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Making Canna Caps with RSO

My canna cap experiment went well and I’m anxious to share it, but first I must say once again that I’m not a doctor, or pharmacist, and can on only speak from my own experience as to the efficacy of this cannabis medicine. Also, There may be other ways to make these using different carrier oils, but I chose hemp seed oil because I was already taking it daily and just wanted to keep it the same without introducing anything new to my body besides the RSO.

This is just a staring point for me. I’ll continue to try utilizing different ingredients to get exactly what I’m looking for, and that may change as well. My goal is to create the most effective medicine for me utilizing whole plant cannabis ingredients cost effectively. I consider myself lucky to even be able to experiment like this legally. Thank you, New Mexico!

I purchased some RSO, (aka Rick Simpson Oil, or Phoenix Tears). I want to utilize this whole plant concentrate to create a medicine for myself that:

1. can be taken as needed for joint or muscular pain
2. will help reduce inflammation
3. will offer a boost to my immune system
4. will help me get a good night sleep
5. is non-toxic and non-narcotic

A lot of plant material is needed to create RSO, and I am not able to grow enough to make it myself at this time, so I purchased my RSO at a local dispensary. It isn’t cheap. I payed $50 for 1ml, (a small syringe full, like the no-needle syringe you use to dispense children’s medicine, see photo). Not every dispensary sells RSO, and the kinds that are available vary. At the time I bought this I had only one choice of RSO and it contained no CBD and 80% THC. I don’t even know if it was indica or sativa. No matter. It’s all an experiment and I’m bound to try different things in the near future anyway.

Step 1 – The test! Having been cautioned about utilizing a very, very small amount of oil initially, I just used a squiggle of the oil, about the size of a half grain of rice, in a shot glass and emptied some hemp seed oil gel caps into the glass to see if these oils with very different densities would mix easily. They didn’t at first, but as they warmed up they mixed well and evenly. RSO is a very dense and tar-like substance which is hard to work with, hence the reason it’s stored in the syringes – ease of use. The hemp seed oil is very viscous much like fish oil or other vegetable oils. I gave the joined oils a quick stir with a toothpick and let it sit overnight. The next day I threw down the shot after breakfast and 90 minutes later I was feeling no pain and mildly high. I wanted a little less high for my final product if I’m using during the daytime.

Step 2: I had to figure out a proper dose. I wanted the high to be very mild and functionible. I couldn’t rely on my experience with other edibles because their dosage is measured in milligrams. RSO is measured in percentage of THC, like the flower buds. I also used my knowledge of how our bodies process edibles differently that smoked cannabis. The high from eaten cannabis products can be more intense and is definitely longer lasting, but takes much longer to arrive than the almost instant result you get from smoking. Even somewhat lousy plant matter can result in an effective and strong edible – which explains why the old time magic hippie brownies made from crap weed got everyone so happy! I made a decision to start with a pill that would be about 5%THC.

1ml of RSO @ 80% THC, diluted with 16ml of Hemp Seed Oil @ 0% THC gives me approximately 17ml of a 5% solution. This gave me about 22,  0.76 ml size 00 capsules. This is just what I did this time, and that may change depending on results and depending on what my starting cannabinoid percentage is with other oils. I also will recreate this scenario with RSO extracted from a hybrid plant with a count of 38%CBD/57%THC, and another with CBD only. I just needed a starting point that will remain consistent. 16/1 it is.

Now you know the how and why, so I’ll get on with the simple directions, but first you will need:

  • a capsule machine and I recommend the “The Capsule Machine” because it’s inexpensive and easy to find online. You will need to choose your cap size before getting the machine. NOT one size fits all.
  • empty capsules – I choose size 00 because they’re big enough to hold nearly .8ml of the oil, and they’re still smaller than the hemp seed oil gel caps I am currently taking. You will also need:
  • one empty no-needle, 1 ml medication syringe (ask you pharmacist for a child medication dropper or buy online) and the
  • 1ml syringe of RSO
  • hemp seed oil
  • a shot glass, and another glass just a little bit bigger than the shot glass to use as a warm water bath. I used a Pyrex monkey bowl the first time, and a half-shot glass – big mistake for this clumsy gal because I knocked over my 1/2 shot glass of mixed oils into the warm water bath and contaminated the whole damn batch. Shit! Now I use a skinnier, taller glass that my oil can’t get knocked over. Duh. I tell you this to share my bad times and good times! Why should you repeat my mistakes?

Another thing that makes filling the caps easier for the dexterity-challenged, like myself, is:

  • a curved tip oral irrigation syringe (ask your dentist for one or order online)

Work in a well lit spot, and be sure to protect surfaces with paper towels or clean protective cloth. Be sure your hands are completely dry when handling the gelatin caps. The oils won’t break them down but any other moisture will. Follow instructions that come with the cap machine, ignoring the parts about filling with powders or herbs.

The Capsule Machine

Step 3: Gather everything you will need from the list in the text above.

one millieter medicine syringe

Work in a well lit area because it is really hard to see the measurement lines on the syringe with the RSO in it. This is really important if you are making a small test batch of pills using a smaller amount of RSO. I started with a small batch using only .3 ml of RSO and about 4.8 ml of hemp seed oil.

mixing hemp seed oil and RSO

Step 4: Join the hemp seed oil and the RSO in the small shot glass.You can see the denser RSO at the bottom of the glass. Give it a careful mix with a toothpick or better yet, a glass drink stirring stick,  and, Step 5: set in a warm water bath to join the oils at a warmer temperature. Don’t be licking up the left over oil. Bad habit! You don’t know how strong the oil may be and you don’t want to find out in an hour or so when your driving down the freeway or something. It’s best to just scrape any excess off into the batch.

water bath to warm oils, wrong way

Don’t use a container that is too big, like this. This was my mistake, I was clumsy and knocked the small glass over and spilled the oils into the water. It’s salvageable, but wasteful and a pain in the ass!

water bath to warm oils, correct way

This is a better choice for a warm water bath, but be sure to not use so much water because it it will spill over into the oils. Use hot water, not boiling or even close. Pay attention!

filling capsules with oils

Step 6: After the oils are warmed, stir again and be sure there is even color and no swirls of the darker RSO. One half hour is plenty of time for the oils to warm and join up. Then use the oral irrigation syringe to draw up the oil, and then deposit in the longer bottom caps in the cap machine. (Be sure to do a practice run with tops and bottoms of some empty caps to see how it all works and be sure to read the instructions that come with the machine.) When filling, stay clear of the top edge of the caps and don’t overfill them or the cap tops won’t fasten properly to the bottoms.

finished home made canna caps

Step 7: After you’ve filled all the bottom caps, be sure the tops are in place in their holder and then fasten them together using the Cap Machine instruction. These are the finished caps. Keep in a cool, dark, dry place. Any condensation will melt the gelatin caps. and the oil will leak out. Messy.

My initial results: I tried one of these that night. I was awake too long for my liking, but once I fell asleep I slept long and hard right through the night, which is really unheard of for me unless I smoke a little before bedtime. Because this kept me alert I have to believe that the RSO was a sativa strain. It had decent pain relief, band helped me achieve a restful sleep. I’ll try them for day use next, and my bet is that they will work well, but I am concerned I won’t get enough pain relief from this batch. The dispensary canna caps that I purchased from Sacred Garden on Santa Fe were indica, and they were the best as a sleep aid.

Sarijuana

17 Comments

  1. We make RSO into a hard pressed tablet called ORION here at H&H Processing and Higher Health in Afton Oklahoma on Monkey Island. They are sublingual dissolves under the tongue in minutes. Can be taken several ways. Chewed, swallowed whole or drop it into your favorite beverage. 2 phase absorption when taking it sublingual, under the tongue effects kicks in about 10-15 mins then the rest is swallowed will kick in 1hr later. This deliver a smooth mellow relaxed focus feel extending the effects.

    We have them in 10mg and 25mg, they can be broken in half or quarters to assist in micro dosing. We have all 3 strain types, Indica, sativa and hybrids. Choose how you want to feel.
    Be Happy, Be Healthy Be Orion.

    We are located on Monkey Island in afton Oklahoma.

    Insta @higherhealthoklahoma
    Insta @HHprocessingok
    Higherhealthoklahoma.com

  2. If your making a tincture for a hospice patient and adding the whole syringe to heated clear coconut oil, I haven’t measured exactly but about 40 ml of coconut oil mixed with the two oil. I think that’s about 1ml. Put very little orange extract for flavor. Add about 1.5 or 2ml to juice. Do you think I’m diluting to much. I did double that dose and felt something but I’m not an experienced user.

  3. I am trying to make my own capsules with 1 gram of RSO that is 67.9%THC AND 0% CBD. If mixed with 8 Tsp. Of coconut oil will this give me the 20 to 25% I’m looking for to start? Want to higher %intake every 2 weeks 25-50-75- till 100 is reached! The straight RSO is far to strong! I don’t want that high feeling, along with restless legs n body, tightening of my chest n throat and keeps me up sometimes 2 days with no sleep! Tried to counteract with CBD but doesnt work fast enough or at all! Any help would be much appreciated. I’m Stage4 in Lymph Nodes, Head, face, neck, abdomen, n back! Have stopped the Chemo n Radiation because I couldnt even get out of bed, RSO in a 2 month period of time has done more for me than 10 years of Chemo! The Cancer in my head, neck, face is gone! I said you mean remission? Doc. Replied NO GONE! KEEPING IT DORMANT N THE SAME IN ABDOMEN N BACK. There is no better blessing! Thank you in advance for any help you may give!

    • Hi Kristi
      I do all my measurements in milligrams or milliliters. I have no idea how to work in tablespoons.

      In your case, you have gram of RSO that is 67.9% THC, (we will just call that 68%)
      one gram of RSO at 68% THC means you have 680 mg of THC.

      So, for 20% capsules do this:
      680 ÷ 20 = 34 capsules

      I use 00 sized caps that hold about .9 ml of liquid. I round up to 1ml. So I need 1ml per capsule I am making of the coconut oil.

      34 ml of coconut oil.

      Melt the oil, adjust the amount by adding more if needed, or pouring out an overage after melting, and while it is still warm mix in the RSO. I use small silicone spatulas.
      Use a pipette to fill the 34 capsules.

      For 25% capsules:
      680 ÷ 25 = 27 capsules

      I hope this helps, and I wish you all the best in this journey!

  4. This was super helpful!
    But apparently I am on the struggle bus and Cannot figure out my doses properly!
    Here’s the situation:
    I would like to make coconut oil and Pineapple Express capsules. I have a 1g distillate. (870mg Of THC based on the 87% potency).

    I want to know how much coconut oil (tablespoons or oz) I need to use to create 10mg Pineapple Express capsules.

    Any conversion or numbers or anything would be appreciated.

  5. hi im fortunate enough to have found a supplier here in the iuk who has made me indica only gel capsulrs for night, but becasue im soanxious and im not sure what amount it in them at what mg, and for my bodyweight. he just said take one and go to bed.he treats cancer patients. i trust him but im unsure and wonder should i take the capsule and split it and use half tonight? or will that not weaken the dose? and if it does will it be any good? why isnt it in a dropper, why in capsules? does it matter if i take it out of the capsule and lick half of it, will it half the dose? does anyone understand thankyou. sick of being too anxious to try it

    • If you trust your doctor, then you should follow his directions. Some people need small amounts, some need more. I use capsules that are 20mg. That is too strong for my husband, though. Don’t break up your dose if that’s what your doctor gave you. Licking pills isn’t a great idea either. That would be a sublingual dose and is not processed the same through your body as if it was swallowed whole. Don’t be anxious. Cannabis won’t hurt you. Even if the dose initially seems high for you, it only last an hour or so and you will certainly return to normal. BTW, it really doesn’t go by body weight. Everyone has a different tolerance and that will build up after a short time. It will take at least to weeks of using the medicine before you will see the ultimate result. The cannabinoid receptors in our body must get used to the introduction of plant cannabinoids, vs the endocannabinoids our bodies produce. You must ask your what the dose he is giving you is. This is important information.

  6. Don’t worry about the coconut oil, as long as it isn’t processed & refined. It needs to have the MCT’s because the oil is constant through the body as a carrier. You also won’t have to or want to stick bud like it’s normal, up any holes; because, MCTs are absorbed in the GI tract not through the liver so you would get the same bioavailability, and RSO has a full-spectrum effect meaning all those terpenoids and terpenes, flavonoids, anti-oxidants, essential oils, and if you added taking a lecithin capsule, adds an acetyl- group to get you emulsified and acetylated (able to enter the cell membrane with the molecules not sticking they can transverse as well). Gross man.. Just do something that doesn’t have to seem so normal a question. About tree… THC really, and it’s only losing .0857mg of THC per 1000mg well that’s decarb, so it’s just not necessary…

    • I usually get approximately 24 to 30 pills per gram of concentrated cannabis oil using this method, and the pills are about 15 to 20 mg. I am doing it a little differently now, using coconut oil instead of hemp seed oil, using stronger concentrated oil, and I’m making the dose stronger at about 2 gms of oil per 30 to 36 capsules, giving me a cap that is about 30 – 33 mg per cap. I’m now getting my oil tested so I know my dose better.

      • Can you tell me, are you still using this & how much coconut oil are you using to one mg (syringe) of RSO? I am guessing, maybe I read it wrong, one mg makes the 30-33 mg per cap?

  7. Can you take the RSO and put it in gel caps and use as a suppository so that you bypass the liver and get more effect from the RSO

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