How much pressure do I need for my Rosin Press?

Ahhh... The age old question! How much pressure do I need for my Rosin Press? The important number that we need to pay attention to is Platen PSI, and we will break down exactly how to figure that out in this article, and how many Platen PSI you need for a full extraction. This guide will help you build or decide which press fits your needs.

How much pressure does a rosin press need?:

It's important to remember that the number to focus on is Platen PSI, not general pressure/force. The general consensus among the industry for full yield capability at lower temperatures is:

Flower rosin: 1,200-2,500 Platen PSI

Hash rosin: 700-2,000 Platen PSI

Any higher Platen PSI will result in unnecessary torn bags, parchment, closing of oil channels, etc. Any lower Platen PSI will result in loss in yields and higher temperatures required for a full extraction. 

 

How to calculate Platen PSI for your Rosin Press:

Platen PSI is simply calculated by taking the total force and dividing it by the size of your bag, not the size of your plates. In this instance, we'll say you are maxing out our 4x7 V2 Lowtemp Press (20 ton capable) with a 3"x6" bag of material. For round numbers, we'll say you're utilizing half of what the cylinder can generate: 10 tons (2,000lbs per ton), or 20,000 lbs of force.

  • 3"x6" pouch= 18 square inches
  • 10 tons of force= 20,000lbs of force
  • 20,000 lbs / 18 sq in = 1,111 Platen PSI

How to read a pressure gauge:

How to read a pressure gauge

Pressure gauge readouts on air compressors, pneumatic cylinders, and hydraulic Rosin Presses are not the total pressure being applied. These are readings of the internal pressure system. Typical pneumatic/air systems usually go up to around 150 psi internal pressure, and typical hydraulic systems can go up to 10,000 psi internal pressure. 

This must be translated to total force being applied! With conventional high end hydraulic systems, they operate on a 10,000 internal PSI basis. This means at 10,000 psi on the gauge, the cylinder will operate at it's full rated force. On our V2 Press, we use a BVA Low Profile 20 ton cylinder.

When you break that down: each 1,000 psi on the pressure gauge read out translates to 2 tons or 4,000lbs of force. 

For another example, if you had a 30 ton cylinder, each 1,000 psi on the gauge would translate to 3 tons or 6,000lbs of force. 

Simply put: Rated force of cylinder / 10 = Total Force per 1,000 psi on the gauge. This is a quick and easy way to calculate total force applied.