Custom Copper Nickel Vise and Arbor Jaws For Rosin Tech.
- Thread starter Joel W.
- Start date
- Status
CrazyDiamond
HAL is a StarChild
Purdy!!! 
****Review Time****
So I got my plates today and seriously, they are amazing! Huge thanks to @Joel W. for his awesome craftsmanship and especially his customer service. I have to say, he was super quick and detailed with every answer to all my stupid questions during the process. As well, there was a big issue with USPS shipping that I won't get into (not in any way Joel's fault) and he made it right with zero hassle.
I ended up with his new 70/30 cuni and they are a pleasure to use after having a hair straightener and quick-grips for the last year. Everything fit perfectly to my new one-ton arbor press with no real problem. A wrench and metal file was all I needed to assemble. The soldering irons I bought fit absolutely perfectly.
I set the irons to about 350* and gave it thirty minutes. My ir temp gun definitely isn't accurate but when I tested the plates with a piece of parchment over top to reduce to reflection, I was reading about 180*. I figure it's at least 30* degrees off and I was aiming for about 210* so I went for it. I can tell it's for sure lower temp than my old tech when I was getting readings of about 290* on the revlon.
The oil sizzled and flowed off the plates as I gave it steady pressure. I bought an extended drive handle though after a while it became a bit tiresome. But compared to squeezing vice grips all day it was a breeze.
The left over chips were much thinner than the 600 pound grips ever got me but they seemed a little wet still. After giving a few chips a second press a bit higher temp, I really got nothing. So I tossed them into the jar for edibles. These plates really juice the nugs dry.
The plates kept temp the whole time I pressed my Q. They are smooth and tight, no warps or gaps at all, as far as I can tell. These blocks are heavy duty, welded very nicely and I know they'll last me forever, even if/when I upgrade to a bigger press. I was able to do .3 - .5 grams per squish and they stayed within the 2inch plates. The whole quarter took less than an hour to do but I know I'll get speedier as I get used to the new press. The oil seemed to really move off the heated blocks very quickly and I'm sure I preserved terps because of it.
I used Texada Timewarp outdoor for my test batch. I'm impressed to say that with only one squish per bud, I got a total of over 1.4 grams from the Q. That's better than 20% with one press which kind of blows my mind. I can't wait to try my frosty stuff, UK Cheese and Nuken, next.
All in all these plates are perfect for my personal one-ton press. I have no doubt they will last forever and they are well worth the price, which is pretty damn reasonable compared to everything else on the market at the moment. Joel is great guy to do business with and his plates speak tons about the kind of care he puts into them. I hugely recommend these for anyone on the fence. I've been searching for a year now, since I heard about and started squishing, and I finally feel satisfied with these plates and my arbor press.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my wall of text. It was the least I could do to show support for a product and machinist I believe deserves the praise. Pics below in the imgur link, sorry I can't figure out how to post them properly... Peace!
Edit - spelling
http://imgur.com/a/wHPaH
So I got my plates today and seriously, they are amazing! Huge thanks to @Joel W. for his awesome craftsmanship and especially his customer service. I have to say, he was super quick and detailed with every answer to all my stupid questions during the process. As well, there was a big issue with USPS shipping that I won't get into (not in any way Joel's fault) and he made it right with zero hassle.
I ended up with his new 70/30 cuni and they are a pleasure to use after having a hair straightener and quick-grips for the last year. Everything fit perfectly to my new one-ton arbor press with no real problem. A wrench and metal file was all I needed to assemble. The soldering irons I bought fit absolutely perfectly.
I set the irons to about 350* and gave it thirty minutes. My ir temp gun definitely isn't accurate but when I tested the plates with a piece of parchment over top to reduce to reflection, I was reading about 180*. I figure it's at least 30* degrees off and I was aiming for about 210* so I went for it. I can tell it's for sure lower temp than my old tech when I was getting readings of about 290* on the revlon.
The oil sizzled and flowed off the plates as I gave it steady pressure. I bought an extended drive handle though after a while it became a bit tiresome. But compared to squeezing vice grips all day it was a breeze.
The left over chips were much thinner than the 600 pound grips ever got me but they seemed a little wet still. After giving a few chips a second press a bit higher temp, I really got nothing. So I tossed them into the jar for edibles. These plates really juice the nugs dry.
The plates kept temp the whole time I pressed my Q. They are smooth and tight, no warps or gaps at all, as far as I can tell. These blocks are heavy duty, welded very nicely and I know they'll last me forever, even if/when I upgrade to a bigger press. I was able to do .3 - .5 grams per squish and they stayed within the 2inch plates. The whole quarter took less than an hour to do but I know I'll get speedier as I get used to the new press. The oil seemed to really move off the heated blocks very quickly and I'm sure I preserved terps because of it.
I used Texada Timewarp outdoor for my test batch. I'm impressed to say that with only one squish per bud, I got a total of over 1.4 grams from the Q. That's better than 20% with one press which kind of blows my mind. I can't wait to try my frosty stuff, UK Cheese and Nuken, next.
All in all these plates are perfect for my personal one-ton press. I have no doubt they will last forever and they are well worth the price, which is pretty damn reasonable compared to everything else on the market at the moment. Joel is great guy to do business with and his plates speak tons about the kind of care he puts into them. I hugely recommend these for anyone on the fence. I've been searching for a year now, since I heard about and started squishing, and I finally feel satisfied with these plates and my arbor press.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read my wall of text. It was the least I could do to show support for a product and machinist I believe deserves the praise. Pics below in the imgur link, sorry I can't figure out how to post them properly... Peace!
Edit - spelling
http://imgur.com/a/wHPaH
Last edited:
MinnBobber
Well-Known Member
.............................................................................................
Hi,
I'm thinking distant future but this interests me a lot.
I found el-cheapo 1 ton arbor presses to be way less $$ than I expected.
Pics / instructions in a 1 ton would be great,... of what it takes to attach soldering irons and
the jaws
Any best ones on previous pages?
.............................................................................................
Hi,
I'm thinking distant future but this interests me a lot.
I found el-cheapo 1 ton arbor presses to be way less $$ than I expected.
Pics / instructions in a 1 ton would be great,... of what it takes to attach soldering irons and
the jaws
Any best ones on previous pages?
So if you click the link I added to my review you'll see two pics of my 1 ton press with Joel's plates attached. The bottom plate sits securely on it's own (it's pretty heavy) and the upper plate attaches by those four bolts tightened onto the arbor ram. The ram just applies pressure through the upper plate to the bottom. The soldering irons just slide through the blocks, as Joel drilled out a perfect hole for basic cheapo 60 watt irons to be used. They just heat the plates from inside. My press is probably exactly the same as any manual 1 ton press from Harbor Freight, Grizzly, Busybee, etc. I almost wish I bought the 2 ton instead, but I am so happy with this new set-up.
MinnBobber
Well-Known Member
..................................................
thanks--I had clicked and got picture of bud and then did "next post" instead of down. Now I see the pics going down.
So you strong arm the press with the long lever arm and then you can "bolt it down", freeze it with the pressure applied???
So, my press isn't the ratcheting/locking kind. I have to hold down the level manually the whole time I press. If you let go, you lose basically the whole 2,000 pounds of pressure. It does get tiresome after a while but I don't usually do presses more than 20/25 seconds each. I'd love to find a way to lock the lever down as it's being pressed, but until I can think of a way how, it's strong-arm for now. I'm open to suggestions.
Last edited:
All the thanks to you, dude! Yeah, the one-ton doesn't leave much head-room but it absolutely fits fine. I just had to adjust the pinion to give me the best leverage.
I hope you get more business than you can handle! I'll continue to watch your growth and evolution. I've taught many, many people about rosin and your plates will for sure be my recommendation to the home-user like myself. Pressing has become so much easier and more fun. And bigger, much terpier yields for sure!
All the best!
DVision44
Well-Known Member
Hey all...
I've been browsing the thread for a bit and I'm really interested in getting a set of plates for a 1 ton arbor press. I've yet to purchase the press though. Are there any specific features I should be looking for? Are the plates pretty much universal to all arbor presses or does Joel need specifics before making the plates? Any suggestions for solder stations? Lastly how do I go about placing an order? Thanks in advance for any replies...
I've been browsing the thread for a bit and I'm really interested in getting a set of plates for a 1 ton arbor press. I've yet to purchase the press though. Are there any specific features I should be looking for? Are the plates pretty much universal to all arbor presses or does Joel need specifics before making the plates? Any suggestions for solder stations? Lastly how do I go about placing an order? Thanks in advance for any replies...
These should fit any 1-2 ton arbor press, or a 10-20 ton H press. I do not think they fit the 3 ton arbor press but I do not know for sure. They will not fit a 6 ton A frame press either without serious modifications to the press itself.
I still recommend the cheap adjustable irons, there are two links in my sig for random ebay and amazon sellers (I am not affiliated with them in any way).
To place an order, you just need to send me a PM. I use Paypal.
CrazyDiamond
HAL is a StarChild
PNW_High_Times
Well-Known Member
You can get the Dake b-10 for close to $250
http://m.ebay.com/itm/261956665389?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368
I'd think that's a better and easier solution
Question for @BoogerMan , You are the only one I know of with both my vise jaws and my plates for the drake 10, which is easier to use good Sir?
I assume the press is pretty easy compared to the vise, but maybe pumping the press handle sucks or something? lol
I assume the press is pretty easy compared to the vise, but maybe pumping the press handle sucks or something? lol
CrazyDiamond
HAL is a StarChild
I know I'm not @BoogerMan but I can tell you with a vise, it's very easy and I don't have to hold the handle to keep pressure...I just ramp up the pressure gradually until I can't turn the vise any more and just leave it there until I pull it all out.
grokit
well-worn member
I was looking at that same dake, because of that separate hand-crank. I know nothing about presses and ended up cloning @Joel W.'s vise setup. Not exactly because I haven't set it up yet, but you know what I mean. I'm hoping to have the time and ability and material all lined up in the next few weeks!
herb forester
Well-Known Member
The Dake is a good deal but takes up too much space for what I want. I'll be investing in larger equipment later, so will wait for new products to be released or DIY myself. An arbor press is the most ergonomic small-footprint device I've found for the pressure I want, although I decided the 2 and 3 ton arbors are just too big/heavy to leave on my kitchen counter. Also I'm ok with being limited to 1-2g squishes, so 1ton will be fine.
The headroom with Joel's plates is the only reason I haven't bought them yet, but from @jg34's pics, think I'm fine with that amount of clearance. Some of you probably know about the $350 all in one from High5, and their top-plate was milled to accept the 1" square ram without an extra flange like Joel's. They sold out quick but were not as good on quality/materials (both plates and the press), but they also just posted about releasing an upgrade in a few weeks.
I'm in the same boat as you, having room for only a small footprint. I live in an apartment so space is at a minimum. The arbor press is less than perfect but it absolutely fits the needs of a daily personal presser and it's easy to store. Plus I can upgrade with these plates to a larger press later on.
I've been using @Joel W.'s plates for multiple flower and bubble hash squishes now and they are pretty flawless. The headroom on the arbor ram isn't gigantic but I haven't had any problems at all. I actually like the design of these blocks over the medisun/high5 ones because of the added insulation that I don't think medisun/high5 has. And if you were desperate for extra clearance you could remove one or both of the wood insulators and gain over an inch of room.
DVision44
Well-Known Member
PNW_High_Times
Well-Known Member
I went ahead and ordered the Dake b-10 to go along with @Joel W. 's plates. Should have everything next week abd hopefully I'll be squishing by the weekend when my kimbo kush is cured.
I got the Dake because I have more than enough room in my basement for it and I want to be able to squish more than .5 grams at one time if I choose to. Im sure the vise does a great job too!
I got the Dake because I have more than enough room in my basement for it and I want to be able to squish more than .5 grams at one time if I choose to. Im sure the vise does a great job too!
PNW_High_Times
Well-Known Member
I got my plates today from @Joel W. and they're a thing of beauty!! The soldering irons also arrived. However Oak Harbor freight is trying to screw me and not deliver the press. I had my front door wide open all day. I have a pit bull and I have a doorbell. The driver told dispatch I wasn't home and I didn't answer my phone. I have no missed calls and I actually had someone else over here at the time he said I wasn't home so he can suck me. They're trying to get it delivered today by a different driver so we'll see how that goes since its already 430.
UPDATE: Don't ever use Oak Harbor freight lines. I'll get the press tomorrow supposedly. I'll believe it when I see it with these clowns.
UPDATE: Don't ever use Oak Harbor freight lines. I'll get the press tomorrow supposedly. I'll believe it when I see it with these clowns.
Last edited:
BoogerMan
Well-Known Member
Hey man sorry for the late response. I need to check the site more often. Still finishing up my car and that's taking up all my free time. I'll be on more often again soon enough! The car is almost finished
I think the Dake press is easier to use. To get up to 3-4 tons takes little effort (I can do it one handed, sitting cross cross apple sauce on the floor hahaha). I haven't used my vise setup since I got the H press. Nothing wrong with the vise setup at all and it definitely takes up less space and is cheaper, but I just like the pressure gauge on my H press. 180-200F at about 4 tons for 30 seconds (or until it stops flowing); perfect every time!
I think you have to hold the handle to keep pressure on arbor presses right? With the hydraulic pump on the H press you don't have to
Just pump it to the pressure you want and it holds at the pressure until you turn the release valve. From my experience I think it takes less effort to get to 3-4 tons on my H press compared to using a wrench with the vise. As long as you got some @Joel W. plates, it doesn't matter if you use a vise or a press. It will come out amazing every time Just saw you went with the Dake press. Nice choice! Sorry about the late response to your PM.
Man that sucks about the shipping! I hope you get it soon. They are teasing you. Bastards!
Last edited:
CrazyDiamond
HAL is a StarChild
Yes Arbor Press you need to hold the handle...bench vise (what I use), no you don't need to hold the handle and I was pretty certain with your big rig that it could be done one handed with little effort! 
PNW_High_Times
Well-Known Member
It's time for a review of the dake b-10 hydraulic press and @Joel W.'s plates. First, Joel is great at communication and he's man of his word. If he tells you they're going to be done by a certain date you better believe he'll follow through.
The plates are very nice. They worked exactly as described and for me that's a big deal. I don't want to be monkeying around with stuff and modifying it to get it up work. The soldering irons fit right in and they work like a charm.
The Dake is really the way to go if you can spend the extra money. It's simple to use once you put it together. The gauge is almost worth it all by itself. Its much easier to dial in the perfect press with the gauge. I also wanted my press to be horizontal rather than vertical so it's easier to use.
When it came time to press I ran into a couple issues. The first one is blow outs. I started by using .5 gram pucks but they were blowing out the crease of the parchment paper. I messaged @BoogerMan and he told me how to fix that. You have to center the puck I the parchment paper and make sure you have enough room for the puck to expand when it's flattened by the press.
The second issue I had was user error where I pressed it too quickly and the flower blew out into the concentrate. The best press is obtained with slow and steady pressure. I don't go past 3 tons now and try to stay just under that.
Finally stick to .5-.6 gram presses for the best and easiest concentrate to collect. If you try to press more than that the puck will flatten out and mix in with the concentrate. You want to be certain that the puck is centered when you press it as well.
Here are pics of my setup in my basement.
The plates are very nice. They worked exactly as described and for me that's a big deal. I don't want to be monkeying around with stuff and modifying it to get it up work. The soldering irons fit right in and they work like a charm.
The Dake is really the way to go if you can spend the extra money. It's simple to use once you put it together. The gauge is almost worth it all by itself. Its much easier to dial in the perfect press with the gauge. I also wanted my press to be horizontal rather than vertical so it's easier to use.
When it came time to press I ran into a couple issues. The first one is blow outs. I started by using .5 gram pucks but they were blowing out the crease of the parchment paper. I messaged @BoogerMan and he told me how to fix that. You have to center the puck I the parchment paper and make sure you have enough room for the puck to expand when it's flattened by the press.
The second issue I had was user error where I pressed it too quickly and the flower blew out into the concentrate. The best press is obtained with slow and steady pressure. I don't go past 3 tons now and try to stay just under that.
Finally stick to .5-.6 gram presses for the best and easiest concentrate to collect. If you try to press more than that the puck will flatten out and mix in with the concentrate. You want to be certain that the puck is centered when you press it as well.
Here are pics of my setup in my basement.
BoogerMan
Well-Known Member
Glad you got everything up and running man! Looks like you are getting the hang of itIt's time for a review of the dake b-10 hydraulic press and @Joel W.'s plates. First, Joel is great at communication and he's man of his word. If he tells you they're going to be done by a certain date you better believe he'll follow through.
The plates are very nice. They worked exactly as described and for me that's a big deal. I don't want to be monkeying around with stuff and modifying it to get it up work. The soldering irons fit right in and they work like a charm.
The Dake is really the way to go if you can spend the extra money. It's simple to use once you put it together. The gauge is almost worth it all by itself. Its much easier to dial in the perfect press with the gauge. I also wanted my press to be horizontal rather than vertical so it's easier to use.
When it came time to press I ran into a couple issues. The first one is blow outs. I started by using .5 gram pucks but they were blowing out the crease of the parchment paper. I messaged @BoogerMan and he told me how to fix that. You have to center the puck I the parchment paper and make sure you have enough room for the puck to expand when it's flattened by the press.
The second issue I had was user error where I pressed it too quickly and the flower blew out into the concentrate. The best press is obtained with slow and steady pressure. I don't go past 3 tons now and try to stay just under that.
Finally stick to .5-.6 gram presses for the best and easiest concentrate to collect. If you try to press more than that the puck will flatten out and mix in with the concentrate. You want to be certain that the puck is centered when you press it as well.
Here are pics of my setup in my basement.
- Status