Home tobacco press

[FrankHall]

Wow, this thread is phenomenal. Excuse me while I read from the beginning.

It is well worth it. I studied this thread for a few days before I even ordered a press. Especially concentrate on anything @tfdickson has to say, as he started it off and has turned it into an art.

 

[tfdickson]

Thanks @FrankHall , if I know anything at all it’s from reading @Ernie Q ’s posts, particularly the knowledge-bomb on page 16 here. That and trial and error- lots of trial, lots of error.

 

[Infantry23]

Ooh, maybe a BCA+Deer Tongue Kake. Might have to send you a sample if I do.

I keep thinking of all the different possibilities with this press. My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.

Splendid! Splendid! I've ordered a press and away I go!

 

[life at low speed]

@tfdickson Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the taste differences between the plugged victorian and the unpressed? I just got a sample of match victorian and it's quickly becoming a favorite.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

@tfdickson Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the taste differences between the plugged victorian and the unpressed? I just got a sample of match victorian and it's quickly becoming a favorite.

Can’t speak for tfdickson, but I have pressed a few pucks of the stuff and I get chocolate undertones the majority of the smoke with the pressed vs the non pressed.

 

[tfdickson]

@tfdickson Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the taste differences between the plugged victorian and the unpressed? I just got a sample of match victorian and it's quickly becoming a favorite.

If you like it as is, you’ll definitely like it pressed. Pressed it becomes fuller, rounder, maybe a little more depth. It’s the same blend, only more so.

 

[FrankHall]

Just pulled this one. 86 grams. If a smoke isn't going so great toward the end, I'll dump the ash and stick the remainder of the tobacco in a jar. I only do this with full VA's and light VaPers - all else goes in the trash. So four days ago I combined all of this detritus with samples of full VA's and VaPers that I considered not-so-great for various reasons. I really enjoyed Watch City Rhythm & Blues, but thought Simply Red was boring. Since Simply Red was the base for R&B, I'm hopeful that it will be a good base for this melange plug.

Will test tomorrow.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

Loaded up the press with 112 grams of match Country Doctor. This stuff is moist. Curious to see how it turns out.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

2 oz of match Country Doctor. Very compact, and ooey gooey. Gonna have to wash the press after this one.

 

[Swampy16]

I’m gonna do something with all my tobaccos that are loose that I don’t smoke all that much. I haven’t been watching this thread but I’ll likely make something with a big C-clamp.

 

[UrbanPiper]

I’m gonna do something with all my tobaccos that are loose that I don’t smoke all that much. I haven’t been watching this thread but I’ll likely make something with a big C-clamp.

C-clamp with either 2 or 3" pvc works well. Can be a little clunky setting up and a bit of a chore extracting the puck but the pucks turn out fine

 

[Dannylikewingy]

Amazon has a press on sale. I bought 1. Three left as of now. $11 and some change

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B087PQPCJM?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

 

[cossar]

@FrankHall, @UrbanPiper, @Dannylikewingy, how did the pucks turn out?

 

[Dannylikewingy]

@FrankHall, @UrbanPiper, @Dannylikewingy, how did the pucks turn out?

Great.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

Forgot to mention that I used a wrench to tighten the nut that is just below the t-handle. I found that it started backing itself out. I was going to get a crush washer and flat washer to prevent it backing out. Happy to report that just tightening it seems to do the trick.

I can really crank down on the thing now.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

I pressed 2 oz of sutliff match nightcap. Pretty good, I had smoked a lot that day before trying it. Unfortunately I think my tongue was pretty shot by that point. Didn’t get as much sweetness the entire bowl as compared to loosely packed from the bag.

Still think that Elizabethan Match is by far the best so far. Habana Daydream is a close second and match Country Doctor is tied for second. Have a lb of haunted bookshop being delivered tomorrow. Think it might be really good pressed. Definitely looking forward to it.

 

[UrbanPiper]

@FrankHall, @UrbanPiper, @Dannylikewingy, how did the pucks turn out?

Turned out well a little more pressed than I like though. I prefer more of a dense crumble cake rather than a hard puck

Here they are nearly 6 weeks out of the press

One slight aesthetic issue with the pvc/c-clamp set up is one end can get a little wonky if the screw gets off center

 

[UrbanPiper]

Amazon has a press on sale. I bought 1. Three left as of now. $11 and some change

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B087PQPCJM?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

2 left now! Thanks for the link. Will be fun to compare the noodle press against my current set up

 

[Dannylikewingy]

Threw 2 ounces of c&d 3 friars in the press. Thought it was pretty awesome loose.

 

[Dannylikewingy]

Heating up the entire press in an 18 year old wedding present that has been sitting in a box unopened until today.....

I have it dialed in at about 130° thanks to my trusty thermoworks probe. I opened up the toaster oven and am cranking down on the press every 30 minutes or so. Can’t smoke in the house, so is a good excuse to bang around in the garage with a pipe in my mouth and oversee this little experiment.

Hopefully these heated pucks will stay compressed longer once out of the press.