Bricking and Shred-n

[G-Chew]

Questions
This maybe a series of stupid questions but the one thing I have learned is that the process of
Baccy making is an art. I am able to learn more from you all by listening and reading your posts than any other place I know.
So I ask for he end result being the production if a chew/snuff:

What is the purpose behind making a brick?

When making a brick how much pressure is necessary? What are the results of too much or too little pressure?

Is it for preservation/storage purposes or is it so one can shred it later on?

If shredding is the purpose of the brick then couldn't bricking be avoided and the baccy just shredded in an automatic shredder? OR does the shredder produce a product only able to be used for smoking?

 

[Knucklehead]

One reason for making a brick was shredding. A viable electric shredder has just come on the market this past year, and those that can afford it are rushing to buy one. I'm sure there are other reasons for making a brick, and I'll let the guys that know for sure chime in.

 

[G-Chew]

Aight I can't wait to hear from yall

 

[Boboro]

I rember seein a brick of tobacco I think Its name was Cannon ball. You just took a bite off it. So dont press it to tite. I think the Power Matic sherdder Will make a good Skoll type dip.

 

[G-Chew]

Can u program that shredder to make a real course and stringy cut or just fines?

 

[Boboro]

Its A short cut about1/16 with not good for chew but will work for dip. No adjustment. If I was makin chew I would go with twist.

 

[G-Chew]

Ok great! Thanks for the knowledge!
i love what I am learning from all y'all

 

[Knucklehead]

That's okay. It won't be long before you're teaching others. That's the nice thing about this group of guys is the way everyone tries to be helpful and pass on what they learned from the year before or from someone with different experiences. We all want to pay it forward.

 

[leverhead]

For me, it's not for storage. My moisture content is about 20%, if I stored it that moist it would mold. Like Knucklehead said, it's for cutting a pile of leaves instead of one at a time. If you don't use enough pressure, the pile won't hold together well enough to cut slices off the end. If you use too much pressure, it's a PIA to get the slices fluffed back out to use. I like cutting a pile of blended leaf that's ready for making cigarettes. It makes a uniform blend that I can't do as well any other way. Time and pressure are the two variables, more pressure for less time or less pressure for more time will make a similar "brick". Moist tobacco likes to stick to itself and almost anything else.

 

[Jack in NB]

Bricking was needed to get the texture I prefer for my pipe tobacco. I started bricking in '08, and it's now working fairly well!

The setup I use is in the gallery on HTGT, at this url:

http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/forum/cpg14x/thumbnails.php?album=19

 

[leverhead]

Jack, that's a pretty nice shredder! Can you post some detail pictures of the cutting head and bearings? Looks like somebody else likes utility knife blades.

 

[Knucklehead]

Awesome shredder! Nice work.

 

[G-Chew]

Did you make this shredder?

 

[Jack in NB]

The shredder was made by an unknown Quebec company some years back.

I've posted some detailed pictures in the HTGT gallery:

http://www.howtogrowtobacco.com/forum/cpg14x/thumbnails.php?album=317

It uses standard utility knife blades; I sharpen them each time I clean it. The guck washes off nicely with water.

The bearings are short pieces of bronze or oillite, pressed into a stainless steel tube support welded to the main SS framework. The main shaft is a piece of 1/2" steel, probably just cold rolled, held in by a 1/4" screw on the feed end, and the cutter head and crank are held on (friction fit) by a 5/16" cap screw.

 

[leverhead]

It looks like it took it's inspiration from the German Tech shredder. I like the way they did the blade pockets, simple and to the point. When I laid out my shredder, I didn't give a second thought about a round feed tube. I've been kicking my ass about it ever since, rolling up tobacco into cigars in any serious quantity is a real pain. Have you given any thought to pressing half round "bricks" and shredding two at a time? It would fill up the tube and support the tobacco better. I might try a cutter head like that to see what it can do. Thank you for posting the pictures.

 

[Jack in NB]

I've thought about modifying the brick presses, but when I reviewed the process, the rectangular ones are finicky enough to fill. Smaller ones would be more of a pain, so I dropped that thought.

The rectangular blocks, once sectioned, go through the chute fairly well.