RE:Stuffing
Posted by Jerry on Tuesday, 20-Nov-2007
ok guys i have the top-o-matic using zig-zag tubes (Brand New Machine)it seems that every other one slips off the injector and only puts half of the tobacco in it,Out of A carton I waste 2 packs,could it be that as your rolling the tobacco dries up and get powdery
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- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by kendall leonard on Friday, 07-Dec-2007
I've had tobacco that is too dry blow the side out on a tube also. If I remember right it was "the three castles" tobacco with it's fine shag cut and being too dry that did it, I was using the blue supermatic with the plastic cutter
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- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by Kerry on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
Along with the other things suggested, you may have a release timing problem. Does the tube come off intact? Or is a little bit of paper torn out of the end? If the former, the release timing may be too early. If the latter, the release timing may be too late.
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Also, I have had tubes tear off from time to time when a little bit of tobacco gets held between the paper and the timing release. On my machine, this is just enough extra to cause the tube to tear, but it still fills the tube completely.
Before you go adjusting the timing you should check very carefully the suggestions about dry or humid tobacco being the problem. You may not need to adjust anything on the machine.
Good luck!
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by stickchick on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
Please see my comment under ZigZag FF tubes...I also have a Top-O, and cannot get a good consistent cigarette with them...and my tobacco is the perfect humidity for stuffing. It may or may not be a timing issue, but I don't have any problems stuffing any of these tubes: Premier, Rizla, Club, Windsail, Rayo, El Rey. Just the ZigZags get the filter Voids and tearing problems for me, though it's not the ends that tear off, they tear about midway down the tube. Hope this comment helps.
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- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
you may have a slightly bent spoon, if so it can be straightened
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never had a problem with Zig-Zags, though never used a TOP, but my friend who does only had problems with the TOP tubes, on her newer model TOP-O, due to the small circumference
she now uses Bugler exclusively, since mail-order gets no response
at any rate, tearing in the middle isn't the usual tip-tear that is common
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by stickchick on Thursday, 22-Nov-2007
Thanks, mike, I will check out my spoon. It was just easier for me to swap out my 2 boxes of ZigZags with my neighbor for some Rizlas; she has the Premiere Supermatic, and the ZigZags work fine with her machine. I appreciate all the great information and advice I find on this forum daily! :)
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I'll NEVER go back to the pack!
Love,
Sticky :-)
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
to go with what Kerry said, and as I've said I only have a year with machines but I've come a long way
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DRY TOBACCO makes the first and most sense for this problem
HOWEVER, I have noted that on brand new machines the plastic gripper cap could _possibly_ need a little breaking in, OR, it could be a shitty one though I know not of Topomatics, just all the others and they can very...(the thickness and quality of the plastic cap)
if you troll the forum info, you can see that people who have been at this a long time sometimes switch to RC model gas-line tubing, as it is cheap and very forgiving
pardon my redundancy, but I like a tight packed smoke and use NO time release, which for all intent, should be tearing the tube tips if anything
NO PROBLEMS......only too dry tobacco could cause this to me
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by Dano on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
Q: could it be that as your rolling the tobacco dries up and get powdery?
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A: NO
It sounds as if you're tobacco is all dry and powdery to start with since simply stuffing a tube isn't going to turn properly moist tobacco dry.
If your tobacco is really dry and hasn't turned to powder yet you can spread it out on a plate or bowl, set it on the sink in the bathroom, turn the shower on HOT and come back in 15 or 20 minutes and it will be almost as good as new :) Naturally you could use one of those moisture tabs to do the same thing but if you don't have one, the bathroom trick will get your there.
It sounds like your tobacco is way too dry, you're putting too much into the machine and trying to force it into the tube. Hence the tube popping off.
Tubes will also pop off if your tobacco is too moist and you left your tubes sitting out on a humid day.
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by Ervin Parker on Saturday, 22-Dec-2007
I just finished stuffing 400 sticks utilizing "zigzag" tubes (first 200 I used 6oz "Midnight Special" and the second 200 I used a 6oz can of Zigzag American Blend) with absolutely perfect sticks with a TOP-O-MATIC machine.
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Through experience I found that stuffing works best when you use the tobacco as soon as the can/bag is opened works best. I also found that laying an excess of tobacco over the hopper (don't pack it in the hopper... just lay it over the hopper) assists in getting the correct density and thus a better smoke while increasing the number of sticks produced by preventing over-stuffing.
I've gotten so good at this that I can even utilize the shake at the bottom of the bag/can.
I also recommend you watch the video clicks at Roll Your Own Magazine. You would think RYO would have a "how to" FAQ facilitating the learning experience for newbies but I guess they think stuffing is self explaining.
Like everything practice makes perfect.
- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by Dave L on Saturday, 22-Dec-2007
You've been lucky if your tobacco works best straight out of the can. There's lots of tobaccos that are too moist (some extremely so) to stuff straight out of the bag/can. Its one of the most common problems, trying to stuff tobacco that's to moist (...though this thread seems to involve tobacco that's too dry, both are trouble). Different tobaccos need different handling. The shorter and finer the cut, the less handling/packing required. The How To only touches on that aspect. As you say, experience is the best teacher.
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- Re: RE:Stuffing
- Posted by mike c on Tuesday, 20-Nov-2007
someone will be along, I'm sure......dry tobacco sounds like a reasonable contributor, but there are experts above my station...hang for the moment, don't panic..your machine willl work!!!!
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