Concentrates for Noobs - Q&A

[Bad Dog]

This is the part that has kept me from investing in any real dabbing equipment. I have a dynacoil and that is all at this point. But I fear toasting my tolerance and ending up having to spend a lot more to get the same level of buzz. Now that a dispensary is opening near me I will have greater availability of concentrates, but at very high cost. I think I will wait for prices to come down before I expend a lot of effort/money investigating concentrates and equipment to do it right.

Money is only relevant if you deem the features of the myriad of devices provide something essential to your enjoyment of the dab proses. If I had to choose only one of my devices it would be the banger and you can get a pretty good one a carb cap and terp pearl for around 100 bucks Canadian which isn't too bad. I don't use my Dyna coil often only if portability is called for and what I'm doing allows for the time of a dab, say a day trip to a national park spending the day fishing, other than that I don't use it but not because I think it's bad I still think it's a clever and useful piece and with proper use and maintenance it does better than just a serviceable job. As for usage to keep my tolerance low I only allow one to maybe two dabs a day at a minimum of 3 days apart, I suppose I should mention that on a good day I vape around .3 all day of flower so my use is on the lower end and I prefer to keep it that way. The day after I dab vaping flower isn't quite as effective but if I'm good and don't chase the dragon the second day I'm completely back to normal. Even though I'm sure my regiment has some effect on my overall tolerance I feel like the benefits outweigh the negatives. But if I were to be completely honest with myself really I only need to dab occasionally for back pain where as most of my dabbing falls under recreational use I've found it to be very therapeutic to destress from all this covid craziness, it’s nice to blast off and not worry or think to hard and just smile a bit

 

[CrazyDiamond]

Glad to see this is the first thread in the Concentrates section on the NFC, but I really hope some of the more relevant information from the old thread is preserved, ie, tech and techniques. And to anyone who is hesitant about rosin press, it is not hard at all. I have a simple Irwin bench vise with the custom plates in my sig (don't know if Joel is around anymore) but making your own plates isn't rocket science. My setup is heated by two soldering irons that go into holes on the sides of the plates horizontally. I get sufficient pressure to get very nice yields of greater than 15% which I think is good for my setup. Anyways, nice being in the new digs here and might as well get used to it, lol.

 

[freshly baked]

Update. No thinner needed. Its incredibly thick and dark but I was able to cram some around the top edge of the glass of a used cart. I left it upright all night and it taste no different than the original. Vapes similar to the original too surprisingly. Don't throw out your old carts! Extract the residue first anyway. I've got enough to fill 5 or 6 carts possibly.

 

[someTooL]

Just gained access to concentrates a few months ago. I tried live rosin and crumble a couple of times. Felt really lost and watching some videos was mostly my training.

I had a FF2 already so that was my first go to. Enjoyed really good results. I recently acquired a Elv8R and have tried it with the heating stone. A little more work (and a torch lol) but I really enjoy the draw speed a more and the hits were a little more intense to me.

A banger is in my future I’m sure, so yes, I’ll be reading along and hope to share my notes too

 

[Megaton]

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, but i was just cruising on DHgate looking for a new insert for my quartz banger, and i was wondering if anyone had tried the DHgate SIC inserts? anyone know if they are legit?

Edit: well, i have ordered one, i will find out in a month or so when it arrives!

 

[FLelder ent]

I just got my medical card, so I now have access to dispensaries. I'm generally a flower guy, but have dabbled in the past with some wax. I used a titanium bowl with a bong or a concentrate pen, a few years ago. So now I look at the dispensaries menus and I see Distillate Syringe, Concentrate Jar, Full extract cannabis RSO, Shatter, Terp Sap, CO2 oil syringe, ethanol extract, Rosin carts, THCa, Wax. Any recommendations / what should I stay away from? Lol....I prefer not to have to use a torch. TIA

 

[1nd3cEnt]

So now I look at the dispensaries menus and I see Distillate Syringe, Concentrate Jar, Full extract cannabis RSO, Shatter, Terp Sap, CO2 oil syringe, ethanol extract, Rosin carts, THCa, Wax. Any recommendations / what should I stay away from?

The 'ideal' concentrate, imho, is live full-spectrum/broad spectrum rosin. I would avoid any trate that includes anything added eg. isolate + added terpenes.

Isolates are usually single-cannabinoid & the cheapest, while full-spectrum/broad spectrum is the most expensive. Distillates, which are already decarbed, are usually highly processed, but some distillates are now available as full-spectrum. 'Live' means flash-frozen plant material as opposed to a dried flower source. Syringes or jars are just packaging options, jars are cheaper, but syringes are easier to handle. D9-THCacid is the plant original, non-decarbed analogue of D9-THC (D9-THCacid --> D9-THC + CO2). Wax can be almost anything soft-ish while shatter is anything hard. Rick Simpson Oil/RSO is a basic, unpurified & cheaper form of extracted cannabis oil used for edibles, salves, but not used for vaping/smoking.

Solvent-extracted/CO2/BHO/ethanol extracted resin is less expensive while solventless rosin is most expensive. Caveat emptor.

 

[FLelder ent]

The 'ideal' concentrate, imho, is live full-spectrum/broad spectrum. I would avoid any trate that includes anything added eg. isolate + added terpenes.
......................
Solvent-extracted/CO2/BHO/ethanol extracted resin is less expensive while solventless rosin is most expensive. Caveat emptor.

Thanks. My concerns were about what was added or used during the extraction process. I stopped using 510 vape cartridges in the past, not from the dispensary, because they were probably counterfeit, and who knows what was added. I'll explore the menus looking for " live full-spectrum/broad spectrum" products.

 

[invertedisdead]

Sometimes I'll pick up a sauce pen for microdosing, but if I'm gonna dab something it's solventless all the way. Live rosin and full melt hash for me

 

[CrazyDiamond]

I just got my medical card, so I now have access to dispensaries. I'm generally a flower guy, but have dabbled in the past with some wax. I used a titanium bowl with a bong or a concentrate pen, a few years ago. So now I look at the dispensaries menus and I see Distillate Syringe, Concentrate Jar, Full extract cannabis RSO, Shatter, Terp Sap, CO2 oil syringe, ethanol extract, Rosin carts, THCa, Wax. Any recommendations / what should I stay away from? Lol....I prefer not to have to use a torch. TIA

So as said above, full spectrum is the way to go, especially since you are already used to flower as you said. You relly don't want "additives" for lack of a better term, you want all the "goodies" per say. Rosin would be the "best". Also, be very careful; I have seen some say it's "full spectrum" when it really isn't (they are justifying as full spectrum because they add back in the terpines, which isn't full spectrum extract).

 

[FlyingLow]

I can appreciate what you are trying to say, but do want to add that there are SO many good extracts that are solvent based- like Live Resin, that are totally worth consideration too.

I encourage people to find and try as much as they can. Some may prefer how one handles over the other (oil vs wax vs shatter vs diamonds vs etc.). Some may prefer Live Resin over Rosin, others prefer BHO wax or hash rosin. Test drive as much as you can.

 

[cybrguy]

Test drive as much as you can.

I look forward to doing that, when the prices come down and the local stores get quality help that is well versed.

 

[arb]

Educate yourself regards production methods.
Find a reliable producer.......that takes a bit of luck also depending on your location.
I am in the grow it and press it myself fan club..........the only way to really know.

 

[cybrguy]

Yeah, no growing here without a med card. I don't have room in my condo for it anyway. But growing and pressing rosin really sounds like the best alternative. Sadly not for me, tho.

 

[CrazyDiamond]

I'm merely trying to illustrate that full spectrum gives you the most. I am not opposed at all to trying other things and I do (I use shatter, crumble, rosin, wax, flower, etc). In fact I believe some may find great benefits from finding what specifically works best for them, and since this is different for everyone, you have to go by research and trying it out yourself. An example using myself, we do not have medical edibles here and I do not have the ability to make my own out of respect with who I live with. So, if and when they become available here, I will try them to see if they help or hinder me. Also said what I said because OP said he was used to flower. And don't get me wrong @FlyingLow I agree with what you said about there being a LOT of options out there

@CybrGuy I could not grow either, I would press what I bought. Now I don't need to due to med card. Every once in a while though, I pull the press out a squish a couple nugs just for fun.

 

[cybrguy]

I could not grow either, I would press what I bought. Now I don't need to due to med card. Every once in a while though, I pull the press out a squish a couple nugs just for fun.

I have thought about getting a press and pressing purchased flower, but it seems like the yield is kinda low and one is likely to get significantly less buzz (fewer sessions) than from consuming the flower it is pressed from. Maybe I'm wrong but that always seemed more like a growers method for that reason, that it would increase my cost of use significantly.
It's funny, I have been using cannabis for more than 50 years now, but it is only in the last 6 or 7 years since I started vaping that it has really come to be more like a hobby than just a path to a buzz or medicine. I might occasionally buy a new piece of glass or a new dugout, but that happened only very occasionally. These days I have a house full of cannabis toys and mod boxes and glass pieces and containers and vapes and it goes on and on and on...

 

[ginolicious]

I have thought about getting a press and pressing purchased flower, but it seems like the yield is kinda low and one is likely to get significantly less buzz (fewer sessions) than from consuming the flower it is pressed from. Maybe I'm wrong but that always seemed more like a growers method for that reason, that it would increase my cost of use significantly.
It's funny, I have been using cannabis for more than 50 years now, but it is only in the last 6 or 7 years since I started vaping that it has really come to be more like a hobby than just a path to a buzz or medicine. I might occasionally buy a new piece of glass or a new dugout, but that happened only very occasionally. These days I have a house full of cannabis toys and mod boxes and glass pieces and containers and vapes and it goes on and on and on...

I wouldn’t mind a press. But they are so expensive. I don’t know if a press is for me. Would like to try one before deciding to buy. Sadly you can’t. I dunno. I want a cheap option. I may just go with a slug 33. They seem affordable to be honest.

 

[Vicki]

My concentrate collection right now. Wax, rosin, THCA, crumble, and diamonds in sauce.

 

[cybrguy]

Wow!

 

[CrazyDiamond]

@CybrGuy I am in that crowd too, 54. @Vicki Tru is the best around here for everything, really like their selection compared to the two others here. Here is my humble press...one would have to make their own plates or buy them, but I get good yields with it. The key is the moisture content of the flower. Have to have enough moisture so that the moisture gets heated and with the included pressure, forced the oil to the perimeter.
Press

Result

 

[VAPEHUNTER]

@CybrGuy I am in that crowd too, 54. @Vicki Tru is the best around here for everything, really like their selection compared to the two others here. Here is my humble press...one would have to make their own plates or buy them, but I get good yields with it. The key is the moisture content of the flower. Have to have enough moisture so that the moisture gets heated and with the included pressure, forced the oil to the perimeter.
Press
View attachment 864
Result
View attachment 865
View attachment 866

Very nice @CrazyDiamond . Are those original Joel W. Plates? I still have mine although I’ve since moved on to a larger set up.
Once I got a source for “trim” I had to move to a press that can handle 5 - 10 G’s at a time.
But I still love that little set up.

 

[CrazyDiamond]

See my sig? Yessir, originals. He had the materials and skills to weld a bunch of Copper/Nickel plates, then he drilled holes for the soldering irons, and shipped them to me. They are still going strong with all original equipment...I am very pleased with it as I dialed in moisture and it yields me a lot...and no one can say "pics or it didn't happen", lol.

 

[Ramahs]

My concentrate collection right now. Wax, rosin, THCA, crumble, and diamonds in sauce.

View attachment 831

 

[FlyingLow]

Do you all store concentrates in the fridge?

Should carts also be stored in the fridge?

 

[710yota]

Do you all store concentrates in the fridge?

Should carts also be stored in the fridge?

Personally I don't bother with it because I dab through my 'trates quick enough that I'm not too worried about them degrading and I don't want to take the time to let them warm up to room temp before I sesh. I keep all of my goods in black glass jars out of the sun though and I'm not in a super hot/dry environment.