[Butte]

So, I've been holding this thread for a week now hoping my photo upload problem would get ironed out, but it hasn't. Maybe someone here can help. I can't get any new photos uploaded to my directory. I get the screen to select files, then it goes straight to the message "No more images found." Anyway, here's what I have (short of the really fun pics)...

______________________________ _______
Well, this year’s tumbler runs are turning out quite good and I felt it was time to build myself a proper hash press. Last year’s wood splitter hash went reasonably well, but I don’t have access to that splitter this year, so, after searching the ‘net for while, I sent out the call to fellow IC’ers and Fonda Trichs stepped up with just the info I needed. Thanks! On with the build...

First off, I went out and purchased the bottle jack I needed. Fonda Trichs had mentioned that a 2-ton jack didn’t work, so I went with the 6-ton. $22.99 +tax at Orchard Supply Hardware got me a nice Craftsman model with a 1-year warranty. I purchased the jack first so I could measure it’s footprint and ensure the frame I made would accommodate it.

Next in the parts list were the two pieces of channel steel. Fonda Trich’s material list mentioned the top and bottom were different widths, but I really didn’t see a good reason why, so I went with two 4 inch wide pieces cut 12 inches long. Both pieces with tax came to $8.11 at my local steel supply house. I should have also had them drill the holes there, but more on that later.

Next up I headed to the Home Despot (Christmas gift cards are great, huh?) and picked up a 36” long ¾ inch thick threaded rod. My intention is to cut it in half and have a little extra at the top to accommodate larger molds and/or metal plates. That piece and eight ¾” washer/ nut combos cost me $15.83. I also bought a ¾” drill bit to the tune of $19.94. I thought that since I have an upright drill press I could simply drill the holes at home and avoid any suspicion at the steel shop. What a mistake. Easily the hardest part of this whole frame build was drilling these holes! After calling a really nice machine shop owner, I got a couple tips that made the job much smoother *. He also told me it would have cost me about $10 to have him drill them – half the cost of the bit I had to buy! With all materials in hand, I began work.

I went ahead and marked where I wanted the rods to come through the channel steel...



...and drilled my pilot holes.



I then set up the ¾” bit on the press and drilled out the bigger holes.



Once I got the ¾” holes drilled, I ran the edges of the channel steel over the grinder so they would have a bevel that wouldn’t scratch or cut.



After using a wire brush wheel to scrape off any rust, I have all the pieces ready for assembly. I plan to paint this frame after I dry fit everything, so removing the rust is critical. I thought I had metal primer paint up here at the house, but I didn’t, so the final cosmetics will have to wait till I go to town again. However, the paint isn’t going to affect the performance so assembly was next.




Not shown in the above picture are the two metal plates I plan on pressing between. When I was talking to a friend about cellophanes and plastics I could use to line the mold, he reacted strongly to the idea of heat and plastic coming into contact with a smokable product. Since this is all going to med patients, I took this reaction to heart and plan on using cloth bags again this year. (NOTE - I've since headed back to the metal shop and purchased the materials for a mold. Total cost for metal was less than $15. If I can get photos uploaded, I'll put up how I made these suitable for pressing.)

Here is an empty bag waiting to be filled...



...and with ~30 grams packed into it and tied off with strong, nylon thread.



I preheated these plates in the oven at 175° F before pressing.



And the final product...



Total cost for the press came in at just under $67. Had I had someone else drill the holes, I could have actually saved a few bucks more. Improvements to this design will be bolting it down and some sort of spring mechanism to lift the jack similar to this press:


(Photo courtesy of The Great Books of Hashish, Vol. 1: Book 1 by Cherniak)
______________________________ _____________________
Thanks to all who helped with ideas/ materials and look for my next project – a new hash tumbler with instructions and sources for all the parts. It would be easy enough for a third grader to build his or her own tumbler for under $100.

Until then – happy tumbling and pressing to all!

- Butte

______________________________ _____________________

* SIDEBAR: How to drill big holes in thick steel
First off, make sure you’ve set up your press to run as slow as possible 2-300 rpm with a ¾” bit is plenty. Next up, drill a pilot hole approx. 1/3 the diameter of your finished hole. After spraying a little oil/ lubricant, slowly drop your big bit into your pilot hole and allow it to nibble away at the hole. Small chips coming out of the hole are a good sign. You should be able to drill all the way through fairly quickly once these things are done. I had to re-tip the bit several times before going slow with oil, so you may want to have a bench grinder handy as well.

Hell yeah, wonderful tutorial Butte! I've been looking for something similar.


sbaegis

[Chiefsmokingbud]

best cellophane to use is what cheese makers use because it has micro pores in it allowing the air to escape when pressing.Listed under cheese wrap

https://www.leeners.com/cheeseequipmnt.html#wrap

[ilife]

Originally Posted by Chiefsmokingbud

best cellophane to use is what cheese makers use because it has micro pores in it allowing the air to escape when pressing.Listed under cheese wrap

https://www.leeners.com/cheeseequipmnt.html#wrap

Nice one Chiefsmokingbud!!!!

This one is very important!! Once again you are on top of the technology.

iLiFE

Very kewl I was looking earlier for something like this ,
must be on the collective thought plane ,
anyways kewl ilife thanks for the press instructions.


Hey Cheif
can Master use Mylar in this u think,
Master has used it the past (mylar)
when frying Hashish or making Batbeaten hash method

[Chiefsmokingbud]

Here is my homemade job. I highly donot recommend painting any surface you put the mold or jack on like i did, Scratches way too easy jyi.





Never tried mylar but i would think it would be a bit stiff to work in a mold like the one in the pic. If you just put your kief in the mylar and close it up like a package and press it, i don't see why that wouldn't work.

[Butte]

I'm liking the box steel. Thanks for the tip on the cheese cellophane; I’ve got some ordered now. Also on the painting, but, I did it this morning! I’ve got a spring loaded lift-plate, though, so I’m hoping it holds up for at least a little while.

Did you make your mold? I started today and got the outer piece nice and smooth but the inserts were cut from strap steel and not so smoothly. Any tips would be appreciated or I may just bag it (pun intended).

Anybody know who to contact about my picture upload problem?

- Butte

[GDK]

I stated this in the thread you are talkin about Butte. Frying bags are also ideal, and are used in Morocco for pressing hash. Its used for cooking food in, so im sure they are ok to press hash in healthwise too. Just fill it up with the amount of resin that suits you, and seal with adhesive tape...doesnt the hash stick to the cloth??

Stay Safe

[ilife]

Here is a 100 gram pressing mold. This one I bought then I had a metal working friend make some copies.
Works great!!!





iLiFE

[Butte]

Originally Posted by GDK

I stated this in the thread you are talkin about Butte. Frying bags are also ideal, and are used in Morocco for pressing hash. Its used for cooking food in, so im sure they are ok to press hash in healthwise too. Just fill it up with the amount of resin that suits you, and seal with adhesive tape...doesnt the hash stick to the cloth??

Stay Safe

Yeah GDK, I want to try several methods to see which I like best. I've been trying to figure out how to cram enough kif into a 'bag' to make the final package weigh 100 grams. So far all I've been able to press is ~1 oz at a time. Do you have any pictures that may help me understand how to construct a bag that won't split or leak? The other thing I though the mold would be good for is holding the bags together so they could take more pressure...