DIY extracts! Questions

[Archsage]

Recently I got into DIY. Off the bat I decided I want to literally Do It Myself By making my own extracts. I've read a few topics here and there and they have only left me with more questions. I'll let you guys know that As of right now I'm doing PG extracts because, from what I've read, it's the safest way to extract.
A few of my questions are:
1: How do I make fruit extracts and is it even possible?
2: While doing certain extracts, such as ground cinnamon and tobacco, I've noticed I get almost NO extract because all I'm getting in a soggy pulp of stuff that has soaked up all my PG! How can I stop this and what's the best way around this.
3: How do you prefer to extract, what solution do you use to extract, any heat to be added?
4: What should I and should I NOT heat?
5: Is extracting with VG lethal?
6: All my extracts are coming out not as concentrated as I'd like. What do you do to get the most flavour out of your personal extracts?

If you can't answer all my questions that's fine. Any and all feedback is MUCH welcomed and appreciated. This forum and it's denizens have never led me astray. So I believe in you guys and the knowledge that is up in those beautiful brains of yours!

 

[Dave_in_OK]

You might find your answers in this post. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/liquid-extraction-tobacco/654006-net-best-extraction-method-minimise-coil-gunk.html#post15302590

Hope it helps.

 

[b.m.]

The only extracts i have done are tobacco,tea,and vanilla,and have used pg in each,but as to using vg,no it is not lethal,there are several people here that use vg,it just takes longer to extract the flavor.As far as a soggy pulp,the item you are trying to extract will soak up alot,so after it has soaked it all up,add just enough pg to cover the stuff up.When the extract is done,you need to strain it,this is where you will get alot of what was soaked up back from it,and what was soaked up is where the most flavor will come from.Some extracts,especially tobacco,will greatly benefit from steeping after you strain it,they need time for the various flavors to blend together and they will get bolder.

 

[Archsage]

As far as a soggy pulp,the item you are trying to extract will soak up alot,so after it has soaked it all up,add just enough pg to cover the stuff up.When the extract is done,you need to strain it,this is where you will get alot of what was soaked up back from it,and what was soaked up is where the most flavor will come from..

So, what you're saying is that AFTER it's been soaking in PG and has soaked up primarily all the PG, I should add MORE PG? This will then help to push the rest out? I'm straining through coffee filters, so I don't really know any other way to really squeeze that pulp because I feel like adding more PG will just create a flavour for that new PG. I could be wrong, I'm still really new, but these are just my conflicting questions. ahha
I'll honestly probably try out what you're talking about because out of 25 mL all I got back was roughly 1.2 mL of extract, which is unfair lmao. THEIR MUST BE A BETTER WAY!

 

[Archsage]

You might find your answers in this post. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/liquid-extraction-tobacco/654006-net-best-extraction-method-minimise-coil-gunk.html#post15302590

Hope it helps.

Regardless as to whether or not this is answering my question, this is still more reading material, more info for me to get! So I really appreciate this! Thank you!

 

[b.m.]

So, what you're saying is that AFTER it's been soaking in PG and has soaked up primarily all the PG, I should add MORE PG? This will then help to push the rest out? I'm straining through coffee filters, so I don't really know any other way to really squeeze that pulp because I feel like adding more PG will just create a flavour for that new PG. I could be wrong, I'm still really new, but these are just my conflicting questions. ahha
I'll honestly probably try out what you're talking about because out of 25 mL all I got back was roughly 1.2 mL of extract, which is unfair lmao. THEIR MUST BE A BETTER WAY!

Yeah,you would add just a bit more,just enough to cover everything.When you first start your extract,it should soak up some pg pretty quick,then wait a few minutes and add just enough to keep the item you are extracting covered.Then you let it soak for whatever amount of time.Most tobacco's take several weeks,the vanilla beans i'm doing now need at least 8 weeks.As for straining,i dont know why your only getting that very small amount back,you will always lose some that just wont come out,but that seems like alot that's not coming out.Have you tried balling up the coffee filter and squeezing the material that are extracting to see if you can get some more of the liquid out?I have been putting a piece of cotton in the bottom of a syringe,then putting the solid stuff in there,and using the plunger of the syringe to push down and squeeze as much as i can out of it,and the cotton will give an initail strain and keep most of the solid stuff in the syringe.

 

[Archsage]

Do you really let them steep in liquid that long? Is there any ways I could steep it faster? or is this simply a MUST do? even for small extracts?

 

[b.m.]

It depends on the product you are extracting as to how long it takes.Some people use heat for tobacco,i did that on my first batches because i wanted to get some fast to see what it was like,but most people i have read from say that leaving it at room temp for longer times gives better flavor.If you are doing tobacco,there is a tobacco extract forum at the top of the diy section that has alot of great info.As for the vanilla,this is my first attempt at that,so i dont want to chance heat with it,and i have never done any fruits so i have no idea there.But,like i said tobacco can be done with heat,and can give pretty good results.

 

[Archsage]

Hmm, interesting.
Thank you ahha, I really appreciate all of the output you've given me ahha. Thanks!