Will these filters do?

[Burley Blend]

Hiya,

Been lurking this part of the forum a good while now. Initially, I did a basic heat extraction using PG/VG 50/50 with a splash of 40% vol vodka. I used some aged Burley from http://www.wholeleaftobaccoonly.com/.

I used some generic coffee filters which took about three days to filter about 120ml of concentrate! - a right PITA. Used at 20% in my final mix, it was pretty good I must admit. However, it was just too in your face and the coil gunking issue after 3-4ml was another PITA.

I then bought some 'Havana Prime' from https://www.leafonly.com/ - a small trial run to see if I could get it to the UK - and oh my!...the leaf was stunningly fresh smelling. This brings me to where I am at now. I've used @Str8vision method using some aged Burley/Havana Prime and *40%vol vodka for a heated extraction using a 3.5L slow cooker (16hrs) - then froze the resulting concentrate for 36hrs. Obviously, most of the mix had frozen, but what alcohol was in there had not. So within minutes of the mix defrosting, there were quite a bit of sediment at the bottom of the jar. I then filtered it using generic coffee filters, then added it to an equal part PG/VG and put it back into the slow cooker without the lid on the jar. Using a digital thermometer purchased off the bay for a few quid - I left it in there for another five hours or so to hopefully, evaporate any excess water or alcohol. The resulting concentrate, which I use at 25% is so nice that words can not describe how gorgeous this mix is. So @Str8vision, you are a genius and I owe you one.

*Just a note about the vodka: After some research, the highest strength vodka we can get over here is called 'Spirytus' and looks like I shall be using that in the future, because fractional distillation and other methods are not really an option.

Finally, back to why I made this post. I've tried to find some 5 micron filters and the only ones that I can find are these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-10-PP...r-Filter-Cartridges-5mic-3-pack-/161155340223. If I just cut the material off the tubes and use them that way. Also will the actual material of the filter be OK to use? - I think it is made of Polypropylene.

Would appreciate a bit of help, cheers.

 

[sparkky1]

These are what I use http://www.amazon.com/Reusable-Coffee-Filter-French-Presses/dp/B00JU89OGE

 

[Burley Blend]

Thanks @sparkky1 .

 

[Str8vision]

Finally, back to why I made this post. I've tried to find some 5 micron filters and the only ones that I can find are these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-10-PP...r-Filter-Cartridges-5mic-3-pack-/161155340223. If I just cut the material off the tubes and use them that way. Also will the actual material of the filter be OK to use? - I think it is made of Polypropylene.

Would appreciate a bit of help, cheers.

I've not tried to use the filter media from a cartridge so can't comment on its suitability. Just remember the larger the filter the more extract you'll lose to absorption. I can say the material those cartridges are made with, polypropylene, would work just fine for a alcohol/water based extract.

For an ethanol/water based extraction (Vodka), you could use lab filters like these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006OP2A9E/ref=biss_dp_t_asn and/or 1 micron filter felt like: http://www.amazon.com/Singed-Polyes...UTF8&qid=1443871125&sr=8-1&keywords=sheets:1u

The filter felt is re-usable, cleans up using warm water and liquid dish soap, just be sure to rinse well in clean water. I currently use filter felt as a pre-filter and 1 micron lab filters for the final pass.

 

[Burley Blend]

Thank you @Str8vision. Shame there isn't anything like that over here. Looks like I will be getting some more stuff flown over.

Stumbled across these @Str8vision http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18-FILTER...ABLE-OIL-BIODIESEL-FILTER-SOCKS-/171955965375 while I was looking for a UK seller of that filter felt you linked me to. Looks like you can re-use/wash them, so was thinking of cutting the material to fit a funnel.

 

[Str8vision]

It's the exact same felt so yes you can just cut a filter from the bag (sock), itself. Filter Felt is "nominally" rated which means it isn't as effective as its labeled rating. 1 micron felt is, in reality, more like 3 microns retention. 0.5 and 1 micron felt filter bags are available and I'd advise looking for one of those. Either should produce a clean extract.

1 micron filter bag: http://www.amazon.com/Singed-Polyes...8&qid=1443895691&sr=8-30&keywords=filter+felt

0.5 micron filter bag: http://www.amazon.com/Micron-Polyes...8&qid=1443895805&sr=8-35&keywords=filter+felt

 

[Burley Blend]

Fantastic!...thanks for your help @Str8vision.

Meant to mention it in my original post, about using your heated ethanol/freezer extraction (40%vol vodka in my case). I can get through 10-12ml of juice before anything funky starts going on with the coil. When my initial taste test exceeded my expectation, I was over the moon, tbh. I must have blown a fortune on pre-made ''tobacco'' juices and concentrates, only to be let down by reading reviews and the companies own description on their websites. Nothing like tobacco . Mom&pops did some reasonable one's, but I soon tired of those.

Getting some great insight from a few UK pipe/tobacco online shops, for some possible recipes: Oriental/Black Cavendish with almond - Black Cavendish/Virginia/Burley/toffee....to name a few.
I have almond and toffee concentrates in my mixing bag so that should be interesting.

The beauty about it all....it's cheap as chips to make.

 

[Str8vision]

There isn't a retail NET available at any price that can match the flavor or intensity of what can be made at home using simple extraction techniques. As I stated in a different thread today, in addition to being ridiculously inexpensive to make, when you DIY you can make it any way you want. Any ratio of VG or PG, any nic strength, any tobacco flavor, any level of sweetness, any level of tobacco intensity, in fact the ONLY limiting factor is one's imagination. Cheers!

 

[yourgurnard]

Hi Burley Blend, good to see another real baccy fan from the UK.....We HAVE to extract Our own 'cos We ain't got Net.com/HHV et al on our doorsteps!!!!
I've used cut up bits of those filter bags You linked to; small round circles used in a syringe (I'm only extracting from 5g. smoke-king samples atm...)
I have n't been able to find suitable (ie. 2.5 micron) filter paper over here either..........

 

[Burley Blend]

Hi Burley Blend, good to see another real baccy fan from the UK.....We HAVE to extract Our own 'cos We ain't got Net.com/HHV et al on our doorsteps!!!!
I've used cut up bits of those filter bags You linked to; small round circles used in a syringe (I'm only extracting from 5g. smoke-king samples atm...)
I have n't been able to find suitable (ie. 2.5 micron) filter paper over here either..........

Hiya pal.
Aye, just recently had some of those 5 micron bags delivered. You get quite a lot of filter(s) for your money. I've cut them up into discs' and intend on placing over large jars with a bit of over-lap, then just use elastic bands to secure them to the rim. Probably tomorrow, I will be putting these filters to use extracting some Red Virginia that I've had steeping for only five days. However, the mix - which is 10g of RV soaked in 120ml PG/10% vodka - will be heated at 140-150f for five hours then filtered. Will be doing this with a few other 20g samples of different leaf types (20g goes a long way lol) just to see which types are worth buying in bigger quantities.

The red Virginia when you hold the mix up to the light, has a slight red tint to it which looks quite cool. If the smell out the packet is owt to go by, then it will certainly be a keeper.

As far as coils go - the best method is probably @Str8vision heated ethanol/vodka extraction. It can be done - although not ideal - with cheap 40% vol vodka. The only outlay you need is a digital fish tank thermometer (£2 on the bay) and a slow-cooker (£15-£17 on EB). The resulting extract was sublime, and I can get 10-12ml through a coil before I need a dry burn. The wife looked at me with a raised eyebrow, when I told her that I wanted a couple of bottles of Spirytus for my Xmas box.

 

[yourgurnard]

Funnily enough, Red Virginia W/Leaf was the 1st 'baccy I extracted:- in VG, placing the pot in hot water in a saucepan...the results were good enough to get Me hooked on this DIY NET thing!! I just cold macerate in PG now tho'...mainly 'cos I'm lazy!!! Doing pipe 'baccy now, since finding ECF!