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What is everyone doing for these jars of crystals

WaterFarmFan

Active member
Veteran
Some great replies everyone! I think I understand what is going on a little better. Terpenes and THC are extracted with solvent, and jars facilitate crystal growth with various external techniques. The byproduct, which is actually the primary product, that I was asking about are the THC-a crystals that formed with the full spectrum terp rich sauce being the actual leftovers? And thus, the sauce can be in many different concentration forms depending on how much or little of THC was actually converted to THC-a? In the snowball down hill analogy, I assume that snow on the hill is the THC in the solvent and the snowball is the THC-a crystals?
 

WaterFarmFan

Active member
Veteran
If all of the above is true, how do you purge your solvent from the sauce without losing terpenes? Is that why some recommend temps in the 80s-90s, to slowly purge as you go?
 
Once the crystals form you can separate them from the terp rich fraction and purge the two in vacuum oven separately to help purge fast to preserve terps
 
There should be a very small amount of THC in the raw plant and or the hydrocarbon extraction if there wasn't much heat used in the extraction process
 

gumby420

Member
If all of the above is true, how do you purge your solvent from the sauce without losing terpenes? Is that why some recommend temps in the 80s-90s, to slowly purge as you go?

I was told to purge my jar with no heat for 24 hrs after I've decided its done crystalizing. I've been leaving the oven at 75 so theres a tiny bit of viscosity and only purge for a few hours at a time then sample it. its crazy how runny the terp fraction is until its purged for 2 minutes.
 

Chonkski

Member
Sup guys, been a while since posting on icmag. this subject is what takes up my lab time currently

ive been using the 'jar tech' myself for a while turning out some pretty good batches with large growth.

My topic for discussion is added pressure. I've recently caught wind of a few peers using collection pots to put their jars in and pressurizing it to 80-100psi for the dwelling period, all while experimenting with different dwelling temps on the collection pot.

although, this is a bit too deep into the tech to get any of my friends to talk about their personal notes, hence my return to the mag!

havent tried this technique but i plan too this week. and I want to try something new when i do..

I'm going to try using pentane to ultra dewax a slab of shatter, and then recover enough pentane to create a supersaturated solution, then i'm going to throw the tall container into a collection and pressurize it using nitrogen. i'm thinking 80psi and ambient temp to start (60f) for a couple days.

I've heard of strong formations of large crystals within 3 days.

Thoughts, arguments, input?
 

Pangea

Active member
Veteran
I always share: https://web.mit.edu/x-ray/cystallize.html as well as suggest to search for videos/info on crystallizing salt and sugar, also google growing large single crystals.

Ive noticed a recent trend on IG with folks selling pressure vessels and advising to use high pressure to grow crystals. Does anyone have any insight into the kinetics and advantages to using a pressure vessel? Scratching my head I came up with, perhaps, low terpene solutions that are more prone to "sugar" crashing are helped by applying pressure to reduce the rate of evaporation? Perhaps the pressure is creating a density gradient similar to centrifuge? or perhaps folks are leaving a decent amount of tane in the solution and lowering the temps/solvent power thus allowing crystals to form but seems like that would be cumbersome to grow larger singles?

Edit: Hey Chonkski, good seeing you around, looks like ya beat me to it by a few seconds :D
 
Sup guys, been a while since posting on icmag. this subject is what takes up my lab time currently

ive been using the 'jar tech' myself for a while turning out some pretty good batches with large growth.

My topic for discussion is added pressure. I've recently caught wind of a few peers using collection pots to put their jars in and pressurizing it to 80-100psi for the dwelling period, all while experimenting with different dwelling temps on the collection pot.

although, this is a bit too deep into the tech to get any of my friends to talk about their personal notes, hence my return to the mag!

havent tried this technique but i plan too this week. and I want to try something new when i do..

I'm going to try using pentane to ultra dewax a slab of shatter, and then recover enough pentane to create a supersaturated solution, then i'm going to throw the tall container into a collection and pressurize it using nitrogen. i'm thinking 80psi and ambient temp to start (60f) for a couple days.

I've heard of strong formations of large crystals within 3 days.

Thoughts, arguments, input?
This is how I recrystallize to 99% crystals, except I don't use any pressure besides what is created in the jar by evaporation at 100f.
 

Gry

Well-known member
Hats off to Pangea and Hash of Titans.

who was it that posted the link to the sugar crystallizers handbook ?
a wonderful job of explaining what is involved in the process
 

MedicalMilitia

New member
So I have seen Numerous posts on Instagram showing off crystal formations made in jars and I have yet to figure out the tek behind this can someone help me Because it seems like everybody there knows how to make large formation crystals wants to keep the information for themselves I have iso butane - propane - and n butane to mix and make what ever has mixture is needed so please help

Excerpt and technique from

http://summit-research.tech/p/treasure-chest

1. take 100 grams and add to approx 500ml hexane isomers, direct from any extraction. non decarbed and non winterized, however winterized can be used. but virgin extract is preferred.

2. take 500ml distilled water and add sodium hydroxide until ph of solution rises to 13.

3. now take the dissolved hexane and extract solution and place in sep funnel. add slowly the ph 13 water.

4. allow to separate until emulsion layer breaks.

5. separate water out. at this point the water at ph13 will also have the thca, as well as some other compounds have now converted to thca as well. some. the water itself is what you keep, and a second wash may be done on the hexane wash with water, but the yield is very small, and not worth the time.

6. take the ph13 thca water and now add hcl to bring ph to 4-7. around 4-5 is best from what we have heard. the thca will precipitate out and cloud everything up. this may also cause a small foaming to occur so mix slowly and be careful. this is a chemical reaction from two components that do not solute together and begin to separate naturally.

7. once that water thca solution is back to neutral add back to sep funnel. then add new clean hexane isomers in the same ratio into the sep funnel with the thca water.

8. allow separation and emulsion layer to break. the hexane isomers with absorb the thca and it will separate from the water. remove the water and just flush a tad bit of hexane solution as well. remove contents of sep funnel inot rotovap and evaporate hexane, then place slightly liquid thca/hexane wash in vacuum oven.

9. turn oven up to 160-180f and vac off for abut 30 minutes and thc crystals will form.
 

Chonkski

Member
Excerpt and technique from

https://summit-research.tech/p/treasure-chest

1. take 100 grams and add to approx 500ml hexane isomers, direct from any extraction. non decarbed and non winterized, however winterized can be used. but virgin extract is preferred.

2. take 500ml distilled water and add sodium hydroxide until ph of solution rises to 13.

3. now take the dissolved hexane and extract solution and place in sep funnel. add slowly the ph 13 water.

4. allow to separate until emulsion layer breaks.

5. separate water out. at this point the water at ph13 will also have the thca, as well as some other compounds have now converted to thca as well. some. the water itself is what you keep, and a second wash may be done on the hexane wash with water, but the yield is very small, and not worth the time.

6. take the ph13 thca water and now add hcl to bring ph to 4-7. around 4-5 is best from what we have heard. the thca will precipitate out and cloud everything up. this may also cause a small foaming to occur so mix slowly and be careful. this is a chemical reaction from two components that do not solute together and begin to separate naturally.

7. once that water thca solution is back to neutral add back to sep funnel. then add new clean hexane isomers in the same ratio into the sep funnel with the thca water.

8. allow separation and emulsion layer to break. the hexane isomers with absorb the thca and it will separate from the water. remove the water and just flush a tad bit of hexane solution as well. remove contents of sep funnel inot rotovap and evaporate hexane, then place slightly liquid thca/hexane wash in vacuum oven.

9. turn oven up to 160-180f and vac off for abut 30 minutes and thc crystals will form.


yeah i remember this technique. I've actually tried with DCM and turned out yield.. although a very small yield.

I'm pretty sure this is what alot of poeple are doing for their crystalline. considering the wide availability.. I would imagine they are yielding most of their product from crude..


Anyways, a little update on my experiment.. I did exactly as i said i was going to do with a small slab of shatter. left it for three days, only instead of leaving it at room temp i set it to 90F.

Just checked on it this morning and there is no formation or even signs of crashing.. I turned off the heat and re pressurized the collection pot in hopes of the cooling acting as a catalyst to the crash..

Not sure what it is about pressure that would help the process along, I've been trying to wrap my head around it. It seems to make sense what you had mentioned about the pressure slowing the evap (pangea)
 

Pangea

Active member
Veteran
I have been using IG to discuss with one of the companies making "diamond miner" pressure vessels designed and made specifically to grow crystals. Their posts and replies leave me believing they dont have a grasp or understanding on the process. Think they may have jumped the gun, but maybe there is a missing piece.
 

Chonkski

Member
Yep. i believe were thinking of the same poster. 6" diamond miners with the glass lids..

Thats what got me going on this.

Just seen someone post about turning out nice even size crystals within 13hrs, and the caption also mentions "just figured out how to cut 80% off the production time"

Gotta tap into this.
 
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Pangea

Active member
Veteran
Thats fast, makes me think my third guess of lowering the temp to reduce solubility, as we know there are jacketed "miners" out there.

I thought the lids where acrylic, but hard to remember and IG is lousy for searching past information.
 

Mikell

Dipshit Know-Nothing
ICMag Donor
Veteran
If you have very specific keywords, you can use google to site search IG.
 

Chonkski

Member
Makes sense. I'll try some trials next time i do a run. In the meantime, i may try that with the pentane experiment as well.
 

Old Gold

Active member
Not sure what it is about pressure that would help the process along, I've been trying to wrap my head around it. It seems to make sense what you had mentioned about the pressure slowing the evap (pangea)

It raises your boiling points significantly

I'm going to try using pentane to ultra dewax a slab of shatter, and then recover enough pentane to create a supersaturated solution, then i'm going to throw the tall container into a collection and pressurize it using nitrogen. i'm thinking 80psi and ambient temp to start (60f) for a couple days.

You probably don't need to pressurize it unless you have a high-terpene solution. Solubility in solids/liquids doesn't really change with pressure.
 
Last edited:

Chonkski

Member
It raises your boiling points significantly



You probably don't need to pressurize it unless you have a high-terpene solution. Solubility in solids/liquids doesn't really change with pressure.

"forced super saturation from increased pressure"
is the way a friend of mine put it

Solubility of a saturated solution is decreased by manipulating temp, volume, and/or pressure. More pressure, less temp = faster crystals

quoted from him as well.


Thoughts?
 
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