My First (almost) Plug

[BryGuySC]

I'm trying to mix up a dark English plug, and my first test came out last night.
I started with a 50/50 mix of McClelland 5110 & 5125, I then added about 25% Latakia.

I pressed it for one week with as much pressure as I could put on it using my hands and vise grips. I'm planning on welding up a small bottle jack press.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170401_083836527_HDR_zpscak1umkr.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170401_083836527_HDR_zpscak1umkr.jpg.html)

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170407_235952_zpssyplqe0e.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170407_235952_zpssyplqe0e.jpg.html)

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170407_234224130_zpsamxwuend.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170407_234224130_zpsamxwuend.jpg.html)

It is pretty dense. Not British plug dense, but better than I thought a little c-clamp would do. It is more of a dense cake.

It has a nice oriental note, but needs a little more something.
I think I'll add a bit of dark fired Kentucky next time to give it a tad more strength.

[Emperor Zurg]

Looks like a hockkey puck. You've created the 'crumble puck' presentation.

If ur only pressing ribbbon cut, why don't you just poke a 3/8 hole thru the center of the base plate and follower and use a piece of 3/8-24 threaded rod and some big flatwashers on each end to apply pressure. I bet you could crush it pretty good that way for minimal cost.

[BryGuySC]

Looks like a hockkey puck. You've created the 'crumble puck' presentation.

If ur only pressing ribbbon cut, why don't you just poke a 3/8 hole thru the center of the base plate and follower and use a piece of 3/8-24 threaded rod and some big flatwashers on each end to apply pressure. I bet you could crush it pretty good that way for minimal cost.

I like that idea.
Hopefully, I'll be able to move on to flake this summer. I just have to get some leaf.

[BryGuySC]

I don't yet have the metal to weld up a legit press, and I got antsy and cut up some scrap from a fence we recently tore down.
So, I made ... a thing.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170411_185453391_zpsyk6d7axt.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20170411_185453391_zpsyk6d7axt.jpg.html)

[Haebar]

Looks good Bryan! Keep us updated.

[Emperor Zurg]

I don't yet have the metal to weld up a legit press, and I got antsy and cut up some scrap from a fence we recently tore down.
So, I made ... a thing.


Looks cool and rustic... except for the chepo bottle jack. You need one of those old, rusty screw jacks and some square headed bolts and it would look like you were making perique, albeit upside down perique...

[Aguineapig]

gonna try pressing up a little crumble cake. Lightly hydrating a 10 oz of D&R Winsail (bright virginia), 5 oz of D&R two timer (toasted burley) and gonna throw an ounce of stokkebye perique in, then press it up. similar-ish ratios to C&D three friars, I think. The pressing will, I hope, deepen the flavor a bit, which this mix could do with, having smoked a bit unpressed.