Tips, Advice, & Suggestions Sought

[Marc L]

yeah, I loved when he posted that.. good times!

[Bruck]

My two cents which is about what it's worth:

I don't do caps generally. I have in the past and have been able to make halfway decent looking ones, but I found that I was putting more effort into the cap than into the wrapping, only to cut it off later. So my cigars are essentially cylindrical, open on both ends. I know it's not "professional looking," but I'm not trying to outdo the Cuban and Dominican experts - I'm just focused on making good tasting and burning (and inexpensive) cigars. My moochers don't seem to mind

On the construction side of things, the cap is useful for keeping the cigar from unraveling, but I compensate by using sufficient glue along the outer edge of the wrapper.

Re the splayed foot - I'm not totally sure what you're getting at but I think you're discovering that in the bunching process it's not possible to have a consistent density all the way to either end. What I try to do is make the consistent part of the filler bunch be at least as long as the intended cigar length, assuming the thinner ends are going to be lopped. I'll bind it that way, and even wrap it that way, then cut the cigar to length afterwards. Does that make sense?

For getting the head right (the head is the part you put into your head), if I'm using a proper mold with a rounded end, I'll clip the bound bunch just beyond where is starts to get more sparse, then jam that end into the rounded part of the mold.

Disclaimer: the above is not what professionals or even competent amateurs do

[Marc L]

thats really solid. that alot like Michael Stewart - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/stewmuse/videos

[Sir Lancerolot]

I don't do caps generally. I have in the past and have been able to make halfway decent looking ones, but I found that I was putting more effort into the cap than into the wrapping, only to cut it off later. So my cigars are essentially cylindrical, open on both ends. I know it's not "professional looking," but I'm not trying to outdo the Cuban and Dominican experts - I'm just focused on making good tasting and burning (and inexpensive) cigars. My moochers don't seem to mind

Disclaimer: the above is not what professionals or even competent amateurs do

I don't do caps, either, except when I make a mistake and don't leave enough wrapper to make a pigtail. I aim to finish the roll with a long tag of wrapper that I just twist until it curls on itself and makes a pigtail. I then tuck the upper length of the pigtail into the bottom of the first curl so it locks in place without tying. Bad description, I'm afraid - sorry. I'll try to get a picture sometime, but no promises. :-)

Oh, and as far as what pros and competent amateurs don't do - I lightly fold/roll each of my filler leaves basically in the "en tubado" method. Only I do one at a time, on my cutting board, and then lay them folded under my chaveta until all have been folded (rolled). Then I pick them all up, arrange them with the ligero at the center, and roll them in the binder. I'm just not coordinated enough, nor interested enough in developing the coordination, to do the whole en tubado process in my hand.

I've come to the conclusion that it works best for me to cut the leaves to length first (which I think @Bruck suggested elsewhere), and then to evenly "fit in" any scraps. I just lay the scraps on top of each full-length leaf, and roll them inside when I make make my tubes.

[rodwha]

Unfortunately I trashed many of my cigar picks saving the one showing all but the first two, which showcases best what I mean by a splayed foot. In essence I was having issues with the foot being a fair bit larger in diameter but also just looking crazy like an anemone. I seemed to have better figured it out in that my sticks are coming out more uniform and even. I had been attempting to get the crazy feet back into order by rolling the wrapper there purposely trying to get it under control but failing. It's not quite the issue now.

Does anyone have a source for a free video upload service that I can post here a video? I don't recall what I used years back, but my relatively short black powder paper cartridge video had to be broken into 3 parts about 30 seconds each. I'd prefer to be able to post a link or whatnot containing the whole process of my rolling for critique.

I'm down to one whole wrapper and binder leaf along with some sizeable scraps, some of which look to be able to create a Corona sized smoke. After that I'm eyeing the Maduro Connecticut 2 lb combo from LeafOnly (LOVE a Maduro!).

I've been using various Boveda packs and other various humidification packs to keep my leaves good. It seems some don't work well for long. Most are 69% RH but I'm thinking of ordering a 4 pack of 60g 72% Boveda packs. What do you keep your leaves at? I'm thinking I'll weed through the packs I have by placing one at a time in a container so as to toss any that don't work.

[Sir Lancerolot]

Does anyone have a source for a free video upload service that I can post here a video?

I'm down to one whole wrapper and binder leaf along with some sizeable scraps, some of which look to be able to create a Corona sized smoke. After that I'm eyeing the Maduro Connecticut 2 lb combo from LeafOnly (LOVE a Maduro!).

What do you keep your leaves at?

I upload videos to YouTube and link them here. There may be a better choice, but YouTube works and I'm too lazy to figure anything else out. :-)

That Connecticut maduro is a pretty tasty wrapper. I'm a maduro fan, but I generally only buy Brazilian maduros when I buy cigars - they're the most maduro-y to me. But this blend tastes pretty danged close:

1 Dominican volado
1 Nicaraguan ligero
1 Dominican ligero
3 Brazilian Habano viso
Colombian binder
Connecticut maduro wrapper

I asked about Brazilian maduro wrapper at Leaf Only a couple of years ago, and they could only get bales. I didn't need a bale. However, I see they now have not one, but TWO Brazilian wrappers available by the pound. I may have to give that a shot.

I keep my leaf the same as my cigars - 65%

[rodwha]

I noticed that the Maduro CT combo uses 2 different kinds of wrapper as it shows 1/4 lb CT 1DW Maduro and 1/4 lb Premium Shade under wrappers, along with 1/2 lb CT LS Broadleaf binder and 1 lb of CT filler (unknown type as I didn't see it in their "by the pound" offerings as such.

So what's the deal with this wrapper situation???

I'll have to keep the Brazilian Maduro in mind. Thanks! Happen to know of an inexpensive commercial rolled smoke using it? Nothing full flavor...

[Emperor Zurg]

1 Dominican volado
1 Nicaraguan ligero
1 Dominican ligero
3 Brazilian Habano viso
Colombian binder
Connecticut maduro wrapper

Are you sure this isn't the blend for the Guten Cala Nach Assin?

[rodwha]

I have two sizes of Boveda packs. One is maybe 1.5 X 1.5" and the other is maybe something like 4x 4" or so. I'm clueless as to which these are. Looking on Amazon I see 8 and 60 gram packs. I figured the 60's are about what I'd want to keep up to a pound of leaves nicely. What say you?

[Marc L]

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Does anyone have a source for a free video upload service that I can post here a video? I don't recall what I used years back, but my relatively short black powder paper cartridge video had to be broken into 3 parts about 30 seconds each. I'd prefer to be able to post a link or whatnot containing the whole process of my rolling for critique.
...

Use youtube its a snap.