So, it’s day six of this worldwide quarantine and you’ve eaten all your snacks and panic-purchased groceries. Social distancing has sent you into the black hole of youtube looking for things to do while confined in your home, so why not try making your own rosin press?

You’re ‘dankrupt’ from your shatter, budders and wax and you’re not really interested in learning chemistry to make your own cannabis concentrates.

You might be looking for something you can make at home with the supplies you already have, and hey, if it happens to taste good – even better. 

If this describes you, then consider masking a rosin press to manufacture your own squish. It’s easy to make, safe to produce and best of all, it’s solvent-free. Here’s how you can get started.

What is Rosin?

rosin press

Cannabis consumers the world over have most likely already have some familiarity with cannabis concentrates such as shatter and budders, but most of them probably haven’t heard of rosin.

Said to have been invented in the early months of 2015, this “squish” is slowly making its appearance in dispensaries around the globe. 

In essence, rosin is cannabis that has been squished (hence the nickname) with only heat and pressure so as to extract the weed’s desirable compounds.

The bud’s terpenes and cannabinoids are all squished out of the weed, producing a thick and viscous concentrate that can be easily dabbed or smoked if you so desire. 

The best part about it? It’s solvent free.

Unlike shatter and BHO concentrates, there are no solvents such as CO2 or butane involved, a fact that many health-conscious smokers are finding to be of importance. 

Why?

Solvents used in the production of shatter and other butane hash oil concentrates have to be removed before they’re safe with consumption. If not, they can cause serious harm to your lungs. By taking solvents out of the equation, you’re essentially taking out all of the danger. 

Another benefit of rosin being solvent-free is that it’s safe enough to make at home without causing a chemical explosion. 

How is Rosin Made?

A rosin press is what is used to extract the material from the flower. The rosin press is typically two heated plates that sandwiches the material which yields the sap-like material.

There are options to make it yourself or you can purchase a heated press to do it for you.

Making it yourself has its benefits: you can do it from home at a very low-cost with household items you already have, however the yield you get from a commercial rosin-press is higher.

What is a Rosin Press and What is it Used For?

A rosin press is used to extract residue from cannabis material. Investing a good quality rosin press can ensure that your rosin is simple to make, time-effective, and safe.

Commonly, there are two types of rosin presses available on the market: hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. Hydraulic rosin presses use compressed water to create pressure while pneumatic presses use compressed air to create pressure.

Pneumatic presses are consistent and reliable and easier to use than hydraulic presses. Upkeep is a breeze with pneumatic presses as you don’t need any materials, like oil, to use or maintain the machine. These heated presses are quieter, easier to operate and produce top-notch rosin by consistently producing an even distribution of pressure. 

Hydraulic presses have higher pressure intervals than pneumatic presses however, high pressure is irrelevant when it comes to producing high quality rosin. In fact, too much pressure can actually ruin your rosin by including unwanted material into your yield. Or, even worse, it could destroy your whole yield with a faulty seal or blown out seal. 

Rosin Press DIY

So with all this time on your hands, and maybe your access to funds is limited, this is the perfect time to make your own rosin at home. These are 4 steps to make your own rosin press at home for hours of rosin-induced pleasure.

5 items you will need:

  1. A hair straightener 
  2. A bit of parchment paper
  3. A collection tool
  4. Your dry cannabis flower – you can produce rosin with as little as ⅛ of a ounce. The more you use, the more you will yield.
  5. Some heat-resistant gloves (optional, but safety first!)

4 Steps to Make your Own Rosin

  • Heat your hair straightener to its lowest setting and cut yourself little parchment paper squares –  4×4’ is a good size. Fold one sheet of parchment paper in half and place your bud in there.
  • While wearing some heat resistant gloves, be careful to place your folded parchment paper with buds in them, between the two plates of the hair straightener and apply firm pressure for about 5-10 seconds. Once you hear a “sizzle” sound, this indicates that the rosin has been extracted from our plant material. 
  • You will see rosin on the parchment paper, use a tool like a small wooden spoon to scrape and collect the material. For larger portions, repeat your rosin presses in small batches.
  • Your yield may contain plant particles so use a clean tool to pick those out. 

Final Thoughts For a DIY Rosin Press

As you have gleaned from this article, the process to create your own squish press is as easy as 1-2-3-4. Only a few household materials are needed to make your own rosin at home and you don’t have to deal with any flammable or explosive solvents such as butane.

Your homemade rosin can be easily dabbed or added to a bong bowl for a potent and flavourful infusion.

Although we don’t recommend it because it tends to get messy, you can also infuse your joints or blunts with a bit of rosin by rolling it up into a slim cylinder and including it down the length of your joint.

If you have nothing else to do at home and you want try the wonderful, terpey flavours of rosin for yourself without breaking the bank, try your hand at making some at home yourself!