Concentrates for Noobs - Q&A

[Nelson69]

I didn't grind any buds up I was just gonna clean the bottom tray out. I did break em down in size a bit, because the 1st try after 3 runs the buds had look to be trichs on them yet. Didn't get the microscope out, I will for tomorrow.

Now I thought I read somewhere that only the head of the trichs come off and not the whole thing. So it will look furry after all the runs anyways. Does that sound right? Also I saw people saying about pressing the buds in the strainer, but when I tried my buds were hard and I didn't want to mash them. Thanks

 

[mayan]

Quick newbie questions for the kind folks who know what the hell they are doing. What does "overpurging" consist of? What happens when one has overpurged? How to avoid? Is it an issue if one is NOT using a vacuum pump? Thanks for your thoughts.

On another note, the information that I have been garnering here is really allowing me to up my QWET game. I am still in apprentice Newbie mode but my recent test runs are coming out golden, translucent and relatively stable. Not to mention tasty. I owe a big debt of gratitude.

 

[mvapes]

Trainwreck 96° for 49+ hours at 29 HG's.

 

[NickDlow]

 

[Melting Pot]

Wow @mvapes I'm stopping by on the way home. U can see the terps just screaming at U.
Nice job bro I can smell it through the screen.

 

[spoutti]

Quick newbie questions for the kind folks who know what the hell they are doing. What does "overpurging" consist of? What happens when one has overpurged? How to avoid? Is it an issue if one is NOT using a vacuum pump? Thanks for your thoughts.

On another note, the information that I have been garnering here is really allowing me to up my QWET game. I am still in apprentice Newbie mode but my recent test runs are coming out golden, translucent and relatively stable. Not to mention tasty. I owe a big debt of gratitude.

Im still a newb, but I think overpurging is when I use heat to purge and it decarbs the concentrate. Decarbed concentrates are less tasty and have an oily consistency. Theoretically as potent. It is not a big issue. But I think we can purge the alcohol perfectly and not decarb better with a vacuum. I havent tried yet, but I will for sure

 

[mvapes]

Overpurging is when you've exhausted all of your terps. If we pass the boiling point and we've completely ridden our concentrate of toxins or solvents the material will continue to break down. This is when your eye on the bubbles is key.

Here's a tip for today. If you never break the 100° mark than time no longer matters. You can't overpurge! At that temperature the material will never become viscous enough to exhaust terps.

Now, keep in mind - if you want to play with those cold temps be ready for the long haul. Because of limited viscosity the shit takes time. I like to set the bar at no less than 24 hours aside from a few situations where you get a strain that's high in lipids and the shit starts to sugar.

Thats the gist of overpurging. And no, waxing is different. That's when moisture gets trapped inside your oil due to uneven heating.

 

[mayan]

Thanks much, mvapes. Very helpful. Here's my current thoughts dovetailing with your words o' wisdom (brought over from another site)...

Since I'm probably not going to vacuum purge in the near-term, I am very intrigued by the idea of utlizing a food dehydrator...particularly because we already have one. I'm thinking that a possible process (involving little heat) would be as follows: QWET wash of buds - three minutes -> pyrex and natural evaporation -> low heat to soften for collection -> a little bit more heat to flatten it out. Now the question is, should I then let it "cure" -do nothing- for a day? Place it in the food dehydrator on VERY low heat -95F for several hours? -> Consume.

Please feel free to comment/critique/feedback...I just finished another run of a Taskenti I recently harvested. Probably my best run yet - of course, my experience is limited solely by my own runs. The was very crystally when scraped although the viscous stuff on the blade turned almost immediately to glass shards once removed from the blade. Once collected and melted, it is translucent and light gold. I'm gonna let it sit -overnight and not do anything. Tomorrow I may subject it to the dehydrator for several hours.

Onwards!!!!!

 

[2clicker]

Thanks much, mvapes. Very helpful. Here's my current thoughts dovetailing with your words o' wisdom (brought over from another site)...

Since I'm probably not going to vacuum purge in the near-term, I am very intrigued by the idea of utlizing a food dehydrator...particularly because we already have one. I'm thinking that a possible process (involving little heat) would be as follows: QWET wash of buds - three minutes -> pyrex and natural evaporation -> low heat to soften for collection -> a little bit more heat to flatten it out. Now the question is, should I then let it "cure" -do nothing- for a day? Place it in the food dehydrator on VERY low heat -95F for several hours? -> Consume.

Please feel free to comment/critique/feedback...I just finished another run of a Taskenti I recently harvested. Probably my best run yet - of course, my experience is limited solely by my own runs. The was very crystally when scraped although the viscous stuff on the blade turned almost immediately to glass shards once removed from the blade. Once collected and melted, it is translucent and light gold. I'm gonna let it sit -overnight and not do anything. Tomorrow I may subject it to the dehydrator for several hours.

Onwards!!!!!

i never purge my qwet. mostly because trace amounts of EC isnt going to hurt anyone. BUT i am interested in a vac setup if vaccing will create a nicer looking finished product.

im always wondering if it could be better.

 

[NickDlow]

i never purge my qwet. mostly because trace amounts of EC isnt going to hurt anyone. BUT i am interested in a vac setup if vaccing will create a nicer looking finished product.

im always wondering if it could be better.

Same here. I do like to toss my QWET in the vac with no additional heat. Imo I think the finish product is better. I couldn't tell you how lol but it just seems to be.

 

[mayan]

Ah! Thanks 2clicker. Interesting. Just a bit of information fueling my inquiry - I started purging more thoroughly due to thinking that I was tasting a whiff of ETOH in one of my earlier batches. Whether psychosomatic or not - I dunno- but that's what got me started. Whether it was vestigal or non-existent, I'm not sure but aside from health considerations stemming from possible ETOH fume inhalation, I didn't want the ETOH taste (if real) to step on the tastiness of the vapable substance.

As it is, I have been turning out some blobs that approach (or achieve) shatter at this point. Hard shards and splinters once removed from the razor during the collection. So - yeah- maybe the QWET tek obviates the purge. It's hard for me to imagine where the ETOH could be hiding. So - I'm still trying to figure out whether there is any call to purge QWET. In the meantime, the food dehydrator continues to interest me (should purging be necessary or desirable) as I can operate it at approximately 95F for hours.

 

[negan]

What is the consistency of QWET after it is air evaped (and shortly heated to reform)? Is it stable? I have some pretty nice stable shatter (even at room temp) from QWET after purging with heat for hours. I haven't tried to just scrape QWET, with iso though it wasn't stable at all without further purging over heat.

 

[2clicker]

What is the consistency of QWET after it is air evaped (and shortly heated to reform)? Is it stable? I have some pretty nice stable shatter (even at room temp) from QWET after purging with heat for hours. I haven't tried to just scrape QWET, with iso though it wasn't stable at all without further purging over heat.

mine is shatter 99.9% of the time. although i did just experience a different consistency on my last run. i have no idea what was different from my normal go to tek on this one. it came out sticky as fuck and just not that pretty to look at. real hard to handle, but tastes great and is damn potent. normally i get golden shatter. the only thing i can think would cause it was that the flowers may have still had quite a bit of moisture in them...? i dont know.

i try to use as little heat as possible in an effort to retain terps. i know that low heat can be used w/out much loss if any, but my returns are shatter even w/out a lengthy heat purge. well that was until my last run

 

[NickDlow]

Just out of curiosity @2clicker what are avg return with ur qwet tek?

 

[farscaper]

@2clicker I think you have entered the realm of terpenes. whst smell was it? was it piney? dank dirty diapers?
im serious about that one. flowerbomb kush sas all purple and smelled of dirty diapers. it doesn't taste that way though... but still very earthy. ive noticed orange and piney scents tend to have a loose consistency until some of those terpene profiles are vacummed off.. but even then one often ends with a fairly decarbed [lacking thc-A] if one desires that effect.

Kandy Kush

 

[DieHard]

In the purge for nearly 24 hours. This from 11g of dark purple Sour Diesel. 98f @ 29"Hg. Getting there! One pic lit from above, one from below.

 

[2clicker]

Just out of curiosity @2clicker what are avg return with ur qwet tek?

usually between 15-20%

@2clicker I think you have entered the realm of terpenes. whst smell was it? was it piney? dank dirty diapers?
im serious about that one. flowerbomb kush sas all purple and smelled of dirty diapers. it doesn't taste that way though... but still very earthy. ive noticed orange and piney scents tend to have a loose consistency until some of those terpene profiles are vacummed off.. but even then one often ends with a fairly decarbed [lacking thc-A] if one desires that effect.

Kandy Kush

the smell was still what i expected really. it was blue dream and smelled like blueberries. maybe more of a dank blueberry smell than normal, but i quite enjoyed it. flavor was off the charts amazing. i meant to post pics in the share that dab stash, but i didnt really want to share. shit looks like a amber brown mess, but works as hoped!

 

[jahead]

http://www.go-dove.com/en/auction/view?id=7509272

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=B...=nwL-VLCYG6es7AbUo4HIAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&dpr=1

Mod note: Post moved. From our rules:
"Please avoid creating threads consisting of only links or pasted content unless you add your own thoughtful commentary."

 

[mvapes]

Who's talking about glass....

@2clicker - if she stayed sticky and viscous and you didn't change any of your controllable variants then the plant was most likely decarbed. Did she sugar up or just look dark and loose?

I've seen this before. Final product does the job, just not in a pretty fashion. And, there's nothing you could have done to fix it.

On another note, I wanted to mention something to you all. How are you guy's storing? Have we started switching over to miron glass jars?

 

[2clicker]

Who's talking about glass....

@2clicker - if she stayed sticky and viscous and you didn't change any of your controllable variants then the plant was most likely decarbed. Did she sugar up or just look dark and loose?

I've seen this before. Final product does the job, just not in a pretty fashion. And, there's nothing you could have done to fix it.

On another note, I wanted to mention something to you all. How are you guy's storing? Have we started switching over to miron glass jars?

the flowers were sugary. if thats what you meant...?

as for storage i actually just copped one of those Oil Slick stack 3packs that come in the airtight mason jar (plastic jar, but it is airtight) and just store it in there. the slick stack keep light out and the jar keeps air out. i used the violet glass jars before, but had to keep a small piece of slick sheet in it for the oil to sit on. otherwise the oil just gets stuck to the glass and is a PITA to get off.

i also just got a wax wallet. really like the design for on the go usage. my only worry with the wax wallet is that the silicone may have filler. ive tried the pinch test and do not see any white, but i could be doing it wrong. i also have a canna vault (good platinum cured silicone) on my list.

 

[DieHard]

the flowers were sugary. if thats what you meant...?

as for storage i actually just copped one of those Oil Slick stack 3packs that come in the airtight mason jar (plastic jar, but it is airtight) and just store it in there. the slick stack keep light out and the jar keeps air out. i used the violet glass jars before, but had to keep a small piece of slick sheet in it for the oil to sit on. otherwise the oil just gets stuck to the glass and is a PITA to get off.

i also just got a wax wallet. really like the design for on the go usage. my only worry with the wax wallet is that the silicone may have filler. ive tried the pinch test and do not see any white, but i could be doing it wrong. i also have a canna vault (good platinum cured silicone) on my list.

FWIW @mvapes was referring to the consistency of the oil. Sugary, meaning a granular type texture. My last batch did that. Extra long(96 hr) <97F vac purge. Went from looking like it was gonna be shatter to a grainy/flakey crumble. With some soft sappy stuff underneath. Passes the flame test. Tastes harsh. Winterizing in KX now. Will post pics of each stage when done.

 

[Jambi619]

Are the lil kief-like sediments left in the screens worth saving?

 

[2clicker]

Are the lil kief-like sediments left in the screens worth saving?

if your wash/blast was sufficient then id say no. you should have dissolved most of the good stuff. if you have a considerable amount built up in the screen id say its stalks. BUT you can always collect it, dry it out really well and try to vape it...?

 

[OldOyler]

if your wash/blast was sufficient then id say no. you should have dissolved most of the good stuff. if you have a considerable amount built up in the screen id say its stalks. BUT you can always collect it, dry it out really well and try to vape it...?

@2clicker .

Quick post (actually trying to give myself a spiritual enema and be a positive person) that might help.

I take absolutely everything that has been touched by anything cannabis related and have a big stainless steel container, I make an oil out of everything when I get enough (simple RSO method), and mix it with coconut oil for a topical. It does *awesome* for cuts and - I couldn't believe it until I tried it - swelling in joints of the fingers/hands/wrists and toes/feet/ankles.

I use everything - the cheesecloths (which is funny to think they will go through cheesecloth yet again!), instruments, glass droppers, etc.

I figure if I put something in that "general reclaim" container that isn't worthwhile, I am going to strain it anyway.

Peace!

 

[mvapes]

The micron jars are the only thing that is proven to protect your oil from UV light.

Ultraviolet light changes the molecular consistency of your oil and because of the way it breaks down not only are terps released but the medicinal value begins to degrade.

@DieHard was right, I was referring to the sugar within the oil. This is caused by a plant with a lipid concentrate. When lipids release terpenes and tane above certain temps or if over purged it will create sugared up oil or streaks within the oil itself.

A lot of people mistake this for waxing.