Mold making materials
- Thread starter Lunicy
- Start date
- Status
Boboro
Well-Known Member
Hell if I know but someone here does. Welcome to the Fourm.
Gdaddy
Well-Known Member
I looked into mold making.You'll need a mold to copy from. I could be wrong but I'd think you want a urethane plastic of high compression strength. The epoxy may break under pressure.
Take a look here...
http://www.smooth-on.com/
Take a look here...
http://www.smooth-on.com/
leverhead
Well-Known Member
As long as you can clean it well, there shouldn't be much of a problem. When you say "resin", do you mean 2 part epoxy or plastics in general?
Welcome to the forum. I believe the plastic molds commercially available are milled HDPE.
Bob
Bob
Bruck
Well-Known Member
Can't comment on resin, but PVC works pretty well for a quick and dirty mold.
The one drawback is the mold won't breathe the way wood does. You roll your wrapper on fairly damp, press the stick in your mold, and the wood absorbs much of the damp, allowing the wrapper to tighten round your stick while taking the mollded shape.
Only the bound bunch (bunch with binder) goes into the mold. After the cigar is wrapped, it's finished and doesn't go back onto the mold. The molds are actually undersized a hair to allow for the correct ring gauge after the wrapper is applied.
I sent two molds to a CNC shop and they're too expensive to make unless I order 1000. I am bringing in some brand spankin' new wood molds. The sizes are 44, 50 and 52 x 8. I should be able to sell them for right around $100 each.
Gdaddy
Well-Known Member
I watched a pretty eye opening video about Rocky Patel and I think the cigar being manufactured was the 'Olde World Reserve'. They box press the bunch in the mold letting it sit over night. The next day they put the wrapper on and then they put the finished cigar back in the mold to sit over night.
So, what the heck, I tried letting my finished cigar sit in the mold over night. The result is a very finished, neat 'pressed' look to the cigar and even though it is a plastic mold the cigar is totally dry. The veins in the leaf are much less noticeable using this method. Then, let it sit out in my 52% air conditioned room ( a big dry box) for 3 or 4 days to uniformly dry it. Then into the humidor @ 63%rh for several weeks before smoking.
This advice is for those who want to make the best looking cigar possible and it takes very little effort to place them in the mold before bed. The magic happens while I'm sleeping. There are no performance issues and the cigars look much more finished. The head of the cigar comes out perfectly round. So my suggestion would be "try it, you might like it". No harm done.
So, what the heck, I tried letting my finished cigar sit in the mold over night. The result is a very finished, neat 'pressed' look to the cigar and even though it is a plastic mold the cigar is totally dry. The veins in the leaf are much less noticeable using this method. Then, let it sit out in my 52% air conditioned room ( a big dry box) for 3 or 4 days to uniformly dry it. Then into the humidor @ 63%rh for several weeks before smoking.
This advice is for those who want to make the best looking cigar possible and it takes very little effort to place them in the mold before bed. The magic happens while I'm sleeping. There are no performance issues and the cigars look much more finished. The head of the cigar comes out perfectly round. So my suggestion would be "try it, you might like it". No harm done.
Gdaddy
Well-Known Member
One word of caution if you try this press method. Be careful that it doesn't leave a seam from the mold. I press it for about 15 minutes then rotate the stick 90 degrees then just snug the mold. Don't go full press. Just let the mold 'hug' the cigar all night long.
Good point. I got seams on the last batch just that way.
BarG
Founding Member
I love having all my cigars unique. I used to think I needed a mold. Mucho success in your attempts to mass produce consistant cigars , but I love my imperfections in each and every roll.
Gdaddy
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I like the cigars to look hand made as well. (My first cigar was a De Nobili.) Unfortunately some friends suggested to me, early on, that they liked my cigar but thought they were too rough looking. There was a negative impression that if they are that rough they can't be all that good. So, a better appearance seemed to magically change the cigar into a more refined smoke. As we both know the taste remained the same.
That's what's fun about this hobby is you can take it to whatever level you want. So I posted this for those who want to make the best they can. Not for everyone.
BarG
Founding Member
Agreed, However, quality over looks or consistancy remains my priority. The pc police influence nothing for me. You suggest that other people will determine your endeavors which is all well and good, As long as it doesn't inhihibit your own aspiration.
Bruck
Well-Known Member
Don - how many chambers are in the mold you're going to be selling?
BarG
Founding Member
I am not against molds. Let that be clear, just the work and effort for the mass production. That is a lot of leaf to prepare.
Therein lies the challenge. If you roll a cigar for yourself, you know its provenance. Its appearance won't influence your appreciation of it.
As a smoker of fine cigars for too many decades, I recognize that I judge factory cigars by their appearance, and that this influences my appreciation of them as I smoke. Many studies have demonstrated that the attire of a job applicant has a strong influence on his likelihood of being hired. Likewise, the presentation of food influences how one appreciates its flavors and finesse. When you take the bold step of offering one of your home-rolled cigars to someone else, its appearance probably affects how it is savored.
So long as you are rolling cigars only for yourself, fussing over its perfection of form becomes a matter of how you wish to spend the limited number of days you have on this earth. If, on the other hand, you pride yourself in the cigars you roll for others, then you either need a mold, or need many years of practice. (I've been working on the latter approach for several years, and it's still hit or miss.)
For my own cigars (for my own consumption), excellence in smoking qualities is my goal. I do find it fun to roll a few flawless cigars every now and then.
Bob
Gdaddy
Well-Known Member
Well said Bob!
BarG
Founding Member
Ditto and then some.
edit; You can hardly ask for a better Moderator when it comes to cigars.
- Status
Similar threads
