Rosin Technique....Easy DIY Solventless

[EpicNameGuy]

This has to have been brought up before; what actives if any are left after pressing?
Does it make any sense to grind them up for further utilization?

There are definitely some actives left but it's largely based on how much you get out of course.

As soon as my press is up and running in a couple weeks hopefully, I'm going to do cannabinoid and terpene tests done on the flower prior to squish and post squish. I'll most likely test the oil as well for completeness sake, although I think there will be no surprises there... 70%+ active cannabinoids seems to be the norm.

 

[Mrknotty23]

Good morning Squishers!
So I've been using coffee filters to press my bubble and can't really complain with the results. I collect all the filters and squish them again to reclaim any rosin in them. I just found 25 micron stainless steel mesh though for pretty cheap and am wondering if it's worth the switch. All input would be much appreciated!!!

 

[elmomuzz]

I got my squish rig going just in time for the weekend. Much testing to follow.

 

[joe0508]

15-25%, depends on the strain. i think i am gettting about 3-5% more than i did with the quickgrip. I know one strain the most i measured was about 19% before , and i got 24% with my new clamp last measure on it.

I did some the other night and i only yielded like .6g on 12g of bud.I did some second runs but i got the most from the first.I mixed it in some e juice for a co2 tank for thick oils and attach that to a mod box to about 10-14w.I can only take at most two good lung hits and taste good.I used the irwin clamp with the pads installed to squish the nugs between parchment paper.I kept temps between 200 and 220f.than i see rosin seeping between the parchment paper.I use prepressed nugs between .5g and .8g with 2 inch pates on a 600 pound irwin clamp.Can someone give me something to improve my tech?Should i be using bigger nugs?The ones i was using was prepressed and still didnt look like they covered the ceramic plates.

 

[CrazyDiamond]

@joe0508 try taking your parchment with nug in it, and wrap a second parchment around that...it may help some with the seepage you described. With the Irwin, you may need to go up a little in temperature because you probably aren't getting the same pressures than we see with bench vises, arbor presses, and hydraulic type presses...and notice I said "may" and "probably".

 

[Nugg]

@joe0508 try using .3g. Smaller puck equals more psi. I use 130c with my clamp set up and get 15% returns.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

I did some the other night and i only yielded like .6g on 12g of bud.I did some second runs but i got the most from the first.I mixed it in some e juice for a co2 tank for thick oils and attach that to a mod box to about 10-14w.I can only take at most two good lung hits and taste good.I used the irwin clamp with the pads installed to squish the nugs between parchment paper.I kept temps between 200 and 220f.than i see rosin seeping between the parchment paper.I use prepressed nugs between .5g and .8g with 2 inch pates on a 600 pound irwin clamp.Can someone give me something to improve my tech?Should i be using bigger nugs?The ones i was using was prepressed and still didnt look like they covered the ceramic plates.

When I use prepressed nugs that are .5-.8g I get obvious puddles of oil. I would expect at least 2.5g of oil from 12 grams of good flower. It sounds like a pressure issue if you're using such low temperatures, those are usually meant for high pressure applications like vices or presses. Try bumping it up to 260 and using a second paper around it like @CrazyDiamond said?

I pressed a small nug of Fire OG at 260 with my arbor press and got this, from probably .2, so you should be getting a lot more than .6 from 12 grams:

 

[PPN]

Did I remenber only the higher quality bud will work for Rosin....?

Something under 12% THC contents will not produces good yields ,I think I heard something like that...

It's a turn down for me cause I keep my better quality weed for vaping and I prefer to process my lower quality weed (which produces better taste while concentrated cause less THC means an higher terpènes/thc ratio....I think, not scientific at all but it seems a nice explanation imo)

 

[GuyLeDuche]

Anyone else thinking the yield is more or less equal to THC content of the starting material? I mean by basic stoner math, at least lol. It seems like if you process chips (ISO/BHO/etc) you will find the Rosin pressing caught about 66-75% of the oil, which is also about the same THC content clean Rosin is being tested at. So to me, it looks like these numbers cancel each other out and barring variables you are left where you started, yes? This isn't to say they directly correlate, Just that I notice the 2 numbers are often very close in the end, a 25% THC strain will often yield about 25%, while a 10% strain will return about 10% lol. Of course YMMV with moisture, contaminants, etc

 

[Mrknotty23]

Now I can't say much about THC content and yields because I've never tested my flowers for those levels. However, I do know that freshness, moisture, and how you prepare ur squish make a huge difference in your yield. Once I started making pucks too with a pollen press my flower yields shot up to 25%. I have also squished flower that was over a year old and flower from this falls harvest, huge difference in return no matter what I did. Color as well.

 

[hashmasta kut]

@joe0508 try using .3g. Smaller puck equals more psi. I use 130c with my clamp set up and get 15% returns.

My dad was pressing like 3-4 grams pucks and i was like man you are losing yield i bet, but I have found i can get great yield pressing a whole gram at a time, often around 20%+, but i am not using the quickgrip anymore, i have the vice grip clamp style, more pinpoint pressure. pucks come out dry enough i only get 2-3% on a second press. he was actually getting close to 20% anyway with his large presses as i recall.

 

[Been Vapin]

When I use prepressed nugs that are .5-.8g I get obvious puddles of oil. I would expect at least 2.5g of oil from 12 grams of good flower. It sounds like a pressure issue if you're using such low temperatures, those are usually meant for high pressure applications like vices or presses. Try bumping it up to 260 and using a second paper around it like @CrazyDiamond said?

I pressed a small nug of Fire OG at 260 with my arbor press and got this, from probably .2, so you should be getting a lot more than .6 from 12 grams:

Haven't used my arbor press since last summer. Pulled it out of storage and threw a nug in.

Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[CrazyDiamond]

I should've thrown that in as well...moisture content of your nugs is CRITICAL...no moisture, very little oil...the moisture content helps move the oil out IMHO. As far as yields?...I'm not sure about the relationship between THC content and such, but I have had several different types of flower and typically get about the same yield from all of them

 

[joe0508]

I should've thrown that in as well...moisture content of your nugs is CRITICAL...no moisture, very little oil...the moisture content helps move the oil out IMHO. As far as yields?...I'm not sure about the relationship between THC content and such, but I have had several different types of flower and typically get about the same yield from all of them

The bud was dryer than usual so maybe that could have had something to do with it.Next time i do it will be with an ounce.Its pretty dank, I dont know the name of it or anything but for 400 an once it should be good stuff.I will try dubbling up on the parchment paper and With the temps i will try going a little hotter see what that gets me.I am just not to sure what route to take with the nug prepressing.Should i use nugs that will cover the whole width of the ceramic plates?Because i can only see seepage from one side and that is the side that i have the nug closest to the edge.

i see rosin seeping between the parchment paper

 

[CrazyDiamond]

@joe0508 the nug should NOT cover the whole width of the ceramic

 

[hashmasta kut]

I should've thrown that in as well...moisture content of your nugs is CRITICAL...no moisture, very little oil...the moisture content helps move the oil out IMHO. As far as yields?...I'm not sure about the relationship between THC content and such, but I have had several different types of flower and typically get about the same yield from all of them

there can be very large differences in yield, I have seen strains going from 12-13% average, to others around 25-30%. so a whole range of say from 10-30%, just like bho.

as for moisture levels, some strains need more than others, depending on their terpenophenolic profile.

 

[ReggieB]

@joe0508 if you're using straighteners, it might have floating plates that give a little under pressure, to check for yourself, with the plates cold, put your finger between them and see if they move when you put some pressure on the handle. If they do, you'll need something to pack out that space, something like foil backed parchment is very useful for this, it's easy to handle and the foil does the job of dissipating heat nicely across the whole surface.

 

[whereskarlo]

Sorry if this has been asked before, I did search but couldn't find any answers.

Is it always necessary to press multiple times or can you press only once and extract all rosin with the right pressure and temp?

Why do we move the bud between presses instead of pressing at the same spot, considering the rosin squirts outwards and after the first press the flower is already "aligned" for the Rosin to escape the bud?

And finally with this in mind.. Is there any consensus on which temperature and pressure is required to get the most out of the bud in a single press? I see videos on YouTube where they press several ounces at once with dedicated equipment, and its not clear if they consider that single high pressure press to be sufficient or if they run the flower several times more after that.

 

[joe0508]

@joe0508 if you're using straighteners, it might have floating plates that give a little under pressure, to check for yourself, with the plates cold, put your finger between them and see if they move when you put some pressure on the handle. If they do, you'll need something to pack out that space, something like foil backed parchment is very useful for this, it's easy to handle and the foil does the job of dissipating heat nicely across the whole surface.

I use a 600 pound irwin clamp with some 2 inch ceramic plates from a remington hair straghtener.

 

[poonman]

I did some the other night and i only yielded like .6g on 12g of bud.I did some second runs but i got the most from the first.I mixed it in some e juice for a co2 tank for thick oils and attach that to a mod box to about 10-14w.I can only take at most two good lung hits and taste good.I used the irwin clamp with the pads installed to squish the nugs between parchment paper.I kept temps between 200 and 220f.than i see rosin seeping between the parchment paper.I use prepressed nugs between .5g and .8g with 2 inch pates on a 600 pound irwin clamp.Can someone give me something to improve my tech?Should i be using bigger nugs?The ones i was using was prepressed and still didnt look like they covered the ceramic plates.

How long are you pressing ?
With cheap DIY presses , you may need to press it for longer
time than high-end machines . Just a thought .

 

[joe0508]

How long are you pressing ?
With cheap DIY presses , you may need to press it for longer
time than high-end machines . Just a thought .

I would guess between 20 to 25 sec. betwen 200f and 220f,I will be going 240f and possibly 260f next time with medium sized nugs and see if i get better yield and hopefully it will not be as dry.What i have learned from the post is that i need higher temps with the kind of vice im using and double up on the parchment maybe.I would go with the vice grip method but i wont to get some more use out of my new setup.

 

[CrazyDiamond]

@joe0508 like I said in my previous post to you that I think part of the problem is not enough pressure/using too big a nug...believe it or not, less is more with this technique. (meaning size of nug compared to plate size).

 

[GuyLeDuche]

Is it always necessary to press multiple times or can you press only once and extract all rosin with the right pressure and temp?

I only press once, a 2nd yields only dark goo and some steam lol. My setup atm is super basic, just a wet2straight shoved in one of these ($24):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141884359562?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


It really works well, pushing oil through the back of the paper if you squeeze too hard I also really like the clamp mount, you can slap it on a desk, shelf or bookcase.

I would guess between 20 to 25 sec. betwen 200f and 220f,I will be going 240f and possibly 260f next time with medium sized nugs and see if i get better yield and hopefully it will not be as dry.What i have learned from the post is that i need higher temps with the kind of vice im using and double up on the parchment maybe.I would go with the vice grip method but i wont to get some more use out of my new setup.

I would say that time/temp combo would be great with a vise like above, but the hand-helds IMO don't squeeze hard enough. I think when I used them I was around 280f for just a few seconds, maybe 3-5. The oil jumps out at higher temps, but terps can be lost
Also IMO, if your herb doesn't stick together when you pinch it, it's too dry. I like to put about 1g in a folded parchment , right in the crease, then fold one side over so I have an L-shaped pocket. Then I pack the herb tightly in the corner, and fold the other side tightly so I have a nice tight rectangle of bud, and then smash it with my thumb . If you open it and find it crumbly, you'll need to re-hydrate.

 

[stressed]

i hate this thread because i think i'll have to read the whole thing!

i have a couple ounces of different genetics that are around 3 years old. now that i'm buying from a dispensary, i'm not touching the older stuff. too many genetics to try.

i watched this and decided to go for it.

then i thought i'd better come here and sure enough, there's a big thread! so before i buy the equipment that guy used, i'll be diving in to see what twists you guys have added.

i'm looking for something simple. the best hair heater to use, a good vice type device that doesn't cost a couple hundred $$,. i'm not a DIY kind of guy and i'm not looking to squeeze every bit of trich juice out of the buds, just enough to make it worth the time and effort. i'm retired and effort is not in my daily routine!




i'm seeing that too much moisture in the bud is not good for making rosin. my buds are kept at 62%. i'm assuming that is too moist so i'll leave them out of the jars for a day or so.

 

[matthend]

@stressed and @joe0508

http://www.irwin.com/tools/locking-tools/the-original-locking-c-clamps-with-swivel-pads

Cheap and simple, best bang for your buck IMO