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Apr-20-2017 04:20printcomments

T-Rex 2 Makes Solvent-less Cannabis Oil with the Push of a Button

Tarik+Rosin is set to revolutionize the rosin industry.

tarik+rosin
The Tarik+Rosin "T-Rex 2"
Photo: Bonnie King, Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - More people every day are discovering the delights of cannabis in many types, shapes, tastes and consistencies. Cannabis products also vary in strength, and it is integral to their success that consumers know what they are buying.

The “bud” is the most vaunted of all parts of the cannabis plant. The bud (aka “flower” or “herb”) is where the THC content is found, and therefore the most valuable and most sought after. The second favorite? OIL produced from the buds.

OIL is where it's at

The last few years, many cannabis aficionados have become enamored by oil concentrates, and smoking the more intense oil by “dabbing”.

Dabbing is just smoking oil through a pipe, called a “dab rig”, that can handle high heat, and is heated with a torch.

An electronic dabber is a great choice for those put off by a torch, and many people prefer adding oil to a bowl of herb or lining a joint paper with oil. Smoking less but getting the same (or stronger) effect has many advantages, and dabbing has become wildly popular.

Cannabis oil is nothing new. Hippies “from the day” have oft reminded me that they produced their own hash oil (also called honey oil or Rosin) by simply “putting some bud in the window of my truck on a hot day, and after a few hours there was plenty of oil to smoke.”

In more recent years, a hair straightener at low temp and parchment paper has been another process used. Indeed, there are many ways to squeeze out the oil, some much more effective than others.

Many Steps Forward

Today, commercially produced cannabis oil is derived using solvents including BHO (Butane), PHO (Propane), or CO2 to release the THC from the cannabis plant. The process is complicated and can be dangerous, but the result is an impressive, stable, concentrated oil. These products are available through dispensaries for a pretty penny.

For personal use however, the coolest new product on the market is the Tarik+Rosin "T-Rex 2", the first fully automatic rosin press console created for the consumer.

Rosin is the non- solvent extract (oil) produced from cannabis buds, kief or hash, without the use of Butane, Propane, or CO2. The secret to successful rosin is temperature and pressure in correct measure to vaporize the liquid terpenes, separating the resin from the plant material. It can be safely made at home.

The prospect of such an easy and efficient tool for creating oil is so exciting that they sold out before their first shipment even arrived. They’ve since restocked, though they are flying off the shelves.

The Buzz about the T-Rex 2

We invited some cannabis industry experts to our Review of the T-Rex 2, and together we walked through the process from beginning to end:

Firstly, the packaging is outstanding. The Nintendo-style box is eye-catching and memorable, and fits the product inside perfectly. A snug fit keeps the T-Rex 2 unit safe between uses.

The unit itself is sleek and modern looking. It’s easy to plug in and prepare for use. Unlike the original T-Rex model, this automated version does the work for you. Set the digital temp and pressure, and wait for it to "warm up". Then open up the unit and place the bud inside...15-30 seconds later, "let there be oil!".

The directions included were not great. Though the process is nearly self-evident, the details are not easily explained in the pamphlet. We paused to watch a YouTube video to confirm we were setting the numbers properly.

Finding the right temperature for the exact weed that you have is important, which takes some experimenting.

Tarik says to start small and pick out buds that are .5g – 1.5g. We picked out four 1-gram buds: Gorilla Glue, Racing Fuel, Headband, Hash Plant. We did not grind them up, they were full buds.

Farmer Myke prepped the herb by squishing it between the Reynolds Parchment paper and placing it in the fold.

The Results are In

Gorilla Glue, Racing Fuel and Headband were individually pressed for 15 seconds at 220 degrees each. They were all very close in the quantity of rosin produced, which equaled about one large dab of oil created from each gram of bud, all unique in color and consistency.

“The maturity of the plant contributes to the type of product you get. Younger, creamy trichomes make thinner oil, while the slightly older, dryer trichomes make a thicker oil,” said Ray Bowser of Homegrown Natural Wonders.

The fourth, Hash Plant, was pressed for 30 seconds at 180 degrees, with an indistinguishable return of “nearly nothing”. We pressed it again for 30 seconds at 210 degrees and a slight amount was produced. This was surprising, as the Hash Plant is a very stony Indica, but that’s all part of the experiment. It apparently needed a higher temperature initially, or perhaps a combination of a change of pressure. Next time, we’ll try different settings.

“All weed is not created equal. Some weed will turn out 6% rosin, and some will produce 30% rosin, so it all depends on the strain and how it was grown,” Tarik said.

The best part of the production process was that it only takes about 30 seconds, start to finish, and just like that... Ready to dab.

Tasty and effective, smoking the rosin through the Electronic Dabber was an enjoyable event. Very smooth, no coughing.

A rosin consideration was brought to the table by Ray Bowser and Jon Hudnall (Geek Grow Garden Supply). Rosin is not clear of wax or lipids, since it does not undergo any extraction process. On the other hand, that also means that no terpenes were inadvertently stripped away in extraction, which is a good thing. Still, the consensus was that rosin shouldn’t be smoked "all day, every day". That seems reasonable.

Myke Brownley, cannabis gardener extraordinaire, said, “The T-Rex 2 is easy to learn to use, no real margin of error. It’s much stronger than the early models, and best of all, it’s fast!”

Tarik says to take your time and enjoy the rosin as it is produced. “Just do a little herb at a time and enjoy it fresh, Oregon style. Fresh rosin is the best!”

This product is superb. Very practical for at-home use, and easy to take anywhere. Our group gave the Tarik+Rosin T-Rex 2 a unanimous “thumbs up!”

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Brian June 19, 2018 10:09 pm (Pacific time)

Hello, I have a Greeen Oil Machine and have used it to make FECO. Where is the best deal on these and how is the product different? Thanks!

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