Pressing tobacco cakes

[SpeedyPete]

How do one go about to moisten tobacco for the purpose of pressing said tobacco, please?

I've commissioned a stainless steel press and it will be ready any day now.

I believe the tobacco should be a tad moist so that it will stick together, sort of like a tobacco cake

All input will be highly appreciated

 

[Lonecoyote]

YouTube has a few good videos that you should watch.

For some reason won't let me copy the link to the specific video so just type this into the search window on YouTube....guess because right now I'm on my iPad.

Pipe Smoking: How to press tobacco


If I press a flake that I don't add toppings/flavors I make sure the leaves are moist. If not naturally I made a humidifier box to hydrate the tobacco ? leaves ?.  
One of the cakes I press is a dessert blend made from burley and Carolina red leaf. The topping I use is a natural Maple oil. I've also used a strong liquid concentrate of Espresso for a tasty coffee flake. I've actually made both a few times in clean tobacco tins I saved, press right in the tin with food grade parchment paper on top and bottom. Press without lid using a piece of wood or metal plate cut to size of the inner diameter of the tin your using. For this method I use C-clamps, no special press required.  Works well, like making your own plug to cut or slice how you like.

Be careful of the moisture levels if you intend on aging, if not stored properly your tobacco can develop a fungus fairly quick. First few batches will be a learning experience.

If you have a few types of tobacco leaves of your choice, place one leaf on top of the other 2 to 3 times and roll up as tight as possible. Then what I do is wrap tied up tight in unbleached cheesecloth. Once cured slice as thin as you like. Just as you would slice sausage.
You've just made your own Navy roll or with a dark leaf in the center you just created your own Bullseye.  

Good luck and have fun  :cheers:



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[SpeedyPete]

YouTube has a few good videos that you should watch.

For some reason won't let me copy the link to the specific video so just type this into the search window on YouTube....guess because right now I'm on my iPad.

Pipe Smoking: How to press tobacco


If I press a flake that I don't add toppings/flavors I make sure the leaves are moist. If not naturally I made a humidifier box to hydrate the tobacco ? leaves ?.  
One of the cakes I press is a dessert blend made from burley and Carolina red leaf. The topping I use is a natural Maple oil. I've also used a strong liquid concentrate of Espresso for a tasty coffee flake. I've actually made both a few times in clean tobacco tins I saved, press right in the tin with food grade parchment paper on top and bottom. Press without lid using a piece of wood or metal plate cut to size of the inner diameter of the tin your using. For this method I use C-clamps, no special press required.  Works well, like making your own plug to cut or slice how you like.

Be careful of the moisture levels if you intend on aging, if not stored properly your tobacco can develop a fungus fairly quick. First few batches will be a learning experience.

If you have a few types of tobacco leaves of your choice, place one leaf on top of the other 2 to 3 times and roll up as tight as possible. Then what I do is wrap tied up tight in unbleached cheesecloth. Once cured slice as thin as you like. Just as you would slice sausage.
You've just made your own Navy roll or with a dark leaf in the center you just created your own Bullseye.  

Good luck and have fun  :cheers:



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

I thank you!!

I can't wait anymore to start playing.  It's gonna be trail and error to start of with but eventually, who knows.  

I did make snuff at some stage which did not turn out to bad.  If you care to, you may google KarooStof and see what pops up.  My name is Pieter Claassen.

Thanks, once more, itching to start a new hobby

 

[Lonecoyote]

Well, I did Google KarooStof

This is what I watched.....Karoostof En Doringdraad

Good music but I don't understand the language.


 Hey, don't get disappointed with your first or second pressings/cake. Whatever you create should still be smokeable. Give my tin press method a try, others that I shared it with have had excellent results making what some call a cake/kake or plug. All you need for the tin method press is a proper cut piece of wood or metal for the top and basically any size for the bottom so the C-clamp does its job without destroying the tin and you'll get a great result at the end.
 Please post how you progress, will be interesting and informative, have fun!!

UPDATE
WHEN I GOOGLE Pieter Claassen it states your a dentist and your specialty is dental implants.


KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Sounds like LC has given you great advice! Have fun experimenting!

 

[DoverPipes]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3X2S0FlG794" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZXnJ6YIgZa0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

 

[Lonecoyote]

DoverPipes

Thank you for posting these two videos. This two part video best explains how to press tobacco. For some reason I was not able to post the video or link using my iPad the other day.

I recently made my Maple Crumb cake/kake using the tin method I described prior. Simple method with little cost.



KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[SpeedyPete]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3X2S0FlG794" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZXnJ6YIgZa0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

This is GREAT....I thank you so much!!

It opens up a whole new tobacco world for me.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, sir!! :cheers: :bounce: :cheers:

 

[arkansaspiper]

i just went to harbor freight and got a 6 or 10 ton press cant remeber a d misted rum on it then pressed

 

[SpeedyPete]

i just went to harbor freight and got a 6 or 10 ton press cant remeber a d misted rum on it then pressed

:lol!:

 

[SpeedyPete]

I received my 2 presses on Friday and made some crumble cake during the weekend.

I'm quite happy with the results. Problem is, because I used bits and pieces, I don't have a placebo to compare it with.

My second batch will be of pure tobaccos and I will keep some for comparison purposes.

The presses are quite simple; 2 stainless steel boxes with lids which fit inside the boxes. G-clamps are used to compress the tobacco.

I'm not interested in making cakes for which I will need hammer and chisel to get them apart. I only want the blend to marry completely. What came out was what I wanted, a cake which I can crumble without using a lot of elbow grease.

I'm keeping part of the cakes to sit for a while. I'd like to see what happens over time.