Box Press super easy mold!

[Gdaddy]

An inexpensive, super easy project and I'm surprised how well it worked. Professional quality if you press over night with the wrapper on. I intentionally made it rectangular instead of square like a Padron. Made from scrap wood and hand tools. These molds could be easily glued together to create as many slots as you'd like. I prefer to leave them as individual molds and use a small hand clamp on each one. If I only want to make a couple of sticks it makes it a bit less cumbersome to use as singles. The photo shows an equivalent of a toro size of 52 ring.

Here's the first one. I did a pig tail but a cap would be as easy as round. Tip: after the initial press and you're ready to apply the wrapper I use a pair of sharp scissors and quickly trim the slight round shape of the head so it's not perfectly square for a nice finished look.

 

[kullas]

I like it

 

[deluxestogie]

Straightforward design. How is the wood attached?

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

Great mold design. Two thumbs up.

 

[Gdaddy]

Straightforward design. How is the wood attached?

Bob

Wood glue and clamped. The base is 1/2" oak the sides are glued to. No need for brads or nails or screws. The square press block in the lid is 3/4" but it could be any size you want.

I had an idea to use removable shims/spacers for different size cigars. One box fits all.

 

[Chicken]

The inside of your mold looks perfectly square..

Shouldn't it be oval shaped to make the cigar round?

 

[MarcL]

DIY master! Nice. did you use a round mold before the square mold.

 

[moscca]

Nice job Gdaddy !!
How long did you press it ?

 

[Smokin Harley]

An inexpensive, super easy project and I'm surprised how well it worked. Professional quality if you press over night with the wrapper on. I intentionally made it rectangular instead of square like a Padron. Made from scrap wood and hand tools. These molds could be easily glued together to create as many slots as you'd like. I prefer to leave them as individual molds and use a small hand clamp on each one. If I only want to make a couple of sticks it makes it a bit less cumbersome to use as singles. The photo shows an equivalent of a toro size of 52 ring.

Here's the first one. I did a pig tail but a cap would be as easy as round. Tip: after the initial press and you're ready to apply the wrapper I use a pair of sharp scissors and quickly trim the slight round shape of the head so it's not perfectly square for a nice finished look.


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Thats awesome , I love a box pressed . and you're right on with the rectangular shape...its just more comfortable. nice , nice ,nice.

 

[deluxestogie]

Added to the index of key forum threads: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/3868-Key-threads-in-the-FTT-forum

Bob

 

[Gdaddy]

The inside of your mold looks perfectly square..

Shouldn't it be oval shaped to make the cigar round?

It is rectangular. I roll the bunch round by hand and then 'box press'. The idea is to get a soft rectangular shape. Look at a Padron.

 

[Gdaddy]

Nice job Gdaddy !!
How long did you press it ?

This is the key to getting it right.

I roll the cigar like I'm making a normal round standard roll. Then, push the round bunch into the mold and hard press for about and hour or two. I use the same amount of tobacco for a round toro as I do the square press. Remove the cigar from the mold (I use a flat knife to lift it out) and then apply the wrapper. Back into the mold for a 'soft press'.

Warning: if, after wrapping, you hard press the cigar over night it will come out too square and sharp edged. I press the cigar 'lightly' to get a little softer shape. Leave it over night clamped with light pressure. After one or two rolls you'll be producing beautiful pressed cigars. I also suggest a rectangular shape not square. If you take the cigar out too early it will want to go back to round.

I roll a few before bed and the next morning my babies are ready to be born!!

 

[Gdaddy]

Thats awesome , I love a box pressed . and you're right on with the rectangular shape...its just more comfortable. nice , nice ,nice.

Me too!

I love the way a box press lancero feels. That's next. Going to make some spacers to create a lancero without making a completely new mold.

 

[Gdaddy]

DIY master! Nice. did you use a round mold before the square mold.

No. See reply to Moscca.

 

[waikikigun]

Very nice job.

If I could replicate any cigar shape, it would be the Montecristo #4, possibly my all-time fave.

 

[Gdaddy]

Very nice job.

If I could replicate any cigar shape, it would be the Montecristo #4, possibly my all-time fave.

This press will easily do a soft box press to achieve that shape. Easy peazy. It's up to you how hard you want it pressed.

I see you doing some handsome lanceros.

BTW... caps or pig tails are done the same way. Just trim the shape of the head before final wrapper.

 

[waikikigun]

What're your thoughts on how I'd replicate this cap shape coming off the pressed body? Just trimming with scissors? Or could a shape like that be built into one end of the mold? I guess it's just sort of four planes inflected inward making the base of a pyramid shape....

 

[Gdaddy]

What're your thoughts on how I'd replicate this cap shape coming off the pressed body? Just trimming with scissors? Or could a shape like that be built into one end of the mold? I guess it's just sort of four planes inflected inward making the base of a pyramid shape....

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Would be very easy to simply glue in very short wedges on all 4 sides of the head of the mold. I had thought about that and may still do exactly that.(probably tonight) Try to make sure it is a seamless transition and perfectly smooth .

 

[waikikigun]

I would love to see your version of that since I can't quite imagine how I'd go about it, in terms of mounting the wedges to the two halves of the head.

Funny thing is, I don't have zillions of cigars in my humi, but many of what I do have have squarish shapes. Norteno Coronitas, Jericho Hill coronas, some Eiroa Pesetas, and some Ezra Zion Tantrums. All boxy. The EZ, if I cut its length down, would essentially resemble a slightly fat maduro Monte #4.

 

[Gdaddy]

I would love to see your version of that since I can't quite imagine how I'd go about it, in terms of mounting the wedges to the two halves of the head.

Tonight you'll have some photos. I already have the wedges ready to go.