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Presto Changeo Rosin/Glycerin/Cannabutton/Hash Press

Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
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Hee, hee, hee, I previously built a press for squeezing glycerin, pressing cannabuttons, and making hash pucks, but I've been sitting back letting ya'll Rosin pioneers do the initial heavy lifting while I focused elsewhere.

The Rosin process has come far enough along to reach our R&D to do list and yesterday I picked up a 12 ton H press from Harbor Freight to provide the base unit.

I would use my existing press, but the fit would be close and heat transfer to the ram would be an issue. I like the HF design, because the jack is separated from the ram by the slide. I'll also adapt it to pressing glycerin and pressing cannabuttons and hash pucks.

Here are my designs for a set of 6"X6" heated plattens, along with the PID for operating it.

This project is featured in our new The Alchemist Resource blog site launching 11-1-2017.
 

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Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf

A Posse ad Esse. From Possibility to realization.
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An update on this project! I picked up the 12 ton press at Harbor Freight but alas it was missing parts and had incompatible bolt patterns, sooo exchanged it for one that had all the parts and did fit. They deducted $25 for my added trips.

The issue was that they have more than one manufacture making their presses and they aren't exactly identical and aren't packed exactly the same. I got mixed boxes from more than one manufacturer the first shot, so check the contents before leaving the store.

Now that I have it together, I like the overall design because it isolates the hydraulic jack from the heat.

I don't however want to put my plates on the end of the long skinny ram, so will replace the cross beam with a solid bar without a post for a ram. That will allow me to simply bolt the insulating pad and the dies to a solid member.
 
S

Siskiyou Sam

Member
Looks like I'll be picking up a press but I get the feeling that the "initial heavy lifting" has yet to be performed, seams like the presses available today are nothing more than glorified hair straighteners.
The main issue I see is volume or the time it takes to press and then scrape together the grams. There are some roller designs out there that look more promising as they could be fed one after another, but I think the best improvement would be in how the rosin is collected after pressing.
 
MJPassion

MJPassion

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Eliesian research has the very best design that I've seen thus far.
They started in the rosin thread then moved to private facilities & began serious R&D.
You can see their products on Instagram. Not sure if they have a site elsewhere.
I think you will be quite impressed with them Grey Wolf.
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
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I've stayed away from rosin press development, I know nothing.

Coming from what I know about temperature control, I have a few questions.

Do you really need two controllers with two sensors? Why PID controllers? Are your heaters responding as desired?


I assume you pre-heat the plates, and then expect the PID controller to immediately respond to bring the plates' temperature back up to set point once contact is made.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to smoothly regulate the power, and increase it up to 1.3x the heaters rated output on demand?

Here's my gizmo that lets you dial in the power with a Variac, follow the watts delivered with a power meter, and observe and control/limit the temperature with a versatile temperature controller.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=8067913&postcount=243

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=8073018&postcount=246

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=8075322&postcount=248



I took a look at plates, the attached picture shows what seems to be heaters cast into the plates which I would think might provide more uniform heating than using heater rods.


The roller idea is interesting, and expensive.
 

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MrBungle

MrBungle

Active member
OTC bottle jacks are really nice... If you are looking to upgrade from the harbor freight jack
I replaced the jack that came with my press, with an OTC, I'm very happy with the performance...
The paint coating is quality... The jack handles are not painted so minimal paint chipping...
And it comes with a spare gasket kit that covers every gasket on the unit...

Even the expensive US made bottle jacks didn't offer this
 
Chunkypigs

Chunkypigs

passing the gas
Veteran
been wondering when you might get to this tek.

what are you using for the platen insulation?

curious if you could force a pressurized gas through the platens to force the goodies out quicker or use vacuum maybe?
 
S

Siskiyou Sam

Member
MJPassion said:
Eliesian research has the very best design that I've seen thus far./QUOTE]
https://elysianresearch.com/products/rp30-ton-rosin-press
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8LfgqBWBjs

I like the idea the that the rosin can drip off, at least 3 out of 4 edges.

SkyHighLer said:
The roller idea is interesting, and expensive.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the time and pressure is different and less than passing through a roller than pressed on a plate. Several heated rollers in a row may make up for limited time and pressure. little scapers could collect the rosin to drip off as the roller turned. This sort of design would allow for continual feed is it worked.
Click to expand...
 
Pangea

Pangea

Active member
Veteran
I think there are a lot of possibilities when it comes to roll press/mills. I went pretty deep into it a few years back, even got a provisional for it in late 2015.

Check out jewelry roll mills, sugar cane three roll press, and as well as these awesome seemingly ready to go rosin roller units out of Pawtucket, Lab Roll Mill: https://www.introllingmills.com/lab-rolling-mills.html
 
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