Box Pressed?

[dondford]

I've always enjoyed a good box pressed cigar, anybody here played around with this style?

 

[Raodwarior]

Underfill your bunch then put it into a square mold, 3 pieces of 2x4's will do the trick. But remember to underfill otherwise you will bust the binder when you go to compress it.

 

[webmost]

Underfill your bunch then put it into a square mold, 3 pieces of 2x4's will do the trick. But remember to underfill otherwise you will bust the binder when you go to compress it.

No. You don't box press the bunch, then wrap it square. You wrap it round, then press the wrapped cigar in a box. The way I have seen it done at FX Smith's is simple: They stuff more round cigars into a wooden box than ought to fit, then cram the lid on. They use boxes holding 500 cigars apiece I did that once on a much smaller scale. Found a good wooden box which would accommodate six and a half cigars wide in each row... stuffed in a seventh. Comfortably held four and a half rows high... jammed a fifth on there. Gotta have a clasp on the lid.

I didn't like the result because they didn't dry out well. Gotta have them dry and loose, I suppose, to make it work right.

I've bought box pressed cigars by the box, and that's how they appeared to have been done. The outmost press against the box; the inmost press against each other.

 

[Smokin Harley]

I've always enjoyed a good box pressed cigar, anybody here played around with this style?

Me too and no I havent tried to make any yet .

 

[Raodwarior]

Yeah well sorry true box pressed are the old Cubans, the stuff today is made by pressing square some before some after wrapping.

 

[MarcL]

I had just finished this on Friday.

It took some testing to get the right size and, they were finished round pressed cigars before they went into this ceder box insert and pressed between two thin ceder boards to dry before going into this dress box.

 

[Raodwarior]

Nice use of a La Flor Dominacana factory press box. I have a few from the store and thought of doing the same thing. What ring gauge did you start with??

 

[MarcL]

Yes, Limitado box, is a 6.25 X 54 and I thought it was going to end up with a smaller size to fit but, no. I went 50, 52, 54. and 56. I'm gunna say a slightly under filled 54 makes it.

 

[DGBAMA]

I had just finished this on Friday.

It took some testing to get the right size and, they were finished round pressed cigars before they went into this ceder box insert and pressed between two thin ceder boards to dry before going into this dress box.

Those look great Marc.

 

[Gdaddy]

Nice Marc. Great idea.

I saw a video of Rocky Patel factory rolling round finish wrapped cigars and then, once rolled round, placing them in square press molds and left them for a couple of days. It seems easy enough to make a mold that would do the job. Basically just making a box.

 

[MarcL]

31:35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npoawQ9cej0

 

[Smokin Harley]

hah, you beat me to it ...thats the exact video I was looking for to illustrate how its done. Thanks

 

[Ben Brand]

Marcl those are looking really nice.

 

[deluxestogie]

There is a distinction between square-pressed and box-pressed, but I couldn't tell you which is which. My guess is that the "tray with inserts" method shown in the Rocky Patel video is square-pressed. The other method(s) is a batch pressing method, in which the neighbors compress each other.

Cigars that are rolled round, then pressed as a box-size batch may take on a square cross-section, or even triangular or hexagonal cross-section (like a honeycomb).

(http://cigarhistory.info/Cigarmaking/Cigarmaking_tools_II.html)

The Cigar History Museum (http://cigarhistory.info/Site/NCM_HOME.html) is a huge site. Though clumsy to navigate, it displays page after page of unique information and images.

Bob

 

[Raodwarior]

You are correct and the term "box pressed" has been adulterated over time. The original referred to Cuban Cigars that were placed in a box generally 1/2" smaller than required, this gave the cigars, when they were first removed a slightly square appearance. Then at some point in the late 80's early 90's (not sure anyone knows exactly) someone started a secondary square press and used the term box pressed to explain there square cigar. I could be wrong but the Torano "The Brick" was among the 1st.

Why its done I have no idea all you generally get is an underfilled fast burning stick.

 

[deluxestogie]

When Lew Rothman helped Montecristo develop their line of cigars that contain some Peruvian ligero (Buena Fortuna, Especial No. 2, and Fer de Lance), his explanation for the decision to square-press them was that it provided a less potent smoke stream along the four "corners," and rendered the cigar less harsh. I don't know if I buy that, but the Buena Fortuna EMS is a damn fine cigar.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291344673591?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUBRUL-PETERS-Antique-Cast-Iron-Cigar-Tobacco-Mold-THE-MILLER-/161572967028
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Cig...0e48f05&pid=100011&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=271732187588

 

[charlie G.]

Marc great looking job on the cigars. Your work is always a joy to see.
You guys sure are a wealth of knowledge. I learn so much by these posting.

One thing I was amazed at in the RP video was the coloring, ( or what looked liked to me ) The coloring of some of their cigars. Buy the looks of the workers hands that wasn't natural coloring coming off those cigars. His hands and fingers were to stained. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is what it looked like to me.

 

[deluxestogie]

The coloring of some of their cigars. Buy the looks of the workers hands that wasn't natural coloring coming off those cigars. His hands and fingers were to stained.

Prolonged handling of tobacco, even when fully cured and aged, will stain my fingers.

Bob

 

[webmost]

Good thing about box pressed is they don't want to roll off the work bench.
Bad thing about box pressed is you don't get to roll them round in your mouth.

Othern' that...