Full Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO)

The topic of FECO popped up in another thread recently, and I just happened to be making some FECO when i saw Mark's clarification, so I decided to take some relatively crappy pics with my 6 year old Samsung Halo (cheapo) and try to explain the process i use. 

1.   I started with 2.25oz of very dry wedding cake x durban flower (bud) that i grew, harvested and cured for 2 months. I place the bud on aluminum foil and cover  (loose fit, don't smash the bud) with another piece of aluminum foil.  Crimp the edges of both pieces of foil together around the entire edge. Often it is instructed to place in the oven on foil open and uncovered, but i like it covered as this minimizes terpenes lost to volatilization. I want all the terps i can keep.  I have a gas oven, turn the gas oven to 225 (hovered back and forth between 220F and 230F with a quality oven thermometer).   When i was content the temp would stay where i wanted, I placed the foil package on the middle rack and set a timer for 40 minutes ( a bit short of full decarb at this temp - approx. 50 minutes is the full time needed for that -  but i also want to keep some thca in the resin to extract as it also has health benefits). 

baked oven window :) ...

Good Decarb explanation :  >>> https://greencamp.com/decarboxylation/

Biblical Decarb. Chart:  Lower temps require longer times, but are well worth preserving all the cannabinoids and terpenes as best as possible. Too much heat quickly destroys these precious molecules!!  Patience pays greatly at this point...

2.   Place the decarbed 2.25 oz in a one gallon ziploc, rinse foil twice with Everclear and dump into ziploc bag with bud, and cover all with Everclear 190 proof (95%) grain alcohol, squeeze out most of the air and zip the ziploc up.  While watching some boob tube, I mindlessly, but gently, swished the alcohol back and forth over the bud for around 30 minutes.  Let the ziploc sit out at room temp overnight. 

In the morning, drain out the alcohol / resin solution through a fine sieve strainer and into a shallow cooking pan (  i use a high quality ceramic pan certified with no heavy metals, pofa's, or pufa,s. I tried glass, but lost a lot in the process).  Then, i use half the amount of Everclear of the first soak and do a 2nd wash on the bud to remove any remaining resin film on the buds and in the bag. Swish this around for about 5 minutes.  Don't want to leave any of your spent hard work, time and money in the bag......get it all !!!

soaked overnight and 2nd time washed bud remaining...

3.   I use an Electric ( no gas flame with Everclear, unless you like staring at a pretty blue flame that bets bigger quickly ) magnetic stirrer / hot plate i bought online a while back to very mildly heat the alcohol / resin solution in order to evap the alcohol ( I can place my hand on the plate surface and keep it there comfortably....no high heat at this point in the process either ) !!  This took around 18 hrs total. I also use a 4" AC computer fan i purchased online to speed up the evap. 

about 15 hrs in....

4.   As the alcohol / resin soln' starts to thicken, fine bubbles appear as the last of the alcohol evaporates. I use my nose to determine when i think it's at the point i want. Some people want it ALL gone. I don't mind if a tiny bit is left, but try to get as much alcohol evapped as possible.  When I'm happy with the smell, this is the  time i place a plate underneath the pan to tilt it at a decent angle,  then turn the gas flame on low for just seconds on the pan with the cannabis oil to get the remaining oil warm enough to pool in the curve of the pan, in order to pull it up into sterile 3 ml syringes ( Amazon ).   What little remains on the pan,  i warm up just a bit and swipe a piece of bread around until i get it all, place the slice in a baggie and in the freezer it goes. When i want a little, i cut a frozen piece off and ingest after thawing a bit. 

From 2.25oz i ended up with approx. 22 ml of FECO. I place these syringes together in a 1 quart ziploc, write the date on the bag, and in the frig they go for long term storage, and that's where they stay.  Cold is your FECO friend.  I have used FECO syringes from 1.5 yrs ago and they are every bit as potent as the first syringe,  when stored properly. 

When use is desired, In order to get the cold, thick cannabis oil out of the syringes, i place warm water in a shot glass and let the syringe set in the warm water for several minutes. The syringe allows me to place just a drop at a time. I prefer placing a drop or two onto a spoonful of cold apple sauce. The cannabis oil re-thickens right away.  Swallow the apple sauce in one gulp, don't let the cold cannabis oil hit your teeth!!! It sticks immediately and is annoying AF as it takes a while to dissolve from your teeth, although this may be a method of slow release....lol.  That's it.  :))))