Press hash

Major PITA;3047805 said:

Dry Sift Kief Making 101 (the cheap, lazy-grower way)​

I'm gearing up for the impending harvest. With current laws in Oregon, this household is able to have no more than 2 pounds on hand at any given time. Last fall I tried bubble hash, dry ice extraction, and dry sift to reduce the harvest weight kept around. My favorite method was using dry ice but I used a mesh screen that was a little too coarse. It worked great but I knew I could get even better quality with a finer sift. Also, it was still a bit of hassle and dry ice isn't exactly cheap, nor does it keep well if you want to process some each day, or don't plan ahead. I knew there had to be an even easier, cheaper method.

I'm still experimenting. This run was done with a 150u screen. I'm very happy with what I was able to get. I might buy a 75u screen, but after looking at the finished product under a microscope, I think I'm satisfied with what I got. I'd guess it is 95% trichomes and 5% pistil/leaf debris.

I started with exactly 13 grams of bud for this first test. By the time I ground and cleaned it, it was slightly less. The yield was 1.99 grams of kief (I'm going to call it 2 grams) = 15%.

The benefits of this method are: FAST, cheap, easy, no real mess or clean up.
By fast, I mean from start to finish, it takes 3-5 minutes to process. I can process pounds into ounces in a lazy single session. I realize this isn't for everyone, but I've always been a hash smoker and this is a great way to deal with those larger outdoor harvests you don't plan on selling. The kief is easy to vacuum seal and keep several ounces in the fridge. It can be used to make rosin, butters, tinctures, or, of course, consumed as-is.

Drop the jar (with herb and marbles) into the freezer for a while - about an hour. Remove screw lid and put the screen over the mouth of the jar. Invert and shake well over a clean mirror for a few minutes. Done. Repeat. Between runs, I dump the "tailings" into a bag for baking or making butter. No ice. No water. No washing or drying anything.

I started with an old plastic wide-mouthed jar. This one used to have protein powder in it.

I commandeered a set of marbles from an ancient Chinese checkers game.

The stainless steel screen fits perfectly over the mouth of the jar, making it easy to keep the herb contained.

Shake for a few minutes and voila!

The screens can be purchased from Rio Grande Jewlery for $5.95 and are available all the way down to 325 mesh = 44 microns. They also make a 200 mesh = 74 micron, and 150 mesh = 105 micron. For this run, I used what I had immediately available, 100 mesh = 149 micron. I'd leave a link to Rio, but I think I'd get spanked for it.

Two grams of pressed trichomes.

I have most of my "kit" contained in the jar, ready to go. Wipe off the mirror and clean up is done. The jar could process 2 ounces at a time but you'd probably want something a little heavier than marbles to flail the herb efficiently. I'm happy with running 1/2 ounce at a time. We have several jars so I can have a few in the freezer while I sift one and then rotate through them. I produced about a 1/4 ounce this morning. Actual time was well under an hour from beginning to end, including clean up. The slowest part of the process is breaking down the buds.

I hope someone else finds this useful for their fall harvest.

Click to expand...