Making a mold: @Wolffman

[Wolffman]

So, I've been rolling all these cigars with the tobacco in the case (moisture) that it was shipped to me. I've been noticing that these sticks are taking a very long time to dry out properly and I have become very aware of the taste of "wet" tobacco. Wasted quite a few sticks when I first started rolling because I didn't know what was going on. I can dry the filler prior to rolling which would probably solve this issue, but it's so much easier for me to roll when the leaf has some pliability.

How long should I expect to wait for a stick to dry out before it's smokable assuming I continue rolling with the method I described above?

 

[tullius]

That's the way I roll, filler in medium to medium low case in my book, I want the leaf to be pliable, not crackly, but also not damp. My binder is brought into higher case, and wrapper into the highest case without being dripping wet.

Dry down time depends on many criteria: since you're rolling with polymer molds, the sticks will take a longer time to dry down compared to a wood mold, for example. During the summer, I put the rolls in an empty unhumidified cedar cigar box for 3-14 days, depending on the ambient humidity. That being said, have smoked some straight off the rolling board with fine results, but it is better to let them rest for some time.

 

[Clamp Tramp]

I spent some time drawing up a mold for my own use. This is for a 50 ring cigar but could easily be sized up or down. I have a pretty good 3D printer and this model is on the machine now. It’s being printed in ASA which is much like ABS but has UV resistance. It’s some really tough stuff.

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I am Clamp Tramp. a former Carpenter (14years). then jumped over to the big money as a scaffold erector (28 years), semi retired. I came up with an idea for a mold by using a piece of 3/4" MDF
leftover from a household project. I made a simple frame to fit my trimmer router with a 1/2" round bit, set at 1/4" depth, cut the MDF to 6" width and about 18" long, mated the long edge, so I
had a piece 12" wide 3/4" thick, and 18" long. Clamped them rigid , clamped my simple frame, across the 12" width to one end and ran the router in the frame across the face of the MDF. I continued
moving and clamping my frame and cutting the grooves further down the work piece until I had 14 grooves in each piece. then I mated the grooved pieces together they matched beautifully (I might add).
Then drilled 2 holes at each end of the mated pieces, and one centered to house 14" bolts with wing nuts, that created a pretty darn good mold/press for my crude handmade robusto shticks.
I finished it with a thin coat of varathane, dried for about a month before I started using it, to make it easier to remove the bindered bunches ready for wrapper. I don't know how to upload photos to this site
I am sorry, but it was a spur of inspiration to me for a well formed cigar. that 14" measurement, should have been 1/4" bolts thickness and 2-1/4" long. sorry for any confusion.

 

[Knucklehead]

I am Clamp Tramp. a former Carpenter (14years). then jumped over to the big money as a scaffold erector (28 years), semi retired. I came up with an idea for a mold by using a piece of 3/4" MDF
leftover from a household project. I made a simple frame to fit my trimmer router with a 1/2" round bit, set at 1/4" depth, cut the MDF to 6" width and about 18" long, mated the long edge, so I
had a piece 12" wide 3/4" thick, and 18" long. Clamped them rigid , clamped my simple frame, across the 12" width to one end and ran the router in the frame across the face of the MDF. I continued
moving and clamping my frame and cutting the grooves further down the work piece until I had 14 grooves in each piece. then I mated the grooved pieces together they matched beautifully (I might add).
Then drilled 2 holes at each end of the mated pieces, and one centered to house 14" bolts with wing nuts, that created a pretty darn good mold/press for my crude handmade robusto shticks.
I finished it with a thin coat of varathane, dried for about a month before I started using it, to make it easier to remove the bindered bunches ready for wrapper. I don't know how to upload photos to this site
I am sorry, but it was a spur of inspiration to me for a well formed cigar. that 14" measurement, should have been 1/4" bolts thickness and 2-1/4" long. sorry for any confusion.

To upload photos: At the top of the dialog box you will see an icon that resembles a framed landscape painting. Click on that. You have the option to drop a photo there, or "click here" to upload an image from "photo library" or "take photo" or "choose file". I use the "photo library" option. Would love to see your mold.

 

[Clamp Tramp]

To upload photos: At the top of the dialog box you will see an icon that resembles a framed landscape painting. Click on that. You have the option to drop a photo there, or "click here" to upload an image from "photo library" or "take photo" or "choose file". I use the "photo library" option. Would love to see your mold.

Thank you ,my brother . that is invaluable.

 

[Clamp Tramp]

Couple of pictures of a simple quick stick mold. didn't take long to make my cutting router frame and measure off my spacing.

 

[burge]

They look good. I have tried with some of the Virginia leaves just to see what I could create. I liked it never smoked it mind you. When it looked good it was rolled in a diagonal roll. Tucking in loose ends. Not sure if that makes sense