Depends on how much you started with. I usually start with around ~40ml and end up with ~30ml after the final filtering. For larger batches (100+ml), the loss percentage is smaller.
Tobacco extraction using heated Ethanol
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My first guess would be filter size. Filters absorb and hold extract, the larger the surface area the greater the loss. One of the reasons I use a filter holder, it reduces the filter size.
Typical filter holder assembly. Not what I use but it gives you a good understanding of what it does.
-#1 is the fluid reservoir
-#2 is the clamp used to mechanically seal the filter disc between part# 1 and Part# 3
-#3 is the receiver which mates to/with a catch container
-#4 is a rubber sealing grommet that seals the holder to the catch container for vacuum operations
-#5 is the filter itself
-#6 is a seal or O-ring depending on the specific unit
-The unnumbered piece is another seal usually an O-ring.
Here's a pic of an assembled unit;
The units pictured work great and are found in most labs but they are also "ridiculously" priced between $200 and $1300. I "custom manufactured" a filter holder using a 1.5" PVC union that has an internal sealing o-ring. Cost about $7 at the local plumbing supply store. I replaced its Buna-N O-ring with one made from food grade silicone, $5. I drilled and tapped for a vacuum port. It uses 5.5cm diameter filter discs and seats inside the mouth of a regular canning jar which I use as a catch container. I use it for both gravity and vacuum filtering.
Next time I plan to cut the coffee filter to a size that fits inside a tea strainer. It is a bowl shaped shallow strainer approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.
I did four different extractions using dry leaves and reduced them by 75%. One thing I noticed is a sticky substance clinging to the inside of the glass bottles. It feels like wax, and won't wash away easily with soap. Is that because I only used coffee filters? Somehow I think this waxy material would not go away even with a fine filter. I plan to do a re-freeze to see if that helps.
I noticed the same thing the couple of times I extracted with ethanol which is why I prefer to do my extractions with water.
It makes sense since ethanol is polar on one end and nonpolar on the other, from what I have read. So it can dissolve both.
One idea, put out there by someone, was to use ethanol because when it is cold sugar drops out of it. That is a good thing but, if there are waxy/greasy substances still in it then, you are really not getting rid of everything you want to get rid of.
Maybe the key is to do a double solution. Extract with water so that you don't extract waxes, even if it takes a little heat to evaporate and concentrate then, dissolve in ethanol and freeze to have the sugar drop out.
I know that 1 micron sounds really small to people but, when you look at the sizes of the molecules in question, those 1 micron holes in a filter look like a barn door. Sugars for examples range from 0.0008 to 0.005 micron in size. Even taking that larger 0.005 size, that is like trying to filter out sand with a volleyball net. It is just going to pour through. Even corn starch is only 0.8 microns in size.
Sizes taken from http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/particle-sizes-d_934.html
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Thanks Bagazo, interesting info. I am not too well versed in polar vs non-polar but I do get the general idea. When I first started vaping I did a water extraction and forgot I had done so for nearly three months. When I finally did remember, I found a tar-like substance at the bottom. Given my ignorance at the time, I thought it was useless and therefore promptly threw it away. I now wish I hadn't done that.... Would try again, but before I do, I need to find out if I like the flavors to begin with.
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So trying something a little new. Double freeze filtered, let it sit at room temp for a few days before a heat-assisted reduction. Noticed a lot of that gunk on the jar. So ... went back to the freezer post reduction.
Holy cow did I get a ton of gunk. Adding that post-reduction freeze filteration has to have made a huge difference.
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Holy cow did I get a ton of gunk. Adding that post-reduction freeze filteration has to have made a huge difference.
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A lot of that would be due to the lower alcohol content.
Agreed. Or just less liquid in general. Less liquid for particles to be suspended in = more precipitate. I just got rid of all that precipitate. That's got to be good right? Sure, I sacrificed a little more extract, but there was a lot of crud in that filter that was otherwise going to be on my coils.
Guess I was stuck on Exchaner's observation of waxy residue. Maybe that wasn't the case in your extraction.
Like I said before, I only do water extractions. Maybe it is something particular to water but repeated freezing seems to push things down. Been wanting to do a thread but I just never seem to get around to it. This is what I ended up with after repeatedly freezing and seperating the upper portion of the extract. The one on the left is the extract and the one on the right is plain water. Unfortunetly the tobacco was from a cigar made from air dried tobacco so there wasn't any flavor worth keeping.
I managed to separate some additional waxy residue in my second freezing. The amount was almost as much as my first round - around 70%. I may yet go for a third round. It would be a shame if after all this work, flavors don't come out to what I was expecting.
Is that the picture of extract before or after reduction? Looks kind of pale for an extract. I need to try water just to see the difference. What temp do I use, and for how long?
Is that the picture of extract before or after reduction? Looks kind of pale for an extract. I need to try water just to see the difference. What temp do I use, and for how long?
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Before. I reduce to dry then add PG/VG 50/50.
Exactly.
Water can't be used like a regular NET extraction. Since it has no way to ward off infection, you can't even let it sit around at room temp for days.
I just soak in room temperature water for half an hour.
Here is a pic of the extract before mutiple freezing sessions.
Saw no mention of PGA in your post. Is that an omission? I assume you meant add PG/VG after treatment with PGA.
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Didn't mean to highjack the thread. No PGA, water only.
I was just reminded that I had those pics on my PC by aceswired's result with freezing.
What about bringing water to 200 and adding? You'd be able to macerate longer with the pasteurization. Plus the heat would help pull more from the leaf.
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