In this post, we’re going to discuss rosin extracts, how rosin presses work, and how to make your own rosin press machine at home for under $100. We’ll also discuss a few rosin press options if you prefer not to make your own.
What Is Rosin?
Rosin is a highly refined form of cannabis extracted from crushed cannabis or fine hash. It’s formed by applying pressure and heat to the hash, melting the oils, and squeezing them out to be collected separately from the solid plant matter present in the powder.
This process has several benefits. First, rosin is one of the purest refined forms of cannabis, because there are no solvents used to make it – just mechanical separation, pressure, and heat. Second, this means rosin is safer to make and consume than many other refined forms of cannabis. Without the use of solvents, there are no solvent residues in the cannabis that can be hazardous to your health.
Third, rosin can come in a variety of textures and forms, to suit anyone’s preferred style of consumption. Finally, since the only thing “consumed” by the process of making rosin is the cannabis itself, it is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to refine cannabis into a pure form.
What’s a Rosin Press Machine?
If you want to make rosin, you’re in luck. Rosin has been quickly gaining popularity in the cannabis community, and plenty of people have taken up the task of making machines to refine rosin simply. These machines are called rosin presses, and they come in a variety of forms and price points.
Essentially, a rosin press machine has two tasks: squeezing the hash and heating it up to a specific temperature range. This means that they typically have two flat surfaces that press together. Each of these surfaces heats up, applying even pressure and heat to the entire mass of hash.
Some rosin press machines automate both the heat and the pressure application. They both heat up and use a motor to apply pressure – your task is to load the machine and press the buttons to start the process. Other machines are simpler and only heat the surfaces. You apply pressure manually, through weight or clamps. These machines are usually cheaper because they are simpler to produce.
How to Make High-Quality Rosin
Making rosin is simple, but making high-quality rosin has some tricks to it.
Choose Your Hash
The first thing you need to consider when making rosin is the quality of the hash you’ll be using. Since you aren’t using a solvent, you’re getting the essence of the hash you’re using – nothing more, nothing less. If your hash isn’t good, your rosin won’t be good. Weak hash will make weak rosin. The rosin will be more condensed, sure, but it won’t be as strong as rosin made from good hash.
You also need to consider what consistency you want out of your rosin. Different strains of cannabis have varying levels of cannabinoids and terpenes. The-THC content of the cannabis your hash comes from will obviously affect the strength of your final product. Meanwhile, terpenes affect the texture of your rosin. A higher terpene content will thicken your rosin, and lower content results in thinner rosin. Choosing a good hash is key to getting the rosin you want.
Filter Out Your Rosin
When making rosin, it’s smart to place your hash into some sort of filter to make sure that your rosin is pure and free from plant matter. There are a lot of filter options, but many people like to use sift filter micron bags. These bags come in a variety of filter sizes, designed to let through different sizes of particles. The finer the filter, the purer your rosin will be. Many people place one bag inside another, to increase the filtration.
Press Your Hash
There are two steps to pressing your hash. Before heating the hash, you should place it in the filter bags, and then into the press. Apply moderate pressure to the hash, so it starts to gel and stick together. This will make your final product rosin more consistent because it evens out the hash in the bag.
Then remove the hash and turn the press’s heat on. Place parchment paper or your preferred container underneath the press, to catch the rosin. Once the press is at full temperature, put the hash back and apply pressure until rosin leaks out. You may press several times, to make sure you get all of the oil.
Heat Your Hash
Finally, it’s time to heat the hash. Let the hash warm up before applying full heat so that you don’t burn parts of the oil before you warm up the rest.
To melt the rosin, you want to heat the hash to about 180-220 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough that all of the oil and cannabinoids will melt out of the hash, without heating it to the point where any useful compounds are destroyed or evaporate out.
Steps to Make Rosin
- Choose a fine hash with the levels and types of cannabinoids you want in your rosin.
- Place your hash in a sift filter micron bag – the finer, the better. Double bag for the highest quality.
- Place hash bag in warm – not hot – press, and “stamp” it. Remove hash.
- Allow rosin press to come up to temperature, between 180 and 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place device to catch rosin under the press.
- Plash hash bag back into press, and apply high pressure until rosin drips out.
How to Choose Your Rosin Press Machine and Setup
There are a lot of rosin press machines on the market. Regardless of whether you’re looking to mass-produce rosin to sell in your dispensary or make a small amount from your favorite home-grown bud, there’s a rosin press out there for you.
The primary things to consider when choosing a rosin press are surface area, pressure mechanism, and price. The surface area dictates how much hash you can process at a time. The larger the surface area, the more hash you can process, in general. Pressure mechanisms vary from manual to pneumatic to electric, so you have a variety of choices in how intensely you want your hash to be pressed. Finally, your budget can send you in one direction or another when it comes to choosing the press that works for your setup.
5 Best Rosin Press Machine Review (some under $500)
NugSmasher Mini
The NugSmasher Mini is a little powerhouse. Coming in at 7” wide and 14” tall, it’s an ideal size for any home rosin enthusiast. Made in America by Grow Light Central, it’s a solid steel and aluminum machine that puts some larger units to shame.
The heat in the press is controlled by an electric sensor, allowing you to choose the temperature down to the degree. Pressure is created through a hand pump on the front of the unit, so you have complete control over how hard and fast you’re pressing the hash. There is also a safety release, just in case! The one downside is that it does weigh 25 pounds, which is more than other home units. However, this is still a simple, effective unit for home use.
Specifications:
- 5” by 2.5” aluminum pressure plates
- Steel body
- Manual press
- On sale for $496.00
- 2 tons of pressure
Dulytek DHP7 V3 Hydraulic All-in-One Heat Press
If you’re looking for something heavy-duty on a budget, the Dulytek DHP7 is a solid choice. Able to exert up to 7 tons of force on your cannabis, it’s going get every gram of potential rosin from your product. Hydraulic force is one of the easiest ways to generate the kind of pressure you need to get the results you want.
However, hydraulic pressure can be noisy, due to the compression used. This press also can only handle 6 grams of cannabis, which is less than other presses of comparable size. Overall, this is a workhorse press great for someone who is going to be working their press regularly but doesn’t have a huge startup budget.
Specifications:
- 6” by 2.5” aluminum pressure plates
- Hydraulic pressure
- 7 tons of pressure
- Removable hydraulic jack for easy replacement
- On sale for $499.00
MyPress Gen 2
This is a perfect manual press for someone who wants to silently make rosin in useful quantities. Coming in at less than a foot tall and 14 lbs, this press is the size of a small coffee maker. It’s perfect for home use, able to handle up to 4 grams of plant matter at a time. It’s also reasonably priced, at $449.00.
Specifications:
- 3” by 3” stainless steel pressure plates
- Manual pressure
- 6 tons of pressure
- Built-in timer
- $449.00
DULYTEK DM1005 MANUAL HEAT
Another manual plug-and-play option, the Dulytek DM1005 is a budget choice from a great brand. The Dulytek line has an option for every price point, but the DM1005 is a solid entry point. At only $339, it can handle your personal rosin needs with ease.
It also comes bundles with parchment paper, a silicone mat, magnets, a storage car, and tools for the rosin. This is a kit for someone who wants to get started ASAP.
Specifications:
- 3” by 5” aluminum pressure plates
- Tough screen controls
- 1000 lbs of pressure
- Manual press
- $339.00
Rosin Tech Go
If you want something simple, portable, and compact, the Rosin Tech Go is perfect. 12” tall and 9” deep, it only weighs 12 lbs, so it’s easily taken on the road. You can make rosin with this machine anywhere you can plug it in. It also comes with a carrying handle for even easier mobility. This is a great press for anyone on a budget.
Specifications:
- 2” by 2.5” aluminum pressure plates
- Manual press
- 5 lbs
- 700 lbs of pressure
- $295.00
How to Make a DIY Rosin Press Machine for Under $100
If you’re not looking to make a specific purchase just to make rosin, you can still make your own at home. It’s actually pretty simple. Here’s a quick way to make small and simple rosin press with a tool that you probably already have in your home (at least if you are or live with a woman)…a hair straightener.
Step 1. Get a hair straightener. This will be your pair of heated pressure plates. Turn it on and let it heat up.
Step 2. Take a piece of parchment paper, which you can find at most grocery stores, and fold it in half.
Step 3. Place your hash or bud into the fold of the paper. If you want, wrap the cannabis in an unbleached coffee filter or empty tea bag first, to make it easier to remove later.
Step 4. Place your parchment paper and cannabis sandwich onto the hot hair straightener. Close the hair straightener, with the cannabis firmly between the two heated plates, and squeeze as hard as you can for 10-30 seconds.
Step 5. Take the parchment paper out of the hair straightener and open it up. Remove the squished bud, and on the parchment paper itself will be some rosin.
This isn’t the most efficient method of rosin production, but if you’re interested in experimenting with rosin production, it’s a quick and super-easy way to get started!
You can also check out the following videos for more DIY rosin press ideas.