Rosin Press – DIY Cannabis Concentrate at Home

rosin press

Rosin is one of the newest ways to enjoy high-quality cannabis concentrates β€” and it can be made right from the comfort of your home with a DIY rosin press!

Cannabis concentrates are made by isolating terpenes and desirable cannabinoids (most commonly THC and CBD) from the plant material using a variety of extraction techniques. Products like hash oil, THC-A crystals, and shatter are made using solvents like butane. These techniques also generally require expensive equipment and long processing times.

On the other hand, making rosin is a fairly straightforward and short process. All you need is a rosin press β€” an inexpensive tool you can use to make rosin almost instantly.

In this article, we’ll learn more about why people love rosin, how it’s made, and how you can build a rosin press at home.

What is Rosin?

rosin press guide

Rosin is cannabis flower treated with heat and pressure over a short period of time to draw out a highly potent sap-like concentrate. By squeezing the flower with controlled temperatures, the rosin is forced out of the bud and ready to smoke right away.

The resulting honey-brown rosin retains most of the plant’s terpenes and cannabinoids in addition to a natural, earthy flavor.

The beauty behind rosin is you can do it yourself without the need for expensive machinery or in-depth knowledge – you can even make a heated press at home with just a few household materials.

It also keeps your cannabis completely free from potentially harmful solvents which are used in other concentrates like butane hash oil.  Many people prefer to use solvent-less cannabis concentrates to keep their products as clean and pure as possible β€” solvents can leave behind residue and remove desirable cannabinoids from the final product.

How is Roisin Made?

All you need is heat and pressure. This is typically achieved with two opposing, heated plates which are brought together to add pressure to the bud. Depending on the density of the bud and which rosin press you choose, you may need to apply pressure for 5 – 10 seconds.

What is a Rosin Press?

rosin press definition

Rosin heated presses are the tool you need to bring right amount of heat, pressure, and time together to make high-quality rosin. They can be regular household items or specialized machines with fine-tuned settings to get optimum results.

They don’t need to be complicated β€” many people use hair straighteners. Hair straighteners are cheap, have heat controls, and can be pressed by hand.  They get the job done but you may not be getting the most out of your cannabis.

The advantage of choosing machine rosin presses is they’re custom-made for this exact purpose. The heat and pressure are fine-tuned so none of your flowers goes to waste. Machine rosin presses mean you’ll preserve the plant’s natural essence and get more rosin per use.

Rosin Press Canada

Machine rosin presses can be found in three main varieties β€” manual, hydraulic, and pneumatic cylinder. These presses make your experience quick and painless while achieving significantly better results than hair straighteners.

Manual presses mean you’ll be doing all of the work. These are the smallest and most affordable options on the market but yield of rosin is lower than the other two.

Hydraulic presses still use a hand pump to press the flower but the machine does most of the work. Although these are larger and a little more expensive than manual presses, the water-powered cylinders mean a higher efficiency β€” and to get a larger harvest of rosin.

Lastly, pneumatic presses are air-powered and generally provide the highest-quality rosins. They use air rather than water to power the cylinders which is easier to control and significantly quieter.  They do cost more than the other two options but if you’re really looking to get into and out of rosin, this is the way to go.

Although a rosin press can be expensive, they’re well worth the money if you plan on many rosin regularly.

Making Rosin At Home – Rosin Press DIY

If you’d prefer to take the DIY route instead, we’ve included a helpful guide below. The hair straightener method is the most inexpensive way to make rosin if you’re on a limited budget. Although you won’t see quite the same results you would with a machine press, making it yourself is a fun experience that will work in the meantime.

All you’ll need is cannabis, an iron or hair straightener, parchment paper, and a small collection tool. We’d also recommend using heat-resistant gloves to keep from burning your hands.

1. Set The Heat

If you’re using a hair straightener, it’s best to start the lowest heat setting and go from there. In our experience, low is more than enough but you may have to experiment.

In a perfect world, keep the heat below 300 degrees or you risk destroying terpenes β€” which make affect the flavor and reduce the total yield.

2. Line the Hot Plates With Parchment Paper

Make sure the parchment paper is cut into large enough pieces to cover the hot plates of your rosin press after being folded in half. The cannabis will be placed in the fold and you don’t want any of your valuable rosin to drip out the sides.

3. Place Your Cannabis in the Parchment Paper & Press

Carefully put your buds in the crease of the folded parchment paper. If you have heat resistant gloves, now is the time to put them on.

Place the bud and parchment paper in between the hot plates of your rosin press and apply firm pressure β€” when you hear the bud sizzling, it’s time to take the pressure off. Don’t hold on for too long or you risk losing some of your freshly-made rosin.

4. Remove From Hot Plates & Harvest

Unfold the parchment paper and remove the now-flat cannabis bud. Keep in mind this is a sticky process, so be patient as you carefully remove our ready-to-smoke resin.

Rosin is Easy to Make & Easy to Love

If you’re interested in the world of cannabis concentrates, rosin is one of the best ways to get your feet wet. The DIY method only takes a few seconds β€” however, it may just convince you to get into a high-yield rosin press.

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