Hand rolling your own

How many people hand roll there own on here? Even if it's just every now and then. I read about a few of you guys growing your own. Excellent thread by the way. I'm interested in seeing the results and different skill level, do you triple cap, single cap, no cap? Do you use a mold or do you have other ways of doing it? Do you use a chaveta or just a knife? You get the idea I'd like to here from other people and there experience. Here are some picks of some of mine.
This is my version of a chaveta. Not sure if there are rules to the shape or not.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps103363d2.jpg

This is how I cap my cigars.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps12767eea.jpg

Two that I rolled
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psefdb8c33.jpg

15 or so that I rolled some have a cap and some don't.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psc4f2cb3b.jpg

I grow and roll my own.
I use a pizza cutter.
I use a pasta maker for ribbon cut for pipe tobacco preparation.
I don't apply caps, I pigtail finish mine.
I free-hand the vast majority, but sometimes I'll wrap tightly at the binder stage with aluminum foil and allow to set for several hours or overnight to "set" the shape. Mostly, I'm interested in smokeability....not appearance though.
There are some pic's around here, I think, of some finished cigars I rolled my first year. I don't make it a habit to take pic's of them.

I never really thought about a pizza cuter. It took some time to learn how to use a chaveta.
Aluminum Foil is a good idea I'll try that one next time I role some.

Thanks for the info Ashauler. Was growing your own worth the time and effort and would you do it again?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by S.A.W.B.

I never really thought about a pizza cuter. It took some time to learn how to use a chaveta.
Aluminum Foil is a good idea I'll try that one next time I role some.

Thanks for the info Ashauler. Was growing your own worth the time and effort and would you do it again?

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Yep, my crop from this year is pretty much color cured and completely dried through the mid-rib. I think I missed my window for natural fermentation, so I'll most likely store it thru the winter and ferment it next spring/summer. I could force ferment it by using a kiln, but I kinda want to see if there is any difference between the two.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by S.A.W.B.

How many people hand roll there own on here? Even if it's just every now and then. I read about a few of you guys growing your own. Excellent thread by the way. I'm interested in seeing the results and different skill level, do you triple cap, single cap, no cap? Do you use a mold or do you have other ways of doing it? Do you use a chaveta or just a knife? You get the idea I'd like to here from other people and there experience. Here are some picks of some of mine.
This is my version of a chaveta. Not sure if there are rules to the shape or not.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps103363d2.jpg

This is how I cap my cigars.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps12767eea.jpg

Two that I rolled
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psefdb8c33.jpg

15 or so that I rolled some have a cap and some don't.
http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psc4f2cb3b.jpg

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I'm impressed, nicely done!

I rolled a few dozen a few years back, I still have some PA and import leaf.

Mine came out smokable, most not particularly attractive. I guess that I rolled with the wrapper too wet; most of my cigars have wrinkled wrappers.

I roll without real molds. I will twist the bound cigar in saran wrap and leave it for a couple hours, that does help it retain form.

I've rolled parejos and various figurados including pointy-heads, double perfectos and what could be called trompetas. I crammed the bound cigar into a preferidos tube for several of the perfectos. This worked surprisingly well.

Chaveta, pizza cutter - as long as it's a blade right? I have a home made chaveta that works just fine.

I do/did have a bit of trouble with caps. I made single caps and also twisted some pigtails.

I don't have a digital camera, so no pix.

Doesn't cured tobacco leaf feel cool?