Best Rosin Press for the Money

[Hackerman]

I have been trying to find the user's manual for that controller. Are you sure it will work with a cartridge heater. Is a cartridge heater the same as a thermocouple?

I'll keep looking for the manual.

EDIT: Found one. This is for the TD series but it's probably close. http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/files/2016/04/AGPTek-PID-Controller-PC17-user-manual.pdf

EDIT AGAIN: OK, here is the TA series... http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/files/2016/04/Mypin-TA4-manual1.pdf

 

[Kraven]

I built mine and spent $478.26...exact same one as ston's with a few small upgrades. Easy peasy THG, I'll walk you though it, or hackeman can since he has built a few.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I have been trying to find the user's manual for that controller. Are you sure it will work with a cartridge heater. Is a cartridge heater the same as a thermocouple?

I'll keep looking for the manual.

EDIT: Found one. This is for the TD series but it's probably close. http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/files/2016/04/AGPTek-PID-Controller-PC17-user-manual.pdf

EDIT AGAIN: OK, here is the TA series... http://blog.uvm.edu/cwcallah/files/2016/04/Mypin-TA4-manual1.pdf

This is the product that ston-loc linked for me that he said he used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVA23CK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 I thought what I had linked was similar, but I see this one has some kind of solid state relay (whatever that is). This kind of stuff is definitely not my forte.

No, a thermocoupler and heating cartridges are not the same--the thermocouple is more of a temperature sensor. I will still need the heating cartridges.

Also having trouble finding anywhere to tell me what kind of stress 3/8 (or any size) 6061 aluminum plate will take.

Maybe I will just have to bite the bullet and use a bench press. But dang, I just want something that I can move myself...

Later, out to feed the chickens and water the plants.

 

[RubyRed]

this may help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2hNgm4THwA

 

[Hackerman]

I think I would stick with the cartridge heaters and skip the PID thingy. The cartridge heaters are pretty easy. They have 2 wires. Attach them to an old plug wire and plug them into the fan controller. Just too easy.

Also, if you're trying to make this light weight so you can share it with your friends, here's a thought. The tough part is the plates. If each of your friends bought a cheapo Harbor Freight press, you could just swap the plates and stuff. Just a thought.

I must admit, I really like the idea of the small press like the one you want. I do see some potential problem of stability with such a small base.

I don't think a bench press will work. I don't think you'll have enough room to work around catching the rosin. Might work.

I'll look around and see if I can find the yield on a 6061 3/8". One of my early prototypes used 6"x6"x1/4" plates and those definitely bent under the 4 ton Harbor Freight press. The model you sent me looked more like they used 5/8" or even 3/4" aluminum top and bottom. Plus 8 steel threaded rods. My guess is, that thing doesn't weigh too much less that the HF press. I do like the compact size.

 

[Hackerman]

Hey! Here's another idea. Early on, I used a 1 ton arbor press.

It was painful because you need to hold the press down manually for the 20 to 40 seconds you press, instead of the bottle jack holding it down. And, you are limited to about 1 ton of pressure.

But, you can pick this thing up and put it under your arm to carry.

I abandoned the arbor press because it was a PITA but I still use it to pre-press my pucks. So, it wasn't a total waste. LOL

 

[Hackerman]

OK, here is the poop on the aluminum....

Spec sheet

http://asm.matweb.com/search/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=ma6061t4

And, here is a snapshot of a yield calculator where I filled in the input data. Looks like your load before deflection on 6x6x3/8 alum is only about 2 1/2 tons.

View attachment Image1.jpg

 

[Hackerman]

I have looked and looked and I can't find a small/portable shop press. I did find this, which is along the lines of the one you and I like....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USA-5-7-2-T...842489?hash=item21299970b9:g:68cAAOSwFJBZV0WP

But, again, it is limited to 2 tons. All the small stuff I saw was small pressure. I guess it just takes a beefy, heavy frame to withstand the 6 to 8 tons we want to use.

How much pressure does a bench vise provide?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

So that is saying that 6 x 6 x 3/8 aluminum bar stock will only take 138.88 psi before it deflects (force--5000 lbs divided by area--36)? That doesn't seem right. There is an auto repair/machine shop not too far from me. Maybe I'll hire the machinist for 1/2 hour or so to pick his brain.

I have to admit that I understand nothing of the chart you posted. however, what is that last section: Centrally applied concentrated load and the 5454 psi?

There's a You Tube video with great instructions on how to wire a PID temperature unit.

 

[Hackerman]

what is that last section: Centrally applied concentrated load and the 5454 psi?

That's the deflection force it would take to bend it with a 1" pressure point applied at the center. Yours would be a little different since the load is spread out over the base of the bottle jack. However, I would guess that the ends where the dowels are would start to bend at around 3 tons.

If you look at most of the models like you showed me, they have pretty thick tops and bottoms.

You should see some of the stuff SkunkPharm uses. Old tire rims, left over steel channel. Old dog dishes. LOL

When you think about it, all you need is opposing resistance.

In one press, they had nothing more than 4 pieces of steel channel welded together in a rectangle. The bottle jack slipped between it and... bingo, instant press.

I saw another guy use his hydraulic car jack wedged against the frame of his car. LMAO One guy had a bucket from a backhoe. LMAO

I have to admit, I tried a bunch of crazy stuff like that before I finally bought the press.

Check out the picture. This is from SkunkPharm. A frame and a couple dog dishes. LOL (This was a glycerin extraction thread). I can think of so many uses for a nice frame like that. Straining butter, glycerin. Add the plates and press rosin right side up or sideways. Very cool.

View attachment tincture-press.jpg

 

[Hackerman]

I just checked the shipping weight on the HF press. Under 50 pounds. I'm not sure we can build anything that will withstand our 6 or 8 tons of pressure and weigh any less. Even that frame above must weigh close to 50 pounds.

I really want one of those. I want a round one. LOL That would be so perfect for squeezing butter and glycerin. It looks like the jack is welded onto the frame. You could work with it and fill the bowl and stuff while it's upright. And, then turn it sideways to collect the butter/rosin/juice/whatever.

 

[Hackerman]

I hope I'm not throwing too much stuff at you. I kind of got into this myself and now I'm digging.

Threaded rod is pretty basic. A 1/2" rod is good for about 1000lbs. So, four of those, one on each corner would only be good for about 2 tons. Maybe that's why the ones we looked at had double rods on each corner. 1" rods would compensate some but larger rods seem to be uncommon and much more pricey.

I didn't look at what force it would take to strip the nut right off the threaded rod. A fine thread is probably required. And, double nuts. And some kind of super washer at the plates.

I was just looking at some welding sites and a 3/4" fillet weld can support over 11,000 pounds per liner inch of weld. Might not be as fancy looking but I'll bet a welder would be cheaper than a machinist. LOL And, 4 pieces of old channel? I like this idea. If I don't like the way it looks, I'll take it down to the chrome shop and have it chromed. LMAO

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

No, not throwing too much at me.

Is this the HF press you have? https://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-a-frame-bench-shop-press-1666.html

If so, are the plates on the bottom removeable? Can the lower cross brace in the center of the press be removed? Can the rod be cut shorter?

 

[Hackerman]

Yep, that's the one I am using. Although, the jack failed the first year and I replaced it with a better one. Other than that, yep. Also, I got mine for about $60 on sale with a 20% off coupon. HF has offers 20% off coupons all the time.

The mouth of the press is just big enough if you use 1" plates. I tried 2" thick and there wasn't really room to comfortably place the puck between the plates. 1" thick plates worked perfectly.

Those bottom plates are called "Bed Plates" and they are required. They span the 2 I-Beams. The I-Beams are adjustable but you will need them all the way open. And, those bed plates are EXPENSIVE if you have to buy them. $30 -$40. Insane.

Here are a couple shots of mine. The arbor press is used to make the pucks with the cylinder next to it.

View attachment press-1.jpg

View attachment press-2.jpg

View attachment press-3.jpg

 

[Hackerman]

25% off at Harbor Freight. LOL

Not sure if it's good in your local. You might check with your local store.

View attachment harborfreight.jpg

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Thanks Hackerman. I was in HF on Sun to buy a nail gun and noticed the Labor Day flyers. So, I will be going in on Mon to buy the press.

I ordered a PID temp controller, plates, heater cartridges, and a project box. Not sure when I will drill the plates as I need to borrow a drill press.