If you’re a cannabis enthusiast looking to up your at-home game, a rosin press is a great tool to have in your arsenal. Not only is it easy to use, but it allows you to create your own pure, solventless concentrates right from the comfort of your own home.
Want to make the process even simpler? Then get yourself a pollen press. A pollen press is an absolute must-have; a simple gadget which turns ground herbs into a conveniently sized hard disk. Pop one of these in your rosin press, and you will have a high-grade solventless concentrate in no time.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process of using a pollen press alongside a rosin press, to make high-quality rosin at home. But before we dive into the details, let’s first talk about the benefits of making your own rosin.
Why Make Your Own Rosin?
With the UK relaxing cannabis laws a little, more and more people are looking at how to make rosin from home.
There’s nothing like the satisfaction of making your own concentrates. And when it comes to DIY concentrates, rosin is one of the easiest and most cost-effective methods out there. So why should you make your own rosin?
First and foremost, rosin is a pure, solventless concentrate created using only heat and pressure. This means that it is entirely natural and free of any potentially harmful chemicals or solvents that may be present in other concentrates. Plus, the process of making rosin is simple and can be achieved at home with just a few basic tools and a decent rosin press.
Another great reason to make rosin at home is the power that it gives you over the final product. When you make your own rosin, you have complete control over the strain of cannabis you use and the pressure and temperature settings on your press. Couple this with a pollen press, and you get maximum yields and the perfect potency and flavour profile balance.
Seriously, do you need any more reasons? Ok, here’s another, and it’s potentially the biggest benefit overall; you can save a lot of money. While high-quality concentrates can be expensive, making rosin allows you to stretch your budget further. Plus, if you grow your own cannabis, you can use less desirable buds to make rosin, giving you greater value for money.
Making your rosin is a rewarding and cost-effective way to enjoy concentrates at home. And, with a little practice, you can become a pressing- pro in no time!
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of making your own rosin, let’s discuss the important stuff. How do you use a pollen press?
What is a Pollen Press?
A pollen press (also known as a pre press mold) compresses trichomes, or resin glands, collected from cannabis plants into a solid block, often referred to as pellets, disks, pucks or coins.
Trichomes are the hair-like structures on the cannabis plant that produce the cannabinoids and terpenes that give the plant its unique effects and flavours. Pressing these into a block allows you to store and use them more efficiently.
Most pollen presses are compact devices made from a high-grade material. Our Nectar Cylinder Pre Press Mold is made from stainless steel, and features a mold platform, mold cylinder and a mold weight. This handy tool is small enough to fit in your pocket and take with you on the go. It is simple to use and works by pushing out all the air, condensing the material into a solid product which is easy to extract oil from.
Using a pollen press before a rosin press increases the yield output, saving time and money while producing a high-quality concentrate.
What’s more, a pollen press isn’t just for cannabis, it’s also ideal for compressing any dry herb, such as lavender.
Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Pollen Press
Step 1: Collect the Trichomes
The first thing you must do is gather your trichomes. There are several ways of doing this. If you are using a grinder, simply grind up the buds as you usually would. Then use a scraper or spoon to transfer the trichomes from the grinder to a clean surface.
If you’re using scissors or fingers, gently break up the buds and use your fingers or a spoon to collect the trichomes. It’s important to try and minimise the amount of plant material mixed in with the trichomes, as this can affect the purity and potency of the final product.
Ensure that your trichomes are completely dry before moving on to the next step, as moisture can cause them to stick together and make them difficult to press.
Step 3: Press the Trichomes
Once the trichomes are dry, it’s time to use your pollen press. Most pollen presses are similar in design, consisting of a cylinder with a screw mechanism on each end and a removable cap on the other. To use the press, simply place a small amount of trichomes into the cylinder, push them down (an unsharpened pencil can be useful for this) , close the cap, and compress. It’s recommended to then keep the material in the pollen press for around 6-8 hours .
It’s essential not to overfill the cylinder and to use even pressure. If the trichomes are not pressing easily, you can try breaking up any large clumps or spreading them out more evenly before pressing them again.
It may take a few times to get the hang of it, but with some practice, you’ll be able to press the trichomes perfectly every time.
Step 4: Remove the Solid Material
Once compressed, it’s time to remove the solid material, or the disk, from the pollen press. To do this, simply unscrew and remove the cap. The disk should slide easily out of the cylinder, but if it’s sticking, you can use a scraper or spoon to pry it out gently.
The disk will be soft and pliable when it comes out of the press, but it will harden in time. If you find that the material is too soft or crumbly, you can try pressing it again using more pressure or allowing it to sit for a longer period before removing it from the press.
If the pellet is too hard or difficult to remove from the press, you may need to use less pressure or allow the trichomes to dry for a shorter time before pressing them.
Step 5: Store and Use the Solid Material
Your disk is now ready to be stored and used as you like. We recommend keeping it in an airtight container, in a dark and cool place. You can then use the material to make various cannabis products, including edibles, topicals and concentrates.
Here at Nectar, we are champions of using the disks in a rosin press to make a chemical-free, highly potent concentrate.
How to Use a Pollen Press With a Rosin Press
Before we had the luxury of these powerful pressing machines, creating rosin was tough going. You only have to YouTube a ‘DIY rosin press’ video to find some poor guy using a hair straightener to make a pitiful amount. Let’s just say we don’t recommend this approach.
Technology has come on in leaps and bounds, and a rosin press machine is well worth the investment. Just ensure that you buy from a reputable buyer to avoid any disappointment. At Nectar, we offer a 2-year warranty and 24/7 customer support, enabling you to buy with confidence.
So, do you finally have your rosin press to hand and feel ever-so-slightly daunted? Don’t panic. A rosin press is simple to use; follow our quick guide, and you’ll be a pro in no time.
- Gather Your Materials
Before you start pressing, you need to gather all your materials. In addition to your rosin press, you will need your pre-pressed cannabis and some parchment paper. It’s also a good idea to have a collection tool on hand, such as a silicone spatula or a dab tool.
- Preheat Your Press
Next, it’s time to preheat your rosin press. This is an important step, as it ensures that the heat and pressure are evenly distributed throughout the pressing process.
At this stage, you also need to be thinking about your heat. Choosing the optimum temperature can be a bit of trial and error, depending on what you want to achieve. For example, a lower temperature (65 °C- 105 °C or 105 °F- 220°F) will generate a lower yield but more flavour. If you opt for a higher temperature (105°C-121°C or 220°F- 250°F), you’re likely to have higher yields but with less flavour.
- Insert Your Pre-Pressed Material
Once your press is heated and you have pre-pressed your trichomes, it’s time to start pressing! Insert your puck between two sheets of parchment paper and place them in the press.
- Close the Press and Apply Pressure
Again, this pressure depends on several factors, from the machine you use to the type of the consistency of rosin you want to make. The optimal range for pressing is approximately 300 and 1000 pounds per square inch (psi).
- Collect Your Rosin
After a few minutes, it’s time to collect your rosin. Carefully open the press and remove the parchment paper. Your freshly pressed rosin should be stuck to the paper, ready to be collected using your silicone spatula or collection tools. Repeat the process until you have all the rosin.
- Enjoy Your Homemade Rosin
And that’s it! With some practice, you’ll be a pro at pressing your own rosin in no time. Once you have collected your rosin, it’s time to enjoy your (not-so) hard work. You can dab your rosin using a dab rig or, even better, vaporise it using a concentrate vaporiser. Click here to see our range of vaporisers.
Everyone likes getting the most out of a product, and cannabis is no exception. With higher yields, potent concentrates and, super easy to store, making your rosin from home with the help of a pollen press is highly rewarding. Read our blog on Is it Worth Making Your Own Rosin? for even more reasons to create the good stuff. Happy pressing!
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