Machines
All general stuffing (injecting, shooting, etc.) machine related discussions. See also: Stuffing Your Own Machines
Topics [ new ]
spoonless supermatic
Posted by David Brown on Tuesday, 08-Apr-2008
[dupe of Spoonless Supermatic]
Dave I am praying
Posted by mike c on Friday, 21-Mar-2008
that you simply haven't added the matic due to time constraints along with a possible reluctancy to borrow Dan's (graciously provided) pic link???
if you don't add it soon I will think you hate me and want me to die a hideous, painful and excruciating, death.....
(ADD A NEW MATIC)att: Dave Lers and..??
Posted by mike c on Thursday, 13-Mar-2008
pardon if I failed to notice this already metioned, but I broke down and got some Bugler tubes with friend Robin, to tie me over, and lo, right next to the slider Turbomatic is a new Turbomatic crank machine: my gazing up to it's shelf revealed it is black with no handle and sports a metal-silver crank arm like the Top, it is colored black with blue Turbo (Matic) sticker adornments across the front of the machine
sorry, I love catching these things since I am useless tobacco desciption wise..........
mc geezer and proud to be midst people I like.....(I mean we all smoke)
mc commentary restraint request noted.......
[ page | comments (2) - Friday, 14-Mar-2008 | top ]
Dougie Kennedy
Posted by Ernest S Lipps on Friday, 29-Feb-2008
Since it appears Doug is dead somewhere in the frigging Amazon jungle, here's what I've learned so far, tobacco needs to be DRY as hell before it will stuff properly in the Magnum and also a smaller amount is used than in the supermatics.
Pete
[ page | comments (3) - Friday, 29-Feb-2008 | top ]
Doug Kennedy
Posted by Ernest S Lipps on Friday, 29-Feb-2008
Maybe it's time for the wizened DK to step in here with proper instructions for the Magnum injector, he has never had problems explaining the supermatic way.
Pete
The problem with electric machines
Posted by Kerry on Thursday, 28-Feb-2008
Let me start with IMHO...
The main problem with most if not all available electric machines, aside the fact that some of them are quite simply junk, is that they take away the ability of the stuffer to have immediate feedback as to how well the machine is doing regarding proper filling and hydration of tobacco and have no real means of automatically controlling or adjusting for those most frequent and problem causing conditions in stuffing.
With a hand crank or hand held machine, you will know almost immediately if you have either over/underfilled the machine or if the tobacco is over/under hydrated by the feedback you get from the feel of the action of stuffing. And from that feedback, you are quickly able to adjust to correct.
Certainly there is a "learning curve" for everything, including the available electric machines. However, the loss of immediate feedback in the stuffing process is the killer for the electrics.
The available electric machines remove this feed back while not being able to automatically adjust for these variances. Sure, there is a learning curve for these electrics just as their is for any hand crank or hand held machine, but at the price of the electrics it seems rediculous to replace "human power with feedback" with "electric power and no feedback" at a rediculously higher price. I think the trade off is too much for the price.
I think my point is, until they make an electric machine that can do it all and be reasonably priced, I will stick with the hand cranks. My arm never has gotten that tired and maybe the exercise is doing me good?
[ page | comments (7) - Monday, 07-Apr-2008 | top ]
www.magiccig.com
Posted by rothrock on Thursday, 07-Feb-2008
I want this baby sittin' right in my living room!
www.magiccig.com
[ page | comments (3) - Saturday, 09-Feb-2008 | top ]
SM/UM crank-arm handle-ball re-attach
Posted by mike c on Monday, 14-Jan-2008
Kerry (I seem to recall you did this, apparently well), Dave, Anyone??
is there an easy way to re-attach the ball, picking up play and tightening the head underneath the arm where it is held on??
[ page | comments (10) - Monday, 21-Jan-2008 | top ]
Laramie Stuffomatic
Posted by Mike B on Tuesday, 08-Jan-2008
Anyone use one of these? Just saw them for the first time today in an HBI catalog.
[ page | comments (10) - Wednesday, 09-Jan-2008 | top ]
Top-O-Matic
Posted by Dwayne on Tuesday, 08-Jan-2008
I have a Top-O-Matic and have been using Stokers #2 tobacco with premier tubes. I bought some Vera Cruz Nocturnes and am having trouble filling the tubes even when I use less tobacco. My premier tubes fill great but not the Vera Cruz. I know they are thicker paper but what is going on here?
[ page | comments (6) - Monday, 21-Jan-2008 | top ]
Ez Make SM 2
Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 02-Jan-2008
now's he's violating Supermatic 2's:
[link]
[ page | comments (1) - Wednesday, 02-Jan-2008 | top ]
CRANK VS HH
Posted by TOECUTTER on Friday, 28-Dec-2007
JUST THOUGHT ID PICK YOUR ALLS BRAIN BEFORE THIS FORUM
(WHICH WILL BE MISSED), ENDS. WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF A CRANK INJECTOR OVER A HANDHELD (RAYO TWIN) WHEN I CAN MAKE A PACK OF NICELY STUFFED SMOKES IN UNDER 10 MINUTES?
ARE THEY THAT MUCH FASTER? I DONT HAVE LOOSE CHERRIES, GET A CONSISTENT DRAW, AND LIKE I SAID, A PACK IN LESS THAN
10 MINUTES, CASUALLY. IVE ALSO HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THE ZIG-ZAG HH ($7.00) MACHINE ALBEIT A BIT SLOWER. BEEN SYOIN FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS AND WONDER IF A MATIC WOULD HELP VERSUS THE COST. APPRECIATE ANY HELP.
DAVE Z
[ page | comments (14) - Tuesday, 08-Jan-2008 | top ]
monsteromatic followup
Posted by BruceW on Saturday, 22-Dec-2007
Captain U-96 aka Mike asked what it might cost to make our aforementioned modifications to the topomatic and to be honest, I have little idea what it would cost to hire a machine shop to do what we did. The little I do know is that any kind of machine shop work is not cheap, and that the further away from being a machinist you are, the more they charge you. I have the good fortune of working in a place that has an excellent machine shop with a boss who's a hot rod junkie like I am, and he's a good friend.
After relating our odyssey that led to our present configuration of the topomatics I will make it much simpler. Here's all you need to do to a stock unit:
Above any other modification, replace the handle if possible, and turn it 180 deg from where it stock mounts. It doesn't have to be like mine. ChasM has an excellent design using a piece of tubing. Any local hobby store sells a two part resin based liquid called "Alumilite" that could be used to reinforce the stock handle. Just be sure to remove all the stock silver paint first and mount it to the axle bolt before you pour it to fill the underside of the handle for the best fit. Another co-worker of mine did this to her new topomatic and it seems as strong a handle as the steel.
Second; take your unit completely apart. Remove all the paint down to bare metal inside the compression compartment. I noticed that my paint has worn off which most likely means I have been smoking paint chips. Use steel wool or 3m pads and shine the aluminum cutter to a mirror finish. Shine the spoon to a mirror finish. This effort greatly reduces drag from the tobacco, easing operations, and will stop the metallic metal taste. Lubricate each piece you re-assemble with a lite coat of white lithium grease, or any stiff grease. I don't recommend oil, because it could spread to a point of contact with the tobacco. Doing these simple things will greatly increase the lifespan and functionality of your machine. Good Luck!
Our latest project involves an old sausage stuffing machine that we are trying to convert into a cigarette making machine. We have no problem at all extruding the tobacco with out shop made die set. We are however having major problems locating flat paper stock and glue. Seems that the big tobacco companies have this paper custom made overseas, and no one is willing to talk to us about it... Another problem arising is who gets the machine when it's finished. I got the idea from watching an episode of "How it's made" on Discovery when they visited the RJ Reynolds manufacturing plant. oh well, maybe more after Christmas.
Happy Hollidays
[ page | comments (1) - Saturday, 22-Dec-2007 | top ]
Super "C" Where is it made?
Posted by Jeffo on Tuesday, 18-Dec-2007
Any of you Supermatic C series owners: Where are they made? (Canada) Just a guess.
[ page | comments (2) - Wednesday, 19-Dec-2007 | top ]
Brad new Top-O-Matic!
Posted by Mike B on Sunday, 16-Dec-2007
SWEEEET! Picked her up this afternoon. I can't believe I was patient enough to actually use a hand held now that I got this beautiful piece of machinery!
[ page | comments (7) - Tuesday, 18-Dec-2007 | top ]
Zen HH?
Posted by Mike B on Friday, 14-Dec-2007
Anyone use(d) this? I have the TOP HH and seem unanimously the worst and think I know why.
Saw, the Zen HH in a newer local shop and wonder how it works in comparison to the "good" ones. I already know how poorly the TOP works. Can't get a full stick because of that poorly designed plastic "half pike" looking thing attached to the opening end.
[ page | comments (11) - Sunday, 16-Dec-2007 | top ]
Zen-O-Matic
Posted by mike c on Tuesday, 11-Dec-2007
exists
could you please find me a link, and then everybody pitch in a little as it's on my x-mas wish list
lol
Top-O-Matic VS Supermatic
Posted by Dave Lers on Saturday, 08-Dec-2007
Moved from the Top-O-Matic page.
[ page | comments (4) - Saturday, 08-Dec-2007 | top ]
Thread type used on Supermatics?
Posted by Jeffo on Friday, 07-Dec-2007
Hi Dave L. or anyone who knows,
What type of threads are used on the Supermatic's hardware? Is it
Wentworth, some metric odd thread or what?
[ page | comments (1) - Saturday, 08-Dec-2007 | top ]
Supermatic: Loose H-Link bolt fix
Posted by Jeffo on Wednesday, 05-Dec-2007
I just purchased a used Supermatic Model B. I love this machine it has the new plastic cutter and it stuffs so easy it's like butter. However 1 annoyance with it the H-Link bolts and nuts kept coming loose and if you tightened them they squeezed down on the H-Link making the action stiffer than it should be. I removed the 2- bolts and placed a #4 stainless lock washer under the shoulder bolt. This gives a slight clearance to the head of the bolt. No more loosening bolts and the machine functions even better than it did. This works for the Model A, B, and maybe the C.
[ page | comments (7) - Thursday, 06-Dec-2007 | top ]
Monster "o" Matic - beyond the edge
Posted by Bruce W. on Sunday, 02-Dec-2007
The real title of this post should be how to improve Chinese junk when you have no life.......
Four years or so ago I decided to investigate rolling my own smokes because of the ever increasing carton prices and health issues with commercial smokes. What I found was that yes, the tobacco was much less expensive but that even the top of the line machines available were Chinese junk that marginalized the tobacco savings with replacement parts costs.
Despite better advice, I started with a Topomatic machine, since I could not locate any Premier machines locally. As a process engineering technician, I know too well that the best machine in the world is worthless if you cant get replacement parts or service for it. My local tobacco shop didn't seem to have any problems getting Tops stuff. So, topomatic rules in my castle.
After learning how poorly the ergonomics of this crank injection machine preform, with carpal tunnel syndrome and my first handle Failure at about 1000 pulls, (the keyed hole in the handle wallowed out after having to tighten it before almost every use, and this rounded off the shoulders on the axle as well) I purchased a second topomatic unit, and took the broken unit to work for some hot roding.
I started with the cheesy Chinese sheet metal stamped handle and the axle assembly. I made a new handle with a piece of 1"x3/16" flat steel stock. I replaced the grab knob with a 2"x1/4"x3/8" shoulder bolt into a 1/4-20 tapped hole in the business end of the flat with a little red lock tite. I copied exactly the axle, replacing it with 440d tool steel. I located the keyed hole in the flat stock handle so that when the machines handle is in the home position (chamber open) the shoulder bolt is slightly below the upper left corner of the machine frame.
The stock configuration started with the knob above the upper right corner of the frame, and when loaded and cycled, the handle drops to the cut/rest position below the lower right corner of the machine, then cycled across the front of the frame to stuff and eject. This just was NOT a comfortable way to operate any way I gripped it. So.....
My configuration started with the handle below the upper left corner of the frame at maybe 300 deg. I hook the I-bolt with my thumb and pull it across the top of the machine to the cut/rest position, (about 10 deg.) and then hook it with my index finger, resting the heal of my right hand on the lower right corner of the frame (which is heavily padded with silicon) and make a fist, injecting the tobacco. I use my left hand to gently pinch the end of the tube at the brass nipple (the stock holder is just above useless) so that the injector can actually penetrate the cotton wad slightly and eliminate completely the voids at the filter I was getting before! This also eliminated the temptation to push down on the handle and bend it. (I have already written a registered letter to Tops with detailed design changes in my name, neener neener neener.....TH PT!) BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. My guess is that even the high end machines are junk. Don't look for any of the changes I made to apear on a production tops machine. This is EXACTLY like buying a $8000.00 import and puting $20000.00 worth of parts and time in it.
By now, my boss sees I am up to something on my lunch hours. He smokes too. My improvements made it less likely to break, but operation was still rough. My second top o matic stock machine has since failed as well, (handle failure) and I am back in commercial cigarette land.
One thing that nearly put me off of roll your own was the metallic taste I was getting in any tobacco I tried, which was a good experience as I got to taste many different tobaccos along the way. It occurred to my Boss and I that the metallic taste had to be coming from the parts contacting the tobacco itself. Turns out, the aluminum cutter blade was causing most of the noticeable taste, and I was getting residue buildup that caused miss feeds and jambs when it got bad. Putting a mirror finish on the aluminum with 600 grit grinding compound did two things: The metallic taste stopped, and operation of the handle improved a lot! My old nemesis friction.
My boss is a registered millwright/tool maker and made me a new cutter out of hardened steel with a carbide concave cutter/former. I replaced the outer plastic axle boss for the operating handle with one made from mild steel with a Teflon bearing in it, and mirror polished the axle shaft. I also installed a small electronic counter inside so I can log failures.
The end result is this: Smooth comfortable operation with very few failures. I can barely make 80 cigs per hour on a stock machine with 10% failures on a good day. on my "monster o matic" machine I can push 200 per hour with no failures if I drink loads of coffee and I am pressed for time..... The new handle configuration also left me with a place to leave a large pile of tobacco to stuff the slot with without being wiped off by the handle. It has been working so well, I gave my backup machine to my boss who is now a RYO fan as well. The only breakdown I have had since I made this modification three years ago has been the handle return spring broke. It was almost useless, and I didn't replace it. I always flick the handle back with my thumb to drop the cigarette anyway.
Over 6000 smokes made with no failures, or voids I didn't cause. I might get one of the Premier machines and see if there in need of any improvement..... and in case your interested, I use Premier light king size tubes and Wind River Tobacco Co. TETON mild tobacco.
Hope you had fun reading this
[ page | comments (5) - Tuesday, 18-Dec-2007 | top ]
nevermind my extended plug/mod request +
Posted by mike c on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
much to my delight, I've discovered the machine I put a new nozzle on simply compacts a little better naturally, and just requires less taps!!!
question-
while the Supermatic does indeed inject as someone may have said "like greased lightning", my clone machines (not including a Topomatic at all) lack a tightness during the compaction phase, which is much to my liking-
so the question is, since I see there are other multiple machine owners "out there"..does the Top have that tightness?? or no??? a report on one with a plastic cutter is preferable, since alluminum compressor/cutter isn't even in my vocabulary any more
thanks in advance
mike
PLEASE REMOVE ALL MY POSTS & PHOTOES
Posted by Freddie on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2007
David Lers, Kerry or who the hell runs this site...... I WANT *ALL* MY POSTS AND PHOTOS REMOVED FROM THIS SITE.
Dave Lers, you may be a good person.... but Kerry... you are, in my opinion, an arrogant asshole. (and probably is a pipe smoker too)
Dave Lers made a post and gave me a little respect for my opinions and I appreciate and respect him for that.
I then came back and tried to make a "funny" post using totaly unreal performance results and what do I get..... Know-it-all Kerry has to show his ass. Well, Kerry, if you know so much about programming... think about the possibilities that a jpeg photo file can perform over time.(just as Hellen of Troy found out)
You can disagree with my opinions, but when you attack my character... you have crossed the line. Some of you people have no respect for person or persons. When someone on this site uses his previlidged information to assult my character, it is time for action.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.... FOR THE LAST TIME..... REMOVE MY POSTS AND PHOTOS. Then I will be gone forever... else I may never be forgotten.
[ page | comments (12) - Tuesday, 08-Jan-2008 | top ]
Plastic Cutter on Supermatic 500 series
Posted by Jeffo on Tuesday, 20-Nov-2007
I've read a few posts on using the new plastic cutter on the Super 500 series. Does anyone know if it is possible to change the H-link on the "500" to the new C series H-link and plastic cutter and avoid the looseness in the linkage problem? If so are there any other parts that should be changed to do this right. I have two Supermatic 500's I'd like to do this mod on to improve them.
[ page | comments (8) - Monday, 17-Dec-2007 | top ]
slight crank machine tweak??
Posted by mike c on Monday, 19-Nov-2007
is there a real simple way to tweak a machine to put just a tiny bit more baccy in the tube
I'm a ten-tap guy, and want my Rizla + tubes to end up flush afterward
only one of my machines does this currently
thanks
[ page | comments (5) - Friday, 23-Nov-2007 | top ]
SupermaticII Hopper photos
Posted by Freddie on Saturday, 03-Nov-2007
Comments.... anyone?
[ page | comments (56) - Sunday, 23-Dec-2007 | top ]
new supermatic c-series decal change
Posted by mike c on Friday, 02-Nov-2007
being a collector, and having an eye on detail, I notice the new Supermatics also have slight appearance differences:-
the big "Premier" sticker is now including the word "Supermatic", and the silver frontal sticker drops the stylized "S" in Supermatic and adds the word "Premier"
supermatic with odd sticker
Posted by mike c on Thursday, 01-Nov-2007
cute, but I doubt Arbro put it on:
[link]
ancient curio machine
Posted by mike c on Thursday, 18-Oct-2007
I'd not seen the likes of this one, thought it was worth a peek to the interested, if any [link]
zig zag rolling machine
Posted by meridyth on Monday, 15-Oct-2007
I borrowed a neighbor's rolling machine and he didn't show me how to use it. I am getting frustrated because it is not working, how does this thing work?
[ page | comments (1) - Monday, 15-Oct-2007 | top ]
ROYALE AUTO ROLLER
Posted by mike c on Tuesday, 09-Oct-2007
Behold yet another "heads up"-- RYO/FAIRPRICE has just unveiled their own new Royale-AUTO ROLLER, and there are only 200 available initially, so if it's your cup of tea....there you go...it's introduced at $150.00, as opposed to a later $1.99
again, were I personally to go this route, I think they are who I go to more confidently......
[link]
[ page | comments (7) - Thursday, 27-Mar-2008 | top ]
Lemco Easy Make
Posted by mike c on Thursday, 04-Oct-2007
Behold yet another electric, headed for.......? looks like this one's made from a Topomatic???
[link]
Cigarette Stuffing Machines
Posted by Tom Suttie on Sunday, 16-Sep-2007
Reading some of the posts regarding crank and electric machines makes me wonder whether people want to smoke cigarettes, or just delve into the intricate, but fairly simple mechanics of the machines themselves. Weighing scales, blend mixtures. moisture content etc add to this confusion. Is there anyone else out there that just wants to smoke cigarettes cheaper than pre-made? I apologise in advance for any ruffling of feathers!
[ page | comments (12) - Monday, 28-Jan-2008 | top ]
Newbie on El Rey Machines
Posted by Tom Suttie on Friday, 10-Aug-2007
Hi Mike, and many thanks for your welcome. There is a U.K. site called Roll-Ups.co.uk who have a wide range of injectors. If and when my El-Rey hand injector gives up the ghost I think I may invest in an EXCEL, which seem to be more reliable than the more complex and expensive models. Come to think of it I may get an EXCEL, while keeping my El-Rey as back up!
[ page | comments (4) - Thursday, 20-Sep-2007 | top ]
Dead Machines!
Posted by Rosa on Tuesday, 17-Jul-2007
I'm stuck. In a fix! I have 2 dead Privileg machines and 1 dead Excel machine and have tried without success to get replacements here in the UK and in Amsterdam. I have just paid £48+ (UK) for a Roll-o-Mat (www.rollomat.com) which is a rip off. Standard tubes don't fit and it throws half a cigarette out every time. Very heavy die-cast machine which doesn't even pretend to do the job.
Can anyone help with a web address where I can buy either a Privileg or Excel machine. In Europe if possible.
[ page | comments (4) - Friday, 10-Aug-2007 | top ]
New Machine...Makes 3 at once
Posted by Danny Edwards on Friday, 22-Jun-2007
Was traveling through Ohio and stopped at a store called "Cheap Tobacco" and the lady showed me a new machine that makes 3 cigarettes at a time. She said they were going to get them delivered in about 3 weeks. She was whipping them out. I noticed she loaded the tobacco differently than the supermatic though
[ page | comments (3) - Sunday, 30-Sep-2007 | top ]
Excel vs. Super
Posted by Ebenezer on Wednesday, 06-Jun-2007
I have used the Excel with no problems for 2+ years. I am considering buying a new machine. The Excel is working fine, would buy another, but I want to try anohter machine to test ease of use. Should I? I enjoy your knowledge on SYO. (I stuff D&R Cockstrong, Vengeur light, Windsail Platinum, Two Timer, and Penhooker Light-in order of use) With Rizla FF, El Ray L, Ramback Prestige Tubes. With my Excel there is skill needed making a 'full' Rizla(old machine?), makes perfect El Ray and Ramback tubes. Excel is awkward to hold and use of tobacco needs a tray(haha). Is a Super better?
[ page | comments (9) - Friday, 29-Jun-2007 | top ]
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