I’m hoping that somebody else here would be interested in this, as a potential project…maybe. So, I’m just gonna dump some initial “info” or resources that I’ve come across so far.
I recently read through @ReikoX’s thread on tinctures (Not Just Another Tincture Thread) and heard of the Source Turbo home vacuum distiller. After doing more research on that product, their higher end model, the “medxtractor” vacuum distiller, and a whole bunch of regular distillation videos, I decided to search for and look into “diy vacuum distiller”. These came from some of those results:
I looked up some info on “Ichiban Crafter” (aka IBC); apparently he is/was an investor and “co-founder” of “Extract Craft” (the company that makes the Source Turbo), and he is now a “cannabis-coach”. Just incase anyone was wondering.
Please, let me know what your thoughts, and ideas are on this project.
And if any of you use facebook, he has a fb group: IchiBan’s Extraction Lounge | Facebook (Ichiban’s Extraction Lounge). He notes at the end of the diy part-2 blog post that there’s a parts/components list in the “files” section of the fb group. And supposedly a lot of information about the proces and build.
That’s all for now. Maybe this goes nowhere. The Source Turbo is around $900 cad. If one (a canadian, specifically) could put together something like the diy for even $1000 or less it would be considerable. But, just checking for the vacuum lids with holes and hardware from BVV for example, were $192 cad for a lid. For - A - Lid!
[Quick Edit: The reason I mention canada/canadian specifically is because of how absurdly difficult it is for those in canada to get things that americans can get with ease, and also because when canadians can get the same items, the cost is way more than just the currency conversion. That’s all.]
I vetted his write ups and videos. The good news is he knows stuff, like if you listen to what he says and do the things he says, you can’t go wrong. An excellent grasp of the forces involved. Indeed you can go and buy the lids on amazon they are worth loot. I noticed he had a rotary tool in the back ground that was most likely used to make that condenser coil in the pot. Excellent DIY stuff! Once you get the system set up, you can customize for whatever purposes.
Hi Joe. I’m not sure what you mean about the rotary tool and the condenser coil in the pot. I found that condenser on BVV website. It’s one piece, pre-made, coils in pot. It’s $365 usd.
The pressure vessel was just a stainless steel pressure cooker… lagostina from canadian tire. I took the pressure thing off and instead got the rotary tool out and made the hole perfect for a compression fitting. You could perhaps use a drill. Definitely not ideal though. Ahh fond memories!
I remember extract Craft they are the ones the the machine uses alcohol if I remember correctly… I remember because they were expensive almost as much as a closed loop system… lol
im a member of the FB group. been following them for a bit. the build is a bit too daunting for me, tbh but the Ichiban guy has a lot of good info I’ve used successfully.
Best of luck, It’ll be a cool thing to see happen!
I used to have several smaller SS coils I was given, had to connect multiple of’em together (in “series”), but uesd them for res chilling coils. They were no more than 1/4" ID though.
The pressure vessel? So you’ve put one of these together (a diy vacuum still, or regular still)?
Yea, that’s them. The guy I mentioned (Troy) who now has this blog and fb group used to be part “owner” or invester at ExtractCraft.
What is the fb group like? Can you tell me if you see the component list he refered to for me, please? I think he said it’s in the “Files” section of the fb group. It would help to have that so I can get names for components (and brands) to be able to compare prices. For example, that diaphragm vacuum pump he used. Though, I’m sure that pump is probably over $1000usd.
It was a DIY still for industrial size batches of alcohol. All sealed up with compression fittings. No vacuum pump though, as they are expensive. You had to make sure it was open on the collection vessel end to make it a regular still.
It was like this… cost 100$ to make right? Pressure cooker compressed onto the rubbermaid coil with an alcohol container compressed on the end of that. The coil and the collection container were both submerged in ice water to maintain pressure. Lots of the crap to make it was just laying around, except the copper pipe/compression/pressure cooker. Also since there were no parts you could see through… you’d just kick back until the dripping stopped and then turn it off and wait for it to reach ambient temps before cracking it open. That was definitely the downside.
One day this guy calls he says hey I heard you built this crazy still can I borrow it? Never brought it back, and never even offered to pay for it. Probably happened about 15 years ago. Irony was he could have built new ones based on the one he had borrowed… instead he called 5 years afterwards and asked me if I had another one. Fuck, me.
I have just finished reading part 1, and have to say I’m impressed with how clearly IBC explains, in a nice step wise fashion, the basic mechanics as well as theory of what’s happening in a still. I’m not an engineer or anything like that (anthropologist here), but I independently understand the theory and mechanics of a basic still, and think this first part is an excellent introduction to distilling!
I agree. I thought the two blog posts, and the video(s) for part two were excellent. The only complaint I can think of is not listing any specs or similar for parts, and not putting a parts list in the blog. I can’t make any sense of that.
Does anybody know anything about vacuum pumps, or what vacuum/pressure level needs to be achieved (I know he mentions a number in the video, -28in of mercury I think)? But… how am I sizing pumps, and searching for required specs?
-safe for ethanol/alchohol solvents (only if diaphragm style?).
-other specs/features that I don’t even know to look for or avoid?
Edit: just by searching for images I see similar looking diagphragm pumps to the one shown in the blog, but they’re listed around $100-200 cad (!) on aliexpress, and that just seems unbelievable (low), haha.
I’d like to tag along for the ride. I’ve only been growing about 3 years so excuse my newness. Bought a small still off to make the RSO oil but nixed the project once I figure out the main point of the Turbo extractor was to boil the alcohol at a low temperature because of the vacuum. I decided build a press and go that route. Just looked up a 3 gal vacuum chamber kit with pump on Amazon for 200 us. I’m intrigued . I really just like to build stuff.
I thought of doing this (how many projects do I want?), it is not really rocket science. I have a small vacuum pump that I need to rebuild (where do I have it?) but otherwise just cobble stuff together.
I’m already thinking my son just graduated with a BS in computer science/engineering AND he lives in Canada (work permit good for 2 more years (?) AND he’s become quite a different person since moving there 4 1/2 years ago.
I drove him up and left him there and now he’s got a good job, nice apartment, and developed a taste for fine wine, cooking, and other recreational pursuits. It’s all a pleasant but unsettling experience for a father late to that whole gig.
I’m thinking I shouldn’t encourage him.
Have to sleep on this lol
He says I shouldn’t be surprised where he gets it from. I never had a clue he ever listened to me until he got his degree and started working.
It’s a joyful thing for me at 65 to be able to talk with him about things I was led to believe were somewhat or totally deviant.
For me, it was never an overtly stated thing, rather we’d be talking or doing something together and he’d say, “You once told me…” Blows me away every time, but I don’t believe it necessarily should. So often I hear my dad’s words, and I’m confident he thought I didn’t listen to him either. I wish I could tell him how much I love him to his face right now.
Hey man. Please do. Hopefully I get to my destination. I like to build stuff to, but it’s often tricky to even get to the actual “build” phase. Haha.
Selecting the correct parts (properly rated), finding them for a reasonable price, getting sizes that will fit each other (pots, lids, etc.), having to order almost everything and needing to make sure things will fit/work, etc,. without being able to get hands on them first. Way harder than “rocket science”.
Edit: Yea, too many projects. Me too, bunny.
Anyway, I’m probably going to have to locate someone with fb so I can check out the ‘exclusive’ extract group and see the secret information, hah.
. I really just like to build stuff.