How to Fill Your Own Capsules with a Size 00 Capsule Machine

A size 0 capsule machine turns a jar of botanical powder into 100 finished capsules in about 15 minutes. We fill our own lotus and root capsules on the same style of 100-hole board, and once you have done it twice the process is boring, which is exactly what you want. Here is how we set it up, how much powder to expect per capsule, and the two mistakes that waste the most powder. For adults 21 and over.

What you need

• A size 0 capsule filling machine (100 hole) with its base plate, middle plate, tamper and cap tray
• 100 empty size 0 vegetable capsules
• A botanical powder. We use Blue Lotus Extract Powder 100:1 and plain Organic Ashwagandha Powder in the examples below
• A milligram scale, or our red micro scoops, for checking a test capsule
• A bowl scraper or an old gift card for spreading powder
• A dry tray or a sheet of parchment under the machine to catch spills

The machine and the empty capsules both live in our Accessories and DIY Supplies collection.

How much fits in a size 0 capsule

A size 0 capsule holds about 0.68 ml. What that weighs depends entirely on the powder. Fluffy leaf and flower powders come in around 300 to 400 mg per capsule. Dense extract powders run 500 to 700 mg. Blue lotus extract packs at roughly 450 to 550 mg with a light tamp. Ashwagandha root powder lands near 400 mg.

Do not guess. Fill one capsule by hand, weigh it, subtract the weight of the empty capsule (about 96 mg for a size 0 vegetable cap), and write the number on the jar. That is your per-capsule weight for that powder on that machine.

Steps

1. Wash your hands, then wipe the machine plates with a dry cloth. Any moisture makes powder clump and stick in the holes.
2. Separate the capsules. Caps are the shorter, wider halves. Bodies are the longer halves. Sort them into two bowls before you start so you are not hunting mid-fill.
3. Load the bodies. Drop them open end up into the 100 holes of the lower plate. By hand this takes about 3 minutes. Tap the plate on the counter to seat them.
4. Load the caps into the cap tray the same way, open end up. Set the tray aside.
5. Pour 40 to 50 g of powder onto the middle of the body plate. Spread it across all 100 holes with the scraper, working in slow passes from the center outward. Sweep the excess back to the middle and repeat until every hole looks level.
6. Tamp. Press the tamper straight down over the whole plate with even pressure, then lift. Spread more powder over the holes and tamp again. Two to three rounds gives a firm, consistent fill. More rounds means heavier capsules, so stop at the same count every batch.
7. Sweep every bit of loose powder off the plate surface before joining. Powder left on the rims keeps the caps from locking.
8. Join. Flip the cap tray onto the body plate, line up the corner pins, and press down firmly until you feel the caps click. Lift the tray straight up. Any capsule that stays behind was not seated. Press it home by hand.
9. Weigh three finished capsules from different corners of the plate. If they are within 10 percent of each other, the batch is even. If one corner is light, your spreading was uneven. Fix the sweep on the next batch.

Labeling and storing

Write the botanical, the per-capsule weight and the date on the jar the day you fill it. A batch of 100 in a tightly closed glass jar, kept out of light and away from the stove, keeps well for months. Vegetable capsules pull moisture from the air, so do not leave them in an open bowl overnight.

Two mistakes that waste powder

The first is filling on a humid day with the windows open. Powder cakes, the holes bridge over, and you end up with half-filled bodies. Run a dehumidifier or fill in the driest room in the house.

The second is overtamping. A hard press compacts extract into a plug that sits below the rim on one side and above it on the other, and the cap will not lock. Firm and even beats hard. If you want more per capsule, move up to a size 00 machine rather than crushing size 0.

Working with strong extracts

Concentrated extract powders are measured in milligrams, not scoops. If you are capping a 100:1 extract, cut it with a plain carrier such as ashwagandha root powder or rice flour so each capsule carries a small, known amount. Blend 5 g of extract into 45 g of carrier, stir for a full 2 minutes until the color is even, and fill as usual. Weigh, label, and keep the ratio written on the jar. Start with fewer capsules than you think you need and see how the routine sits with you before scaling up.

Disclaimer. For adults 21 and over. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Traditional use of a botanical does not establish that it will produce any particular result. Keep out of reach of children.