Making Press-Cake

[ChinaVoodoo]

Thanks green monster. I just hope China forgives me for crashing his thread. LOL. I was hoping for a 1/2 inch cake to shave flakes off of.

No worries on the discussion. This is totally on topic. I don't know what the pressure is. Hard to tell without a gauge. C clamp, though. That's calculable. Don't ask me how. I don't think it matters, besides, what would Bob and I have to argue about if we knew how much force it took to make plug and press cake? I can tell you this, though. If it's too thick, it won't hold together without immense pressure, AND, if it's too thin, you can over do it, and make a smear of tar. You'll encounter both scenarios, and simply learn what works best with the rig you made, and the tobacco you have.

Also, you don't necessarily have to make multiple boxes. You could also just have blocks that you take up space with in this box, thus making the press area smaller.

 

[greenmonster714]

I use the same plan as CV. I have two presses and the boxes are about 3"x6". Works well for me. First cake press was 8oz of a blend which ended up about 1" thick. Your going to enjoy using the press. I've found that spiced rum is a nice topping and helps the leaf bond. A small ount of VG helps as well. Experiment it's fun.

 

[deluxestogie]

Instrumentation!

Place a plank above and below your bathroom scale, to avoid damaging it. Squeeze them with your C-clamp. Voila! A measure of the force ("weight") applied. Don't exceed the weight max of your scale. Analog bathroom scales often max out at 300-350 pounds. Digital scales usually state the max on a label. To go higher, you have to rig a crazy lever.

Bob

EDIT: The clamp I use for my Perique press has a max load of 400 pounds, and only hand grip strength for tightening it. With WD-40, I think I have approached that.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

With WD-40, I think I have approached that.

Do you apply it to the clamp or to yourself?

 

[deluxestogie]

Gotta loosen up those stiff joints.

What I discovered was that, with my acrylic jar, I could tighten it as tight as I could get it, and the pressure seemed about right. But...then I lubricated the clamp screw, and was easily able to crack the bottom out of the jar.

Bob

 

[Levi Gross]

Gotta loosen up those stiff joints.

What I discovered was that, with my acrylic jar, I could tighten it as tight as I could get it, and the pressure seemed about right. But...then I lubricated the clamp screw, and was easily able to crack the bottom out of the jar.

Bob

Pressing in a jar or similar type of container; how do you remove the cake without destroying it? Is it wrapped in plastic or paper that can be pulled on to remove it?

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Pressing in a jar or similar type of container; how do you remove the cake without destroying it? Is it wrapped in plastic or paper that can be pulled on to remove it?

Edit: I just realized you were asking about the jar, not the box. So take what I wrote with a grain of salt. As for the jar, Bob's jar method is for making perique, so it's not his intention to dislodge the tobacco in one piece, anyways.

Let's suppose you had a box...something like 12" by 6". What you could do, is put a spacer of wood in one end that made it into 10" x 6". You would need an accordingly smaller press block, but when you're done pressing, first thing you do is remove your spacer. That gives you access to an end of the tobacco which you can pry up.

My box is designed so you remove the entire end.

 

[Levi Gross]

Edit: I just realized you were asking about the jar, not the box. So take what I wrote with a grain of salt. As for the jar, Bob's jar method is for making perique, so it's not his intention to dislodge the tobacco in one piece, anyways.

Let's suppose you had a box...something like 12" by 6". What you could do, is put a spacer of wood in one end that made it into 10" x 6". You would need an accordingly smaller press block, but when you're done pressing, first thing you do is remove your spacer. That gives you access to an end of the tobacco which you can pry up.

My box is designed so you remove the entire end.

View attachment 23779

Having been enlightened I now see why you have made the removable end on your box. I kept wondering why it was like that. And now wish I had done likewise. I think I can place some strands of sinew under the cake before pressing in my box to help aid in its removal. I have the box and bottle jack just need a suitable structure for the task.