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Stringing Tobacco

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Brown Thumb

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That's the way I do it, with a helper you can Rock & Roll.
 

FmGrowit

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Be careful of the perception of what you're seeing. While this is a demonstration of "stringing" tobacco, the leaf is being prepared to go into a Flue Cure Barn. This type of curing allows the leaf to be bunched tightly together with little concern for air circulation.

This type of stringing can be highly problematic for air curing of nearly any type of tobacco.

I'd recommend not stringing your tobacco this way unless you plan on putting it in a Flue Cure barn.
 

Brown Thumb

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Good point Don, I do it that way for Flue Curing. Air drying I Hang on aluminum electric fence wire.
 

Bex

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Sadly, due to my location, it's either flue curing or ...flue curing, due to the weather. Actually, all the videos I've seen for stringing this way seem to indicate that they are all for flue curing....But good to know that this is not appropriate for other methods....
 

rustycase

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Don is correct.
I did NOT use a flue cure, or even sun cure for my strung leaf and did get a bit of flash cured green leaf in some...
Not a great loss, though...
rc
 

Bex

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I don't think it's even that...it looks more like a single wrap in opposite directions with each bunch.

That's what I think she's doing, too. You made a comment above about how in flue curing the leaves can be bunched together with little concern for air circulation - Remember, flue curing is really the only feasible process for where I live, so it is only this method that I've been 'studying'. But all the videos that I watch for stringing, seem to string 3 leaves together, and no more, for flue curing. Is it right to assume that this is for some reason? Does more or less make a difference?
 

Mad Oshea

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Too a point. The temps and humidity are the factors in how many to lace. I lace two with a back twist loose,spread at 1/2 inches apart. The temps are from 90 to 105 average here with 10 to 30 percent humid. Hang time is but a few days to a few weeks, depending on the leaf. Then after they are going to yellow to brown, (no green) I pack the kiln, Heavily. Now, I'm in the dead-sert..... Mad-
 

deluxestogie

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Bex,
For flue-curing, the volume of air flow between the leaves doesn't matter too much. What is important with regard to air flow (hence, spacing) is that it be as consistent as possible.

For air-curing, the spacing (and grouping of leaves) depends on the average humidity of the curing shed during the curing time.

Bob
 

CT Tobaccoman

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Is that string attached to a nail on that stick? Also I wish they had a closeup so I could see the string as it is looped around. I have a good general idea, but I prefer preciseness. I suppose a little experimentation on my part will give me the entire picture.

I agree about the need for a close-up. Can't really see what she is doing. Just wrapping the string around would cause leaves to fall when the stems dry and shrink.

The sticks are probably what we call "lath," which is what is used by commercial shade growers in Connecticut. (Lath are the sticks used to make plaster walls.) The ends of the lath have slots a couple inches long to which the string is inserted and wrapped at both ends. We use sewing machines that do pretty much what this woman is doing, but although there is no knot made the string is tightly looped around the stems of two leaves at a time. Some leaves always fall off later but not many.

The best way to hang primed tobacco by hand on a lath or any kind of stick is to insert a large sewing needle into each stem, using string that is thin enough to be able to break off by hand. This year I am using very thin wire and pushing it through the stems, then hanging the wire, about 3 feet long, by attaching it to a nail at the ends to poles in the barn.

For hanging whole plants I am just nailing the stalk to crossbeams in the garage.
 

Smokin Harley

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I was able to take some pics of the stringing horse I made. It is 5 feet wide and holds about 81 leaves per stick. My only concern is the tight spacing of the leaves. I hope it is not an invitation to mold growth. It is made from rough sawn Cyprus and took about 20 minutes to make.

View attachment 1405

View attachment 1406

I put a 3 inch screw on the side to hold a ball of string, works real nice because with the string I am able to feed the string from the side which allows me to keep a lot of tension on it thus preventing the leaves from falling out. I also took a hand saw and cut a little kurf ( or is it curf?) on each end. With the kurf cut I don't have to tie the string, I just jamb it in.

Proper spelling is KERF....you were close, but no cigar !!
 

deluxestogie

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kaws-kurf-swing-2009-honor-fraser.jpg


Bob
 

Gmac

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Started at 100f & whatever humidity the leaves produced. had the fans going no venilation.
My kiln is a commerical stainlesss steet freezer, stainless inside and out, with 1 inch fractured ceramic indulation between walls to which I added two inches of styrofoam on outside. run heat with Ramco but can't find a phycrometer with a probe. every one I've tried can't take the heat. Any sugestions??
 
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