a gas. The acid is a solution of this gas. With boiling is not possible. The gas has to be pressure into the solution.
But did read what I said before. NaCl acetic acid will not react. You have still a mixture of salt and vinegar.