Dry Sift Hash and Static Tech

Dry sift hash is one of the best experiences a cannabis user can have. Better than kief, dry sift hash requires a mesh filter to obtain the finest powder, which you can then dab, smoke, or infuse into edibles. 

The method used in extracting dry sift hash is optimal for preserving all the organoleptic properties of cannabis resin, fairly different from other methods such as ice-o-lator, BHO or rosin, where during the extraction process the resin undergoes significant alterations. 

How to Make Dry Sift Hash? 

All you need to conduct this extraction technique is dry sift screens and some good quality marijuana buds. Dry sift screens are mesh filters that come in different sizes, expressed in microns. Mesh sizes range from 220 microns to 38 microns. These types of screens are traditionally used in the screen printing industry, but today several companies in the cannabis sector produce specific models precisely for extraction purposes. 

Alternatively, you can adapt the process with a pollen box, tailor-made micron extraction bags or a similar type of sifter box. What you are doing is basically substituting the grinder to produce a finer type of kief or hash. 

The marijuana buds you want to use for dry sift hash need to be resin-rich and well dehydrated, but not too dry, so that the grandular trichomes can come off more easily. 

In preparation for extraction, you can freeze the buds for 24 hours beforehand so that the trichomes become more brittle and easier to fall. It’s also good that the buds are broken into smaller chunks before you put them on the screen surface; you can do this with precision scissors. 

Preparing dry sift hash at home essentially requires setting up a small workshop for it, but the experience is most rewarding. 

Below is a list of everything you need:

• Dry sift screens (desirable sizes: 220-180-75 microns or anything close to this set)
• A more significant amount of marijuana
• High precision scissors
• Plexiglass sheet 
• Work table 
• Spatula or phone cards
• Brush
• Baking paper
• Alcohol 

The amount of marijuana you use for extraction is optional. But since you set up a workshop for this gig, perhaps you can use a more generous amount, such as five, ten or even 15 ounces. The yield and quality of extraction will depend on the quality of the raw plant material used. The size of the table and the plexiglass plate should be proportional with the size of the dry sift screens. 

Let’s see step-by-step how to proceed: 

1. Place the plexiglass sheet on the table
2. Clean the plexiglass plate with alcohol
3. Arrange the dry sift screens on the plexiglass plate (put the 75 micron screen as the basis, the 180 micron screen in the middle, and the 220 micron screen on top)
4. Spread the marijuana buds on the 220 micron screen
5. Ensure that the plant material is clean from branches or other residue, then start moving the buds across the surface of the screen using a spatula or a card
6. Gently tap the surface of the screen with your hands so that the resin falls in 
7. Collect the unprocessed material from the surface of the dry sift screen, then remove the 220-micron screen from the pile
8. Continue with sifting on the 180-micron screen. 1-2 minutes are sufficient to filter out bulbous trichomes smaller than 180 microns in size
9. When done with separation, collect the resin and store it in a baking paper
10.  Remove the 180 micron screen 
11. Repeat the operation with the resin now deposited on the 75-micron screen. Gently tap the surface to move the resin from one side of the screen to the other, and in a few minutes the fully filtered dry sift hash should be ready. 

At this point, it is possible to collect the resin from the 75-micron screen surface and store it, or you can continue to improve the hash through “static tech.”

How to Clean the Dry Sift with Static Tech?

Static tech is a resin separation method through which you can obtain concentrates with up to 90% purity. This technique uses the electrostatic charge of certain materials to separate trichomes from plant particles that might contaminate the concentrate. 

Performing this extraction is relatively easy. There are various electrostatically charged materials that you can use. For example, baking paper is good enough and you can wrap it around a DVD case. 

Here’s how to proceed:

1. Wrap a sheet of baking paper around the case of a DVD and ensure that the paper adheres to the case. 
2. Use the case like a spatula to move the resin from side to side on the 75-micron screen
3. The resin should be moved gently in one direction and in small amounts
4. During the movement, the resin separates on the two opposite sides of the case. The waste part remains on the side in contact with the screen surface, and the grandular trichomes should accumulate on the upper side, separated thanks to the electrostatic charge of the baking paper 
5. The separated trichomes should be collected each time you move the resin from one side of the screen to the other
6. Use a small brush to dust the side of the case where the trichomes accumulate onto a sheet of baking paper for later storage 
7. Repeat the operation of moving the resin several times and try to capture as many crystals as possible 
8. Collect and store the remaining resin on the surface of the 73-micron screen
9. Remove the 73-micron from above the table
10.  Collect the resin deposited on the plexiglass plate

The end result is a fully processed hash at around 90% purity, consisting solely of large grandular trichomes. This kind of concentrate is very sensitive to temperatures so it is recommended to store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The rest of the collected resins will be lower qualities but it’s also good for consumption.

Enjoy your homemade dry sift hash!

Also read on Soft Secrets:

- A Beginner’s Guide to Hash Making

- Making Hash After Harvesting Cannabis Plants

- The World Cradle of Hashish