So I have recently shifted away from bowls and bowls of flower through the bong every day, to a quick minute with the nectar collector every few hours. My lungs and housemates greatly appreciate it. Unfortunately this means having to find a method of making my own. (I am looking to build an induction heater for that straw, if anyone has experience. I hate having to buy butane bottles constantly to fuel a torch.)
So I thought to myself, because I will be making FECO via ethanol extraction, is there a way to clarify the FECO into BHO? Seems plausible. I’d give it a test but I have no equipment to speak of, so I looked at what it would cost… Now I see these stainless steel set ups vs a $30 glass tube… Well, the tube sounds like a great idea but after looking on amazon for a second I don’t know that I want to deal with their quality control. Does anyone know a reliable source of extraction tubes?
I am curious if this will work, I like the idea of only dealing with a small amount of butane and not much equipment.
If anyone has any advice on alternatives, I’m more than happy to hear them as well. My main objectives are relatively simple (not necessarily over all, just in the day to day), and low operating cost. I started my grow to save money, I don’t need to continue spending it you know?
Open blast tubes, silicone mat, vacuum chamber, butane, etc. you can get started for under $100.
It’s very simple technology, easy to do, a bit harder to get just right. You can spend as much or as little as you like, there’s all sorts of lab equipment you can buy. Achieving high quality shatter or wax is very doable on a budget though.
If I were you I’d look into rosin though. No need to blast outdoors, a bit safer, easy, solvent free.
Dabbing has a lot of “moving parts” IMO. I used to dab exclusively for years. It has advantages and disadvantages.
As far as alcohol washes go…oh it certainly works for extracting cannabinoids, but I’ve never gotten it to taste any good. I find frozen 99% isopropyl alcohol quick washes work best, but then you’ve gotta evaporate it. Best I ever did was a nice light amber oil that had some taste but was never as tasty as good BHO. Your roomies are going to like the smell of burning weed better than solvent vapors, I guarantee it.
You can snag a cheap dab rig and a dozen cans of butane for less than $100.
These days it’s just flower and bubble hash for me, though.
I am also on this quest. I’ve made 3 batches of BHO so far. Gets better every time. The first thing I learned is to forget glass tubes. Get a stainless steel, closed end tube.
Costs a little bit but sooooo worth it.
From Ablaze Extraction Tubes.
Vacuum Purge rig. I got a 2 gallon and it’s larger than I need. I do small batches and make cartridges from some and vape the rest.
Yield will be better with dry herb but I’ve done fresh trim and small buds too. I’m still a rookie so keep us posted on how it goes. It’s a blast! Pun intended
Hey @ChemicalDependant not sure if you have decided on a solution yet but I noticed Vernal mention Rosin above and you said it was your second choice due to how you use it. Not entirely sure what you mean as I have worked with both BHO and now moved onto rosin and I smoke them both the same way.
Mostly out of my quartz banger as dabs, sometimes on top of herb in the bubbler.
Maybe I am missing something but my thinking is rosin would be great for you.
I think I’m the one missing something- or was. I hate the terms resin/rosin, hash. In retrospect I just didn’t read well, I was thinking of compressed Kief.
My actual answer doesn’t change much but the reason does. It’s my second choice because of the dry ice! For whatever reason it’s a pain in the ass to get in town, plus I tend to be acrophobic during depressive states. Ironically a big cylinder of butane is easier for me because of storage. Buy once and don’t worry about it again.
…of course I have only the slightest idea what I’m talking about. A press is actually my first choice. But BHO seemed faster to get into on a budget. Also why I am leaning toward smaller units. It’s a toss up between a glass tube or the $100ish steel one off Amazon. Just to get by until I set up a press in a year or so. If it continues to be fun and useful after that, so be it.
I have never used dry ice and don’t even make bubble hash prior to pressing, or have yet to.
I am taking my small buds / super dank trim / full on bud and pressing it in a 50-110 micron bag.
You are probably right about getting into BHO being cheaper though, although people seem to be coming up with some pretty affordable presses these days also.
Good luck with your BHO endeavor! Hope you find something affordable that works well for your cause.
if you were close by I would offer up my old BHO equipment for use for sure
I am pretty sure I just bought stainless steel tube cut down to whatever size I wanted if I remember correctly as well. Never used glass and didn’t buy a “made for BHO” metal one either. Not sure if the brightest idea but also used some rubber stopper in the one end that the butane was blasted into with a metal micron screen, backed up with coffee filters on the end the oil would come out of. Metal hose clamps securing the stopper and filters / screen.
I do have a silpat mat… tempting. Will have to see about what I need to ensure the pipe is clean is the trick there. I’ve seen them made of copper- but I didn’t like that. Steel though sounds a little better. Would be curious if you brazed it how well it would hold, given its a low pressure joint? I might have to make two. Months away from harvest so I got time.
I don’t know why I forgot about this, shit maybe I’m smoking too much. These are SS and cheap. Limited capacity, but that’s a pro and a con.
That’s kind of where the research ends. If I had the resources to lab test results for toxins I’d just go forth and make some shit see what works best but I don’t really care for mystery chemicals so a SS turkey baster is really your best option it seems, short of using an empty bottle (butane bottles or food grade PET) this seems like the bottom end solution. A bit up from there and you’re into glass tubes, almost small extractor range. I do have ideas on taking a SS water bottle and adding a fill/purge valve like you find in torches. I think this would hold up better long term than just jamming the tip in there time after time. Will have to do a follow up on that sometime when I have flower to play around with.
Me too @ChemicalDependant. I’m keeping an eye on the press waiting for them to get cheaper. Out of my range at present. I think the glass extractor I had was too big around. I had no success with it. Butane would just go right through only contacting some of the herb. A total waste of an ounce of weed. IMO.
With the closed end extractor you can close both ends and let the butane do it’s thing for a few minutes then blast it. Big difference. I fill it with herb then fill the chamber with butane, close the ends and put the whole thing in the freezer for a few minutes then blast away. Colder the better.
Sister in law moved into a place and former owner grew, left vacuum pump and purge setup behind. Just got it this morning for work, hoping it still works cuz I’ve been needing to get one.
I used a few pieces of the food grade ss from a fruit factory i worked at and some of the clamps and gaskets, got a hole drilled in the end cap to fit specific tip size. Used a pipetape clamp to hold mesh on the open end. Wish I’d thought to grab valves.
If it just a small personal batch you can open blast. It not good for the environment so try to get a closed loop when you can. Get a few friends to go in with you and you all can share it maybe? Make sure to do it in a well ventilated area or outside. I got this tube from a head shop… for like 25 bucks., when I pack it full of good bud I can get about 3-4grams of good shatter when I use trim I get about 2 gs…
I’ve got a glass tube too, just been using the ss one more cuz it holds about twice as much. Checked the vacuum chamber and pump i was given and seems to work, gotta clean it up some tonight and then hopefully running a batch.
