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Mixing PG, VG, & BHO for vape cartridges
- Thread starter Dirt Bag
- Start date
I would always get some separation when trying to use PEG/PG/VG, including Vapeur Extract (a proprietary blend of Propylene Glycol USP, Polyethylene Glycol USP, Vegetable Glycerin USP), so I just switched to terps.
I would think that a homogenizer would do the trick better, but a proper one is close to a grand. If this just for your personal consumption, a magnetic stir bar and some heat should mix it nicely, but you will need to consume rather quickly.
From VE website:
1. Mix Vapeur Extract with extract at any ratio, 2:1 is typical. Note: 1mL (32 drops) of VE is equivalent to 1g
2. Stir under 150°F until the mixture is one solution
3. While warm, inject into cartridge
I would think that a homogenizer would do the trick better, but a proper one is close to a grand. If this just for your personal consumption, a magnetic stir bar and some heat should mix it nicely, but you will need to consume rather quickly.
From VE website:
1. Mix Vapeur Extract with extract at any ratio, 2:1 is typical. Note: 1mL (32 drops) of VE is equivalent to 1g
2. Stir under 150°F until the mixture is one solution
3. While warm, inject into cartridge
I have only tried PEG400 and VE, and both would stay mixed for a couple of days (max 1 week) and then begin to separate. Another important thing is that these blends are very runny and tend to leak more in cartridges. At 2:1, you would have ~300mg of THC, but with 1:10 ratio of terpenes, you would have something closer to ~800mg of THC.
Switcher56
Comfortably numb!
EJ-mix does the trick and, no separation. It ain't cheap but it works.
Unfortunately, these (terpenes that have been isolated in a lab and are suitable for human inhalation) are available locally in only a few select cities. You can order strain profiles, but they are quite expensive:
https://www.extractconsultants.com/product-category/solventfree-terpene-blends/
https://buy-terpenes.com/product-category/ttp/profiles/
If you making larger batches or using the terpenes in higher quantities with edibles, it is far more affordable to order the individual terpenes and make your own custom blends:
https://www.extractconsultants.com/product-category/isolated-terpenes/
https://trueterpenes.com/product-category/terpenes/
I would say there are a few major benefits of using terpenes. First is the fact that you only use a small amount (~10% or 0.1ml for every gram of extract) to dissolve the bho/shatter. If your bho is winterized and on point, this will create a very high potency vape pen. The second and probably most important is that certain combinations (strain profiles or custom mixes) of terpenes produce an indica or sativa effect from the same bho/shatter. Try it, you will be fucking amazed...
If you really want to see if terpenes are good fit, this is a pretty good way to sample some indica and sativa effects:
https://buy-terpenes.com/products/samples/profiles-sample-pack/
I always assumed that EJ was pretty close to Vapeur Extract. Have you made batches and let them sit for a few weeks? VE would always mix well initially, but after a while a bit of a darker layer would begin to form at the top. I am not sure if it is oxidization or another chemical reaction involving the terpenes or other organics. I wonder if these (PEG, PG & VG) style mixes would work better with refined distillate???
Switcher56
Comfortably numb!
Yassir I did
I've been vaping for 8 yrs so quite familiar with PEG 400, PG & VG. I never used PEG in the past but have messed with PG & VG. I prefer PG over VG but regardless I was getting separation, even with an 80/20 mix.
So I gave EJ a whirl and all is well. I have got strains that have been in viles for months without separation. I recently bought a cheaper alternative (BB Mix Pro) slightly cheaper but although it doesn't separate either. I prefer the EJ.
From what I have gathered, EJ is a mix of the aforementioned 3 ingredients, all of 'em do. The ratio (key) is proprietary but, it does work with everything I threw at it
Since I no longer smoke and I can no longer smoke the bud (even through a vaporiser) I had to find a way to make canna e-juice. In the long run waaaay cheaper than buying vape cartriges. 
It is a huge amount of work and/or very expensive to consume extracts compared to lighting a spliff but if looking for a change or especially people that may have asthma or COPD, many reasons it is so worth it especially with a bubbler. Lot of prep up front but the little e cig things are one and done super convenient. I'm not sure that burning cannabis even harms you at all the way that tobacco does, but if you are stuck to edibles/tinctures unable to tolerate how it dries the throat etc then potential bubbler/inhaler candidate you almost don't cough at all.
Switcher56
Comfortably numb!
Combusting is combusting, no 2 ways about it. It many not contain some of the nitrosamines found in tobacco but just look at the shit in your water pipe. That shit is in your lungs as well. Many folks still believe because it is not tobacco you can smoke it. I think folks need to revisit their position on that subject. Vaping cannabis is basically boiling off the terps. I can't stand either. I gag. So e-liquid is the way to go. Wrt to much of a hassle, well... caping 200 some odd canna pills is more daunting.
PS: No need to by extracts to make e-liquid. Although I admit they are really potent, so you do get a great bang for your buck.
How do you go about mixing BHO, shatter or wax with the EJ? What exactly is EJ? I am very interested. I have a couple carts about empty and want to give it a try.
Best,
LT
50 drops with a gram of concentrate?
I think I read it's a mix of vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol.
Polyethylene glycol will dissolve BHO/shatter. After dissolving the wax with polyethylene glycol, PG and/or VG may be used to thin the mix further. I have tried it myself with some success although I found I had to dilute the shatter quite a bit to get the desired consistency (perhaps 20-30% by volume wax/shatter).
There may be more information online (reading, videos) as far as what others are doing. Live extraction (using fresh frozen plants instead of dried and cured) may increase the yield of more fluid components other than thc. I am not sure if/how they are separating residual solvent from desired terpenes in the final product. The EJ Mix product also makes no mention of using a mechanical homogenizer which I only recently read here.
Does the homogenizer allow no use of glycol at all? Are people making vape juice out of BHO and vegetable glycerin alone?
Bottled terpenes are something different as they are advertised to add smell/flavor with 10% by volume recommendation.
Switcher56 are you saying you prefer e-liquid (BHO mixed with vaping juice) to vaporizing flowers?
Polyethylene glycol will dissolve BHO/shatter. After dissolving the wax with polyethylene glycol, PG and/or VG may be used to thin the mix further. I have tried it myself with some success although I found I had to dilute the shatter quite a bit to get the desired consistency (perhaps 20-30% by volume wax/shatter).
There may be more information online (reading, videos) as far as what others are doing. Live extraction (using fresh frozen plants instead of dried and cured) may increase the yield of more fluid components other than thc. I am not sure if/how they are separating residual solvent from desired terpenes in the final product. The EJ Mix product also makes no mention of using a mechanical homogenizer which I only recently read here.
Does the homogenizer allow no use of glycol at all? Are people making vape juice out of BHO and vegetable glycerin alone?
Bottled terpenes are something different as they are advertised to add smell/flavor with 10% by volume recommendation.
Switcher56 are you saying you prefer e-liquid (BHO mixed with vaping juice) to vaporizing flowers?
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There is some convenience in the delivery but I am not convinced on vape juice compared to concentrate vaporized or dabbed on its own. It looks like a good way to pre-package small doses for sale. But if I grow my own and get to the hash oil stage, I'm not sure I want to cut my product with glycol chemicals to fill a bunch of disposable plastic vials. It's cool when you first see one, there is a novelty effect and you do get high without smoke. But after asking around and looking online quite a bit I'm still left with more questions than answers as far as ingredients and extraction dilution filling process etc.
People argue trade secret but I would think if you had a good product you would be willing to show it off or explain how it is made. In other words McDonald's doesn't really want to show you inside their factory farming operations, perhaps because customers will be dissuaded if they saw production. This is unlike purchasing from a local organic farm where the owners are more than willing to explain and show off their methods as an advertisement of a desirable product.
People argue trade secret but I would think if you had a good product you would be willing to show it off or explain how it is made. In other words McDonald's doesn't really want to show you inside their factory farming operations, perhaps because customers will be dissuaded if they saw production. This is unlike purchasing from a local organic farm where the owners are more than willing to explain and show off their methods as an advertisement of a desirable product.
TrueTerpenes
New member
Hey Mengsk,
As WaterFarm said, you can buy terpene blends online. We also make a diluent from odorless, flavorless terpenes, which can be mixed with all the strain profiles that they had mentioned. Our site also has a whole learning section if you'd like to know more about terpenes in general. We can answer your questions here too!
You might be having some issues with separation due to waxes or improper homogenization. It's very hard to get waxes to stay in solution. We suggest using fully winterized shatter to avoid any interactions with whichever diluent you decide to use. We don't recommend using our Viscosity diluent with anything waxy or crystalline. It will work for dewaxed extracts and distillate, although the max we suggest to use is 10% because its still a terpene and should be used as such.
As WaterFarm said, the terpene blends are great because you can customize your mixes, making one base extract into many different strains.
Switcher56
Comfortably numb!
Short strokes. You either vape or combust. Pretty hard convincing anyone that you are not "using" walking down the street taking hits from a bong! OTOH, as a vaper, i defy you to tell me what is in my cartridge without analysis. Freedom!
Until the VISCOSITY debacle is handled I would suggest avoiding it all together.
There is an interesting debate as to the safety of the product in question in this thread here.
If you are considering this particular product, I encourage you to read the thread and judge for yourself whether it is safe for you and those that you may share with.
