Rosin Technique....Easy DIY Solventless

[Hackerman]

Just tossing this in the ring.... I tried making THCa last night and it just ain't a gonna happen with sticky, runny or shattery rosin. It HAS to be a waxy or 'stiff' rosin. I never seem to get that. Mine is always sticky. The only one time I got wax was when I pressed some fresh buds. All my 'cured' stuff produces sticky rosin.

Are you guys pressing home grown that is properly cured? Or, are you pressing uncured dispensary buds?

I will say this, running the existing flower rosin I had though a 25u screen sure did take out a lot of debris. But, I pressed and repressed and tried every trick I could find online...... ziltch.

I tried heating and whipping my rosin but it just won't wax up.

 

[EmDeemo]

Dispensary buds is very N.America-centric. Im in the UK, we dont have dispensaries

Sticky or runny I can see having more terps, and less thc so might be less available to separate, but shatter, I would have thought the thing thats making it into shatter is the thc content? Obviously, I've only done this once so still learning

What methods did you use? Were you using the 25u bags? How many bags?

Let us learn from your failure by knowing your method!

 

[Hackerman]

Basically, I guess I was asking if the waxy consistency you guys get is related to cured vs uncured pot. The only time I got 'waxy' was when I was pressing some fresh dried buds that were very recently picked and never cured. After that same pot was cured a few months, the rosin pressed from the cured buds was always darker and stickier. At any temp and pressure. My rosin is just as runny at 160F as it is at 190F. Go figure. And, I currently have 8 strains in my stable and they all produce very similar (in consistency) rosin.

As for making the acetate, I read a couple tutorials but this one is the one that said it won't happen with runny or non-waxy ros.

https://www.alchimiaweb.com/blogen/make-thca-crystals-solventless-sauce/

I used 25u bags.

One tutorial said to not press at all (the first 2 passes) and just let the heat do it's work. Then, press softly. Then, finally, harder. I tried that too. Ziltch.

Another said to whip it... whip it good. LOL Tried that. Ziltch.

The chunk of rosin in that tut that I linked to almost looks more like a chuck of hash than rosin. I have NEVER pressed a rosin that I could pick up and hold in my hand. Maybe he froze it first. Doesn't look frozen in the picture.

Thanks

 

[EmDeemo]

Thats very interesting. I wonder whats occurring? Thanks for the link, thats an interesting read and no, I've never seen rosin like that either! I usually put things like that down to just not having access to those dispensaries and therefore the range of products.

The stuff I've been pressing had a three month cure, but I was going through pressing it all slowly over that three months. I didnt notice any change in the rosin via that cure time tho. The last bit I did came out the same as the first. Tho I have had some rosin I could pick up, from a higher temp squish (over 200f), and it was from some very old flower someone gave me, very dry material. It was more a glassy look, like a slightly gooey shatter, than that budder type stuff.

I just learnt a few things from that link btw, bookmarked

EDIT: Just did a big dab of the sauce that I separated. Last few days I've been dabbing rosin with extra thca shoved in it - very nice. A big dab of that leaves less to clean up than the dab of sauce alone that I just did. The sauce only dab left a whole load of crap behind. This was all being up at dish temp of 460f, so each dab is going down in one pretty much, so I get to see within a couple of inhales how much is left over. There is no further vapour produced by increasing the temp.

 

[LesPlenty]

Mine is always sticky.

I press my own home grown buds that are between 3 months to nearly 2 years old and the only time I get oily shit is when I press at higher temps and or pressure, 68 to 75C always gets me from butter to crumble consistency

 

[Hackerman]

I wonder what I am doing that is so different? I pressed some today at 145F (63C) and all I got was less yield of the same sticky. ??? I tried pucks, bags, even a raw unpressed bud. From 145F up to about 185F I get the same sticky, just more yield. At about 190F and above, all I get is a static nightmare of shatter flying all over the paper.

I use a DabPress 3 ton 3x3. So, our equipment is close to the same.

My stuff is anywhere from a few months to a few years old, home grown. So, we are the same there.

I usually put a 62 Boveda in any jar I plan to press. Maybe I should try something more dry??? Where's your RH? My stuff is stored in glass jars.

I only have a 3 ton press so I doubt I am pressing too hard.

I press for a couple minutes total but even if I grab it as soon as it starts to run, it's all about the same.

Did I miss anything?

I wonder what's up.

Thanks for the help.

 

[LesPlenty]

I use Boveda if my RH moves too far from 62% (ea storage jar has a hygrometer, yep 30 odd of them), the only other variable is the pressure, I do 10g pucks bottltech style and my first press is only 2000psi on the gauge, the first numeral on the gauge is 2500 so I am not applying much pressure(the gauge goes to 10000). My first press lasts 3 mins total on the press, 1 minute with barely squashing the bag to heat soak, 1000psi at 1:45 then 2000 at 2:00 for the last 60 seconds unless I still see some action(dripping) then it may last to 4 mins total(top part of plant buds will do this).
So all I can say is try less pressure, just enough to get it flowing, you can always repress with more pressure if you get nothing.

 

[MegaMan2k]

I would noramlly cure my stuff always-

Whats the solutions to pressing too wet flowers? As in only a few days drying and the rosin turn out FAUL tasting ? xD

Letting plants go into late late flower ( many amber heads )
OR
Not drying properly and for long enough time


Which are likely the culprit?

 

[invertedisdead]

I would noramlly cure my stuff always-

Whats the solutions to pressing too wet flowers? As in only a few days drying and the rosin turn out FAUL tasting ? xD

Letting plants go into late late flower ( many amber heads )
OR
Not drying properly and for long enough time


Which are likely the culprit?

I like to press flower right after drying. If it's too wet you might have squashed more plant juices into the rosin though.

 

[MegaMan2k]

ive just had a few good presses with very fresh buds aswell, but i might just have rushed this one too much lol.

 

[shredder]

I press my own home grown buds that are between 3 months to nearly 2 years old and the only time I get oily shit is when I press at higher temps and or pressure, 68 to 75C always gets me from butter to crumble consistency

Sometimes runny rosin is strain specific. Certain varieties make runny rosin.

Two I'm familiar with are cherry pie and gorilla glue#4. Although older mature GG4 buds make the rosin slightly better to collect.

Cherry pie is almost impossible to collect. A shame too, cause the buds are really nice.

My blue dream makes nice rosin but so so yields and some like super silver haze, 9 pound hammer, and Columbian Gold make great yields and rosin.

 

[Hackerman]

I am going to run some more tests today. I just pressed a bud I found that has been sitting out for weeks at about 30% RH. So dry, it crumbled when I picked it up. I didn't prepress or anything. I just, very slowly, pressed it at 170F (my norm). Same old sticky. Damn. I whipped it a little and it seemed to get a little waxy but after it sat for a while, it was sticky again.

I will try putting some flowers in the fridge to lower the temp before pressing.

One thing I am doing differently than most of you is the size of my load. 2 or 3 grams is my norm.

Off to the presses......

 

[LesPlenty]

Small load=small surface area=higher pressure=oily hot, shatter cold is my thinking, how many different strains do you have access to @Hackerman? Just thinking of what @shredder mentioned about strains that can be a problem?

 

[Summer]

how many different strains do you have access to @Hackerman?

I currently have 8 strains in my stable and they all produce very similar (in consistency) rosin.

Just trying to be helpful.

 

[MegaMan2k]

Pull 1 early plant and all you get is that light colored waxy stuff, let that same plant go 2 weeks longer and it may be much darker and sometimes much more fluid too

There is so many factors that will affact consistency that its hard to say that its because of X or Y

Salt grown? Organic Bottles? Amended Soil? Early? Late? Water Source?
Maybe just the resin that this particulaire plant will express is just runny or waxy?
OR the resin this plant expresses is waxy in case of grow method X and runny in case of grow method Y

And then we come to Press temps and pressure, filter size and storage?

There are SO many variables imo. that you will never really get an anwser unless you grew the plant from seed to oil

 

[Hackerman]

Small load=small surface area=higher pressure=oily hot, shatter cold is my thinking, how many different strains do you have access to @Hackerman? Just thinking of what @shredder mentioned about strains that can be a problem?

That is a possibility. I'll try pressing a larger load. With a 3x3 plate, I am thinking about 7 grams is about tops. I'll have to use a bag to stop the puck from squeezing out the sides of the plates.

Like Summer said, I have 8 right now with 4 more strains nearing harvest. I have some Barney's Farm LSD that comes out real light brown, almost yellow and is more waxy than any other strain I have. But, even that is still sticky. And, yield is only around 10% with that strain.

I'll try a larger load, today.

Thanks

 

[Sick Vape]

That is a possibility. I'll try pressing a larger load. With a 3x3 plate, I am thinking about 7 grams is about tops. I'll have to use a bag to stop the puck from squeezing out the sides of the plates.

Like Summer said, I have 8 right now with 4 more strains nearing harvest. I have some Barney's Farm LSD that comes out real light brown, almost yellow and is more waxy than any other strain I have. But, even that is still sticky. And, yield is only around 10% with that strain.

I'll try a larger load, today.

Thanks

What lights is your weed grown under? And do you use the exactly same genetics (cutting) as others with drier rosin?

edit: Runny rosin is great to micro dose, no?
For your thca extraction, would it help to freeze you rosin before pressing and pressing at very, very low temps?

 

[EmDeemo]

What lights is your weed grown under? And do you use the exactly same genetics (cutting) as others with drier rosin?

edit: Runny rosin is great to micro dose, no?
For your thca extraction, would it help to freeze you rosin before pressing and pressing at very, very low temps?

Lights, thats interesting. I've been wondering what might be causing every strain to do the same thing for @Hackerman as it sounds slightly unusual to me that all strains give runny rosin. I was thinking maybe growing method, but I've pressed hydro/organic/blah blah, and they all perform as expected.

Lights would explain why its every strain, maybe?

 

[Hackerman]

Well, it's not load size. I just pressed a nice 8 gram bottle tech load in a bag that looked about 70u or so. Sticky, sticky, sticky. LOL

As for the different strains... I do get different rosin from some. The LSD is almost yellow while the XXX is almost black. And, I get different tastes and slightly different textures. But, never wax. Except that one time I pressed fresh buds.

I'll try the freezer, next.

Building up a mighty stash of rosin in this task. LOL Just made 2 carts from the stuff I pressed yesterday. I hate carts but I have 2 buddies who love them so I make them for those guys.


As for my grow....Pretty standard grow op. I have been growing for almost 50 years and I have not changed a whole lot for years.

Usually run clones from a previous grow.
Clones are in cups for a month and then to #1 nursery pots.
Veg under 1000 watt MH for another month.
Then flower under 1000 watt Sodium.
Dry in a tent specifically for drying. Complete control over temp and humidity. I dried this last crop for about a week at 65 - 70F and 60 - 65%RH. Then, into jars with a hygrometer and I keep burping them as long as it takes and then once they stabilize they just stay in the jars until ready. If I fuck up and something over dries, I use a Boveda. Otherwise I don't use them except in my daily jars to keep my daily stash from drying out.

What's the humidity in the rooms where you guys press?

Parchment? I use Kirklands.

If all these fall out, we are about to what Megaman said... fertilizers? Fox Farms. Dirt? Happy Frog.

Something is up.

I'm going to take the 1.6 grams I pressed today from that 8 gram bottle tech load and put it in the freezer.

 

[EmDeemo]

Well, it's not load size. I just pressed a nice 8 gram bottle tech load in a bag that looked about 70u or so. Sticky, sticky, sticky. LOL

As for the different strains... I do get different rosin from some. The LSD is almost yellow while the XXX is almost black. And, I get different tastes and slightly different textures. But, never wax. Except that one time I pressed fresh buds.

I'll try the freezer, next.

Building up a mighty stash of rosin in this task. LOL Just made 2 carts from the stuff I pressed yesterday. I hate carts but I have 2 buddies who love them so I make them for those guys.


As for my grow....Pretty standard grow op. I have been growing for almost 50 years and I have not changed a whole lot for years.

Usually run clones from a previous grow.
Clones are in cups for a month and then to #1 nursery pots.
Veg under 1000 watt MH for another month.
Then flower under 1000 watt Sodium.
Dry in a tent specifically for drying. Complete control over temp and humidity. I dried this last crop for about a week at 65 - 70F and 60 - 65%RH. Then, into jars with a hygrometer and I keep burping them as long as it takes and then once they stabilize they just stay in the jars until ready. If I fuck up and something over dries, I use a Boveda. Otherwise I don't use them except in my daily jars to keep my daily stash from drying out.

What's the humidity in the rooms where you guys press?

Parchment? I use Kirklands.

If all these fall out, we are about to what Megaman said... fertilizers? Fox Farms. Dirt? Happy Frog.

Something is up.

I'm going to take the 1.6 grams I pressed today from that 8 gram bottle tech load and put it in the freezer.

Hmm. Not the lights then. Fascinating.

It really doesnt sound like you're doing anything particularly different. What a conundrum!

 

[invertedisdead]

How long are you actually pressing for?

 

[Hackerman]

I have tried all different times. My standard MO is to let the plates touch the load but almost no pressure. Maybe one minute or so, then, I press medium. Wait for the flow, press harder. Sometimes, I do a last smash but I have found it doesn't really yield any more and it usually tears the parchment.

However, on some loads, I have tried, super fast press with no warmup time. Place the puck, press medium and pull it out. Not much different other than I need a second press. My standard MO yields ZERO on a second press. It all seems to come out on the first press.

That 8 gram load I did this morning took a total of about 8 minutes and 3 presses. The warmup was pretty long since the load was so big. About 2 minutes. Then, I pressed and didn't get much so I put it back in and pressed medium hard and waited another 2 minutes. Got a huge yield. Then a third press didn't get much. All total, the load was under heat and pressure about 8 minutes. 20%+ yield total.

Can I show off my rosin stash... LOL Pretty neat the way the Black Cherry Soda is actually black cherry colored and the Lemon OG Kush is actually lemon colored (yellow). Variety is the spice of life.

 

[MegaMan2k]

@Hackerman
Very nice collection and big up for growing 50 years, very impressive

 

[EmDeemo]

@Hackerman
Very nice collection and big up for growing 50 years, very impressive

Agreed. Thats a lovely looking selection. All my rosin ends up being beige/grey/brown, it rarely has 'jar appeal', except for the smell

 

[btka]

I have tried all different times. My standard MO is to let the plates touch the load but almost no pressure. Maybe one minute or so, then, I press medium. Wait for the flow, press harder. Sometimes, I do a last smash but I have found it doesn't really yield any more and it usually tears the parchment.

However, on some loads, I have tried, super fast press with no warmup time. Place the puck, press medium and pull it out. Not much different other than I need a second press. My standard MO yields ZERO on a second press. It all seems to come out on the first press.

That 8 gram load I did this morning took a total of about 8 minutes and 3 presses. The warmup was pretty long since the load was so big. About 2 minutes. Then, I pressed and didn't get much so I put it back in and pressed medium hard and waited another 2 minutes. Got a huge yield. Then a third press didn't get much. All total, the load was under heat and pressure about 8 minutes. 20%+ yield total.

Can I show off my rosin stash... LOL Pretty neat the way the Black Cherry Soda is actually black cherry colored and the Lemon OG Kush is actually lemon colored (yellow). Variety is the spice of life.

my black cherry soda was very sappy ... could it be that strains with high terpene amount or some sort of terpenes are more sappy... did your black cherry soda purpled... maybe that is why it is darker...

also I think ambient temperature and relativ humidity have possible to do with it (sappy consistency)...
do you find a difference pressing in summer or winter...

BTW I would be interessted how you make rosin carts? I am also experimenting...