Rosin Technique....Easy DIY Solventless

2clicker said:

mounting it vertically is no sweat, but i was hoping for something that could be portable.

now im looking into bottle jacks. they are small and provide tons of pressure. would need a steel box or something to mount it to to press against.

didnt someone post up a pic of a bottle jack that was made to be an arbor press or something? @GuyLeDuche?

arbor press is another idea, but you would have to physically hold it during the press.

oh what to do...?

Click to expand...

I've been thinking a lot about what I'll do if my d nail press is a disappointment and keep coming back to the bottle jack too. I have a couple out in the garage and they exert a lot of force at a low price point. Seems like something like this would work well. The top piece of bottle jack's cylinders can be unscrewed and removed so if @Joel W. can weld one cuni plate to that removable end piece of the cylinder and then make another cuni plate that you can mount on the top steel beam you'd be set. If anyone wants to use that idea please do ... I'd love to see how it works.

MileHighLife said:

I've been thinking a lot about what I'll do if my d nail press is a disappointment and keep coming back to the bottle jack too. I have a couple out in the garage and they exert a lot of force at a low price point. Seems like something like this would work well. The top piece of bottle jack's cylinders can be unscrewed and removed so if @Joel W. can weld one cuni plate to that removable end piece of the cylinder and then make another cuni plate that you can mount on the top steel beam you'd be set. If anyone wants to use that idea please do ... I'd love to see how it works.

Click to expand...

ive been racking my brain on how to source a steel box for a bottle jack and your link to that DIY press is perfect! just get two plates large enough to house the jack and then use threaded rod and nuts to frame it in. i kept wondering if i knew anyone with welder. now i dont need one!

thanks! im likely going to do this.

dupe post

fc acting funny

MileHighLife said:

if @Joel W. can weld one cuni plate to that removable end piece of the cylinder and then make another cuni plate that you can mount on the top steel beam you'd be set.

Click to expand...

I can silver braze Cuni to steel for a solid weld or I can (not supposed to be able too) tig weld cuni to steel. The tig welds do stick, but I have no idea how strong they are.

It only has to hold its own weight with no pressure as all the pressure is helping to hold it in place.

Jb weld is probably easier logistically (shipping ease I mean) speaking.

Edit: one would want insulators between the Cuni and steel or you may need much more power than 60w irons. How much, I don't know..

2clicker said:

ok folks... i need help

my latest attempt to squish didnt yield barely anything. i can hear it sizzling. and after the squish i grinded the puck and vaped it. it definitely has tons in there that is not pushing away from the puck when squished. not to mention that i got a 1.25g return from a qwet wash of a 1/4 of the same batch. so i know the flowers are good. just not why im getting such a low return via rosin tech.

are my flowers too dry?

is my vise to weak?

im sure there is a reason for this, but im not sure where to start. help please!!!

Click to expand...

Joel W. said:

Sizzle sounds too hot especially if you are seeing vapor. Some sizzle is normal.

Some moisture is key. Too dry is bad.

My guess is more pressure/bigger vise.

If the pucks are soaked in rosin, it probably needs more pressure.

Click to expand...

sizzle is too hot for this tech... or very close to too hot imo.

if you see vapor... your definitely too hot.

I notice you dont have a temp sensor... so what temp are you trying to achieve?

are your temps increasing at the block beyond what you want to press at? cause and anyone more knowledgeable feel free to correct me but just turning down the voltage wont actually regulate the temperature... it will just heat it slower with a slower incline in temp instead of the more rapid increase you get at full voltage.

real life parallel ive had with a temp sensor attached directly to a hot vice the hot threshold seems lower for the first few minutes cause there are parts still cold and absorbing heat... once the entire vice gets too hot to touch it reaches true thermal equilibrium and reaches 260°f.

so your blocks may be getting to hot and you just dont realize it past that first temperature reading.

could be your vice isnt strong enough... but its hard to tell when heat being to high is a potential factor.

try sticking a meat thermometer in the jaws snd let it get a few degrees over desired temp and then press it. the flower will absorb some of the heat as it reaches equilibrium with the jaws mass and as long as your jaws stay at a solid temp for 30seconds to a min your golden... you can also click the heaters back on for a few seconds and feather the temp as best as you can if it has a hard time holding temp... thats what I do.

hope this helps.

edit: yes @Joel W. is right all I use is a little 3.5" light duty pony vice.
like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Clamp-23530-Light-Duty-Swivel/dp/B00004S9KP

edit 2: @randomtoker

when the thc content says 70 or 30 percent its a percentage... so in rosin... if the total thc is only 30... what makes up the rest of that 100 percent?

well the answer is terpenes and other cannabinoids. so if rosin is only 30% thc... it is also higher in other cannabinoids and such... ive posted this before but to recap rosin is better at collecting a total cannabis extraction where as alcohols and other solvents tend to target specific cannabinoids based on polarity and such...

depending on your preferences you may or may not like rosin... but its still a viable and highly efficient extraction method with pitfalls just like solvent based extraction.

I dont know anyone who had a flawless first solvent extraction.
not even me!

@2clicker
try smaller puck pieces , give it some room/space to bleed
out the rosin . You mentioned rosin was on the outside part of the
flattened puck . I've been getting better results with two .25 g buds ,
rather than . 5 g bud presses . Experiment with shorter press times ,
maybe your ' over-cooking ' and sizzling out the yield . just a guess ...

also , I'm getting way more yield with Indicas , over
Sativas . To the point , I don't bother wasting my sativa buds
anymore . I'm thinking more THC content with Indicas ...

I'd haven't lab tested my homemade rosin , but the
Litmus test is myself . And it def. rocks me .

Has anyone use VXN with their rosin ?
So far after 4 dabs with my new VXN , it looks pretty clean .
Not like the solvent concentrates I've used in the past .

I'll post a pic later ...

farscaper said:

sizzle is too hot for this tech... or very close to too hot imo.

if you see vapor... your definitely too hot.

I notice you dont have a temp sensor... so what temp are you trying to achieve?

are your temps increasing at the block beyond what you want to press at? cause and anyone more knowledgeable feel free to correct me but just turning down the voltage wont actually regulate the temperature... it will just heat it slower with a slower incline in temp instead of the more rapid increase you get at full voltage.

real life parallel ive had with a temp sensor attached directly to a hot vice the hot threshold seems lower for the first few minutes cause there are parts still cold and absorbing heat... once the entire vice gets too hot to touch it reaches true thermal equilibrium and reaches 260°f.

so your blocks may be getting to hot and you just dont realize it past that first temperature reading.

could be your vice isnt strong enough... but its hard to tell when heat being to high is a potential factor.

try sticking a meat thermometer in the jaws snd let it get a few degrees over desired temp and then press it. the flower will absorb some of the heat as it reaches equilibrium with the jaws mass and as long as your jaws stay at a solid temp for 30seconds to a min your golden... you can also click the heaters back on for a few seconds and feather the temp as best as you can if it has a hard time holding temp... thats what I do.

hope this helps.

edit: yes @Joel W. is right all I use is a little 3.5" light duty pony vice.
like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Clamp-23530-Light-Duty-Swivel/dp/B00004S9KP

edit 2: @randomtoker

when the thc content says 70 or 30 percent its a percentage... so in rosin... if the total thc is only 30... what makes up the rest of that 100 percent?

well the answer is terpenes and other cannabinoids. so if rosin is only 30% thc... it is also higher in other cannabinoids and such... ive posted this before but to recap rosin is better at collecting a total cannabis extraction where as alcohols and other solvents tend to target specific cannabinoids based on polarity and such...

depending on your preferences you may or may not like rosin... but its still a viable and highly efficient extraction method with pitfalls just like solvent based extraction.

I dont know anyone who had a flawless first solvent extraction.
not even me!

Click to expand...

sorry for the confusion everyone. i am using a candy thermometer to check temp. and my dimmer switch works perfectly. in fact i got the idea from a DIY soldering iron station. it def controls the temps of soldering irons and these cart heaters. so its not too much heat.

and i know this because there is no visible vapor. i can just hear sizzling when i get my ear really close to it. again there is no visible vapor. i just did not expect to hear any at all. i can easily keep the temps where i want them.

its gotta be the lack of pressure from the hobby vise.

2clicker said:

sorry for the confusion everyone. i am using a candy thermometer to check temp. and my dimmer switch works perfectly. in fact i got the idea from a DIY soldering iron station. it def controls the temps of soldering irons and these cart heaters. so its not too much heat.

and i know this because there is no visible vapor. i can just hear sizzling when i get my ear really close to it. again there is no visible vapor. i just did not expect to hear any at all. i can easily keep the temps where i want them.

its gotta be the lack of pressure from the hobby vise.

Click to expand...

it would seem not all small vices are equal. I have to be careful not to crank down too hard and force rosin through the pores of the parchment.

and have crushed 2 hair iron casings with it.

its a beast of a lightduty vice...

I find all the power to squish out rosin is in the last quarter turn of the handle. in that little bit it causes it to go from a little rosin to squirting out.

maybe im just buff???

here's that pic ,
the one on the right was used with rosin .
all 3 had the high temp clean burn off in the EVO .
but the rosin vxn , didn't leave the traditional black
ring as with the solvent concentrates .

poonman said:

@2clicker
try smaller puck pieces , give it some room/space to bleed
out the rosin . You mentioned rosin was on the outside part of the
flattened puck . I've been getting better results with two .25 g buds ,
rather than . 5 g bud presses . Experiment with shorter press times ,
maybe your ' over-cooking ' and sizzling out the yield . just a guess ...

also , I'm getting way more yield with Indicas , over
Sativas . To the point , I don't bother wasting my sativa buds
anymore . I'm thinking more THC content with Indicas ...

Click to expand...

ill give the smaller nugs a go. when i get a new setup goin. ive pretty much given up on this suction vise. and i dont think im vaping the yield away because its all pooled on top of the puck after the squish. its just not moving away from it. dont get me wrong some does. and thats why i had such a positive first go. it produced a small dab and was amazing. but most of it just sits there. this is either inadequate pressure or the buds are just too dry. they are pretty dry. great for vaping. so while i build my new apparatus ill source some fresher flowers and get some humidity control goin. thinking about going with a DIY hydraulic press like the one posted recently. then use the small nugs and see whats up. thanks for the help!

farscaper said:

it would seem not all small vices are equal. I have to be careful not to crank down too hard and force rosin through the pores of the parchment.

and have crushed 2 hair iron casings with it.

its a beast of a lightduty vice...

I find all the power to squish out rosin is in the last quarter turn of the handle. in that little bit it causes it to go from a little rosin to squirting out.

maybe im just buff???

Click to expand...

they are def not equal. mine just doesnt seem to cut it. its not very precise. the guild rails are a bit loose. also the handle that adjust the vise is small and hard to really get some torque on. its a great vise for its purpose, but rosin squishing isnt it.

farscaper said:

when the thc content says 70 or 30 percent its a percentage... so in rosin... if the total thc is only 30... what makes up the rest of that 100 percent?

well the answer is terpenes and other cannabinoids. so if rosin is only 30% thc... it is also higher in other cannabinoids and such... ive posted this before but to recap rosin is better at collecting a total cannabis extraction where as alcohols and other solvents tend to target specific cannabinoids based on polarity and such...

depending on your preferences you may or may not like rosin... but its still a viable and highly efficient extraction method with pitfalls just like solvent based extraction.

I dont know anyone who had a flawless first solvent extraction.
not even me!

Click to expand...

Thanks for responding! Yes, I totally understand percent. That's really my question. What's the "actual" average yield compared to alcohol? Ie: if you took 10g and did a QWET then measured THC% vs product weight and compared that to a Rosin extraction and measured the resulting product the same way. In your opinion, the overall yield is comparable? That's the only Apples to Apples comparison really (everything else is subjective..). For that to be the case, I'd imagine the resulting rosin would weigh more to account for the lower THC%? Or are you saying "in general", accounting for someone learning extraction and fucking up along the way, the overall average effective return would be higher "over time" by just starting with Rosin? (I get that, I'm wondering about actual comparison).

I'm assuming that in some way, Rosin is viable, efficient, and effective enough since so many people continue to explore it. Those 30% lab tests just stopped me in my tracks.

Basically, I'm tired of vaping buds and very much enjoy juicing concentrates into vape pens. My dispensaries carry lots of concentrates and buds, but I'd rather get the good buds when they're on sale and extract myself (I have lots of options and can pick and choose the most juiciest, frostiest, freshest buds). As well, I'm looking for a high terpene product and strain distinct effects, and I can't guarantee that with over the counter concentrates. I'm familiar with a variety of plant extractions for over a decade. While not a pro, I understand a variety of principles and have applied them creatively to many plants with success. I'm comfortable with QWET, but it seemed like Rosin was so straight forward, then I saw those lab results and was like: "wait, what?".

I guess I should just run a bit of both (QWET and Rosin) and compare the results subjectively and weigh the work/cost vs. result/effect for me. I understand what you're saying about weight/effect. Depends what you enjoy to be able to judge the value of the extraction result. For vaping buds, I prefer terpene rich effects and appreciate that subtlety over straight up THC potency anyway. Perhaps Rosin is for me.

randomtoker said:

Thanks for responding! Yes, I totally understand percent. That's really my question. What's the "actual" average yield compared to alcohol? Ie: if you took 10g and did a QWET then measured THC% vs product weight and compared that to a Rosin extraction and measured the resulting product the same way. In your opinion, the overall yield is comparable? That's the only Apples to Apples comparison really (everything else is subjective..). For that to be the case, I'd imagine the resulting rosin would weigh more to account for the lower THC%? Or are you saying "in general", accounting for someone learning extraction and fucking up along the way, the overall average effective return would be higher "over time" by just starting with Rosin? (I get that, I'm wondering about actual comparison).

I'm assuming that in some way, Rosin is viable, efficient, and effective enough since so many people continue to explore it. Those 30% lab tests just stopped me in my tracks.

Basically, I'm tired of vaping buds and very much enjoy juicing concentrates into vape pens. My dispensaries carry lots of concentrates and buds, but I'd rather get the good buds when they're on sale and extract myself (I have lots of options and can pick and choose the most juiciest, frostiest, freshest buds). As well, I'm looking for a high terpene product and strain distinct effects, and I can't guarantee that with over the counter concentrates. I'm familiar with a variety of plant extractions for over a decade. While not a pro, I understand a variety of principles and have applied them creatively to many plants with success. I'm comfortable with QWET, but it seemed like Rosin was so straight forward, then I saw those lab results and was like: "wait, what?".

I guess I should just run a bit of both (QWET and Rosin) and compare the results subjectively and weigh the work/cost vs. result/effect for me. I understand what you're saying about weight/effect. Depends what you enjoy to be able to judge the value of the extraction result. For vaping buds, I prefer terpene rich effects and appreciate that subtlety over straight up THC potency anyway. Perhaps Rosin is for me.

Click to expand...

If you can make quality qwet you should have no trouble making quality rosin.

it sounds to me like you need to squish a bud and try some rosin... then get back to us about your experience. you might just find what your looking for.

If bud yield is 30 percent thc then i'd be interested to see what hash rosin comes out to.
It seems like rosin is best suited for hash.

I've often felt like flower rosin was definitely less strong than hash oils and pressing buds to me seemed usually like a waste of material.

Idk how everyone else feels but when I press a gram of high quality flower, I feel like i would get way higher just normally vaping that gram instead XD

Anyone know what time it is?

Oh wait never mind, it's fucking ROSIN TIME

I have a 4.5" irwin vise from Lowes that squishes fine and it's classified as light duty...clamping force says 300lbs...I saw rosin flowing so

First squish of some midgrade practice bud lol.

These round jaws and the soldering irons are 1000x times better than a flat iron.

Perfect 225F press. Cranked down with 30 ft lbs and I'm not even worried in the slightest about anything breaking (besides the 1/2" mdf wood I'm using for a table top haha). The flat irons would be toast with 30 ft lbs in this vise!

@2clicker i know others already answered, but I wanted to say that i am pressing the same bud from a few nights ago that I was using with the flat irons. Remember how it was coming out sappy? This same bud I just pressed at 225F with way more pressure came out pure shatter! I don't even have to put it on a cold pack to scrape up

PS I want to give a huge thanks to @Joel W.! He was so helpful in helping me get this dream made into a reality. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many questions he answered and how he gave helpful tips without me even asking. He is a very standup guy and helps make this forum a wonderful place! If you want the best, most affordable rosin setup available, go with @Joel W.'s FUCKING BADASS JAWS



Super Skunk bud. Pretty fire stuff. And the rosin. Holy smokes. Sweet citrus flavor city! I can't wait to press a small bug of that CBD SoMango!!!!

Super skunk pressing video (I'll get better at the vids. To excited to make a better one lol. Working on bud placement in the jaws so I can get perfect rosin flows like @Joel W. )

You are more than welcome @BoogerMan and thank you.

Take some paper and see if the jaws will grab the paper at the top, bottom, left and right side of the jaws. It should be pretty even.

If there is a gap anywhere. Try loosening to movable jaws screws a little to let it seat flush and retry it.

Awesome!!

randomtoker said:

I've got a question here.

I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of postings earlier in this thread and in other threads showing lab tests on rosin and both times the rosin was ~30% THC? Am I mistaken? That would be significantly less 'actual yield' than what you can get with a safe solvent QWET extraction (~70%THC).

Did I not read the lab results correctly? I get the advantage of not buying solvent, but it seems like this is a bit of a white elephant in the room so I must be missing something. What am I missing or misunderstanding? Thanks.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what lab results you're referring to, but I happen to work at a lab so I'll chime in based on what we've tested.

I can't reveal customers, and so I can't display the results, but I do see in front of me one rosin sample submitted that tested for 76.9% max THC and the picture of the sample clearly has some particulate in it, perhaps an orange hair or something. I didn't pick this one because it was the highest testing or reflective of an average, because I can't really obtain the results based on either of those things. I just specifically remember the customer submitting that type of sample, so I just went back to it and pulled it up. Take it for what it is.

I know that's not very reassuring as I can't provide proof, but I would def say it's not in the 30% range as 30% is high for flower, but very-very-very low for concentrate in general (not including traditional hashes).

Also, it's worth mentioning that a lower THC level doesn't always mean an inferior product. If there is a high quantity of Terpenes, you may find you enjoy that product a LOT more than the 80% ultra refined clear, for example. It's somewhat a matter of preference at that point.

My point being, don't pick rosin vs another extraction tech simply due to THC percent, because while it's important, so is the rest of what's in that gram.

Anyone else having a good laugh at watching GoogleAds try to figure out what you are into? I keep getting pop-ups for freight companies and raw metal suppliers etc lol... At least it's not ladies hair care anymore

MGG said:

I've often felt like flower rosin was definitely less strong than hash oils and pressing buds to me seemed usually like a waste of material.

Click to expand...

id like to hear what others think about this. i have limited experience with rosin, but the dab i took was heady as fuck. it seemed more potent than my qwet shatter, but maybe its in my head?

BoogerMan said:

@2clicker i know others already answered, but I wanted to say that i am pressing the same bud from a few nights ago that I was using with the flat irons. Remember how it was coming out sappy? This same bud I just pressed at 225F with way more pressure came out pure shatter! I don't even have to put it on a cold pack to scrape up

Click to expand...

just as I suspected... from the feedback of the pioneers in this thread of course. i need to get going on my new set up.

yours looks very stout! nice work.

Edit: my network is acting weird..

2clicker said:

id like to hear what others think about this. i have limited experience with rosin, but the dab i took was heady as fuck. it seemed more potent than my qwet shatter, but maybe its in my head?

Click to expand...

Squishing the best flowers definitely yields better than the middle buds, but I really like vaping the top flowers. I'd guess there may be -+5% better yields with top flowers so it's a judgement call.

@MGG. Sometimes I just don't have time for 3-4 hits of flower when one hit of rosin works good.

@2clicker

I've found rosin to be more potent and nuanced in effect than any solvent hash. It has a more complete spectrum of aromatic chemicals, at least up to a point- once it's turned to shatter you've lost most of the good stuff. All else being equal, I prefer flower and bubble rosin to bho, co2, qwet, and qwiso.

I sometimes add flower rosin to bubble rosin to bring up the terpene levels. Straight flower rosin is best whenever possible, but it's not always the most efficient solution. The flowers themselves are a limiting factor- airy flowers that won't yield much rosin may be perfect for a bubble run, and that bubble can then easily be pressed into rosin.

At the returns that have been documented here, around and exceeding 20%, straight flower rosin is the preferable and most efficient extraction if the flower structure is cooperative.

There are many glandular structures on the flower that contain aromatic chemicals, but don't end up in bubble hash because they are the wrong size or shape, or are inextricable from the plant surface. Squishing whole flower will yield the full spectrum, rather than just the chemicals that are present in the bulbous heads.

EpicNameGuy said:

I'm not sure what lab results you're referring to, but I happen to work at a lab so I'll chime in based on what we've tested.

I can't reveal customers, and so I can't display the results, but I do see in front of me one rosin sample submitted that tested for 76.9% max THC and the picture of the sample clearly has some particulate in it, perhaps an orange hair or something. I didn't pick this one because it was the highest testing or reflective of an average, because I can't really obtain the results based on either of those things. I just specifically remember the customer submitting that type of sample, so I just went back to it and pulled it up. Take it for what it is.

I know that's not very reassuring as I can't provide proof, but I would def say it's not in the 30% range as 30% is high for flower, but very-very-very low for concentrate in general (not including traditional hashes).

Also, it's worth mentioning that a lower THC level doesn't always mean an inferior product. If there is a high quantity of Terpenes, you may find you enjoy that product a LOT more than the 80% ultra refined clear, for example. It's somewhat a matter of preference at that point.

My point being, don't pick rosin vs another extraction tech simply due to THC percent, because while it's important, so is the rest of what's in that gram.

Click to expand...

So do you guys test for contaminates in the rosin? Or is it just cannabanoid content? I know we all have agreed parchment is safe but I guess I can't help shaking the feeling it may leech something into our product. Maybe I'm just that paranoid stoner again, it hasn't stopped me pressing yet lol

@Joel W. & @shark sandwich

thanks for your input on the subject.



so my new build has begun... well at least the new parts have been ordered. im going to frame in a 4ton bottle jack in some 3/8" steel plates with 1/2" threaded rod (at the corners for a total of 4) holding it together. this setup should have zero problems getting to 6000 lbs.

my plates and heaters are still good and will be adapted to the new press. not exactly sure how soon ill have it all, but it should be at most a week. pics to come!

@Joel W. and @BoogerMan Thanks for all the pointers - I was thinking just last night how much I'm learning on this thread, and how much I want to get started (after this weekends halloween pig roast - still have to build the BBQ!)

@2clicker If someone didn't know the context of what you are describing above one might almost guess you are building a machine for the Spanish Inquisition!