Pressing cannabis rosin uses heat and pressure to squeeze resin out of flower or hash as a solvent-free oil. You do not need chemicals and you do not need a lab. A hair straightener and parchment paper handle a single gram, while a manual or pneumatic rosin press handles larger runs. One press takes about 60 to 90 seconds from load to collection.
What You Need
- Cannabis flower, kief, or hash, 1 to 7 grams
- Rosin press, or a hair straightener with adjustable heat
- Unbleached parchment paper
- Micron filter bags: 90 to 120 micron for flower, 37 to 45 micron for hash
- Stainless steel dab tool and a glass collection jar
- Nitrile gloves
- Scale and a 62 percent humidity pack for dry flower
Steps
- Set the press plates to 180 to 200 F for flower or 160 to 180 F for hash.
- Let the plates heat for 10 minutes.
- Break flower into 1 to 3 gram portions.
- Remove stems and seeds from each portion.
- Fill a micron bag with the material and leave a half inch of empty space at the top.
- Fold a sheet of parchment into a packet and set the bag inside with a fold facing you.
- Slide the packet between the plates and close them with light contact for 20 seconds.
- Add pressure over 30 to 45 seconds until oil starts to flow.
- Hold full pressure for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Release the plates and pull the parchment out.
- Let the parchment cool for 10 seconds.
- Scrape the rosin with a cool dab tool and move it to a glass jar.
Settings by Material
- Flower: 180 to 220 F, 90 to 120 micron bags, 600 to 1,000 PSI at the bag.
- Kief: 160 to 190 F, 37 to 60 micron bags, lower pressure and a longer warm-up.
- Hash: 150 to 180 F, 25 to 45 micron bags, low pressure and a slow ramp.
Yield and Storage
Good flower returns 15 to 25 percent by weight. Hash and kief return 40 to 70 percent. Higher temperatures raise yield and lower terpene content, so start low and adjust in 10 degree steps. Store rosin in an airtight glass jar away from light and heat. Refrigerate runs you will keep longer than two weeks, and let the jar reach room temperature before you open it to prevent condensation.
Common Problems
- No flow: raise the plate temperature by 10 F or add pressure in smaller steps.
- Green rosin: use a finer micron bag and lower the plate temperature.
- Bag blowout: leave more room at the top of the bag and raise pressure at a gentler rate.
Cleanup and Safety
Wear nitrile gloves. Rosin is sticky and hard to remove from skin. Wipe the plates with isopropyl alcohol after they cool, and keep parchment and oil away from open flames. Buy cannabis from a licensed shop so the starting material has been tested for mold, pesticides, and potency.