The purpose of this post is to share information about formulating and making vape cartridges, directed at more entry-level explores. I like to share about formulating carts and edibles so that everyone has a chance to do it themselves. This is very straightforward tek, and even if you don’t have a lab you definitely have a kitchen. My belief is that there are some who want to hoard information and others who want to share. The little guy will be able to use this and have some fun and if he/she wants to start a business then great. If you have a bigger budget and want to learn more please just DM me. This how-to uses a hand-filling method.
Inputs & Supplies:
- THC or CBD Distillate
- Terpenes
- Ball Jar or stainless-steel ramekin
- Heating Element (hot plate with temperature read-out is preferred, but if you can’t obtain one of those, then a hot pad or oven can still do the trick)
- Syringes (preferably glass, anything around 1ml-5ml)
- Syringe Tips 14-gague (since you will NOT be cutting your cart solution with unhealthy thinning agents, 14-gague is a good size for the viscosity of the oil [higher the number = smaller the hole])
- Cartridges
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Gloves
- Paper towels, or cotton pads
Step 1: What is your desired formula?
What is your desired potency and level of terpenes you would like to have?
Let’s say you have decided that you want to fill 100 cartridges in your batch. That means you will need 10g of total formula (oil+terpenes). If you are choosing 10% terpenes, then that will mean your mixture is 10g of terpenes and 90g of Oil.
This is a simple example, and there are easy ways to figure out more complex formulation math – if you have any specific questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I will answer them.
Keep in mind you will lose some volume that remains stuck to the jar.
Step 2: Liquify your oil
Heat up the oil in the oven or on your hotplate to around 150-170 degrees Fahrenheit. Low and slow is the name of the game, as high temperatures will evaporate the THC and darken your oil if it’s kept on too long. If you don’t have the time put it heat it at 170 until the oil is nice and runny. Think a little thicker than olive oil.
Step 3: Mix in the terpenes
Once the oil is heated and liquified, add in the terpenes. Measure out the exact weight of the terpenes needed, or use a small graduated syringe if going by my ml volume. (we would typically go by volume of terpenes rather than weight because different terpenes have different weights. Eg if we weighed out 100g of oil I would ad in 10ml of terps. I would love to hear from others about how they deal with this issue but this was the easiest fix for us)
Step 4: Homogenize the mixture
If you really want your mixture to be even, having a homogenizer is key. If you aren’t yet at that level of investment (~$1,200 on ebay used), then do your best to mix the solution using your hot plate. Most scientific hot plates come with a magnetic stirrer that can be placed into the solution. The magnetism of it with the plate causes it to spin around vigorously and continuously. Keep in mind your total volume needs to be large enough where there is enough oil for the magnetic stirrer to move around.
Step 5: Use syringe to fill carts
Using your syringe suck up the solution and dispense into your cartridges one-by-one.
Either use the syringe to measure out exactly 1ml of solution per cartridge, or test out one cart to see where the 1ml fill line is, and use that point as a reference when you fill all of the cartridges.
Step 6: Clean up and record
Clean up any excess oil from each cartridge with alcohol, as well as the workspace. Record your total cartridges you ended up getting from the total mixture, and note how much loss you had.
Take time to reflect on your process and write down notes of anything that you learned that you would do differently next time – mistakes you made, or ways that you realized you could operate more efficiently.
Allow cartridges to sit for 24 hours before using.