Quick answer
Load 0.5 g to 1 g of dried flower into a grinder. Turn the lid 3 to 5 times until the pieces are about the size of a grain of rice. Tap the ground flower onto a rolling paper, shape it into a cylinder, and roll. A medium grind keeps the draw open and the burn straight. Skip the grinder and you get stems, chunks of bud, and a joint that burns down one side.
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What you need
- Grinder. A 2-piece unit gives the most control. A 3-piece unit adds a kief chamber. A 4-piece unit adds a screen and a pollen catch.
- Dried flower at 58% to 62% relative humidity. Dry flower crumbles to dust. Wet flower clumps and clogs the teeth.
- 1 1/4 rolling paper or a pre-rolled cone.
- A grinder card or small scissors as a backup.
Steps
- Remove stems and seeds. Stems are 10% to 20% of a raw bud by weight and they poke through paper.
- Break the flower into 2 or 3 pieces by hand. This keeps resin on the flower and off the teeth.
- Fill the chamber to two-thirds. A full chamber clogs and smears resin into the lid threads.
- Close the lid and turn 3 to 5 times. Quarter turns work better than fast spins.
- Open the lid and check the grind. Rice-grain size is the target for a joint.
- Tilt the grinder and tap the flower onto the paper.
- Shape the pile into a cylinder, tuck the paper edge, and roll.
Grind size
Medium grind is the standard for joints. Pieces land between 1 mm and 2 mm. A coarse grind leaves air gaps and the joint burns fast on one side. A fine grind packs tight, blocks airflow, and pulls resin into your mouth. Sieve screens and electric grinders produce fine material, so use a light hand and 2 turns.
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How much flower
A 1 1/4 paper holds about 0.5 g. A king size paper holds about 1 g. A pre-rolled cone holds 0.5 g to 1 g. Start with 0.5 g. Airflow needs a channel down the middle, and an overfilled joint will not draw. Add flower in 0.1 g steps until the roll feels right.
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Cleaning
Clean the grinder every 2 to 4 weeks. Resin buildup dulls the teeth and creates friction. Take the grinder apart, soak the metal parts in 91% isopropyl alcohol for 15 to 30 minutes, then scrub the teeth with a brush and rinse with warm water. Dry all parts before use. Collect kief from the pollen chamber with a small scoop. Kief is 40% to 60% THC by weight, so add a pinch, not a spoon.
Common mistakes
- Packing the chamber. Two-thirds is the limit.
- Grinding stems. They damage teeth and burn harsh.
- Using a coffee grinder. It turns flower into powder.
- Rolling too tight. The joint will canoe and need relighting.
- Grinding flower that is too dry. Add a humidity pack for 24 hours.