Do It Yourself Tobacco Press?

[spartan]

I have a jar or two or tobaccos I don't care for so they get thrown in jail together. AKA my Leftover jar.
But, I've always wanted a uniform flavor with the jar. So I'll press the tobacco together in the jar with various cooking utensils to get the job done and seal the jar up. It stays compressed but I've always wanted some sort of mechanism to put a blend into and have consistant pressure applied to it.
I've seen on another forum that a guy had some sort of device in which he could mix a pound or two of tobacco and compress it with such force that he would make his own flakes. It was pretty impressive, but it wasn't very practicle to own a device of that size.
Does anyone have some sort of home-made tobacco press? Or have some ideas on how this can be done?

 

[schmitzbitz]

Funny you should ask this Spartan, I built a "do it yourself" press last night, hoping to put it through the paces starting tonight. My design was quite simple; took a couple of bar clamps and welded them to a heavy steel plate as a base. Then welded plates to both the top and bottom jaws; simply tighten the clamps to press. I'll post some pics (and results) later on for you...I'm not positive I'll be able to get enough pressure out of this rig yet.
Another method would be to acquire a simple screw-vice, and weld a couple of larger plates into place in the jaws. Jury-rig a mounting bracket and your good to go!

 

[spartan]

Ah yes, let me just dust off my old welding set from my younger days.
I don't have the tools, nor the skills needed to weld anything.
But I'd be extremely interested to see what you've come up with. ::

 

[bentmike]

Here's my idea:
1 coffee or soup can

1 length of ready bolt (1/4" - 3/8" threaded rod)

2 washers

2 nuts

1 piece of 3/4" plywood
Using the can as a pattern trace two circles onto the plywood. With a jigsaw or saber saw cut the discs just slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the tin can. Drill a hole dead center in each disc and through the bottom of the can. Place one wood disc under the bottom of the can, run the threaded rod up through the can and fill with baccy. Slide the top disc down on rod and into the can compressing the contents. Attach the washers and nuts at each end and tighten.
Just an idea off the top of my head.
edit: Keeping it from drying out would be a problem. Didn't think of that.

 

[philip]

I bet you could use an old-fashioned apple press to good effect.

This is from My DIY Plans.

 

[tokerpipes]

All you need is an over sized "C" clamp. Use an old metal tin that the c-clamp will fit from top to bottom. using the lid from the can use a piece of scrap wood between the c-clamp and the lid and twist it down to press the contents in the can. I acctually did this once using a small tin can that used to have Peas in it. I washed it completly and let dry. Applied the c-clamp as I suggested and then put the entire clamp-can- pressed tobacco in a larger ziplock bag and then put it in a large glass container that sealed. presto came back 3 months later, can was still compressed and added mor tobacco. And it worked perfect.

 

[spartan]

Got some pics you'd like to share Tokerpipes? lol

 

[tokerpipes]

I currently have the c-clamp being used to hold down my dads topper on his truck. I havent even gotten enough left over tobacco to try this. I just took things and simplified it.
Plus @spartan you cant picture that in your head? :crazy:

 

[cortezattic]

It seems to me that Toker's idea with the C-clamp is pretty good. You might want to torque it down with a pipe wrench for extreme pressure. Also, using leftover 100g tins from Rattray's would give you a good starting size, and insure that no food odors get into the tobacco. I imagine you'd have to destroy the tin to get the tobacco out, or invent a mechanism beforehand that would allow you to push the flake up, out of the tin when it's done.
Why do it? I read that the pressure intensifies the flavor of the tobacco, so start shopping for blending tobaccos to experiment with.

 

[tokerpipes]

Um here is a suggestion as to how to get it out...Plastic bag in the can befor you add the tobacco. Although in all honesty once its done compressing I am usually smoking it. :D

 

[cortezattic]

Mac Baren product specialist Per Jensen says that they press their flake at a pressure of 55 tons for 6 hours. The way the video presents it, I'm guessing that comes to about 1 ton per sq. in. They then hold that level of compression for 30 days using a wedge-like apparatus, presumably to free-up the hydraulic press for more production. Different blends get different treatment, like steam heat.

 

[pawpaw]

I know at C&D's they have what looks like a bottle jack riged up in a frame with 2 plates

 

[bigvan]

Yeah, I think we're talking about a whole different level of pressure. Coffee cans and C clamps are probably just going to yield slightly flatter tobacco.

 

[tokerpipes]

Any math majors out there? How many foot lbs would equal 1 ton of pressure? I think we may have a challenge going on if this experiment can be done at home with common tools. :puffpipe:

 

[pipeinhand]

I built wife a flower press yeas ago. 2 pieces of 7/8" birch plywood and drilled 5 holes in it. One at each corner and 1 in the middle. Then took 1/2 inch bolts through the holes and 2 inch fender washers on both sides. This will tighten down as much as you can torque it down. I have flattened a rose bud to the thickness of a piece of cardboard. This might work.

 

[smokindawg]

I've seen home made presses using a wooden box of any height/size. Then another piece of wood on the top and bottome that just fit inside the box. Then you could use as many C-clamps as needed to fully compress the top and bottom lid once you have the amount of tobacco inside as you want to compress. From the results I've seen and heard, this works great and is easy/cheap to assemble.
As for holding the box together under pressure, I'd put those metal L shaped brackets on the outside or for taller boxes you could even use hinges which would keep the box from being forced apart.
When they compress the tobacco while making perique, they use wooden barrels such as whiskey barrels and use a big screw device to add pressure as needed while making it. They can add pressure or release at the turn of the big screw.
I have a gallon jar of leftovers that I need to do something with as it's full. I may give my home made press idea a try with this tobacco. I'll make my own flake.......... Who knows what I'll end up with.

 

[nmbigfoot02]

I doubt that C clamps or any hand clamps for that matter are going to get the job done. A better option would be a shop press if you have one.

 

[cortezattic]

I agree with nmbigfoot02. At the very least, you would need a big pipe wrench to torque it down as hard as possible.

Like bigvan said, we're talkin' about the need for some serious pressure here.

Also, like flyfishn said, expect to create a crumble cake, not a real flake.

 

[tokerpipes]

Well now...CHALENGE accepted. I am now inquisitive if this can be done.

 

[smokindawg]

Same here tokerpipes. I think that maybe the 6" HD bench vice I have will do the job...... It just sets there most the time so I'll have to give it a try.
After reading the responses about the C-clamps I think you all are correct. Probably bend and ruin them before you get enough pressure. But I also think that the threaded rod would work as you could really torque it down without damage to the rod. But Reinforced corners on a box would be a must.
I'll have to think on this some more....... But think I'll give it a try making my own flake from the left overs jar stuff.