Re: Rolling your own
 

Sorry about the draw issue Andrew. I'll let you know how mine are..but you are probably right, letting them sit for a while may help! Don't beat yourself up too much yet.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Binders should not be too moist. They should be on the edge of moist and dried out.

Exactly on the storage. The wet stuff only has to be moist. And I wouldn't keep it moist for an extended period of time, two weeks max.

I am using plastic storage containers. When I moisten wrappers I usually place them in a plastic shopping bad for a day or two to even out.

Re: Rolling your own
 

You use wet paper towels to moisten the leaves right?

The guy I ordered from claims the broadleaves are so large you can get 2 wrappers and 2 binders from each leaf(1 each from each half), but I can't just visualize how that would work in my head. Would you use the half oval shape cut out to make a wrapper as a binder?

Also thanks for the tips!

Re: Rolling your own
 

I use a damp terry towel.

As far as using the broadleaf for binder and wrapper you'd have to us the outer portion for the wrapper and the inner for the binder, but I cut the wrapper when I'm going to use it. You'd have to set some aside to use on the next batch for the binder.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Don't get discouraged. Are you keeping them in an over-humidified environment by chance? Try taking them out for a day or two.

I rolled my first two cigars yesterday. I was able to roll them and press them without much difficulty. The wrappers went on well, but my capping was a mess. I used the CT broadleaf as a wrapper and it had a lot of big veins. They look rough to say the least, but the shape was there. I tried to smoke one immediately and it tasted "interesting." Not bad at all. The burn was not good with a run down the side after the first 1/2. Although the wrapper was moist, it burned faster than the filler. My draw was good, but I need to put more tobacco in the cap-end. It was looser down there. All-in-all I think I did a decent job for the first time. I went back and watched more videos. Now I see more of the subtle nuances. I ordered from Leaf Only and my order was not right. I had no ligero, so I just used nic and dom. seco as filler with some Havana 7. The guy at Leaf-only was cool and made it right.

Re: Rolling your own
 

on large broadleaf, with the leaf de-veined and turned sideways, the top of the leaf would be your wrapper and the bottom (towards the vein) could be used as a binder...if it is not too veiny you could potentially use it as a wrapper as well getting 4 wrappers out of 1 full leaf.

***just note that maduro does not typically make for a good binder as the binder is key to the burn of a cigar, and maduro is notorious for it's less then perfect burn qualities.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Ah, thanks for the tip! I was planning on trying each of the fillers as a binder as well, just to see any differences.

Re: Rolling your own
 

well that answers most of my issue. Never used it as a bind and I was almos going to. It was prob over packed.

Re: Rolling your own
 

I'm currently using the DW2 as a binder and wrapper. so far the burn has been fine for what I consider rough cigars to begin with. but we will see how it turns out when I get better.

Re: Rolling your own
 

So my new binder of choice will be the QB-52, got a pound of it for 21.99, it is darker in color so it should be great for the 42x 4 double maddie

Re: Rolling your own
 

Double MADDIES!!! :dr

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so the new mold finally shipped out. USPS this time. still took quite a while though. I think i am done buying molds and only sticking with these two. maybe i will get one or two off of Ebay.

Re: Rolling your own
 

How much for a 5 pack of maduros? Something in robusto size.

Re: Rolling your own
 

i will have to make some more, just moved into my new Apt so it wil be a little bit. i will let you know.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Okay, when you have some inventory, please add me the list.

Re: Rolling your own
 

after 5 attempts I think I'm starting to get a hang to this. still need more work but starting to feel better about this.

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/...12at757PM5.jpg

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/...-12at758PM.jpg

http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/...12at757PM4.jpg

Re: Rolling your own
 

Very nice. What size is that?

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Those are looking good brother!

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looking good Ton'

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So did you use a mold or these just rolled tight?

Re: Rolling your own
 

Drew got the rest of my stuff in today, how are you storing your glue? Or do you make just enough?

Re: Rolling your own
 

I just make enough, or if I'm doing more over a week I just cover it with foil or Saran wrap

Re: Rolling your own
 

:tu

Re: Rolling your own
 

robusto-ish 50 ring and about 4.75 inch I don't have to cutting machine I usually end up using the chaveta to trim down.


I got a mold for christmas. the wife picked it up from leaf only. not really happy with it. it isn't exactly centered up. I'm going to look at getting the molds they have discussed in this thread sooner or later.

Re: Rolling your own
 

I rolled my 2nd batch today. I received the Ligeros from Leafonly and wanted to try a few. I put a few in the mold and tried wrapping some in newspaper. The newspaper method worked well! They don't look too pretty, but I think I'm getting a little better with the rolls.
http://i42.tinypic.com/kn2nn.jpg

Re: Rolling your own
 

I love the rough natural look, keep up the good work.

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Looks good brother!:tu

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My Roxy's arrived today
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...-07-34_377.jpg

Re: Rolling your own
 

Newspaper method, I think this is the first I have heard of this??? Please explain. Pictures would be great too

Re: Rolling your own
 

In my research I came across a couple examples of cuban rollers using newspaper instead of a press. All you have to do is cut a long strip of newspaper about 3" wide and then, after you apply the binder, with the paper at an 75* angle, roll the cigar up tight in the strip of paper as if adding a second binder. When done, twist both ends of paper and let it rest 45 minutes. I was able to get a lancero shape this way and was surprised at how tight the bunch had become. It was as if I had taken it out of a press. Keep in mind that I haven't tried one of these cigars yet so I don't know about any potential draw issues, but they feel solid. Sorry, didn't take pics this time. I'll post some from my next roll.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Very interesting, I would love to see some videos of how to do it and how they come out. When you fire one up let us know how it burns.

Re: Rolling your own
 

I swear I've seen a video of this somewhere, but for the life of me cannot remember where.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Giving a review on Roxy's tonight with a friend

Roxy review

Re: Rolling your own
 

well we are settled in the new apt. She let me have the spare room as the "cigar room" for storing and rolling, not smoking (that is for outside) I got the new mold and turned out 10 of each today. the new size is a "40 x5.5" but with a wrapper i believe it will be right around 42. i can't wait to try them. I was very careful on how much filler i used making sure that they will not be packed too tight

http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/y...8/IMG_1089.jpg
http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/y...8/IMG_1088.jpg

Re: Rolling your own
 

Just got my mold in today, a 6x50 round cap mold. Now just waiting on my tobacco which should have been here by now. Both the mold and the tobacco were sent from Ohio, the mold was sent a day and a half later and has already showed up, yet no sign of the tobacco. Hopefully it'll get in tomorrow and I can have my first batch of trial blends by Monday.

Re: Rolling your own
 

did you order from Wholeleaftobacco? show us some pics when you get it in. i want to see the quality and if they prepped it at all.

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Tip of the hat to you "roll your own" gents! That's really neat! hummm....maybe someday.
:tu

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Yea, thats where I placed my order. The guy was helpful and responsive so I'm not too worried, but still, even with USPS it shouldn't take this long, as proven by my mold shipment. If I can steal a camera from one of my roommates I'll do so as I don't have one currently.

Oh, and how long do you typically leave them in the mold for? 24 hours or just overnight?

Re: Rolling your own
 

These sound perfect for a short winter smoke. I'm still down for a fiver when you get some quantity made :)

Re: Rolling your own
 

Well just got the order in, it was shipped UPS, so I guess it got delivered earlier this evening and they never bothered to knock. Any who, looks good, and he threw in a small bag of perique to play around with(though it'll most likely get chopped up and used for my pipes). It all looks good, pending what Don says about the Dark Air Cured leaves I got(both the seco and ligero showed up with white splotches all over them that aren't mold, but look more like something was sprayed onto the leaf itself). I'll post pics in the morning after I get a response from Don and have a chance to unpack everything. I'll probably have my first few thrown in the mold before I head up to Empire to watch some football.

Re: Rolling your own
 

Whelp, that was a quick response. Don claims its "frog eye" and after a few minutes googling up on it, it certainly does sound and look the same, so problem solved. I'll have pictures up and my first few rolls done in the morning.

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Better set aside a couple of those coronas for me, Drew... :D

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I got you covered Dan,

And as far as time in the mold, I do an hour, turn 1/4 and let them sit another hour. If the binder is on the moist side will let them sit in the mold for a day.

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First five are wrapped and ready for smoking. Gonna let them sit out and dry out some more, but I should be able to find a good blend with these. Ironically, the first one I wrapped definitely looks the best.

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What is it that is said here??? O yeah Need pictures..LOL

Congrats can't wait to see them

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Gotta get a camera first. :r

Tried 3 of my five blends, had 2 using the TN90 seco, first was with 3 half ligero leaves and ended up being too light and you couldn't taste the filler over the broadleaf so I put it down after an inch(imagine a FdO wrapped in broadleaf), the second was much better with 8 half leaves, I'll probably make a few with 10 tomorrow as I can tell it will taste better with more. The one with the Dark Air Cured seco was good on the first I tried, with 6 half leaves of ligero. It reminded me a lot of the La Casita Criollas, with just that distinct broadleaf flavor with a nice earthy undertone.

Just got done with de-stemming all the ligero and TN90 seco. I'll de-stem all the DAC seco tomorrow at work(assuming my boss doesn't yell at me for bringing my rolling set up with me).

Re: Rolling your own
 

well i got to do some rolling today. I will finish the rest this evening. on the right you can see the petit corona (x2 maddie with the QB52 binder and maduro wrapper), then the corona extra (with QB52 binder and Havana CT wrapper, and on the right the Robusto (which is the double maddie)
http://i781.photobucket.com/albums/y...8/IMG_1090.jpg

Re: Rolling your own
 

Andrew, those look awesome.

Bear, so frog eye is some kind of a fungus?
I know literally nothing about tobacco maladies, so I did a little googling. I am familiar with water spots and the green marks sometimes called frog eye, but frog eye seems to be a fungus:
Frog eye: http://www.ipmimages.org/browse/deta...imgnum=1440028
Weather fleck: http://www.ipmimages.org/browse/deta...imgnum=1402062
Maybe frog eye is just a loose term.

It really is so cool to see so many brothers getting into rolling. :tu

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Did some google-fu of my own and was lead to believe that is was the result of too much nitrogen in the soil(or too little, one of the two :r)

Re: Rolling your own
 

Drew finally kicked a month long cold and started back to sticks last night ..... Some milagro and those roxys you sent me... Simply awesome even burn good draw and awesome flavor my buddy couldnt believe they were from a home roller.... Ill be ordering some more as soon as i finish these 5 since i have no room thanks