Gear Slug .33 Rosin Forge

[steama]

I just use a pair of pliers to pick it up if I cant get to my strap.

Also Lou I'm pretty sure an IR thermometer won't be accurate on the slug. It's too shiny. Unless you are measuring the heat of the material?

I too was wondering about continuing an interrupted press.

I am in the middle of the learning curve. It seems Lou is having better results than me and it's making me motivated to keep practicing. I am really enjoying the kit so far.

I will be doing another press soon

This eventually happens to everyone. When it happened to me I had done enough runs so I had an idea of the 'cranking down vise feel' under heat. So that is what I did once I got lost -- focused on the feel. I was amazed that the run turned out perfectly which, of course, you gotta give luck her due too. Still, it is not the disaster one may think it is.

Something else to look for that would help. I have my timing down to the point that only a couple, three turns are needed once the cranking and heating are done. It all happens at almost the same time. I have noticed if you look at the edge of the slug pressing on the parchment you will often see a little goo begin before your heating and press are finished. Remember this too if you get lost in the middle of a squish.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I just use a pair of pliers to pick it up if I cant get to my strap.
I have no pliers that can pick up the Fatty

Also Lou I'm pretty sure an IR thermometer won't be accurate on the slug. It's too shiny. Unless you are measuring the heat of the material?
I’m brand new to IR guns, too

I got the Wilton vice and I reversed one of the plates. It had grooves on it and reversing it made it a much flatter surface. If you have the same I recommend doing this. I need to tear my down too and clean it and paint it.
I have the press plate, which takes care of that for me

I too was wondering about continuing an interrupted press.

I am in the middle of the learning curve. It seems Lou is having better results than me and it's making me motivated to keep practicing. I am really enjoying the kit so far.
Last night was my first-ever squish

I will be doing another press soon

I will probably NOT be doing another pressing soon: last night’s shenanigans had me up until 4, and I’m supposed to be packed and and driving out tomorrow morning for my vacation...as tired as I am, and as much as I *didn’t* get done last night, I may not make it out tomorrow at all.

Pressing more will have to wait. I have to go roll up my windows....

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

I will probably NOT be doing another pressing soon: last night’s shenanigans had me up until 4, and I’m supposed to be packed and and driving out tomorrow morning for my vacation...as tired as I am, and as much as I *didn’t* get done last night, I may not make it out tomorrow at all.

Pressing more will have to wait. I have to go roll up my windows....

That's unfortunate man. Hopefully you can get enjoy your vacation.

On my end I actually did it! I got a nice little ring with a decent sized drip! It only tool a 1/4. I'm getting the hang of it. I turned up the torch a bit and put it closer. Now I think I will do the same but with less time and compress the flower a bit more before applying heat.

Do we need an image hosting site to post pictures? That little dab hit pretty nice and I'm having trouble posting it haha

 

[-dab8-]

That's unfortunate man. Hopefully you can get enjoy your vacation.

On my end I actually did it! I got a nice little ring with a decent sized drip! It only tool a 1/4. I'm getting the hang of it. I turned up the torch a bit and put it closer. Now I think I will do the same but with less time and compress the flower a bit more before applying heat.

Do we need an image hosting site to post pictures? That little dab hit pretty nice and I'm having trouble posting it haha

Yes. Try tinypic. Excited to see your progress.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

Congrats, bud! I was waiting to hear how it went for you!

My take is in the freezer at the mo, it was quite loose and gooey from the first ooze. Later tonight I’ll do the butter thing. Looking forward to that. Maybe I’ll just do a half teaspoon with my coffee, then another before lunch (same before dinner) if I’m not feeling it yet, then the next day I’ll take a teaspoon with my coffee and go from there.

I ground up my puck a while ago & filled a cone with it. Doesn’t smoke well. Gummed up the grinder and came out in chunks. Remainder is going in that butter...the puck was not full-circle in the puck bay, which would account for the obvious rosin remaining in the material.

5” parchment squares are TOO BIG for this.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

I'm gonna save up my pucks for butter as well. That sounds awesome.

Sorry about the orientation. But I would call this my first successful run. Super excited to see my progress get better.

 

[-dab8-]

Congrats, bud! I was waiting to hear how it went for you!

My take is in the freezer at the mo, it was quite loose and gooey from the first ooze. Later tonight I’ll do the butter thing. Looking forward to that. Maybe I’ll just do a half teaspoon with my coffee, then another before lunch (same before dinner) if I’m not feeling it yet, then the next day I’ll take a teaspoon with my coffee and go from there.

I ground up my puck a while ago & filled a cone with it. Doesn’t smoke well. Gummed up the grinder and came out in chunks. Remainder is going in that butter...the puck was not full-circle in the puck bay, which would account for the obvious rosin remaining in the material.

5” parchment squares are TOO BIG for this.

I use 2 inch squares for the regular slug and deuce.

I'm gonna save up my pucks for butter as well. That sounds awesome.

Sorry about the orientation. But I would call this my first successful run. Super excited to see my progress get better.

orientation came up correct for me. Looks great! How much material did you press?

 

[steama]

the puck was not full-circle in the puck bay, which would account for the obvious rosin remaining in the material.

I believe there will always be a small amount of rosin left in the puck. That is what makes it firm and shiny in places, however, a soft squishy puck is not what you are looking for. You want a firm well formed puck imo for the best runs.

If your puck is soft and not firm you should try turning up the torch it bit and possibly add 15 seconds and go back down from there. From my own experience not enough heat was my main problem getting started.

I started with my own torches which had a lot to do with my early failures because I had to get a clue how different torches affect the run. This is why it is beneficial to use the whip-it ion lite. If you set the torch length in the middle for @Nattybushdoctor recommended times and you should have similar success.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

This was 1 gram. So it wasn't a bad yield! I should have weighed the paper it was on before I squished but it weighed out at around .23 or so.

I just cut a little square off of the roll. I don't worry about the size as long as it doesn't interfere with the slug.

I don't even have a proper rig yet haha I'm gonna get the 7 inch Grav Labs circuit rig next week.

I will go ahead and turn my torch to the middle. It's a little below the middle. I will lower my time too to see if it'll lighten up the color or if the color is just cause of the material quality/age.

Lou. I've been smoking what was left after my failed presses and it's pretty much like you said. Doesn't smoke very well but for me it does get you lifted still. I see the shiny parts y'all speak of and I thought it was leftover oil so it looks like I'm right. I have some solid pucks accumulating and I will be saving them. They are very solid and still shiny in multiple spots.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I believe there will always be a small amount of rosin left in the puck. That is what makes it firm and shiny in places, however, a soft squishy puck is not what you are looking for. You want a firm well formed puck imo for the best runs.

If your puck is soft and not firm you should try turning up the torch it bit and possibly add 15 seconds and go back down from there. From my own experience not enough heat was my main problem getting started.

I started with my own torches which had a lot to do with my early failures because I had to get a clue how different torches affect the run. This is why it is beneficial to use the whip-it ion lite. If you set the torch length in the middle for @Nattybushdoctor recommended times and you should have similar success.

My puck was firm but not well formed, and I can tell you that insufficient heat was exactly my problem last night: a middle setting repeatedly failed with two minutes per side and three minutes per side. I was duplicating what I see in the vids to the best of my ability, as elaborated by NDB in response to my questions a few pages back.

I’ve come to the conclusion that my torch is defective: from empty, it fills for three seconds then starts refusing more butane. That just can’t be how it is with all the other ions.

Resisting the urge to unpack the new blazer and see what it can do...I’m supposed to be in bed already....

 

[PPN]

Got my first Slug test with my Deuce ... and it was a total fail, my mistake I think cause I not heated enough and add final pressure too soon resulting in a total blowout.

For info I loaded 2.1 and added the anti-seep kit.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

Got my first Slug test with my Deuce ... and it was a total fail, my mistake I think cause I not heated enough and add final pressure too soon resulting in a total blowout.

For info I loaded 2.1 and added the anti-seep kit.

I had a couple blowouts as well. I learned you don't need to crank down hard at the end. If you find yourself really twisting it out trying to squeeze out something you probably didn't heat it enough. There is a point where the tapered washer does its job and flattens the bottom of the slug against the vice. This is where I believe you should see the ooze.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

My puck was firm but not well formed, and I can tell you that insufficient heat was exactly my problem last night: a middle setting repeatedly failed with two minutes per side and three minutes per side. I was duplicating what I see in the vids to the best of my ability, as elaborated by NDB in response to my questions a few pages back.

I’ve come to the conclusion that my torch is defective: from empty, it fills for three seconds then starts refusing more butane. That just can’t be how it is with all the other ions.

Resisting the urge to unpack the new blazer and see what it can do...I’m supposed to be in bed already....

How long does it last like this? Does the torch work after those 3 second fill ups? When I got mine to work finally it didn't take very long to fill up to the point of spitting out butane. I don't know if this was because I had filled it up a little while I was trying to get it to work and failing at it. I remember purging it before I got Whip It butane and used that with success. I don't know if you've ever filled a Clipper before but it's literally like you push the can down into the lighter say the word "Clipper" and it's filled. So 3 seconds for the Ion lite doesn't seem too short to me. I cant imagine the tank is very large for this little torch. Yes definitely bigger than a Clipper but not like 15 times bigger. 3 to 5 maybe?

I could also be way off. I can't see the tank directly. My filling experience was a mess and I didn't keep count of how long I held the can but I do remember once i got the good 'tane and realized you gotta push a little harder my torch filled up quick and 5 to 6 presses later and a bunch of other random uses the torch is good.

But you have a blazer and that's all that matters haha honestly I'm really down to get one but I agree that using the same torch as Natty helps make getting good results easier at first. Once I've got a sense for this I'm sure upgrading will be in my future.

Speaking of torches. @Nattybushdoctor any update and my replacement Ion Lite? No rush at all. This one still does the job without igniting or locking.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I'm gonna save up my pucks for butter as well. That sounds awesome.

May sound like an odd thing to say, but I really like the taste of cannabutter. This batch I’m working on now was middle green this morning after I got the rosin thoroughly mixed, so I let it sit in the hot truck all day and now it’s BLACK.

Still smells good, but I put another TBSP of butter in it, just for safety’s sake...all of a sudden, a half-teaspoon seems like a big dose

@Gonzo_Dabs, yes, the torch worked. I did at least three heats of two minutes per side, and one heat on one side; the torch died soon after switching to the other side.

My ‘problem’ may just be the introduction of the temp gun: if I actually brought my Slug up to the correct temp, each time but was fooled by bad temp readings, then I WAY overheated the thing, the puck at least must be completely decarbed. If that’s the case, then I should have been pressing more quickly, and only heated the first time.

 

[Nattybushdoctor]

How long does it last like this? Does the torch work after those 3 second fill ups? When I got mine to work finally it didn't take very long to fill up to the point of spitting out butane. I don't know if this was because I had filled it up a little while I was trying to get it to work and failing at it. I remember purging it before I got Whip It butane and used that with success. I don't know if you've ever filled a Clipper before but it's literally like you push the can down into the lighter say the word "Clipper" and it's filled. So 3 seconds for the Ion lite doesn't seem too short to me. I cant imagine the tank is very large for this little torch. Yes definitely bigger than a Clipper but not like 15 times bigger. 3 to 5 maybe?

I could also be way off. I can't see the tank directly. My filling experience was a mess and I didn't keep count of how long I held the can but I do remember once i got the good 'tane and realized you gotta push a little harder my torch filled up quick and 5 to 6 presses later and a bunch of other random uses the torch is good.

But you have a blazer and that's all that matters haha honestly I'm really down to get one but I agree that using the same torch as Natty helps make getting good results easier at first. Once I've got a sense for this I'm sure upgrading will be in my future.

Speaking of torches. @Nattybushdoctor any update and my replacement Ion Lite? No rush at all. This one still does the job without igniting or locking.

It shipped the day we last spoke. It should be arriving I will double check just to make sure.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

Got my email today that slug was shipped
Cant wait

Has anyone tried using a laser thermometer to test the optimum temp we should start pressing after torching?

Just a thought from a still waiting to test newbie

Natty talked about it somewhere. I don't remember if it was deep in his YouTube comments or deep in this thread. Lou and I also discussed it briefly. An IR thermometer will not work. The reflective surface is not an ideal place to measure heat. The best it would do for you would be to allow you to measure the heat of the material inside. But you would have to open your slug mid-press. So it's not practical.

Like I said before. It's analog to the core unless heavily modified. I've heard the coil theory thrown around. That seems to have the most potential to add temp control to the slug. I like the idea but for me the coil would have to be removable somehow. I imagine adding that would take away it's ability to function as it was intended.

 

[Nattybushdoctor]

have read about an IH or other form of heating
hoping to see more info and experience on that soon
But I still love the analogue and bush ready use of the slug

If you take a piece of black paper, wrap it around your hot Slug.33 (tightly) you can then get a good reading with IR gun.

 

[steama]

I am getting better results using only 2 gm per deuce run. Whip-it Ion lite torch turned high then backed off until the flame gets smaller and heat deuce for 2:15.

Nice yield results everytime with a rich honey color. The pucks are firm and not sticky with very little edge blow-out if any. If my goal was to make perfect pucks I'm getting close.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

I am getting better results using only 2 gm per deuce run. Whip-it Ion lite torch turned high then backed off until the flame gets smaller and heat deuce for 2:15.

Nice yield results everytime with a rich honey color. The pucks are firm and not sticky with very little edge blow-out if any. If my goal was to make perfect pucks I'm getting close.

Pictures!!!!! I just picked up some more material to press so I'll he doing so in the next couple hours once I get off work.

@Nattybushdoctor my torch came in and it is fully functional. Thank you very much. You've earned a lifelong customer and I will spread the word of your products.

 

[steama]

if only we could use slug33 pucks for currency I would be rich

 

[Nattybushdoctor]

you and me both my friend. lol.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

So I just ordered some stuff to actually taste my rosin. I ordered a wax pen for super cheap. It has a quartz chamber and was only 10 bucks from Source. I also ordered the Grav Labs 7 in Circuit Rig. This is my first rig and i can't wait to try it out.

They should both be here next week.

 

[-dab8-]

So I just ordered some stuff to actually taste my rosin. I ordered a wax pen for super cheap. It has a quartz chamber and was only 10 bucks from Source. I also ordered the Grav Labs 7 in Circuit Rig. This is my first rig and i can't wait to try it out.

They should both be here next week.

Nice! Report your findings. I’d love a cheap pen for when I don’t want to use my dynavap for concentrates.

 

[Gonzo_Dabs]

Nice! Report your findings. I’d love a cheap pen for when I don’t want to use my dynavap for concentrates.

It's called the Source 10cig Quarts pen. I paid 12 after shipping with a 20% off discount.

 

[Bandoo]

Nice! Report your findings. I’d love a cheap pen for when I don’t want to use my dynavap for concentrates.

You got a link to the wax pen?