Dabpress Rosin Plates

DogBoy said:

...I believe you may be correct on all counts...

...I was going by what I have learned here and the thing came set @ 190 with was supposed to be a good starting point...I was careful and slow with the pressure and never exceeded 2000 lbs...

...I did it just like I saw a bunch of guys on you tube do it...

...I could have lived with a less than optimal yield but most of it is stuck to the top plate and cooked to shit...

...I can't even get at it to clean...it's like I have to take the thing apart...

...I can't afford this kind of leaning curve...5 grams was a lot of weed to me...

...it was tested @ 28% THC FWIW....

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When you get stuff stuck to the plate you can get most of it off by wiping a fresh sheet of parchment paper against the plate, that rosin is still usable. A paper towel blotted with isopropyl alcohol will usually clean anything else, especially while the press is still warm. It usually takes quite a while to crust on at 190F but if that's the case it will be harder to clean that.

A 1g test press is a good way to get a feel for how the material is going to produce without pressing all at once.

I got some Sundae Driver recently that tested at 27%, I think they send in the biggest, best, choice colas for analytical testing cause the popcorn nugs they pawned off on me were hilariously tiny. Not saying that's how yours was, but I think there's a few tricks in the industry being used when it comes to testing. I've also heard of sending in dryer nugs with lower relative humidity which raises the THC percentage since it's based on weight.

I'd suggest all beginners press closer to 220F but temperature is of course a subjective thing.

...thanks for the input...I will try the parchment paper...

...LoL @ dispensary...in CT the containers they sell 1/8th's in would not hold one good bud and all they sell are 1/8th's with few exceptions...

...I think you were right aboot me not being cut out for this...

...maybe if I were not paying retail for weed it would make more sense...

...I don't know what I was thinking, except maybe to escape quality/pricing issues at the dispensary...

...when I once mentioned I did not find the V Rod as smooth as I had hoped with concentrates it was suggested that the quality of the concentrates could be an issue...

...that is what got me started here...

DogBoy said:

when I once mentioned I did not find the V Rod as smooth as I had hoped with concentrates it was suggested that the quality of the concentrates could be an issue...

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With the Vrod, concentrate vapor gets funneled through the heat exchanger which adds warm convection air to your dab, and can make for a harsher experience than a dab from a straight conduction device.

DogBoy said:

...when I mentioned I did not find the V Rod as smooth as I had hoped with concentrates it was suggested that the quality of the concentrates could be an issue...

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That's certainly possible, but the VRod isn't exactly known for an ideal dab experience. I see it more as a way to get your feet wet with concentrates. I'd probably have suggested trying a nice dab rig before shelling out the $$ for a rosin press. That's not to say the purchase was a bad one, I think presses are fully worthwhile, but it definitely requires a willingness to learn and hone your process... failures here and there should be expected when learning any new skill.

...I should have been here reading more...I have been having my doubts aboot the V Rod and getting slammed for it elsewhere...

...feeling a bit hosed overall...I thought the V Rod was a nice dab rig...

...I still have the E Nano...LoL...

The VRod is a top-tier flower vaporizer that also handles concentrates and "twaxing". Everybody's experience and tastes are different, but the VRod is exactly what led me down the path to owning a rosin press and a whole collection of dab rigs and accessories. (I almost never use flower anymore)

Unfortunately, reading only goes so far. It's always good to study as much as possible before jumping into something, but at some point first hand experience is necessary. Especially when it comes to something that can often be as subjective as vapes/rigs.

DogBoy said:

I was careful and slow with the pressure and never exceeded 2000 lbs.

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Man, that is bad luck, more research and notes might be needed.
190f is a good starting point. I start my timer once I see the pressure build on the gauge (it takes about 30 seconds dor this) and slowly keep pumping to 2500psi (gauge) then at 2.5 mins I will pump to 2750 for a final 30 seconds, 10g 2.5x4" bottle tech for a pretty good return.
What brand parchment paper did you use as I have even gone to 3000psi without a tear.
Did you de-stem the buds? I break down my buds so there is very little in the way of stems to cause problems.

One does not become an extraction artist in their first go... keep at it!
Try small amounts till you get a feel for it.

@DogBoy sorry your first press wasn't a success. I am honestly surprised when folks get it on the first shot. I certainly didnt.

For 5g not much pressure is needed when using the 30mm puck maker, about 1000-1500 PSI on the gauge. Flowers relative humidity is very important, stable 62% is our recommendation.

I recommend 220F to start as well, go down from there with further presses.

...so you don't want it back...?!?...how aboot a better pump then...???...

...I did destem the weed and cut it a little into small bud...

...I ended up with .2 grams of wax...

...I guess I will try another press @ 220 and see what else I can squeeze out of the puck...

...the pump seems to hold so I think the leak is from the gauge even though the fluid weeps from under the chromed nut that fastens it to the pump...

...I am not smelling oil...

...I will keep the pressure below 1500 psi this time...I could swear I saw pressures much higher on some people's you tubes...I knew I did not pull that 2500 psi limit out of thin air...

...I used Reynolds paper because I thought it was good...

@DogBoy Post a pic of the bud before you skwishit

DogBoy said:

...so you don't want it back...?!?...how aboot a better pump then...???...

...I did destem the weed and cut it a little into small bud...

...I ended up with .2 grams of wax...

...I guess I will try another press @ 220 and see what else I can squeeze out of the puck...

...the pump seems to hold so I think the leak is from the gauge even though the fluid weeps from under the chromed nut that fastens it to the pump...

...I am not smelling oil...

...I will keep the pressure below 1500 psi this time...I could swear I saw pressures much higher on some people's you tubes...I knew I did not pull that 2500 psi limit out of thin air...

...I used Reynolds paper because I thought it was good...

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Sure people use more pressure but frankly the 1000-1500 PSI range is plenty.

Yes your pump seems to have lost glycerine in the gauge based on what you've told me. Email me the pictures please and we'll get it replaced.

I would also check to make sure the glycerin fill cap on top of the gauge is fully inserted.

...it is...I will figger the photos later...they are in the phone now...

...the fluid seeps from under the chromed nut that attaches the gauge to the pump...

CR250M said:

@DogBoy Post a pic of the bud before you skwishit

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...don't know how...

I pressed single buds for quite a while until I felt comfortable pressing enough for a mesh bag, and I still haven't gone beyond 3.5g at a time. I also got a lot of good practice on some CBD buds that I cared less about.

It does take practice, but well worth it. Still a newb myself.

Frankly, capturing monster returns/yields on your first pressing is a lot like the 21 year old who goes to Vegas and wins a little money on his first visit... I thought I could win every time thereafter

It kinda sets up extremely high expectations. The same thing goes for pressing. Practice. Grind it out. Dial in your technique. Refine further. Never stop fine tuning and you can find gold.



ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET TO CARNEGIE HALL?

...it looked so easy...I bought all the best stuff...WTF...!?!...(LoL)

But you can't buy experience.
That is your only missing ingredient.


There are the visual cues, like seeing the bag soak and run before you get on the gauge, and the physical cues of how the pump feels as pressure increases, or the smell, or could be something else that you feel. Go slow on with the pressure, it can take me 1-2+ minutes from start time to before even registering on the gauge.

Let it flow.

@DogBoy ... it often comes down to not just quality of starting material, but just starting material itself; as a general rule, fresher, stickier, and higher in THC is best.

I've had some >20% flower though, that was a little bit older, that the trichromes just layered the jar it was in, but when pressed, the best I could get was about 6-7% (ie. .3g to .35g at most ... and had less than 5% in some cases. That was flower that was just not worth pressing)

Since I'm almost exclusively rosin, this is a big factor now; consistency of starting material, as I want to get the same strains from the same cultivars from the same growers that used the same process; and if I do all of that, then my results are pretty consistent. I find anything >15% to be acceptable, but unless the rosin is really phenomenal flavour wise, unless it's >20% it doesn't become one I will re-order.

Just my 2 cents ... I would try a different strain before giving up ... and like others have suggested, you might want to start w/ smaller amounts to start with ... you have to remember that with any new strain being pressed, the 1st press is a gamble, and in the worst case, it will be almost all wasted and your return will be close to 0% (I've had some that turned out like a powder, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't collect it almost at all ... you need to be willing to lose what you put in if it's not a strain/cultivar/grower you are already familiar with)

@DogBoy I’d scrape that up and vape the flower at the very least. It’s only carboxylated a little bit... but if you didn’t press it out the thc is still in all the material you see on your paper. Don’t pitch it... it is def worth a try!

...I will make edibles from the puck and I scrapped up .4 grams in two presses, the second @ 220 that yielded .2 grams of a sticky flakey shatter that is getting everywhere except in a container...

...the paper broke again even though I kept the pressure lower...

...at this point I am thinking I should just quit being a little bitch...

...I guess should have more thourgholy considered the implications of operating this press when buying weed by the fukin gram, eh...

...thanks for all the good information here...

...how important is relative humidity, really...???...I have heard conflicing reports...

...some people are saying it is not as important as previously thought and that heat and pressure are the keys...

DogBoy said:

...I will make edibles from the puck and I scrapped up .4 grams in two presses, the second @ 220 that yielded .2 grams of a sticky flakey shatter that is getting everywhere except in a container...

...the paper broke again even though I kept the pressure lower...

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Sorry, I only heard progress!

Welcome to the club!

Once you get the pressing down, the collecting is a whole nother game! I struggled with it, or rather, it got me frustrated, for some time, but now, it's second nature and I often dont bother with gloves.

Did you say you were doing bottle tech or just using filters?

@DogBoy Some say they use 2 pieces of parchment in between the plates in case the first one rips..
But yeah, you got 8% on your first try! Good deal! And maybe it’s the wrong strain? So next time get a diff strain and apply what you learned. Might not have been ideal and maybe a little stressful but you did it.
But I’d still try vaping a piece of that puc. Nothing to lose

For @DogBoy

I never use a tool for collection, or a container, what I do is cut the parchment along the fold and use the 2 pieces, 1 in each hand and press them together and pull apart and press together etc, etc until I have one big glob

I squeeze it thin between that 1/2 parchment piece while its manageable and straight in the fridge she goes... if it's thin enough you can break off little chunks with the end of your tool and straight on your nail!

MonkeyTime said:

Sorry, I only heard progress!

Welcome to the club!

Once you get the pressing down, the collecting is a whole nother game! I struggled with it, or rather, it got me frustrated, for some time, but now, it's second nature and I often dont bother with gloves.

Did you say you were doing bottle tech or just using filters?

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...I think I was using bottle tech...I thought the bag would be the thing to break...

...the first press @ 190 F was easy to collect...it is like wax...

...I already want to press something else...this is partly what I was afraid of...LoL...