CO2 oil extraction equipment?

[mick54683]

Hello everyone,
I wanted to get some feed back from the community on current CO2 extraction methods and if anyone has some personal experience involving an apeks unit or eden labs unit. I am curious because I am looking to become a processor in the near future and am looking to purchase one of these units. Right now I am leaning towards a 5000psi apeks 20L unit, i really like how these machines are automated and can be ran unattended. I have heard of some compressor issues though. i am looking to make some high quality oil and have also heard alot about subcritical vs supercritical extraction a

 

[NeilDJob]

Hello everyone,
I wanted to get some feed back from the community on current CO2 extraction methods and if anyone has some personal experience involving an apeks unit or eden labs unit. I am curious because I am looking to become a processor in the near future and am looking to purchase one of these units. Right now I am leaning towards a 5000psi apeks 20L unit, i really like how these machines are automated and can be ran unattended. I have heard of some compressor issues though. i am looking to make some high quality oil and have also heard alot about subcritical vs supercritical extraction a

Hi Mick, I have an Apeks 1500 for sale. It's outstanding quality machine. I just decided against the regulatory hassles in Colorado and am getting into the herbal products business instead. Happy to answer your questions. Machine is posted for sale on Craigslist Denver area. Look me up that way and then we can talk on the phone about the machine whether or not you want to buy it. Neil

 

[bayareafarmer]

I was very unhappy with the Apeks machine, I would not buy another one.

I just wanted to stop by and include my experience with Apeks.

I live in California and I know many people with machines that work properly, many of those machines being made from Eden Labs. Let’s just say I regret not doing my research before purchasing Apek's 1500-L benchtop machine.

Everything went well with Apeks until the machine finally arrived. When the machine ran the first time it ran okay while producing lower yields than expected.

After studying the manual and spending time on the phone with customer service I decided to give the machine another 4 hour run, only this time the yield was almost nothing and mostly water. During the third run the pump started to make popping noises and guess what I needed to do, change the seals already in the first ten hours of use.

After buying a set of costly seals and more filters Apek’s said to check the orifice orientation on the separation vessel and everything was in spec according to the manual. So I started the machine for the fourth time only to see the yield of the first run, and steadily declining after that.

So as I went down this road for the next couple months I found myself purchasing and replacing multiple sets of seals and filters only to have the same problem over and over again.

I was on the phone constantly with customer service and all they could direct me to do was follow the cleaning steps in the manual which I have been since the start. They then told me a may need to add another coalescing filter to the loop and possibly change my regulator because I started having pressure drops in the separation chamber.

Keep in mind this entire nightmare was in the first 100 hours of the machine operation, when I should have had to change the seals once I changed them about 8 times, while receiving very little in product over the 100 hours.

So I finally said enough is enough, I called Apeks and demanded they take the machine back, since I was under warranty still I expected some compensation for spending $30,000 on a machine that doesn’t work as promised. They were only willing to give me half my money back and refused to honor their 25% restocking fee and I am still battling with them till this day. They claimed the machine had oil in it, and that was obvious to me. It was only then Andy Joesph the owner explained to me there is several ways oil can get into the pump 6 of which are mentioned nowhere in the manual, oh yeah and the pump is not manufactured for CO2 recirculation.

Needless to say this was my honest experience with the Apeks 1500-L machine and beware of purchasing this machine. As of right now this machine is not ready for market and they need to more R&D on this “fully automated” machine because it is any but fully automated. I have a bachelor’s degree in engineering and have had multiple experienced growers and supercritical guys scratch their heads with this machine. BEWARE!

 

[R&RHashman]

I feel ya lots of issues with our system as well, some days it works some days it does not
fyi we usr the 5000 5L version

 

[bayareafarmer]

I feel ya lots of issues with our system as well, some days it works some days it does not
fyi we usr the 5000 5L version

Yeah you are not the only one with problems. While I do understand the machines take regular maintenance, I also feel that Apeks has yet to work out all of the bugs themselves. And to sell a "fully automated" machine to the public with many known or unknown issues is bad business.

 

[NeilDJob]

Yeah you are not the only one with problems. While I do understand the machines take regular maintenance, I also feel that Apeks has yet to work out all of the bugs themselves. And to sell a "fully automated" machine to the public with many known or unknown issues is bad business.

 

[oilmkr420]

Yeah you are not the only one with problems. While I do understand the machines take regular maintenance, I also feel that Apeks has yet to work out all of the bugs themselves. And to sell a "fully automated" machine to the public with many known or unknown issues is bad business.

Make the extractor work in manual mode. Physically pack the vessel w crushed dry ice, then high pressure tank transfer co2 for excellent pressure fill, then heat the vessel w water bath. It's gauranteed every time. Automated just makes for more things to go wrong. One reason I dislike having to learn the computer side of automating. If a batch goes wrong, I waste about $25 on solvents. So I keep batches smaller and any fuck ups are kept towards a $5.00 solvent loss. Rarely does a small batch go wrong.

 

[oilmkr420]

I have very similar extractors for a fraction of the costs. 6L 6000 psi $5,000
From there upgrades can happen but expect $7,000-$8,000 to finalize batch runs up to 3 lbs in one run.

 

[oilmkr420]

Haskel makes the best air driven fluid pumps. I've seen Apex methodology, and based on what I seen, they can use a bit schooling themselves. Nice units though.

 

[oilmkr420]

Both Eden Labs and Andy Joseph are aware of who I am. Eden by coinncidence had a client for 8 years working on ginger, bitter kola, and other plant matter. These stock brokers answered a Craigslist ad and were skeptical on how I had units so cheap. They put product in my hands and gave me restrictions to use only co2 and water. I yielded crystalline every time. High product purity. So Eden had to blindly analyze both products not knowing which was which. They were impressed w photos, I asked about employment but they declined. So we are familiar w each other and they know me as the guy who hit crystalline using co2 and water. They said that was impossible.

 

[oilmkr420]

Here's the thing I was getting at was the training provided by Apeks or Eden Labs. If a client was spending $5K on a unit, the provided training is up to 2 weeks at another $100 a day. My hardest challenge is getting my understanding to stick before the lessons over. So usually I sit back and have the clients perform all the verbal tasks that need get done. I make it look easy because w enough practice, it is.

 

[ckeadle]

I have very similar extractors for a fraction of the costs. 6L 6000 psi $5,000
From there upgrades can happen but expect $7,000-$8,000 to finalize batch runs up to 3 lbs in one run.

I am interested in an extractor unit. Can you Message me.

Thanks

 

[rumblefat]

I have very similar extractors for a fraction of the costs. 6L 6000 psi $5,000
From there upgrades can happen but expect $7,000-$8,000 to finalize batch runs up to 3 lbs in one run.

I'm also in he market for an extraction machine. Please msg me.

 

[woodyincosprings]

Make the extractor work in manual mode. Physically pack the vessel w crushed dry ice, then high pressure tank transfer co2 for excellent pressure fill, then heat the vessel w water bath. It's gauranteed every time. Automated just makes for more things to go wrong. One reason I dislike having to learn the computer side of automating. If a batch goes wrong, I waste about $25 on solvents. So I keep batches smaller and any fuck ups are kept towards a $5.00 solvent loss. Rarely does a small batch go wrong.

hello oilmakr did you say you have 6000 psi co2 systems for $5000? is that correct ? do you know of any available plans/technical info for constructing a critical co2 system? thank you

 

[R&RHashman]

so I have gotten a new gig working at Evolab so stoked to make co2 wax and shatter

 

[margc]

]I'm also in he market for an extraction machine. Please msg me

 

[SoCalOilMaker]

I know II'm late to the thread but I'm new to the site.

We purchased an Apeks SCFE more than a year and a half ago. Our experience with Apeks has been fantastic. When we first ordered our machine we made some rookie assumptions about the entire process and anxiously awaited delivery. Once we received the machine, it looked great and we dug right in and produced our first extract. Then, the question was what do we do with it. So, we began experimenting. There are no videos that show you all the steps, there isn't an instruction manual that will walk you through the many different settings that are available and there are plenty of "consultants" who want to charge $10-$20k to "show you how to become an extract artist". The bottom line is this; what we are all doing is science not art. Our objective is to produce something great and then to be able to reproduce it over and over again. Artists are great at creating a one of a kind piece but it is the "scientist" who can replicate the process. Andy Joseph, Apeks CEO, was the first person to point that out to me and he's been in touch with us a number of times since we purchased his equipment. In fact, early on when we had a problem while experimenting with our system, Andy called us to walk us through the problem and solved it over the phone in 20 minutes. Over the two years we've worked with Apeks, I've found them to be top of my list when it comes to customer service...and for an old guy (I'm 65)...I've worked with every kind of vendor you could think of. From their sales engineer Craig H to their director of sales Shawn L to their newest (not so new anymore I guess) service engineer Nick Y to their real head of the company, Kristen J, Liz L and Tina H and all the team, they bend over backwards to make sure we are getting optimum performance from their equipment.

Now to performance. As with anything, you must start with good material...PERIOD!! We test everything, we know what's going in and we know what's coming out. A piece of equipment like this has a number of variables to work with...those that are easily recalled such as pressure settings (sub critical vs. super critical); temperature settings; extraction time; component pieces to use; and more. these settings are crucial in creating specific types of extract. Apeks machine does what it promises to do and if you experiment scientifically, you will be able to do a great CO2 extraction and you will be able to reproduce it time and time again.

For us, the bottom line is a) the machine is the best that I've found and we spent 10 months due diligence before ordering one and b) the customer service from Ohio and Colorado offices has been the best I've encountered.

Yes, I'm a believer and would be happy to discuss with anyone. We are in Southern California and we don't get discounts, don't take bribes and we still tell anyone who asks that Apeks is the best...wait, as a former Pittsburgh boy, Shawn did send me some Mancini's bread packed in the crate with our shiny new machine when we first got it. While I don't look back from my move to the west coast, some things I still miss and that was one of them. I guess I do have a complaint...they haven't sent anymore Mancini's bread.

 

[Novel]

I have very similar extractors for a fraction of the costs. 6L 6000 psi $5,000
From there upgrades can happen but expect $7,000-$8,000 to finalize batch runs up to 3 lbs in one run.

I am interested in youre machine could you contact me please

 

[whw2010]

here upgrades can happen but expect $7,000-$8,000 to finalize batch runs up to 3 lbs in one run.

Hey there, I am interested in one of your machines, could you please contact me ....thx

 

[GreenLeafProdCo]

We have a bench unit 1500 Apeks. Our experience has been uniformly good with both the machine and the Apeks support here in Colorado very similar to what SoCalOilMaker has stated above. Unfortunately we had to close our business (making CBD oil from ag hemp) due to regulations, etc from FDA and FTC making this a tough product to legally sell. Apeks solved the main problematic issue which turned out to be a balky solenoid valve that has since been bypassed altogether. This machine now performs flawlessly every time. Typical results are about 10% recovery (9-10 gr concentrate from 90 gr initial material). Apeks discontinued this smaller bench top model but last price was $39K for a new unit. We are offering ours for sale along with all tools and everything else (except CO2 tank which can be had from any local welding shop) for $25K negotiable if anyone is interested. Pics and more details upon request.