Your First Concentrate <- A Newbie Guide

[BluJayz]

Hey-ya extractors.

I put together a small guide with information from the RIU forum, Skunk Pharmacy and may other resources. (Please credit them here if missed, there is no intention of calling all charts and ideas my own.) For a mate that is working on a site that is pooling together bits and pieces of information to provide free alongside their products. He asked for something brief and that did not take too much of my time.

4 hours later I had this, I couldn't stand to say a few things and not explain at least a little bit. I thought about all the questions I had when I heard these tidbits and tried my best to cover most of it in one simple swoop.

Figured it would be worth it to share here as there are so many posts with the same general questions that perhaps ANOTHER guide might answer those daunting questions.

Here ya go:

 

[BluJayz]

Before you can start making your first concentrate, you need to decide what the concentrate will be used for. Concentrates used for smoking, oral applications, topical applications and foods all have different methods, requirements and tools needed to create each one safely and correctly.


Here we will cover the “open column” a basic way anyone can safely create a concentrate used for smoking from a nail or vaporizer. Commonly called wax, shatter, budder, crumble, errl, concentrate and more.

SAFETY

1. Safety should be your red light green light. If it’s not 100% safe; you stop until it is.

2. Absolutely no smoking or sparks, put all your lighters away in the house.

3. You should wear non-cotton fabrics, materials that do not create static electricity.

4. You should be fully clothed including jeans, long sleeves, gloves, protective lenses and face mask.

5. You need an OUTDOOR open area where air flows very freely, Butane gas is heavy and will pool in corners and low locations. You want the air to gas ratio to be so high the butane is un-ignitable.

6. Part of tools but more so a safety MUST is a strong fan, you want this fan pushing against the extraction area. It needs to be far enough back as to not pull butane from the extraction area and just push fresh air over it.


BASIC TOOLS

Some basic tools required would be:

1. Some Hugh quality Butane gas, Like Lucienne, Vector, Powers or Newport.

2. Nitrile gloves to keep your hands clean and protected from solvents.

3. Borosilicate glass dish to collect your extraction in. (Pyrex is similar)

4. A borosilicate glass or stainless steel extraction column with a flared end and a coned nozzle end.

5. A wooden dowel the inside size of your column for packing the material.

6. Unbleached coffee filters for the flared end of the column.

7. Heavy duty rubber bands to hold the coffee filter on the column.

8. Skille Tools, Razor blades or thin edged scraper to collect extraction from glass dish.

9. Oil-Slick Pads or similar platinum cured pad. (Food grade is not safe for extraction.)

10. Best Value vacuum chamber, and vacuum pump with right CFM for your chamber.

11. Large .00 gram scale to weigh your materials and concentrates to know yield results.

NOTE: Silicone pads are for drying and purging. Never extract directly onto a silicone pad.



GETTING STARTED EXTRACTING

First tear the middle out of a coffee filter and pack it into the bottom of the column, this will prevent spray back on you when changing cans.

Then you will want to gently break up your material and use the wooden dowel to gently pack the material into the column. It should be flat and firm with no gaps but not too tight to where the butane can-not pass through.

After filing the column you will wrap two coffee filters over the flared edge and use a rubber band or two to secure it. Then cut off the excess filter outside of the rubber band to minimize absorption.

Next you will want to get a clean open space set up OUTSIDE with a flat surface for your dish and get your fan started running air over the top of the extraction area. You want to make sure it’s not a dusty or dirty area or it will end up in your extract.

Take your can of butane and the provided adaptor caps and figure out which one fits your tube. Then while holding the column open side down over the collection dish put the can of butane into the nozzle and release the whole can through the column. Typically you will know if you have gotten most of the possible extract when the color that runs off is clear and is no longer sticky. If you still see color, run another can through. Once color has turned clear, stop applying butane and cover the small hole with your finger allowing what’s left to fall out the bottom. (Caution the tube still has gaseous butane in it do not bring it inside or set it behind the fan.)

Let your extract stand with the fan running over it until it stops bubbling and dries up. When you move the dish around the concentrate should not slide around but stick where it’s at or if large amounts; start to pool up like tree sap very slowly. This is the time to scrape it up and move it on your slick pad for purging.


PURGING THE EXTRACT

Now that you have a sap like concentrate on your slick pad, you should spread it into a thin layer. The thinner the layer the easier and faster to purge. Be sure to give plenty of space around the sides because the extract will expand and contract under vacuum pressure and you don’t want to lose it in the chamber.

In an open air flowing area, lay the extract on the pad in your vacuum chamber. Seal up the chamber. Open the intake and exhaust valves, then ensure your pump is lower to the ground than your chamber to prevent backfill. Finally turn it on. You will slowly close the intake valve to increase the pressure in the chamber. As you do so you will see the extract begin to expand and collapse on itself. This is what you are to expect, the butane molecules are being expanded by the increased heat from the vacuum and are being pulled out. You do not want to completely seal the intake. You want to let it pull in fresh air to allow the evacuation cycle to complete.

The vacuum does not have to stay on when you reach a desired vacuum pressure you can seal both intake and exhaust and turn off the pump. The chamber will hold this pressure and continue to purge. However you will need to return often to “burp” the chamber by turning on the pump and slowly opening the intake and exhaust valves allowing the pump to pull out the built up butane and re-create a fresh pressure on the tank. You do this every 10-30 min until the extract is no longer reactive to the pressure. This is usually 30-40 hours and the extract should be firm enough to flip over and let purge with the same methods another 30-40 hours.

 

[BluJayz]

VACUUM PRESSURE

The amount of pressure you are going to pull is going to depend on your elevation in the world. Max pressure at sea level is -29.9. At higher elevations you will not be able to pull a vacuum that low but whatever your max vacuum is it will be similar to what -29.9 is at sea level. A general rule is to never vacuum at full pressure generally -1 off of the max pressure would be your breaking point. Example if at sea level (-29.9 being max) you would not pull more than -28.9.

You also need to know that higher vacuum levels increase the boiling points of THC, CB’s and Terpenoid’s at room temperature. To correctly determine your pressure and temperature you will need to learn what elevation you are at.


Then start with this link to learn more about your max vacuum:

Effect of Atmospheric Pressure on Vacuum Level


Then Review the below chart, focus on the inches mercury gauge and boiling point of THC.



More boiling points below for CB’s and Terpenoid’s.



GETTING READY TO ENJOY

Without testing your extract at a lab some good ways to know your extract is done is. When it is more easily handled (hard, not gooey), it should no longer react to the pressure in the chamber, it should not spark or make any noises when smoked and should not burn your throat with a chemical based burn. It should smell like the plant it came from or at the very least hash, never anything un-natural.

After you feel satisfied in your extract being fully purged you can enjoy it on a heated nail or vaporizing pen. Start with small amounts until you learn your tolerances. BHO extracts can be quite tasty and strong.


TIPS

1. Try freezing your cans of butane for 48+ hrs before using them and use them one at a time out of the freezer. Butane is naturally a liquid gas at lower temperatures and by lowering its temperature it will stay liquid longer in the column allowing for more efficient extraction and less overall butane needed. (This can take you from the usual 1 can per oz to ½ -3/4 can per oz.)


2. Try freezing your pre packed columns for 48+ hrs prior to extraction. Freezing the material locks up chlorophyll, water and lipids (fats and waxes). Allowing for a cleaner extract that is similar to winterized products.


3. Fresh cut material will have a stronger flavor profile.


FAQ’S

Can’t I just purge with heat: Heat only is generally not an accepted purging practice for BHO. Typically the temperatures required to properly purge BHO without vacuum would end up in a lower quality product.


I can’t flip my extract it’s too sticky: You can either purge longer on that side or put it in the freezer for 30 seconds and it will come off much easier. (Work quickly as your hands will heat it back up quickly.)


What should I expect to yield: Typically good trim yields from 8-10% of its original mass. High quality flowers should yield 14-21% of its original mass. Quality, age and strain can effect yield drastically.



Disclaimer: This is for information and entertainment purposes only. Consult your local law enforcement for rules and regulations.

 

[texasjack]

Looks like a good job. Admittedly I scanned it since I've never even smoked BHO

 

[shnkrmn]

I'm dancing around extraction. I have goodly quantities of material fresh frozen. Making a list of supplies and equipment. This is a brief, well-written outline of the process.

 

[dabhe4d]

nice info op

 

[BluJayz]

Some have asked for more details on heating the chamber.

PURGING THE EXTRACT (Continued)

After determining the pressure's and temperatures you want to stay under. You can apply a heating source like a silicone heating pad with pid controller or type of hotplate or griddle to your vacuum chamber.

(Don't leave it unsupervised as it's a potential fire hazard if something were to go wrong)

Dependent on -hg used, it is commonly preferred to purge under 120F. (To preserve terps and avoid burned/hash flavor) Typically between 90F-115F. The idea is to have the bubbles readily popping allowing the butane to escape. Some extracts may not require temperatures that high, but it is a good idea to use some form of heat to effectively/safely purge the extract.

Below is an example why; exerted from the WWW. The balls inside are the butane trapped in the extract and the examples show how heat and pressure can effectively purge the extract.

 

[Diablo3585]

awesome post. great reference point no matter if you're getting started or not.

 

[deejayscience]

Some have asked for more details on heating the chamber.

PURGING THE EXTRACT (Continued)

After determining the pressure's and temperatures you want to stay under. You can apply a heating source like a silicone heating pad with pid controller or type of hotplate or griddle to your vacuum chamber.

(Don't leave it unsupervised as it's a potential fire hazard if something were to go wrong)

Dependent on -hg used, it is commonly preferred to purge under 120F. (To preserve terps and avoid burned/hash flavor) Typically between 90F-115F. The idea is to have the bubbles readily popping allowing the butane to escape. Some extracts may not require temperatures that high, but it is a good idea to use some form of heat to effectively/safely purge the extract.

Below is an example why; exerted from the WWW. The balls inside are the butane trapped in the extract and the examples show how heat and pressure can effectively purge the extract.

View attachment 3345301

View attachment 3345302

I'm running everything based on these notes and info I've absorbed through other resources like skunkpharm. Two quick questions: 1) if my yield is light, what would be the most common reason? I think I packed my material too tightly and my blast couldn't pass through the tube properly. Could that be the reason for a shitty yield? 2) the color of my shatter has been a dark Amber color. When the shatter is thick, it's almost black. None of the dabs spark, so I don't think the coloration is related to butane. Could it just be that my material is less than prime?

 

[BluJayz]

I'm running everything based on these notes and info I've absorbed through other resources like skunkpharm. Two quick questions: 1) if my yield is light, what would be the most common reason? I think I packed my material too tightly and my blast couldn't pass through the tube properly. Could that be the reason for a shitty yield? 2) the color of my shatter has been a dark Amber color. When the shatter is thick, it's almost black. None of the dabs spark, so I don't think the coloration is related to butane. Could it just be that my material is less than prime?

Quality in quality out is always a good rule.

You could attempt to re-run it and see if anything is collected. If so then there is a flaw in your method somewhere if not, then that was all the material had to give.

You can also sometimes lighten up the extract by packing the tubes and freezing them for 48 hours before using. .

 

[CONGIL95]

Great guide