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The Generic Terpenators Operating Manual

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
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Cap off the outlet and turn it on. It should reach high pressure limits quickly and shut off.

It should stay shut off with out subsequent cycling to makeup leakage.
 

fcjohnny

Member
Ok so lately I've been able to hit -10hg. On the final dump i'll get as low as -11 or -12hg.

I believe it had a leaking seal or something or possible still do because my recovery pump is fine..
 

Pangea

Active member
Veteran
Did you do the air pressure test on your system with an air compressor? Pressurize your system to 100psi and leave it for an hour and see if it held the pressure without any loss.
 

fcjohnny

Member
Did you do the air pressure test on your system with an air compressor? Pressurize your system to 100psi and leave it for an hour and see if it held the pressure without any loss.

I did indeed. Today I was able to pull down -17 to -18.

The end product is still coming out darker than what I would be blasting through a tube. I see GW says that its due to the longer soak times. Does this mean the amount of butane I am injecting into the column? I've been following terpps scale method so far to the T. I don't have a sight glass so I've been holding my hand at the top of the column and waiting to feel to chill of butane. I will note that weight eg .800 lbs and then wait for the scale to read double the soak weight and shut valve 4 and valve 2.... I've been only been doing 2 washes.



Off topic how do people do the pour videos I see on instagram. Are they not reccovering all the butane before the open their lid?
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
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I did indeed. Today I was able to pull down -17 to -18.

The end product is still coming out darker than what I would be blasting through a tube. I see GW says that its due to the longer soak times. Does this mean the amount of butane I am injecting into the column? I've been following terpps scale method so far to the T. I don't have a sight glass so I've been holding my hand at the top of the column and waiting to feel to chill of butane. I will note that weight eg .800 lbs and then wait for the scale to read double the soak weight and shut valve 4 and valve 2.... I've been only been doing 2 washes.



Off topic how do people do the pour videos I see on instagram. Are they not reccovering all the butane before the open their lid?

Hee, hee, hee, a Terpenator gives you options.

The fastest quickest way to extract cannabis essential oil, is to soak the material and run the recovery pot at about 200F. That will produce a waxy partially decarboxylated oil, suitable for winterization and decarboxylation, to use for orals, topicals, and suppositories.

Under those conditions, a Mk III can do three flood/recoveries and harvest cycles, about four times an hour with an experienced processor, or 15 minutes floor to floor time per extraction.

I designed the Mk III with ma and pa's resources in mind, small, fast, and relatively inexpensive to build. It was actually faster overall than the Mk I and II that proceeded it, even without column heat.

Much lies in the middle, but the other extreme end of the scale, is for museum quality vaporization products, which take about four times as long and has different process parameters.

Because the demands are different, the Mk IV and V both have the added feature of bi-flow flooding.

To speed up the recovery cycle, the Mk I, II, IV, and V all have column heat, which is turned on after the final dump and after the system has recovered to -10" with the dump valve open. Before heating, the dump and vent valves are closed to isolate the column, and a new valve is opened to directly recover the butane without it flowing through the lower recovery pot.

The Mk IV and V also have nitrogen back fill, so that the vacuum pump is not pumping a flammable mixture.

It is easy to convert a Mk III to bi flow flooding, and not really necessary to add column heat, because it is so small and fast anyway. It uses 1 1/2" columns, while the commercial Mk IV and V use 4" columns.

For low temperature extractions, use a bushing and up size the flood valve and vent valve and line to 3/8".

Soooo, if you have added the bi flow feature, and are seeking blonde goodness for vaporizing, try starting with a young Sativa about 5 to 7 days in the drying cycle.

Break the buds into 1/2" nuggets, pack it into the column, cap the column and freeze it overnight at 0F.

Put the storage tank in a denature alcohol and dry ice bath and soak until the tank just above the bath level, reads -30C.

Set the Terpenator beside the water bath, not in it, and maintain the bath at 85F.

Flood the column from the bottom, with the vent valve open, until it flows out the top, as judged by the sudden super chill when the butane liquid starts out the vent line. Time how much time that takes.

If you are using a Mk IV or V, simply use the sight glass to determine when flooding is complete.

Close the vent valve, then the flood valve, and open the new top rinse valve, before opening the dump valve and timing the rinse for the same amount of time it took to flood the column.

Close the flood valve and recover to -10" with the dump valve open, so as to use the evaporation to keep the material in the column frozen.

Periodically dip the lower tank in the water bath to remove the ice and see where the ice reforms, so as to keep track of progress. The vacuum gauge is reading right, but at those temperatures evaporation is painfully slow, more from sublimation that boiling.

If you have a Mk IVB or VB/VA2, use the thermocouple readout from the collection tank. It will drop to 31.9F during recovery, but start to rise again once the boiling puddle is gone. Run the recovery bath at 85F.

Close dump valve and repeat cycle as many cycles as it takes, usually two to three.

When you reach -10" after the final dump, close the dump valve, open the column recovery valve, and turn on column heat.

Recover to -22", valve off the recovery pump, and back fill the system with dry nitrogen.

Turn on high vacuum pump, open vacuum pump isolation valve, and pull system to -29" Hg. Pump at -29" Hg for 5 minutes, with the pot out of the water bath. If you are running a Mk IVC or VC, turn off pot heat and drain pot and switch to chilled water circulation.

Close off vacuum isolation valve and turn off vacuum pump.

Back fill with nitrogen to atmosphere, remove lower pot and cover with plastic lid, and place in freezer for 30 minutes.

Remove and use small scraper to stir/pulverize cotton candy contents into fine flakes of shatter. Pour on parchment paper, and spread thin.

Process in vacuum chamber or oven to product desired.
 
Last edited:

SG1

Goblin Master
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Howdy Mr. Wolf.

After just losing 40% of a initial 3.5lb batch to a processor/blaster as a fee, I decided to make my plans to buy an MKIII kit and learn the process myself.

All the reading is very helpful, but until I get a new blasting shed built and all my equipment bought, No use in bothering anyone for added info.

I've been in the growing craft for 34, and working my 35th year as a grower/breeder.
I have all my own strains, some with Terp profiles up to 32% total terpenes.

I never wanted to be my own concentrate guy, but with the high cost of having someone do it for me, has indeed forced my hand.

Doesn't make any sense for a concentrate processor to make as much profit in 3 days as the grower does in 6 months.

I've subbed onto all your threads and will continue educating myself and my apprentice.

One question: Are there classes that can be attended for Noob blasters?
Web site only shows 2013 classes, any updates for those that want hands on?
 

Breakover

Member
Yeah, everyone knows that custom stainless parts and a plethora of specialized equipment just grows on trees, and once you have that, running and maintaining it costs nothing. Duh. LMAO.
 

ghostmade

Active member
Veteran
Yeah, everyone knows that custom stainless parts and a plethora of specialized equipment just grows on trees, and once you have that, running and maintaining it costs nothing. Duh. LMAO.

or that you could be potentially putting your life at risk giving a malfunction or better yet user error in operation and or maintenance.lolf*** it we'll put that on the house as well it's half and half over here baby winterized or not.see people running buds going to feel that hurt(because of the number game),but people running trim and larf really dont care because they're getting the awesome return on something that would not be even marketable.if I had some serious though I go post up in Jamaica for about a year lol
 

Pangea

Active member
Veteran
I dont get why any grower other than small hobby guys would outsource their extraction?
 
What is the proper method of using a Can Tap

What is the proper method of using a Can Tap

Just got a new LP5 recovery tank, evacuated the nitrogen and vacuumed it down. I purchased a Robinair Can Tapper. I made an 8" hose with 1/4" jic female ends. The Can Tap has a valve in it that I assume needs to be removed to let butane flow out but when I remove it, it is now an open valve that allows flow both ways. what is the proper procedure and equipment to load the cans into the recovery tank? I guess I need to add a ball valve to the hose where it joins the tapper and will need to bleed a little butane off every time I add another can.

Thanks for your time and consideration everyone!
 

Roji

Active member
Just got a new LP5 recovery tank, evacuated the nitrogen and vacuumed it down. I purchased a Robinair Can Tapper. I made an 8" hose with 1/4" jic female ends. The Can Tap has a valve in it that I assume needs to be removed to let butane flow out but when I remove it, it is now an open valve that allows flow both ways. what is the proper procedure and equipment to load the cans into the recovery tank? I guess I need to add a ball valve to the hose where it joins the tapper and will need to bleed a little butane off every time I add another can.

Thanks for your time and consideration everyone!

A ball valve at the can tap works well. You dont have to burp gas between cans. The amount of air that gets between the can piercer and the ball valve is minimal if you swap cans fast.
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Howdy Mr. Wolf.

After just losing 40% of a initial 3.5lb batch to a processor/blaster as a fee, I decided to make my plans to buy an MKIII kit and learn the process myself.

All the reading is very helpful, but until I get a new blasting shed built and all my equipment bought, No use in bothering anyone for added info.

I've been in the growing craft for 34, and working my 35th year as a grower/breeder.
I have all my own strains, some with Terp profiles up to 32% total terpenes.

I never wanted to be my own concentrate guy, but with the high cost of having someone do it for me, has indeed forced my hand.

Doesn't make any sense for a concentrate processor to make as much profit in 3 days as the grower does in 6 months.

Economics are more about supply and demand, than what makes sense or is fair.

It does point out that at this moment in the market, there is not enough extraction capacity to create the competition that drives down the price.

That does open a market window, which means that not only are the existing extractors able to realize extra normal profits, but that the high profits will attract other investors, until the market reaches equilibrium again.

I design products for WolfWurx, Inc which only produces commercial equipment, but the purchaser of the first Mk V relayed that actual payback was less than a month at that moment in the market, and most of his product was sold bulk to processors and medibles producers, whom are feeling the supply pinch as well.

He has since purchased a Mk VB and laughing calls himself Smeagol, because he stays so busy running two machines, that he seldom sees the light of day.

Economics are more market opportunities opening, reaching equilibrium, and closing. Those at the right place at the right time have the greatest opportunity to win.

Processing your own would be a good way to avoid that pinch, and doesn't require as large or elaborate an equipment set up as those purchasing material on the bulk market, and running 16/7 to make their nut before competition takes away the extra normal profit.

The actual entry cost into the market isn't that high, and if you are processing only your own, or doing so for others, you avoid the struggle for "good" fresh trim on the bulk market, between outdoor harvests, as well as mold, pesticides, etc.

I've subbed onto all your threads and will continue educating myself and my apprentice.

One question: Are there classes that can be attended for Noob blasters?
Web site only shows 2013 classes, any updates for those that want hands on?

Skunk Pharm Research lost our free quid pro quo lease where we conducted our classes, and haven't found a suitable one that wouldn't add about $100 to the price of the at cost tickets, so we haven't jumped back into it.

I'm buried, but you can get private classes from either of my two SPR partners, and Carla at Specialized Formulations also offers public classes, so you might check with them using the contact information at the SPR site.

Either can show you how to assemble and operate a Terpenator, as well as process the material into the product of our choice, and have the full resources of SPR, including our lab and Pharm D.
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Yeah, everyone knows that custom stainless parts and a plethora of specialized equipment just grows on trees, and once you have that, running and maintaining it costs nothing. Duh. LMAO.

Also known as both the entry fee and the barrier to the market. You have to invest the money for the equipment, which is an opportunity cost.

The cost of that opportunity, is what else you could do with the money, and you first have to have the entry fee.

Butane and Propane are not inexpensive, and when running for highest production, more is lost.

They are also most certainly not a drop in place and walk away piece of machinery, and require regular maintenance and close monitoring.

It also requires some mechanical talent to not gall the fittings fixing any thread leaks that arise with thermal cycling, so as to require replacement.

The raw oleoresin extract also requires finishing in a vacuum oven before selling, which adds to the cost and time.

As noted above, Smeagol is giving up his free hours to make hay while the sun shines, sacrificing what a dashing young man of his means could be doing instead.

All about opportunities, resources, and effort. Motivated by the reward, which will diminish as the market again reaches equilibrium.

At that point, folks will drop out of the market, and the used equipment will be cheap, so stick around if you are currently short of funds.
 

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I dont get why any grower other than small hobby guys would outsource their extraction?

Core purpose! If you focus on the core purpose that you are expert at, and use experts in area that you are not, you have the greatest chance of success.

Not every gifted grower is gifted mechanically, but a mechanically gifted grower could learn to do so, or hire mechanically gifted folks to operate their machine for them.

The next step in the chain of course is to hire someone with a machine to process it for you, and we have gone full circle.

Resources and opportunity costs! Some growers may have limited resources and better opportunity returns elsewhere.

Some growers won't have the time to do both.

Lots of opportunity for all involved, but requires effort and the proper skill sets to win.
 
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