Delysid, reducing the imine via Al/Hg would probably work. This reduction is non-acetic, and works pretty well for related species. It doesn't require pricey and watched hydride reagents, just Aluminum foil, a small amount of Mercuric Chloride, and ordinary solvents.
The problem that concerns many of the bees, is the practical production of Indole Acetaldehyde in useful quantities. In the proceedure you mention, a large volume of solvent is required per gram of aldehyde recovered.
Hypochlorite is no joke as an oxidizing agent, it tears things up. This is a general problem with oxidations. Hard to stop.
Hence, my suggestion that it might be easier to produce large quantities of aldehyde oxime, via reducing the nitro-styrene analog produced from Indole-3-carboxaldehyde and nitromethane.
Alternately, DMT production from tryptophol is promising, and even simpler. Try the string on transamination, starting with
Post 281536
(PolytheneSam: "Transamination idea", Tryptamine Chemistry).
Or, here is a low tech approach (theoretical):
Phalarius grasses are common. Cut (and blanch...if required)the grass of your choice. Blanching (dipping in boiling water)destroys enzymes that in some grasses might convert DMT to 5-Me DMT.
Dry the grass. Role it into giant spliffs (or pack it in stove pipe etc.)and use your shop vac. etc. as a vacuume source to "smoke" the spliffs like giant cigarettes.
Trap the tars in a filter or condensor system before the Spliff (or pipe) smoke reaches your vacuume source.
Extract or vacuume distill the product you desire, from the concentrated tars.
A few bales of Phalarius grass processed in this manner might produce an impressive amount of DMT.
Low tech, and it could keep your barn warm too. Of course, I'm not actually suggesting that anyone do this. But it is an interesting idea.