Trimming my crop with the Twister Trimming Machine

[DHF]

I apologize for something that`s been discussed but won`t be let go by someone that`s obviously got an axe ta grind by me praising a thread I viewed and made reference to here from HL .........

Now......... I`m being attacked here for no reason other than I`m not a USER of the Twister ?.........

GA.........Please let this go as drama`s got nothing ta do with HL`s thread........I SOOOOO apologize from bringing this shit over here because I made a post elsewhere about being impressed with your work HL...........

Blue Berry................GA.............Get over yourself and leave me the fuck alone or drown in a battle of wits/posts/intelligence you can`t possibly contend or compete with.........I`m entitled to my opinion last time I looked so step off and the drama stops here.............

HL...............Sorry.........DHF...............

 

[humboldtlocal]

Wow, lots of action on this thread last couple days. I have lots of thoughts and although I am pretty tired I will try to get some of them across. Vanxant, nice to hear from you. I don't mind you talking about your experience at all. I think there needs to be a lot more open discussion about these trimmers and some fair reviews. Your experience with the Tumbleweed sounds pretty similar to mine and Proteus. When I first got mine I ran it on some Purple indoor buds. We thought we were doing about 8 pounds an hour but it was a bit less. They were perfect buds for this kind of machine, uniform not much leaf, rock hard. I seriously did think a 100lb day would be possible with my full season buds. The Tumbleweed definitely worked a lot better on that first batch than it ever did after wards. I was so psyched up that I did go all over the net and hype up the machine on any forum with a thread about trimming machines. I obviously went a little overboard and exaggerated a little. I think I was trying to convince my self more than any one that this thing really was the answer to my prayers and worth the coin. Through the year I got to try the Tumbleweed on several more friends indoor runs and some light dep that a friend did. The machine started to do worse and worse. We were learning a lot but it seamed like the machine just performed worse every time.
My friend who sold me my machine basically convinced me that the Twister was a lot better machine. He is someone I trust and I knew he would not fuck me over and if I was unhappy he would take care of me. I basically grew way more herb this year because I was going to use a machine one way or another. I would never have put my new big garden in if I was going to have to hand trim.
There really is a night and day difference in the way these machines work. They are all built following the same basic design but if you get to run the Twister you will see the difference right away. It is a quality product. There are several other owners on here, Old Stoner, Madrus Rose, and I guess Blueberry. Look at OS and MR's albums. You will see monster plants and gardens. These guys are not amateurs and there opinions should not be taken lightly. I may be the only one that traded up from a Tumbleweed but they are describing much better results than you Tumbleweed guys.
I am shocked that you guys could go days without cleaning your machines. This is a 14-15k machine and it deserves a little love.
Here are some more random thoughts.
"The machine turned a 10-12 week job into a 3 week one"? Sounds pretty good to me.
We do not remove any of the crows feet before running through the machine. We let the machine do as much as it can and then we go over every bit of it when it is dry to get that perfectly trimmed look. Maybe in Canada you wouldn't have to (no offense my Canadian brothers it is just that you send all of the bad looking stuff down here so that's what we see) and I have had some friends look at the stuff that has not been cleaned up and say it is good to go but it is not up to my standards. Some strains need a lot more clean up than others.
My friends have not given me two Twisters but they did give me a 3000 gram pollinator. I have sent them a ton of business and they are very grateful. They say people call them all the time that have seen my pics and posts and I have been a great source of info on the machines for people. I am still learning and refining the process all the time. I am stoked there are finally some other Twister users on here and we can share the knowledge.
The only machine I will be pushing in 2010 is the Twister. I just hope I can retrofit any parts that they upgrade onto my machines. I will be getting many more years of use out of these machines because I properly maintain them and treat them with the respect they deserve. Some of you guys talk like these are disposable one time use shavers.
On youtube I am humboldtcountylocal. There is already a humboldlocal and it is not me.
The absolute biggest day we have done is around 40lbs and I think we had at least 13-15 people. That includes people harvesting and running the trimpro. That does not take into account the time spent after the bud was dry to clean it all up. That was a rainy day and the wet buds kept the machine from getting gunked up so cleaning was less frequent. I would recommend using a trimpro to really get the full advantage of using a Twister or Tumbleweed.
I don't think it is fair to make any judgments on the Twister without giving it a shot. I don't want people getting the two machines mixed up. Maybe someone should start a thread specifically bashing the Tumbleweed and keep all of that out of my thread praising the Twister.
Any ways, we are hoping to be all done first week of November. Still hard to tell if that is a reality yet, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We still have at least a dozen people working full time. We would have trimmed deep into December and possibly into January without the machines. At first I thought we would be able to get by with a mcuh smaller crew but there is no way. I won't know exactly how much cost this will save me till the very end, I am sure at least half, but I already know the time saved will be huge and that equals money too.
Lets try to restore some good vibes to this thread. All opinions are welcome but lets all show each other some respect. Peace.

 

[humboldtlocal]

I think you both need to chill out. I have read your altercation from Canna Cabanna and it didn't seam like such a big deal. Certainly this is not the place to get so fired up about it. Thanks for the support, I do appreciate it. I feel like I can defend my self pretty good and there are some other Twister users on here that can pretty much back up any thing I say about the Twister.
I do have to touch up most of my buds after they are dry. Especially the bigger colas. I actually cut everything down a lot more before it goes in the machine because it does a lot better the smaller the buds are. Those Bubbas in those pics were from the first day that we ran the Twister and we have learned to not leave them so big. My collective would rather have everything cut down anyway. They did not require too much clean up but they did require some. Maybe in a different situation they wouldn't have needed it but going to a collective I want them looking better than hand trimmed.
That post saying you could trim 100lbs a day with the Tumbleweed was by me here at Icmag. It turned out to be way over exaggerated but at the time I thought it was possible. I could see how it would come off like spamming when I was a new member with no pics to back up my claims. I feel I have put all doubts to rest.
Please keep the rants and negativity out of here. I appreciate you trying to back me up but lets not go overboard. Peace love and tofu.

 

[humboldtlocal]

Great review BB, and very good pics to go with it. Is that Kush in all of the pics? We were getting a tight enough trim with just one run through the machine but we didn't really have time to even try two runs through. What strain is in the wagon. It looks pretty leafy. Was that your Bubba? Was there any play to lower your barrel closer to the bed knife? The last two pics are a perfect example of what the bud looks like after dry and then what it looks like if you spend the extra time to clean up the buds and make them look perfect. I think these Tumbleweed guys that say they are having to take a lower price just did not take the final step of touching up the buds after they are dry. That Kush looks gorgeous. Well done. Looks like you will also be spamming the Twister in 2010 just like me LOL. Where did you buy your Twister? The dry racks and the trimpro are the perfect addition to the Twister and I feel are completely necessary. Trim Scene should offer the Big Dog package: Twister, Trim Pro, 200 dry racks, Pollinator or Bubble Now XL, Bagging Machine, triple beam and a money counter. That would be sweet. Got any more Pics BB?

 

[humboldtlocal]

Hey BB, after looking at your pics again I think you may have been pushing the bud through the machine way to fast. If you were really filling up the hopper that much non stop the bud would not stay in the barrel long enough. It should be in there for at least a minute or more. We did some like that when we first got the machine and it was coming out loose like your first run. If you look at my videos you can see the rate that we fed at and you can see the difference in finished look. It might have taken the same amount of time to run it through fast twice, but this is just a thought. Just glad to have another happy Twister user on here to silence the skeptics. Peace.

 

[Proteus]

hey yall, yup.. don't mean to be so negative out on the twister -- yet
I will swap machines with my buddy, or at least help out on a trim sesh with the twister to see the differences first hand. will have a real good understanding if I get a chance to see the other machine vs. my experinces with the Tumbleweed.

We also did a lot of Cush(greencrack) this year, seems to be so automatic.. done early and the bags scream atchya. not the best yeilder in the park, but always down before the storms and ready to roll out before anyone is just thinking about starting to trim.

thanks for all the nice reviews guys. I did notice a huge difference in a 2nd run thgrough the barrle, but as HL stated, simply no time to run everything twice, though the 2nd run was normally much quicker it's still almost half speed. The 2nd run did a lot of "smearing" and flattening of the leaves, making a tighter, denser nugget from that 2nd roll around. I liked the look of these, but most of my trim crew wasn't into it.
wrapping the season up this week, good work guys.

 

[VanXant]

Can I get someone to tell me again WHY the Twister is better than a Tumbleweed?

Are you saying the Twister processes bud FASTER? ( I dont think it does. The cylinder is the same size and runs at the same rate. The rate is driven by the number of PEOPLE.)

self-sharpening?? bahh..weed doesnt dull hardened steel very much

Are you saying it processes it TIGHTER?( it may, but thats just an adjustment that can be made on either machine, AND its NOT really an issue. maybe in california)

Are you saying it is harder to CLEAN UP? (thats not much of an issue, is it?)

I truly have not been able to grasp what exactly is BETTER....

humboldt, can you HONESTLY say that the Tumbleweed is a POS, or is that idea driven by free stuff from Trim Scene Solutions, man. come on.

It wasnt long ago that the Tumbleweed, in your opinion, was the greatest thing in the world. Now its trash?

I am going to need a second opinion. I think youre being biased because Trim Scene is not going to handle the Tumbleweed any more. tell me thats not it.


Refresh my memory please. Im not going to change just because youre getting a 3000g pollinator.

 

[Strainhunter]

.....

Im not going to change just because youre getting a 3000g pollinator.

VanXant if you would have 'bothered' reading ALL of humboldtlocals posts then you would have known why one trimmer works better than the other.

 

[zenoonez]

Lol. People's opinions change man. If you had only ever driven a POS Ford and you drove a Honda wouldn't you think the Honda was the best thing since sliced bread? But what about when you picked up that shiny new benz? New best thing since sliced bread no? And as to your idea that weed couldn't dull steel you obviously don't own a lawn mower or at least you haven't ever sharpened the blade on it.

 

[humboldtlocal]

Can I get someone to tell me again WHY the Twister is better than a Tumbleweed?

This is probably a waste of breath/typing but I will try to give you some answers although I doubt it will make you feel better.

Are you saying the Twister processes bud FASTER? ( I dont think it does. The cylinder is the same size and runs at the same rate. The rate is driven by the number of PEOPLE.)

The barrel/tumbler on the Twister actually spins faster so each side of the bud is going to get trimmed more in the same amount of time in the barrel.

self-sharpening?? bahh..weed doesnt dull hardened steel very much

With the Tumbleweed my blades were very sharp the first time I used it and then they never were again. Even after removing the blade to clean and sharpen it they just never got a good cut again. Proteus described the same thing. The blades on my Twisters are still as sharp as the day we got them because we clean them religiously and we keep them adjusted so they touch and self sharpen. It is still very possible to cut your self on my blades even after a few hundred pounds have gone through them. The self sharpening really works and that is pretty much the best reason to use a Twister.

Are you saying it processes it TIGHTER?( it may, but thats just an adjustment that can be made on either machine, AND its NOT really an issue. maybe in california)

The barrel sits much closer on my Twister to the blades. That and the combo of the sharp blades is what makes a tighter trim. Look at all of the pics being posted.

Are you saying it is harder to CLEAN UP? (thats not much of an issue, is it?)

Do you mean clean the machine? The Twister is much easier to clean because of the access to the blades and bed knife. I think you would clean your Tumblweed more if it was easier to access these parts. You can also spray every inch of the machine. I think Proteus was complaining about having to cover the electrical panel on the Tumbleweed every time.

I truly have not been able to grasp what exactly is BETTER....

humboldt, can you HONESTLY say that the Tumbleweed is a POS, or is that idea driven by free stuff from Trim Scene Solutions, man. come on.

Do you think I really need any free stuff?

It wasnt long ago that the Tumbleweed, in your opinion, was the greatest thing in the world. Now its trash?

I am going to need a second opinion. I think youre being biased because Trim Scene is not going to handle the Tumbleweed any more. tell me thats not it.

I am speaking from my experience. I always want the best of the best and I am willing to pay for it. If I had not made the switch I would probably be on here bitching about the Tumbleweed with you and Proteus. I think my pics speak for themselves and I think the testimonies of Old Stoner, Madrus Rose, and Blue Berry more than speak for themselves. Not to mention Blue Berry's great new pics he just posted. Great job!
You have said a couple times that the look of your weed doesn't matter so much to your patients/customers so I don't really understand what your issue is anyway. If the Tumbleweed makes your buds look passable than why change up at all?

Refresh my memory please. Im not going to change just because youre getting a 3000g pollinator.

I know it is hard to believe that a similar product is going to outperform your current product. I know misery loves company. It must suck for you that there are so many people on here that love their Twisters. You must want to stick your head in the Tumbleweed. Just kidding. Please don't do that.
The car analogy is a perfect one to use. I had a bicycle. It was okay but to drive 600 miles sucked. Then I got a Pinto. It was a lot better going that 600 miles but it wasn't that much better. My friend bought a Ferrari. I said "I already have a car. How can that car be so much better. They both have four wheels and a steering wheel. They are practically designed the same way. I am not convinced". Well for about a grand more you can trade up to a Ferrari or you can go back to riding your bicycle. See you at the finish line.
I look forward to your Tumbleweed's Suck thread and I will be happy to contribute.

 

[tonelab77]

1) Spray the bed knife, rotary blades and brush.
2) You will be spraying resin build up off with the washer. We spray every two hours, sometimes 1.5 if a really resinous strain. With indoor you will probably be in the 1.5 hour range. Unless your stuff has no resin. When we trim wet buds from the rain we can go around four hours between cleanings.
3) The sealer is around 4k. Trim Scene is the dealer around here and can answer all your questions. They should have their shipping together by now. I will give them a call and ask. The manufacturer used to drop ship them to customers for Trim Scene but they just stopped offering that option. That's probably why they told you they didn't have it together yet.

2) If that's the case, then it looks like we'll be needing to pressure wash every 45 minutes .

3) Who makes the sealer?

One more question...Do you spray the whole blade and the whole brush? If you spray the oil on the blades and brush, wouldn't that get your trimmings all oily with oil in the vacuum?

 

[humboldtlocal]

Some oil will get on your trimmings. That is why we use spray on vegetable oil instead of WD-40 like the Canadians. It is a very small amount anyways. Probably a lot better than most of the mite and mold sprays. If your are using Ice water extraction it is no big deal.
Trim Scene is shipping Twisters and sealers now. You will have to find a source for the nitrogen but they can ship you an empty tank with your machine.

 

[Spacecadet01]

Some oil will get on your trimmings. That is why we use spray on vegetable oil instead of WD-40 like the Canadians. It is a very small amount anyways. Probably a lot better than most of the mite and mold sprays. If your are using Ice water extraction it is no big deal.
Trim Scene is shipping Twisters and sealers now. You will have to find a source for the nitrogen but they can ship you an empty tank with your machine.

trying to find the link for he sealer..they must not have it up on the website yet...you know who makes it?

 

[VanXant]

humboldtlocal, thanks for your reply.

Im not complaining about the Tumbleweed. It worked good for us. I was just trying to discover how and why a Twister would be better. I think you have answered my questions on the differences, and I dont think they are too far apart on any important issues. They all do the same basic thing.

They arent quite the panacea I first thought, but they reduce the pain of harvesting good enough.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[humboldtlocal]

Vanxant, It sounds like for your application it works fine. For the size of my operation I need a machine that can do the maximum output with the tightest trim possible. This is a tool that makes my operation run smoother and I need it to do the best job possible just like I need all of my helpers to be doing the best most efficient job possible. As of right now this is the best tool I have found for the job.
Just be glad you didn't get a Rolling Thunder (Rolling Blunder). The manufacturer sent a couple to Trim Scene and I was there when my friend unpacked them. The machine was in pieces and it took some work to get it all back together. This thing made the Tumbleweed look good. It really looked like Chinese built crap. We turned it on and it sounded awful. My buddy crated it back up and called them to come and get it. He wouldn't even display it in his store. They have a sharp looking website and I almost bought one before I got my Tumbleweed but luckily I didn't. I would probably have been turned off completely to trimming machines and would never have found the Tumbleweed and then the Twister. The distributor of the Rolling Thunder actually told my friend that he likes the $550 spinpro better that the Thunder. That's pretty bad.

 

[humboldtlocal]

Harvested the last plants at one of my scenes today. It is a good feeling but it is also sad seeing the empty gardens and greenhouses. Harvested some of my seeded branches as well. My other scene will hopefully be all out of the ground by next weekend. All I have left is lots of Sour Diesel and it is looking great. My awesome crew is holding strong. They have been working their asses off and on Halloween they will get to cut loose a little bit. Really nice working with some fresh blood that is excited to be learning and partaking in this new experience. I am very grateful and couldn't have done it without the help of so many. Hope everyone is well. Happy Halloween.

 

[Proteus]

congrats and cheers to all! been a long 6 weeks of grinding through one of the worst outdoor crops I have ever done, one more week to go... home stretch. the right strains are so vital to outdoor farming, most of the indoor elites need not apply... and if planning on using a barrle trimmer, better make sure you have some nice dense nuggetety strains too !

eager to share experiences on what strains worked the best for everybody, in and out of a trimming machine. best of show here was easily the blue dream and the cush, done early in my climate, frosty and fragrant. trainwreck and cheese, no slouch at all and really have their own respective knock out aromas.

bring em on home !

 

[humboldtlocal]

A local blog did an article on trimming machines and they included one of my videos! Check it out.
http://kushboldt.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/trimming-demystified/

 

[humboldtlocal]

removed

 

[humboldtlocal]

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