So, you’re thinking of getting a Rosin Press or Pollen Press to help you make the best quality cannabis concentrates? Whether you’re looking to create a wonderful wax or a shatter to share with friends, a Rosin Press will certainly make crafting your chosen concentrate endlessly easier and more convenient. But starting out your concentrate crafting journey requires a little research and practice – oh and the right accessories – especially if quality is important to you. That’s where our Pre-Press Molds come in.
Pre-pressing your cannabis products before moving on to rosin extraction offers a range of benefits, which we will be covering in detail throughout this article. But first, let’s take a look at the different kinds of concentrates you can make with your Rosin Press, what products you can use to make them, and how the process actually works.
What is a Rosin Press?
A Rosin Press might look slightly intimidating at first glance, but once you get used to this impressive bit of kit, it is sure to become an indispensable part of your concentrate-making process. And don’t worry – they are actually really easy to use (especially if you also utilise a pre-press mold). While DIY techniques have been used by the amateur extractor for a long time (we’re looking at you, hair straightener risk-takers), a Rosin Press makes the process infinitely easier and more effective.
So, how does this useful machine actually work? Well, the extraction of rosin (or other forms of concentrate, such as wax or shatter) requires two things: heat and pressure. And this is exactly what our Rosin Presses deliver. You may have tried the hair straightener method we mentioned earlier – placing your cannabis between a sheet of grease-proof paper and pressed down on the fiddly package with a cheap pair of hair straighteners. While many people will have found some success with this method, it is likely they also found themselves sporting quite a few burns and/or wasted product!
In contrast, using a Rosin Press is much safer and much easier. It works by applying a carefully controlled and consistent amount of heat and pressure. This is done with the help of two heated plates that slowly press together to squeeze the natural oils out of the cannabis plant matter. Our range of Rosin Presses make crafting your own cannabis concentrates easier than ever, leaving you with one thing left to do – enjoy them!
What are Cannabis Concentrates?
Cannabis is a hugely versatile product that can come in many forms. From whole flower and buds to oils, edibles, and other cannabis concentrates, consumers really are spoiled for choice these days – especially when they have the means to make their own bespoke products! In recent years, however, cannabis concentrates have become increasingly popular thanks to their distilled potency which means much less product is needed for the same effect. They can also be consumed in a number of ways, making them versatile products in their own right.
Making cannabis concentrates involves extracting the most valuable and desirable parts of the plant – namely, the cannabinoids and terpenes in a sticky, wax-like form. As a result, cannabis concentrates are usually much more potent than the plants from which they have been made. This means that concentrates are usually packaged and sold in much smaller quantities.
They may also be referred to as extracts, as they are extracted from the plant. They may come in a range of textures and consistencies, from hard ‘shatter to liquid oils and mid-texture waxes and rosins. Which of these products is the “best” will depend on the user. Let’s face it, we all have our own preferences when it comes to our favourite cannabis products and concentrates are no different. Different consumers will favour different potencies, textures, and routes of administration. For many consumers, however, the desired method of administration is using a ‘dab rig’ or a vaporizer.
No matter what kind of concentrate product you prefer, market availability can play a significant role in the products you actually use. For example, cannabis shatters and waxes have become increasingly popular in some markets around the world – particularly in North America. If, however, you are in the market for something different (or these products aren’t commercially available where you live), making your own concentrates is a great option.
Check out our recent blog post, ‘How to Make Rosin Crumble’ for more information!
Using a Pre-Press Mold to Make your Concentrate
As we mentioned earlier, using Pre-Press Mold for rosin extraction offers many benefits. It is a simple and effective way to make your chosen cannabis plant matter easier to handle and press with your Rosin Press machine. Pre-Press Molds can come in a variety of shapes, though they are usually either cylindrical or rectangle-shaped molds. The shape of your chosen Pre-Press Mold should match the shape of your filter bags.
How to use your Pre-Press Mold
The process of pre-pressing your cannabis product is really quite straightforward. It involves packing your product into your filter bag and placing this inside the chamber of your Pre-Press Mold. The product can then be compacted using the Mold Weight, using your own body weight. For most people, it is effective to simply apply the weight of your upper body to the weight. This presses down the product inside the filter bag that is packed into the mold cylinder (or rectangle) chamber.
The pressure applied inside the Pre-Press Mold effectively compacts the plant material, pressing it into all the edges and corners of your filter bag.
The Benefits of Using a Pre-Press Mold
So, now that we have covered everything you need to know about cannabis concentrates, using your Rosin Press and packing your Pre-Press Mold with your chosen product, let’s get to those benefits we’ve been talking about! What are the three reasons you should be using a Pre-Press Mold?
1. Makes for more even heat and pressure application
As mentioned above, pressing your plant material inside your filter bag allows all excess air and space to be pressed out. This results in a compacted tablet-like slab of cannabis material that can be evenly exposed to the heat and pressure applied by your Rosin Press. Not only does this make your product easier to handle (for example, when placing it between the two heated plates) but it also makes for easier collection of the final product.
For example, if you are pressing your cannabis without using a Pre-Press Mold, the air gaps and spaces left between the packed plant matter are the perfect place for the released oils and newly extracted rosin to flow into. In contrast, having a tightly packed and compacted item allows the rosin to flow freely, making your life much easier (and tidier) when it comes to collection!
2. Less end product stuck in awkward places
It isn’t only the packed matter itself in which your new high-quality cannabis rosin extract can become stuck. The corners and edges of your filter bag can often also be a great place for the almost liquid, high-potency extract to become lodged during the pressing process. It can be quite tricky and fiddly to remove the rosin from these parts of the filter bag. Luckily, pre-pressing your cannabis using a mold all but eliminates this problem.
Ensuring that your plant material is tightly packed against all sides and corners of your filter bag means that there is less opportunity for the released rosin to become lodged in these areas.
3. Increase your Rosin yield
Like we have said, Pre-Pressing your cannabis product makes for a more compact product that prevents your freshly pressed rosin from straying into the nooks and crannies of loosely packed buds and trims and free areas of your filter bag. The increased ease of collecting your new cannabis concentrate doesn’t only offer the benefit of being much tidier and less fiddly. It also means that you will end up with an increased yield of usable product in the end! What’s not to like about that?
So, there you have it! Three reasons you should be using Pre-Press Molds for making cannabis rosin and/or other concentrate products. Our range of Pre-Press Molds offers an effective and convenient solution to ensure you achieve only the highest-quality product and make the most of your yield. Use our Pre-Press Molds can be used effectively in combination with our Rosin Presses to make your rosin craft easier and more efficient than ever. Happy extracting!
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