Looking for a press mold

[PressuredLeaf]

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to the community to see if anyone here could make a tobacco pressing mold for purchase.

I have a 2x2 mold I made out of a square piece of 316. However I would like something bigger, ideally 4x4” with a depth of a 2-6”. It would also need two plates that could fit snuggly inside for compressing the loose leaf tobacco into a plug. Any of the more handy members interested?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Knucklehead]

A member posted this thread about using a pasta press and how he blocked the holes. Looks like a nice plug.

First press: Pasta Press

I wanted to press something with a new pasta press so I threw in about 40% Virginia, 40% Kentucky burley, 20% dark fired. Here is the photo. It is a very good , produces clouds of smoke and I like it better than Irish Flake.

fairtradetobacco.com

I found a link on Amazon. Most of them show cutters so I had to search through some for the press.

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Spaghetti-Machine-Pressing-Kitchen/dp/B08RDTHNQX/ref=sr_1_16?crid=1PV7CXSZBWSDN&keywords=Pasta+press&qid=1671140666&sprefix=pasta+pres%2Caps%2C1209&sr=8-16

the measurements look close to what you described.

 

[Old Gasman]

I bought one of those on the back of that post and they're remarkably efficient.

 

[PressuredLeaf]

Thank you both,

I’ve seen the pollen presses, but I like the square plugs. I’m thinking of buying a 4x4” piece of square tubing, and using plate as the inserts for the press. The problem is I’m not handy!

Maybe I should look around for a fab shop?

 

[HillDweller]

At some point in the past I stumbled across some guy on youtube who was showing how to make molds out of rectangular SS tubing. I think he also sold them whenever he had time to make a few. I don't remember a name or have a link, but you might try searching there.

 

[Plinsc]

My google foo abilities aren’t working! I tried every thing I could come up with and didn’t find the SS rectangular tubing build.

 

[Teknik]

Ace four has some info about tobacco pressing

AceFour's Notebook

Whole leaf tobacco blending and pressing

acefour.org

 

[Plinsc]

I see how they used tubing now! Thanks

 

[HillDweller]

My google foo abilities aren’t working! I tried every thing I could come up with and didn’t find the SS rectangular tubing build.

I tried finding the video I saw but with no luck. If I ever do find it again I will post here.

 

[PressuredLeaf]

So this is my current mold. 316l square tube with an oak square insert for the press. I like it , but want something bigger.

 

[MysticMapacho]

I've had my eye on this one ROSITEK MPP2 Large Manual Thread Press Machine for Brick - Max 2 Ton Pressure of Force

The pasta press has been working well but I've been thinking of taking it up a notch.

 

[deluxestogie]

That is a curious device. I can't quite understand its expected use. It's intended for making a brick of what material? Perhaps the seller is consciously avoiding discussing what they designed it for. [Discreet packaging] No doubt, it will make a tobacco plug suitable for slicing flake, although they do recommend not using "the paper".

Bob

 

[MysticMapacho]

Its intended use is as a cannabis pollen press. Searching the term "pollen press" will get you quite a few device options with many of them being much more expensive.
Anyway, this one seems to be all metal, which would allow for baking/heating the tobacco during a portion of the pressing. This is something I would really like to experiment with in the near future.

 

[HillDweller]

I Its intended use is as a cannabis pollen press. Searching the term "pollen press" will get you quite a few device options with many of them being much more expensive.

I was looking at these a while back. Some of them actually have heated plates. I think they might operate at higher temperatures than what we want for tobacco. Might be able to hack them though so they maintain a lower temp.

 

[PressuredLeaf]

Just a fyi to everyone, I have one of those smaller aluminum molds used for “pollen”. Under high pressure the edges squeeze out, it seems the tolerances aren’t very good.

 

[AceFour]

Ace four has some info about tobacco pressing

AceFour's Notebook

Whole leaf tobacco blending and pressing

acefour.org

Thanks for the link. I just posted about a guy that makes wooden presses that are a thing of beauty. I picked up a double press which will be nice in summer when I toss the press in the hot truck as poor man's stoving. The metal press I use is no longer made by the Etsy guy as far as I can tell. The wooden press are great for 100g plugs and the metal press good for 200g plugs. Bonus on the metal press is I can stove it while pressed. I did my Red Queen plug attempt with that and it turned out fantastic.

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum @AceFour. Feel free to introduce yourself in our Introduce Yourself forum.

Bob

 

[Homegrowngoodnes]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Uniquealias]

Just an fyi to everyone, I have one of those smaller aluminum molds used for “pollen”. Under high pressure the edges squeeze out, it seems the tolerances aren’t very good.

Oh, would that I knew you a month ago before I bought the dang thing…

 

[Odd Grin]

The $15 pasta presses on amazon are excellent for 3 Oz or less, the plastic upper nut frame is very resilient so far in the few months I've been rotating my 3. A few layers of aluminum foil over the holes in the bottom cap are all one needs. I'm about to test stoving temps on that structure soon. Might get a little soft and loose, we'll see. Have a C clamp lined up for the follow up for pressure stability..