Supercritical CO2 extraction

[KaliKitsune]

If you don't feel like futzing around with butane/hexane for making oil, you can always go the CO2 route. You can buy CO2 gas cheap, and it's a much more gentle solvent than supercritical butane, so you get a more pure product. I've used this successfully for extracting essential oils from more than just bud, it works wonderfully on rosemary, lavendar, and such so you can make your own scented oils and stuff!

[jb247]

I would love to see an instructional on this extraction method, I've tried extracting several different ways, but this I've never seen...

Peace...j.b.

[HippyInEngland]

Originally Posted by jb247

I would love to see an instructional on this extraction method, I've tried extracting several different ways, but this I've never seen...

Peace...j.b.

I agree.

[KaliKitsune]

The method is the exact same as for butane extraction. You just put your herb in a container that can take high pressure, preferably with a valve for gas exchange. Get a tank of CO2 and the proper connection line, fill the container with herb with pressurized CO2. under pressure, CO2 looks and acts like a liquid but it's still a gas - this is called Super-Critical. While a 'liquid' it will act as a solvent. This works for extracting most essential oils from most any plant material.

[I Eat Valium]

Doesn't Ice water sound even better? Hard to beat 100% pure hash.

[7greeneyes]

Originally Posted by I Eat Valium

Doesn't Ice water sound even better? Hard to beat 100% pure hash.

Nothin' purer then hash oil. Love it. Better as a tincture broken down to a transient liquid state in such fine liquors as Everclear or any other UHPalcohol (nuthin under 151proof) . Never done the water extraction method but it sounds wicked cool. As a sidenote...supercritical means at a temperature and pressure above its thermodynamic critical point. The gas (butane or co2) itself is not a "supercritical" anything. Take Care, bud.

[7greeneyes]

{note: only do this in a well ventilated outdoorsy place...like outside} U can also utilize a dbl boiler method w/ the everclear/hashish mix in a separate (uncovered) pressure cooker set in the water. Simmer it for as long as possible until it dissolves the alcohol-goodness away and you'll be left w/ a green sludge. Throw that in the freezer and remove 24hrs later. ...I've also married salvinorin-a w/ cannabis thc-a in this manner...Mmmm'mmm'mmm hippy crack. Wouldn't reccommed it for the faint hearted or people that don't wanna lose their silver chord. Sorry...went crystalwaver on ya's. Peace guys.

[KaliKitsune]

Originally Posted by 7greeneyes

Nothin' purer then hash oil. Love it. Better as a tincture broken down to a transient liquid state in such fine liquors as Everclear or any other UHPalcohol (nuthin under 151proof) . Never done the water extraction method but it sounds wicked cool. As a sidenote...supercritical means at a temperature and pressure above its thermodynamic critical point. The gas (butane or co2) itself is not a "supercritical" anything. Take Care, bud.

Wikipedia says you're wrong - "A supercritical fluid is any substance at a temperature and pressure above its thermodynamic critical point. It can diffuse through solids like a gas, and dissolve materials like a liquid."

[Puffin Afatty]

Please understand this is not a flame, I really want to know if there is some qualitative difference perceived, when you use butane/co2/hexane, etc., but why would You go to all the hassle instead of just using iso 91 percent

[7greeneyes]

Originally Posted by Puffin Afatty

Please understand this is not a flame, I really want to know if there is some qualitative difference perceived, when you use butane/co2/hexane, etc., but why would You go to all the hassle instead of just using iso 91 percent

he's arguing semantics when I'm merely telling him supercritical is a thermodynamic point, not properties, ...talk aboot wiedkinder. anyways, to answer (IMO) you PuffinAffaty, I prefer everclear because u can dissolve the oil down a minimal amount of residual alcohol but yet still keep it in a liquified ingestable state, whereas i'd never drink iso unless I reduced/distilled it down first in a bath of PGA Hope this clarifies, if not, oh well...p.s. other then that, I'd have to argue that 3x butane extraction is less efficient then an acetone bath because I've noticed residual crystals in the mix but when using acetone or an everclear extraction, it pulled everything w/ minimal amount of cholophyll contamination. You guys take it easy.

[Puffin Afatty]

I can see the logic in the everclear, versus ISO, but why would anyone go to the trouble of super critical, butane, hexene etc

[Tater]

If gas without impurities is used then no impurities will be transfered to the final product. I can't prove this and have no quantifiable evidence but personally I would think that 90% ISO would still leave some impurities behind and not only that that 10% is most likely water. Which is then transfered to the extraction must be removed from the final product. This is all just coming from some crazy fairy in my head but it seems to make sense. I dunno I'm wrecked.

[Puffin Afatty]

I have made iso many times and tried the butane 2x, the final products were very similar, but the iso was every bit as good and yield was also the same. I just dont see it worth any more hassle than iso

[Tater]

I guess chalk it up to different strokes for different folks lol.

[massproducer]

IMO, ISO is not even in the same league as BHO, they do not call it honey oil for nothing, it is so contaminate free that the color of the oil is golden. Butane only really extracts cannabinoids and terpenoids. This means that the only other thing beside cannabinoids that will be readily extracted are aromas and flavors, so if you have some majorily tasty buds, the BHO will take on those same flavors. Everything else is left behind, this includes, waxes, tars, chlorophyll and a whole host of other elements.

I would also have to disagree with 7greeneyes because the fact is that you would need labratory testing to determine any level of impurities left behind from any good Butane.

I will agree that alcohol wheather ISO or everclear will give a slightly larger yield, but this is not really benefical if you are just weighing your product down with contaminates. I am willing to sacrifice a fraction of my yeild for impeccable quality.

[HippyInEngland]

Whisky is whisky to some folk, but some realise the differences of quality whiskies, if the person drinking whisky is drinking it because it is simply a whisky, then they are happy.

[Dozingoffaroundthecorner]

Dude! You know how to extract for essential oils?? I was really interested in that for a while and gave up because I was afraid of blowing up.

[Dozingoffaroundthecorner]

Can you use dry ice?

[Dozingoffaroundthecorner]

The only thing that turned me off from homemade bubble hash rigs was the butane. CO2 is organic and less combustible. It's a lot safer to work with unless you add carbonation.

[POTUS]

Originally Posted by massproducer

you would need laboratory testing to determine any level of impurities left behind from any good Butane.

Your right! The same lab could provide you with some quality photos of your new cancer tumors that will form as a result of the same residuals in some people.

Let's remember that we're trying to get high. Let's not get nuts over it. If getting high has to go so far as to risk known cancer causing residuals being left in your body, it no longer is worth it.

Folks risking being blown to pieces, developing tumors, it just seems like desperation at that point. Willing to risk it all just to get high.

I heard a crack head try to justify the same thing once.

Let's not lose our perspective.

This all started as taking a little toke from a joint once in awhile. Now we're into lab procedures, explosives and tumors.

Where will it stop? We're feeding the very people who are keeping it illegal by propagating these methods.

Sorry, I had to say it. It needed said. I know that a bunch will flame me for it, but it still had to be said.

Please folks, let's all be careful with what we do and do all in moderation. Excessive anything can kill you. Get high WHILE you live. Living to get high is something else entirely. Living is the key. High should be an accompaniment, not the primary goal of life.

<Stoney dons his flame retardant suit and braces himself....>