Approximately. And yes, I reduced down 4 oz of GD because my tincture was made with a lower proof alcohol. Not sure if it makes a difference, I reduced it down to the 1/2 oz as called for.
Approximately 71 candies in these molds from Amazon. I only counted full candies, so all told probably 75 with crunches and leftovers.
Square Silicone Candy Molds -… Amazon.com: Square Silicone Candy Molds - Mini Silicone Molds for Hard Candy, Chocolate, Gummy, Caramel, Ganache, Ice Cubes (2) : Home & Kitchen
I’ve got a glass measuring cup w a pour spout that would probably function the same way. For gummies I use a squirt bottle like you’d put ketchup in. Think the Candies would harden too quickly if I’d pour it in the squirt bottle and use that to fill the molds?
I thinknit would harden way to fast for a squeeze bottle, that and you can’t scrape ot out at the end.
Yeah I kinda figured that. I’ve got the same molds so that’s cool. Just to clarify what you say about reducing- you used 4oz of alcohol to extract from the flower then brought it down to a 1/2 Oz and put a 1/2 Oz of GD in the recipe? Or you put 4 Oz of GD in the recipe? Or something else?
I just read the recipe, I think I get it. Started w 4 Oz of gd, like the recipe says, brought it down to 1/2 Oz.
4 oz of GD reduced to 1/2 oz.
Pour mix over molds, spread into cavities with a dough cutter/bench scraper, work quickly. Works best with squares/basic shapes without alot of space between cavities
What a great thread. Just finished reading it. Thanks @ReikoX.
As someone reading from canada, it’s frustrating though - for obvious reasons.
The only way I could entertain this method as a possibility is if;
-I could get 190 proof alcohol somehow.
-I could get some device to be able to (a) increase the alcohol content of lower percentage, commonly available, hopefully cheap alcohol up to where it needs to be (80% at least, right?), AND (b) be able to reclaim the alcohol used for the process - wheter it be purchased 190 proof stuff or stuff I’d had to increase the content of.
A couple user here have mentioned some options that they use - a countertop water (or alcohol) distiller. @WMoon518 @Shadey.
I had a look into the Mophorn, the Air Still, and a Vevor branded countertop distiller. I like the idea of the models with an adjustable temperature though. Can you guys give some more details or insight as to how you use these devices, and what the results are like. (Are you able to both make the oil and reclaim your alcohol? Are you able to take lower proof store bought alcohol up to a higher proof, near 90%?)
@ReikoX I really like that ExtractCraft Source Turbo, and from what I read, you said it can do both of these tasks, right? Is the quality of the alcohol that comes out better (than a counter top still as mentioned above)? How well does it work at re-stilling a lower proof alcohol up to a usable, higher proof alcohol.
In this video, HowToWeed (youtube channel) shows how to make high proof ethanol from store bought 40% alcohol. He’s using a countertop distiller, but he’s also using an add on “condensor” unit he bought separately. Please let me know what you think?
I’ve been moving away from even dab/vaping, as my lungs can’t handle it as well now (and the stuff available retail is trash), so I’d like to ingest. I hate the flavor of the plant, so I was doing bubble hash first. It’s a lot of work, mess, and I have herniated discs. Also, edibles take longer, than say a sublingual in an alcohol tincture, to take effect AND - it’s hard to make concentrated/potent extract when you have to cram so much flower into oil. Then, even worse, if you have to eat 2-3 tsp of oil to medicate…it’s just a bit gross after a while.
Anyways, it’s hard to consider this method without a solid strategy and options for the alcohol part (making it, aquiring it, wisely reclaiming and efficiently using it).
Thanks again for the input of everyone, especially @ReikoX , @PSam and everyone who shared recipes and ideas.
Yes, I’ve done both reclamation and increased the alcohol content with this device.
No, they should be on par with each other. The Source will likely have better terpene retention in the tincture though. It uses a lower temp due to the vacuum assist.
It works quite well for this, but it is a slow process. The crucible only holds maybe 250-500 ml of liquid at once.
I think the countertop distiller would work fine on its own. Especially if it has temperature control and can stay under the boiling point of water. @Mr.Sparkle also uses an air distiller with good results.
With all this said, go back to the first few posts and I explain how to do this with 40% alcohol. The strategy there is to evaporate all of the alcohol and water until you have an oil. Then add the desired amount of 40% alcohol. 
I came across this several times in the thread and was slightly confused by it.
So, using 40% alcohol which has too high a water content. You follow the process of evaporating all the alcohol and bringing it down to an oil (same process as RSO uses with ISO). But then I add back ‘x’ amount of the 40% alcohol which had too high a water content in the first place? Didn’t I just add back the water too then…? That’s what I don’t get.
(Is this just so that you don’t have “cloudiness”, but would still have water content in it, unlike if using 95% alcohol?).
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, and the quick reply.
@Mr.Sparkle I thought you used a full on (built) distiller.
PS: Do I need to know about the “heads” and “tails/tales” and other still terminology. I have too many diys, and projects, and stuff to get *too deep into distilling.
That’s exactly right. If you followed the process with 40%, it would begin to separate into water and oil when reducing it. The tincture will also be greener as the water picks up more non-polar compounds like chlorophyll.
Not if you are re-distilling alcohol. This has already been done.
In the past I had a bigger still, though for playing with batches and my consumption nowadays I just use one of those 4liter tabletop airstills with a voltage controller it works great.
The option which your getting there in your thought process is make an extract first evaporating off whatever solvent you used leaving you with your resin, and once that’s done reintroducing that resin to your drinkable alcohol of choice for your tincture needs.
A cheap solvent that we as Canadians have access to is methyl hydrate aka methanol which is about $16 for 4 liters at any hardware store or CND tire, obviously poisonous when drunk but when evaporated off your resin would have miniscule fractions of it to a point that beer or wine has more methanol in it by folds, and it’s cheap enough that one doesn’t need to consider reclaiming it, plus it evaporates off at room temp or quickly with a bit of heat, obvious safety precautions apply though.
Some people order online from Alberta and have it shipped to other provinces, might be an option.
Yea, I found a few (canadian) places online that might be an option. Didn’t wanna put it on blast until I knew more, though.
Thank you.
I’m a little familiar with methyl hydrate. Have some in the house, the common can.tire solvable brand.
I have concerns though…
Do they add some poison to it so “people don’t drink it” or some other shit like that? Is this called denaturing, by the way?
And these “miniscule” amounts of methanol that remain after evaporation; are they less dangerous/harmful than the “miniscule” amounts of whatever would remain from using Isopropynol?
I always thought the 0.1% other ingredient in 99.99% ISO was water. So it must be whatever the “ISO” is that is the dangerous part.
Is methyl hydrate what you use?
How would one use it? Use it to extract resin into it, then allow full evaporation, then add back some type of food safe alcohol is a tincture is desired? (Keeping in mind the only alcohol to add back would be some shitty 40% vodka or something. And would that 40% alcohol be less effective when dosing with a tincture of it when the resin is put in it?).
Edit: SDS for solvable methyl hydrate. I couldn’t get anything useful from it, but hopefully someone else can. MSDS Link
Oh, what “voltage controller” do you use, and are you using the “air still” brand distiller?
Thanks.
Methanol by itself is poisonous more so than ISO and that 1% other for both is just water just like how ethanol can only be 95.6% in open atmosphere as it creates an azeotrope with water, sure there can be minuscule amount of other alcohol chains in there but we talking fractions of point percentages.
And yeah i do use it or high proof ethanol “heads” that i take from distilling runs that im not gonna consume when its around but i usually just pour that stuff into my alcohol “cleaning” bottles that i use as a solvent around the house for just like methanol.
As for use of it take any bud throw it in a jar, pour enough methanol/iso/high proof Ethanol in to say fill the bottom third or so of a jar filled with bud, cap and shake for 45sec-1min or so, and strain out using a wire strainer pouring a bit of extra over the buds to wash out what was on it and say squeeze the buds out with gloves on, one can further refine through a coffee filter. Whats left over you can throw in a dish jar or whatever that wouldn’t be harmed by the solvent of choice and place it somewhere warm which it will evaporate over time and once dry just re add drinkable alcohol of choice “rum/whiskey/gin/vodka” and you have your tincture, potency is dictated but the resin amount per your given dosing amount you choose say an ounce/30ml per 0.___g of resin
One could also heat said jar or dish in a water bath to evaporate the solvent quicker just making sure no source of open flames and also adequate ventilation.
And this process can be done the same way just replacing the drinkable alcohol with say butter or your choice consumable oil to make a more neutral infused fat for cooking.
As for what controller im just using a generic 4000w SRC controller that was about $15-20, look them up on youtube, and air still there all more or less the same, mine has the digital temp controller on it but its inadequte for distilling and is just a full on or off type scenario where one can set a temp it kicks off at but in distilling you may want to run things slower so the condenser can keep up with the vapor volume especially when distilling say a second run of higher % alcohol vs say a stripping run of your base wash, and thats why i added a voltage controller to mine as it allow more fine control and the ability to say run at a lower input heat, vs that max 750w on/off scenario.
Now all that said i make alot more rosin now adays than solvent extracted resin, but take said rosin and add to drinkable alcohol or edible oil/fat and its the same thing.
This is the one I bought.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G55HV9Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
It is the Morphorn.
I use it for both concentrating(?) store bought vodka and for running small batches of wash. In fact I have to do both in the next few days. (need some tincture for upcoming back surgery and have a small batch of peach wine I want to make into brandy). It works pretty good for both. I can get it to almost 90 which isn’t perfect but it works. I am still trying to work out the best temp, but around 85C should be perfect. It will be a little slow going, but it is worth not having to buy a large one and have all kinds of reflux and power to calculate (only way to really get over 90%). If you are using vodka, no need for any cuts, but I would take about 10-20ml off the top to get rid of any lingering methanol. Then run until the percent starts to drop. I usually run my washes a little lower as I am going to dilute it anyway and it gets me some additional flavors.
Just keep in mind, the “push button” ones out there, like the Air Still, are just set to one temperature (and no one seems to know what it is and no one at Still Spirits will say either) so you need constant measuring of output so you don’t all of a sudden drop below what concentration you want.
I also looked at the Vevor, and may buy the larger one (13 gal I think) but the larger still I have is good for now. Keep in mind for that one you will need a heat source and water to circulate for the condenser. If you want to go with something like that, and you want to do essential oils or washes later, get the one with the “thumper” (three vessels, not just two) an it gives you a higher concentration, without reflux, and you can put your herbs or juniper berries (for gin) in the thumper.
I’ll let you know how my vodka run goes this weekend.
Oh for the love of God, now I need to buy a distiller…LOL…that is so neat!
This one looks like it might be good. Adjustable temp., and timer. 1750W. What do you guys think?
LINK