Concept for Square-Press Mold

[FmGrowit]

What is the definition of a Habano? I see it in Don's description of his Nicaraguan filler and know it is used in the name of a wrapper variety (Habano 2000). Aside from that, I have no idea.

From http://www.en.cigarclan.com/index.php/component/content/article/888

'Habano' may refer to the characteristics - and thus the genetics - of tobacco plant used to produce the cigar leaves. To be more precise it is called a cultivar, meaning a plant that is specially selected for desirable characteristics and that can be maintained among generations by simple propagation. Habano, habano 2000, habano 1998 are cultivars belonging to the Nicotiana tabaccum L. species because they have different characteristics that can naturally transfers from parents to children, but they are not sufficiently different to be considered different varieties. Other N. tabaccum L. cultivars used in the cigar industry are for instance Corojo 99, Criollo 98, Piloto Cubano, Connecticut, Indonesia, Cameron, etc.

Used in this context 'habano' stands for the cultivar of the Nicotiana tabaccum L. plant that produced the cigar leaves. The conventional way to write it is Nicotiana tabaccum 'habano'.

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

After studying the video on the making of the Obelisco cigar (http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/5947-Rolling-An-Obelisco-Cigar), in which a square-press mold is used, I pondered simple ways to make such a mold--not with the fancy tapers, but just a mold for simple, square-pressed sticks.

The simplest approach would be to use strips of triangular molding, similar to quarter-round, but just flat. Unfortunately, nobody seems to make that.

Square-press mold made from triangular molding strips glued to plywood.

Carving the individual cigar shapes from a block, with a 'V' gouge, might do the job. If the head of a cigar bunch is rolled with a taper, then it would come out of such a mold unaffected by compression.

Suggestions and comments welcome.

Bob

bam. Outside corner molding. You could use little pieces of squared corner (or scraps of same molding), or some kind of resin or putty to mount them to a plate.

 

[deluxestogie]

If you are suggesting using the 'V' of the outside corner molding to form the 'V' of the cigar mold, it would still require 45º cut supports, since any separating force directed into the molding 'V' would split the corner molding wood. So you still need triangular cross-section strips.

If I'm not understanding that correctly, please provide a sketch.

Bob

 

[leverhead]

Don't nobody know nobody got a bridgeport.

Bob

That's not quite true, I've got one.

But to bonehead, a 10 place mold would be more than a 1/2 hour job.

I think the dividers between the cavities is a bit of overkill. The sharp inside corners are the easiest to do, but aren't needed. I don't think the pressed cigar is going to fill out to a sharp corner. Let me do a sketch to post.

 

[leverhead]

It looks like a table saw job to me.

Starting with a 3/4" round cigar (green), it would end up with an 1/8" radius on the corners. I could redo the chamfer dimensions if you knew what size you wanted to end up with.

 

[deluxestogie]

If you look at my original drawing, the vertical walls of the lower mold allow the intruding upper mold to compress the bunch to square corners. That's the functionality of the Obelisco mold, from the video. So, we know it works.

Bob

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

If you are suggesting using the 'V' of the outside corner molding to form the 'V' of the cigar mold, it would still require 45º cut supports, since any separating force directed into the molding 'V' would split the corner molding wood. So you still need triangular cross-section strips.

If I'm not understanding that correctly, please provide a sketch.

Bob

You read me right. It's easier to make the 45º supports than it is to make the inside 90º of the molding. You could probably use the same molding and carefully run it through the table saw to trim a tiny bit off so it would fit between the cigar molds flipped upside down.

 

[deluxestogie]

Dreams Crushed

My original thought was that a simple guy with a coping saw, but no machines, could drop by the store, pickup some pre-made strips of molding, and cut them to length. Then, using a tube of glue (and maybe a screwdriver), construct a nice cigar mold.

I guess that is only possible in an alternate universe, where molding manufacturers are bold enough to engage in the challenging adventure of adapting the triangle cross-section to the creation of molding.

3D additive manufacture ("3D printing") would be an obvious approach, IF it weren't so damned expensive to do the actual manufacture.

Bob

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

Dreams Crushed

My original thought was that a simple guy with a coping saw, but no machines, could drop by the store, pickup some pre-made strips of molding, and cut them to length. Then, using a tube of glue (and maybe a screwdriver), construct a nice cigar mold.

I guess that is only possible in an alternate universe, where molding manufacturers are bold enough to engage in the challenging adventure of adapting the triangle cross-section to the creation of molding.

3D additive manufacture ("3D printing") would be an obvious approach, IF it weren't so damned expensive to do the actual manufacture.

Bob

I'm not so convinced that it's impossible with simple tools (I think a table saw and some clamps are also necessary), but I also don't roll cigars, so I haven't given it a go. If I come by some of that corner mold in the house (I think I have some somewhere) I will try to make a single prototype, but NB I have a truly sickening list of things to do before woodworking for fun. Such is the life of the dad.

 

[charlie G.]

I wonder what a boxpress mold from Custom Cigar Molds would cost if 1 doz were ordered. I like the idea of making your own, but would want tapered ends on the cigars. Which could be carved into an end piece of wood and added in after the straight runs are made I think.

 

[Gdaddy]

One of my favorite cigars is the San Cristobal revelation in box press. It has a great mouth feel. However, it's not square. It's rectangular. Aren't most box press rectangular instead of square?

 

[Raodwarior]

The closest to square I have seen yet is the Alec Bradley Diamond Rough Cut

 

[Smokin Harley]

After studying the video on the making of the Obelisco cigar (http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/5947-Rolling-An-Obelisco-Cigar), in which a square-press mold is used, I pondered simple ways to make such a mold--not with the fancy tapers, but just a mold for simple, square-pressed sticks.

The simplest approach would be to use strips of triangular molding, similar to quarter-round, but just flat. Unfortunately, nobody seems to make that.

Square-press mold made from triangular molding strips glued to plywood.

Carving the individual cigar shapes from a block, with a 'V' gouge, might do the job. If the head of a cigar bunch is rolled with a taper, then it would come out of such a mold unaffected by compression.

Suggestions and comments welcome.

Bob

Basic chamfer strips and I suppose door stop would work for the flat strips.

I now have a better idea of how to build a mould for regular round sticks,rather than carve one... Just need the spanish cedar.

 

[deluxestogie]

...need the spanish cedar.

Spanish cedar has a fairly open grain. I would recommend hard maple.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

These are the squarest ones I've seen.