@Hackerman Yes the 3-ton jack can be replaced much like what we can do with the bj6t35 unit. We only suggest to replace the jack if necessary, and to pair it with a bottle jack with the same (or close) size and dimensions. Use of a larger tonnage jack like a 6-ton would not be advised and could damage the frame and void the warranty. I don't have any video of it in use presently. I do have a video that shows a video around the unit then it being tilted to it's resting position. I'm not sure if that's helpful though for what you're asking. This unit is about 5cm taller than bj6t35, which is 18" high, so roughly 20". Weight wise I will have to get back to you.
@pxl_jockey It's a difference in design. The way you set your parchment paper up would be to have the open end facing the rear of the unit to allow you to drip when tilted that direction, or you could use no folds in your parchment. You could also use a big fold in the direction that you'll tilt the unit to catch the drips.
It would probably seem awkward at first to someone who's always used a unit that tilts forward. One benefit to having the unit tilt backwards with the bottle jack, you're able to access the hydraulics still with the handle.
With the units form factor, you could just manipulate the position of the press to suit your viewing needs. It's not so large it can't be moved into a position you prefer, perhaps viewing from the side?
@ACitizenOfCo The smaller plates are actually really slick as they heat up quickly and are about the perfect size for most of my personal pressings. Using any of our plate kits, which attach directly to the ram of the press, will have the issue of heat draining into the press unless you use an insulation layer between the ram of the press and where it makes contact with the top platen inside the mounting area. Without that insulation layer there the top plate will take longer to heat up and also be compensating for the extra mass it's trying to heat. As far as alignment, you'll have nice flat alignment however since the plates are not fixed into position (without building your own type of guides to keep the plates in perfect position, they can still rotate around the ram. If the ram's weren't round it wouldn't move like this on the top plate, but the bottom plate can certainly move if placed directly on the table plate of the shop press versus having something like silicone mat to help it stay in place via friction.
In short, the non-caged plates may require you to make adjustments during the press versus one with fixed or caged plates, you can focus your hands on other areas like clamping the parchment paper out of the way, and still operating the hydraulics. It's a little more to pay attention to, but I wouldn't say by much.
In regards to blowouts, that can happen anywhere, anytime, on any press, if the filter is not used properly. I did a run yesterday with the hr10t35 unit and the bottom folds on my filter (I use a sleeve that has 2 open ends) was not long enough and during the press the buds pushed downward and managed to find a way out of the filter and pretty much half of the puck squished out of the filter and made a bit of a mess on my squish, not a huge deal but I spent a lot more time picking plant matter out of my rosin. Filling the filter with too much material can also contribute to blowouts.
When you speak of degradation, are you talking about decarboxylation and terpene loss? I've found for my own personal use, rosin that's trapped on the parchment paper under the plates versus what's come out of the plates is a little less flavorful, yes, however most of my efforts have at least 75% of the rosin flowing away from the plates. Additionally, all of my efforts producing rosin, it still needs to be decarboxylated which means the cannabinoids should still be in their acidic form (mostly). Some decarboxylation occurs but it's not as much as one may think. The dabs actively bubble when vaporized on a nail.
I like to recommend for rosineers to think about the future when purchasing a press. 3x3" is great for 7g or less material, 10g if you have enough tonnage. If you are pressing only for yourself, or for you and a partner, you will likely be just fine and never feel the need for anything larger, but if you plan to squish for yourself and many others, it could be helpful to have 3x5" plates so you can squish more material at once.
I personally was using my 3x7" plates for quite a while, and then switched over to 3x5" plates and haven't missed the extra size. I'm only pressing a half ounce (flower) at once, or less. I also only press for myself. Rarely, I will have some buds to press for a friend, but they only bring around 7g at a time.
EDIT: In regards to making edibles out of dabable rosin, if you squish all your flower, that's all you have. It's far easier AND faster to make edibles decarboxylating the rosin in the oven for less than 10 minutes versus decarboxylating whole flowers, plus nothing to strain out.
Just take the decarboxylated rosin and add it to your fat source/recipe. Done. Now I've come around to washing my pucks with 190 proof grain alcohol to save my pressed rosin for dabs, the potency and flavor is nowhere of the same quality so the reason for using rosin is clear. So for me it depends on how much time I want to invest and how potent and clean tasting I want the edibles. For cannacaps that you are just going to swallow and never taste, the washed pucks oil is a good solution once it's decarboxylated.
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