Jumping in, without even experimenting with solventless hydraulic/heat presses!

[BR2K]

Update: I am a slave to my Nugsmasher. Almost my entire harvest has been consumed, at its beckoning jaws. It's a good thing I bought the Master bundle. It contains the differing sizes a lazy grower needs.

I am swiftly learning the ropes of dabbing...but at a STAGGERING price of most of my six plant crop!!!

[Gingerbeard]

The loss is the downside BR2K . Just realize what you are and are not dabbing. Good v bad. Quantity v potency.

[BR2K]

Gingerbeard it's a wide open experience for me but I have done a lot of research. I'm rolling with the punches, learning what works for me. Heck, I'm still exploring how to dab correctly but progressing nicely. I've been pressing, taking my time and getting my "crew chief" calibration on pressure. I'm addicted to the Nugsmasher - SHAME ON YOU!!!!

[Gingerbeard]

I'll add this shame to the list.

[Ckbrew]

I haven't done the pressing thing but I would imagine that you could recover any loss in the dregs by processing them in an ethanol extraction.

[quirk]

I decarb my pucks and treat them like dip. Folding and putting them between cheek and gum.
Warning: Do not operate heavy machinery.

[BR2K]

quirk - What an awesome idea!

[BR2K]

quirk I still have my pucks from the RSO I made. I'll see if they have anything left but I kind of doubt it. This batch is STRONG!

[Smoklahoma]

What kind of return are you getting in % ? Grams going in, grams coming out.

[BR2K]

Please bear in mind, this is a totally new experience for me. I believe the yields are acceptable but I don't measure. I simply fill the double-stitched bag, as close as I dare and place it in the press. Factors like quality, quantity, etc., I have only begun to learn. I have gone through almost all my fresh crop and will have to wait 4+ months for my next one to mature...hopefully a few more plants next time.

[BR2K]

Here's a photo of some of my product. The rest has already been dabbed. I am planning on ingesting (swallering ) a small amount tonight, to gauge the effects.

[BR2K]

What kind of return are you getting in % ? Grams going in, grams coming out.

I was going to make an AWESOME, professionally produced video...but I took a dab. This is what you get:

https://youtu.be/1Fxgma5r-Q0

https://youtu.be/KdfnMxOWyko

[Ckbrew]

I watched the first vid and saw the press being operated, with the magnets holding the parchment paper in the vice jaws and the puck in the middle, I kept seeing a large mechanized nut cracker. I thought it was going to say something. Did you hear it? I found it oddly amusing.

If you collected .75 to 1.25gm, for 7 gm bud that is in the reasonable yield range. Interesting contraption you have there. Good to see a real review of how something really works.

[BR2K]

Thanks! We'll see if it holds up. I just had to contact the manufacturer for the second time because their instructional video is out of date. They have a lifetime warranty so I should be good.

In all honesty, if you know what you're really doing and love dabs, this would be a great way to go.

[Smoklahoma]

Looks like you did great. Got quite a bit of honey out of that 7 gr. I gotta get finished building mine.

[BR2K]

You're gonna have fun!

[BR2K]

Update: Whelp, my harvest is consumed. Well worth the sacrifice, as I've been learning. As I mentioned my unit doesn't hold pressure to keep the plates together. Fortunately, Nugsmasher has a YouTube channel where they've addressed the issue. My unit was lacking some hydraulic fluid, available at places like IFA.

My unit still doesn't keep the plates together but it's much better. If it eventually won't smash properly, I'll submit a claim. This issue makes me glad I didn't go for the pricier models. The more complicated the more susceptible to malfunction. I purchased the "Master Bundle" and I'm glad I did. It comes with a healthy assortment of "extraction bags" of different capacities and micron sizes. They recommend "bottletech" style when packing the bags, which is just folding in the corners of the bottom. It stands up this way, when packed.

Since the extraction bags retain rosin, it is advisable to collect the smashed product for use in edibles/hash oil later. I've just been throwing mine in Everclear and will make hash oil at some point.

Blowouts: With the original model it is very easy to apply excess pressure. This results in the bag "blowing out". It looks like someone has a mean case of the squirts but catch it!!!

I pressed the trichomes I collected in my Trim Bin, not to rosin but into potent hash flakes. I am probably enjoying myself a little too much

To be honest, MY jury is still out as to if rosin will be my preferred method of consumption. I will be purchasing a "tempmeter" for my rig in a couple of weeks...

[BR2K]

Gingerbeard - I am leaving the pucks in the EC for a good, long time. I am planning on trying to reuse the extraction bags but wasn't certain it would work. Thanks for the confirmation!!

[BR2K]

Ckbrew - It was over $1500.00 U.S., with a military discount. Paula (customer service) actually created a return RMA but my unit works as advertised. The only reason why I raised the flag was because their instructions recommended keeping the plates together. I suspect there are probably LOTS of units out there doing the same thing, without complaint. I just happen to be a Legend in my own mind, anal retentive to a degree. If/when I can't smash, I'll revisit getting a replacement.

[Gingerbeard]

The bags are weakened but you should get at least a second press. After that, it's your experimenting.

[BR2K]

Update: I resorted to the Drive of Shame (hereforeafter referred to as DOS) a few days ago. I can't resist exploring making small batches with just a few buds and parchment paper.

I have also discovered that a "rail" setup is probably my favorite. It's all about the comprehensive experience. A rail delivers my maximum desired effects, with great taste and little coughing. The rail also inherently discourages over consumption, for me.

[Gingerbeard]

You don't want to get rid of the brown. There are terps in there. The whiter it is, the less good stuff you get.
Dewaxing live resin does take an extra step that I'm very unfamiliar with. Wet weed will make a resin that tastes like chlorophyl. If I get anything out of this crop I will be doing cured resin.

[Puglover1]

I like the Black Afghan cured resin I bought, really nice taste, and effect. And it was 420 deal priced. I told the nephew that my Mag made dark, good concentrates, he doesn't like the cloudiness of what his buddy blasted.

Argh, yesterday the same corporate dispos as my nearest, but in Chicago, were selling $15 1/8ths of green crack plus other steals and other nearby Verilifes were price matching while here the GC was $60. Even if they were older 1/8ths for that price I'd have bought it up for edibles or tincture making. It sucks to live in a transportation hub with no public trans, live in a valley where we can never use the most expensive TV antennae to get local channels, and to be two miles from a county line which prevents any Door Dash or Uber from coming here. Even Domino's pizza. They deliver to my town but stop at the high school, I live < a minute away.

Your grow looked good, are you worried about it? I haven't seen voodoo plant lately. If I see something I remember it, someone speaking info to me and me remembering it is a crapshoot lately.

[Gingerbeard]

Wait for it PL1...

[Gingerbeard]

Puglover1 it sounds like your nephew is looking for fractional or short path distillation. That's what they use for the clear in pens. Or maybe he isn't purging? Or maybe he's getting water into the fresh blasted butane?
Here's a thing.
Flower is choc-full of everything it's supposed to have. THC crystals are choc-full of nothing but THC. Those take the most work. Extra solvents. Somewhere in the middle is your product that has as much THC as possible while holding onto some terps. You gotsta have some terps. As you've found out, your powder isn't nearly as much fun/medically benevolent as your Afghan.

[Puglover1]

Why do they call it Grim Bastard, hybrid? I have some terp samples here for use when thinning wax, I think one is legit terps but I'll buy something dispo to mix this with. Online, Jane?, said to add it to water, make a drink. Glad I didn't. I need to make a bunch of gum drops, been out of them, too expensive for nightly sleep at dispo prices. I have some chocolate covered hand crafted caramels, just broke one open and squirted a medium size amount from a dabber cartridge of dispo FHSO into the middle. Hoping better sleep=energy for housework tmrw. I feel like a slug.

[Gingerbeard]

Could be GB is the strain they got it from. It doesn't matter. I looked at your stuff. 98.9% pure. Maybe they couldn't get out the 1.01% GB out of it? A body who buy's CBD oil has no idea what plant the CBD was derived from.

[Puglover1]

I know. They do have CBD strain identification for some products now. The powder can sit here until I find the best terp sauce. I plan to buy some 1:1 rso and some indica rso to make gummies and balm ... what are sex balm pucks?

[Gingerbeard]

Puglover1 Sex wax is used on surf boards. It comes in a puck about 4" across. It sounded like the puck you were talking about.

[BR2K]

Gingerbeard - I made the assumption, perhaps erroneously, this "wax" is of human origin? Bovine? Porcine? Naturally, any of the preceding would be revolting...but you'd get a heck of a lot more "product" from larger species - Like the SPERM Whale.

[Gingerbeard]

Read into it BR2K . I pulled your gutter comment down into the sewer. Places I've been. People I've talked with. Larry Flynt was a choir boy on his first day.
But no. Sex wax is not coitus remuneratus.

[BR2K]

Gingerbeard - Oh. Nevermind...

[BR2K]

After returning from another DOS, I have reached my ultimate verdict on my investment - IT'S WORTH IT!!! I am foregoing the fabric bags, as I prefer small batches and I don't lose as much product. The "flakes" left over still go into my everclear jar though.

Top reasons:

It seems a lot healthier on my lungs
The taste is AMAZING!
The fun of pressing your own delicacy is exquisite - I would recommend getting the original model, as I fear diminishing marginal returns on your investment YMMV. Thanks to Gingerbeard for his insights!

[BR2K]

Update: One unintended benefit of pressing my own rosin is learning a lot more about commercial products. When I commit the DOS, I usually select the top shelf Sativa and whatever the budtender recommends for indica. I sent the following nastigram to my dispensary -

"I press my purchases into rosin. I have been comparing the different companies and their strains. My most recent 1/2 Oz. of "Fleur" "La La Land" (Vendor: Martini Incentives/batch #2022NVC0379-2904) was disappointing for two reasons.

1. The jars seemed light of product. A different brand looked almost twice as full in comparison.

2. The rosin the flower produced seems more like sticky stool sludge, than rosin (sorry for the visual analogy). I could imagine a small-time grower might suspect the product had been heavily sifted but who knows."

- (back to this post) My goal(s) are thrice. a. Provide actual consumer feedback (convey my displeasure) b. Produce a viable way to productively vent my frustration. I realize it will probably amount to naught but it felt GOOD! c. A subtle good-will gesture, separating myself from the pack with my benevolence. even though it's a complaint, I'd rather have someone tell me exactly why and which transaction, Again I know it's a shot in the dark...

[Ckbrew]

"I could imagine a small-time grower might suspect the product had been heavily sifted..."

One more reason homemade is best...

[BR2K]

Ckbrew, AMEN!!! Unfortunately, I'm a week out from my 12/12 switch...

[BR2K]

Uh oh - I'm LOW ON RSO!! It's the most and best I've ever made. My Nugsmasher is hungry but I still have a ways to go. I'll likely just start "stealing" low buds, when I'm desperate enough. I want to stand strong against another DOS. I am narrowing down MY focus on how I want to customize my grows. Although I only use liquid nutrients, I am paying close attention to how Nebula's Coco-coir schedule matches with the actual development of the flower. Nebula's Week 9 seems to coincide with what I would have thought to be the best use of the extra Flora Bloom. I'm already on the downside/maturing of the flowering process. So far my conclusion is leaning towards maybe accelerating the schedule a bit. I usually allow my plants to veg for around 60 days before switching to 12/12. This means I have to keep up with Week 3 nutrients until I'm ready to switch. I believe I've been a week behind on my nutrient schedule based upon how I calculate the pistil curl and bud growth are going. We'll see. I almost killed my Zombie Death Fuck plant, apparently misjudged my last watering. She's back to "Praying" an hour later! She better be praying, her buds AWAIT THE JAWS OF DEATH!!!!

Note: For the photos, I turned down my grow light and made sure the flash was on. For "sparkly" pics, I would turn the grow light off, make sure I didn't have too much backlight and make sure the flash was on...

[alltatup]

Gorgeous plant, BR2K.