Resin Extraction

Cannabis plants produce cannabinoids in their flowers (buds), such as CBD and THC, which accumulates in the resin in your plants’ trichomes. 

There are many methods used to extract cannabinoids known as resin extraction; from dry extracts to extracts done using water and ice, BHO extracts, press-extracts etc. 

The extraction method used varies depending on the materials you have to start with; the quality of your cannabis, the concentration you’re after (extraction purity) and the return that you want to get from your extract (amount of cannabinoids or resin obtained from the initial material). 

Let’s have a look at the different types of cannabis extracts. 

Dry Resin Extract

Dry extraction is one of the oldest, simplest and most widespread methods around the world. The product obtained via this extraction method is known as dry hash, dry shift or pollen.  

In order to make this extract you’ll need plant material (buds or leftover resinous trimmings) and a mesh designed to filter trichomes (resin), which can be between 150, 120 or 90 microns etc. 

There are all sorts of accessories which already come with mesh filters designed for fast and easy results such as Shake Me, or the larger version, Polenmaker. These models are ideal for small amounts of plant material; if you’re looking to filter larger quantities in less time, the Secret Box is a great choice. 

We recommend freezing your plant material for a few hours or even an entire day in order to improve the results of the extraction process; low temperatures make it easy for resin to fall off of the bud. Remember, the longer you’re shaking your cannabis for in order to release resin, the more plant material can also end up filtering through the mesh. The ideal way to go is to make sure it easily falls off with the first shake. 

Dry extracts allow for quite the return, although they tend to contain less cannabinoids than other types of extracts such as Iceolator, BHO or Rosin. 

Water and Ice Resin Extraction 

This type of extract, commonly known as Ice-o-Lator, Bubble Hash or Water Hash, involves using water and ice in order to remove cannabinoids from your plants material. Then, you catch the resin using filter bags in different sizes; one for catching plant material and filtering resin, and others for collecting varying qualities of resin.

Depending on how professional you want to be with this type of extract, you’ll need certain materials. The basic tools you’ll need are: 

• Buds or trimmings. 
• Filter bags for iceolator. 
• Ice. 
• Water. 
• Sturdy bucket. 
• Something for mixing the water and ice in the bucket. 

This process can also be automated using the Resinator resin extraction kit, which comes with resin filters that you fill with your plant material alongside ice and water, automatically extracting the resin. 

There are filter kits designed to make your own iceolator hash with the necessary micron filter bags allowing you to obtain different quality hash. If you’re looking for an affordable extraction kit to get started with your iceolator process, we recommend Secret Icer filter bags. If you’re looking for something a bit more professional for your extracts, we definitely recommend the Ice-O-Lator filter bags. 

This type of extract contains high amounts of cannabinoids and produces a decent return, although not as high as BHO extracts. 

BHO Resin Extract (Butane Hash Oil) 

BHO is obtained using solvents such as refined butane gas in order to separate cannabinoids from your plant material. After this process, you need to get rid of the gas by using a vacuum chamber with a pump in order to extract it all. 

This type of extraction method is commonly known as BHO, Wax, Shatter, Budder etc. depending on the texture and finish of the final product. It has a high cannabinoid concentration and high performance, even larger than Iceolator and Rosin extracts. 

We recommend doing this type of extract using the necessary equipment, outdoors and making sure to follow all safety measures: it can be dangerous if done wrong, as the solvent used to make the extract is highly flammable. 

At La Huerta Grow Shop you can find all types of materials needed to make BHO, from extraction tubes, to vacuum kits, heating plates, parchment paper, carbon filters and more. 

Rosin Extract 

Rosin or Rosintech is a type of extract obtained by pressing plant material at a high pressure and temperature so that they release a cannabinoid concentrate known as Rosin. 

In order to make the most out of this type of extract, you’ll need to use plant material (buds or trimmings) or a cannabis extract (dry hash, iceolator), rosin filter bags and a way to apply pressure and heat all at once. 

The best way to do this is to use presses specifically designed for this process; the recommended pressure for making Rosin is quite high and the ideal temperature is between 60 and 85°C. Our catalogue has various manual Rosin presses to choose from. 

• The Rosin Tarik press. 
• The Screw Press. 
• Pry Bar, a hydraulic press. 
• Airmax, a pneumatic press. 

This type of extract has a large cannabinoid content and an average/decent return, depending on the quality and state of the material you’re going to use. 

Cali Terpenes Terpenes 

This category also contains all of Cali Terpenes’ aromatic strains, ideal for adding a little extra aromas or flavour of certain strains such as Amnesia or Holy Grail Kush to your homemade extracts. 

When you add terpenes to your cannabis concentrates such as Wax, Shatter or Rosin, you can achieve a more jelly-like texture, which allows you to vape them in a vaporizer. 

If you have any questions when it comes to making extracts and the many accessories involved in resin extracts, get in touch with our team of experts.