# 4 day bud dryer for $40.



## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

This is my home made bud dryer,depending on how full i pack it the dryer will dry my buds in 4 to 5 days,when it takes 5 days i have it packed full to the rim,it will dry around 1/4 pound at a time.

List of materials.

1 Rubbermaid Tote from Walmart...............................................$4.

1 Inline fan(4 inch) from Home Depot........................................$20.

1 Extension cord from Home Depot.............................................$5.

1 Sheet Expanded Metal from Home Depot in the drywall section.....$7.

3 Wooden Dowels from Home Depot @$1 each.............................$3.

1 Electrical tape(black tape from Home Depot..............................$1.

1 Tube Ployureathene Caulk from Home Depot..............................$5

1 Pack heavy duty Zip Tie's from Home Depot..............................$1

1 PC 1/2 PVC Plumbing pipe from Home Depot.............................$4

Total cost............................................................................$50.

NOTE,try not to use silicone caulking,silicone last forever but it does not hold very well in rough handeling situations unless a special silicone primer is used,primer is hard to come by & not cheap so use polyureathene & it'll never let loose,best caulk on earth.

Tools needed.

Magic Marker or pencil.

Tape measure.

Tin snips or strong siscors.

A 3/4 spade or auger drill bit.

Hand saw,a steak knife with a seraded edge will work in a pinch.

First you will need to mark the holes on the side of the Rubbermaid to allow for how many shelves you want,i used 3 shelves in this dryer & 4 shelves in my other dryer,mark the holes at even distances on both sides of the tote,now you drill the holes out with a 3/4 inch spade drill bit,the holes are oversised for a reason,this is what it will look like after all holes are drilled & dowels inserted.













More to follow in a few minutes.

This idea was stolen by me from Al fuct.


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

Now that the holes are drilled you can cut the wooden dowel rods,make sure you cut them about 3 inches longer than the tote is wide so they stick through each side of the tote,the dowels will be what suspend the drying racks up,the holes & dowels should line up like this.


Here's an inside shot so you get the idea where this is heading.







Now you need to cut the hole for the exhaust fan,make sure you trace a very tight circle with your marker or pencil,a snug fit is essential,after cutting the circle install the 4 inch exhaust fan to where its sucking outwards not blowing in then seal inside & out with caulk,here's finished pics of the fan.













Now to make the racks.More to follow in a few minutes.

This idea was stolen by me from Al fuct & modified.


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

Now its time to make the racks,take the 1/2 pvc pipe & cut the peices to be 1 inch shorter than the inside dimensions of the tote,this will allow you some needed play.

Now you take the Expanded metal sheeting & cut it in to peices to fit the dimensions of the inside of the tote,check these measurements twice.

After cutting the pvc pipe & the expanded metal now you connect the pvc to the expanded metalwith zip ties to make the racks,here is a few finished pic's of a rack.

This is the top of a finished drying rack.







This is the bottom of a finished drying rack,note the zip ties holding the expanded metal to the pvc.







More to follow in a few minutes.

This idea was stolen by me from Al fuct & modified.


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## mizzchewy (Apr 5, 2008)

I'm in suspense.....


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## Smitty750 (Apr 5, 2008)

I like it nice job, waiting for the rest


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

Now you take the finished drying racks & install them by pushing the wooden dowel rods through the pvd pipes that are attached on the bottom of the racks.













Note how on the pic below you can see how the wooden dowels are holding up the drying racks & the extra length of the dowel is sticking out,the other side also has extra dowel sticking out as well.







More to follow in a few minutes.

This idea was stolen from Al fuct by me & modified by me.


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## VanIsle420 (Apr 5, 2008)

Very nice novel idea


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

Hooking up the exhaust fan you have several options,option number one is the most flexible,a standard inline fan from Home depot has 3 wires comming out of it,White = Hot,Black = Ground & Blue or Green = Neutral.

Option number one (used on my other bud dryer) is to buy a male plug from home depot & attach it to the wires comming out from the exhaust fan,this will leave you a very short lead to plug an extension cord into,it will be like plugging a power tool into an extension cord.

Option number two used on this dryer & included in the pics is to simply cut off the female end of the extension cord,match up the color coded wires one at a time,tape each one off seperately then continue on to the next wire,after wiring the fan you should take a few zip ties & secure the cord to the dryer so you cant trip & yank the cord.

More to come in a few minutes.

This idea was stolen by me from Al fuct & modified by me.


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## White Widow Woman (Apr 5, 2008)

Okay, I'm pulling up a chair. Show/tell me more...

WWW


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

The holes on the side of the tote need to be drilled at the 3/4 inch measurement or larger to allow fresh air into the unit,the fresh air comes in from 18 different locations around the dowels, with the exhaust fan on the bottom having 60 cfm the draw is strong enough that the fresh air is pulled across all the buds on each rack then out the bottom,no buds are without fresh moving air at all times.

Finished unit with some goodies on the rack.


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## xxtoadxx (Apr 5, 2008)

am i just really high or how do u get to the lower racks without taking the top 1s off


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## xxtoadxx (Apr 5, 2008)

ya... my bad about the last post... im just really high


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

If smell is a concern you can hook up a carbon filter to the exhaust,the air draw is so strong that no smell escapes from the air intake holes,odor only comes out of the exhaust,tomorrow i'll show how to make a carbon filter for $5 that will fit right over the exhaust & kill any smell.

This is where the carbon filter will go over.


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## panhead (Apr 5, 2008)

xxtoadxx said:


> am i just really high or how do u get to the lower racks without taking the top 1s off


That is the reason why i used a 2 peice connecting system for the racks,you simply remove the dowels, then pull out each rack one rack at a time,all racks are easily removed or installed in about 30 seconds each rack by removing or re installing the dowels..


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## xxtoadxx (Apr 5, 2008)

i read back to front like the stoner i am.... props very nice.


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## [email protected] (Apr 5, 2008)

perhaps you could put something on one end of all the dowels so that they could only be removed in one direction. That way it seems far less likely that they could ever get knocked/fall out by accident. Just my 2 cents. Looking great so far. 
[email protected]


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## southfloridasean (Apr 5, 2008)

Panhead, very nice & clean set up. Will you eventually put an intake fan on the opposite side as well to bring air in or will yo just stick with the exhaust only? All the same very clean.


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## FilthyFletch (Apr 5, 2008)

Any ideas how to add any heat to the inside to help speed dryinga nd control humdity better?Looks good.I need 20 of these or bigger tubs lol


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## southfloridasean (Apr 6, 2008)

Filthy I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking if someone could add one of the small water heaters for a res in a long glass tube & plug the water heater into a thermostat to keep the temps where they need to be.


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## BRSkunk (Apr 6, 2008)

the other one on here has a heating element... look it up!

so this is just pritty much sucking air from the box... if you leave it in a heated soom it would be quicker... have you used it and made a full from harvest to dry in 4days?


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## panhead (Apr 6, 2008)

southfloridasean said:


> Panhead, very nice & clean set up. Will you eventually put an intake fan on the opposite side as well to bring air in or will yo just stick with the exhaust only? All the same very clean.


Thank you.

Im not sure there's a real need for a powered intake,the little 4 inch inline has enough pull where it creates a pretty strong negative pressure inside the tote,i wanted to have enough negative pressure where it would pull air from the holes farthest away from the fan at pretty much the same rate so the buds farthest away would still dry evenly.


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## panhead (Apr 6, 2008)

FilthyFletch said:


> Any ideas how to add any heat to the inside to help speed dryinga nd control humdity better?Looks good.I need 20 of these or bigger tubs lol


Thanks fletch.

Ive been trying to use as many ideas as i can get from Al's get a harvest every 2 weeks thread without getting too far over my head ,Al's design has a heating element where fresh air is being drawn across a heat sink to warm the air & lower humidity but his plans are out of my comfort level skill wise.

I just put my 2 tote's in a mechanical room where the temp stays around 76 degrees & put a dehumidifier in the room that keeps the humidity level at 40%,as i get closer to the 2 week rotating schedule im going to have to add 2 more dryers.


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## panhead (Apr 6, 2008)

BRSkunk said:


> the other one on here has a heating element... look it up!
> 
> so this is just pritty much sucking air from the box... if you leave it in a heated soom it would be quicker... have you used it and made a full from harvest to dry in 4days?


My other dryer has been used twice & has completed both drying cycles in 4 days,the room i keep them in is pretty much a constant 76 degrees & humidity is kept at 40% in that room.

Im still working on the heat aspect of this where i can get something store bought & incorporate it into the design without worring about over heating or fire.


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## panhead (Apr 6, 2008)

southfloridasean said:


> Filthy I was thinking the same thing. I was thinking if someone could add one of the small water heaters for a res in a long glass tube & plug the water heater into a thermostat to keep the temps where they need to be.


I thought of using a fish tank heater so i went to pet smart & opened one up & plugged it in,after it warmed up i licked my finger & touched it,those lil bastards get hot as hell,im sure it could be worked into the system with a thermostat but the fire aspect of it had me worried.

Im thinking of buying a couple of these mini dehumidifier devices & seeing how they work,supposedly they add heat & move air at the same time.

Air-Dryr 1000 Dehumidifier Moisture Humidity Dryer - eBay (item 200213972264 end time Apr-10-08 22:33:16 PDT)


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## pandabear (Apr 6, 2008)

maybe all u need is one of these and just use that as your fan too and attached it to your box







just put the space heater on low an have it blow into your box


i just hang all my stuff in my grow room and put the fans on, then i have a space heater like the one above and i let it run on the bottom of my grow room. can dry them in like 2 days if i had too but usually do like 5 days on a lower setting depending how quik i need them and how worried i am about bud rot


another idea is get a cheap hair dryer and hook it to your box and use the lowest setting


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## simple grower (Apr 6, 2008)

i rekon just get one of those little heat pads,try and fit one in on the bottom,the heat off that should work just right,just a matter of fittin it in


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## Mr_Marijuana (Apr 6, 2008)

wow!....very nicee!


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## panhead (Apr 6, 2008)

simple grower said:


> i rekon just get one of those little heat pads,try and fit one in on the bottom,the heat off that should work just right,just a matter of fittin it in


Im not even sure that heating the air is needed,i really think its overkill unless 4 days is too long a wait to fit peoples needs,there is also the risk of overheating the thc to the point where it breaks down & looses potetency.

The trick is heating the air to just above the point where humidity evaporates before the air is brought into the cabinet.


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## pandabear (Apr 6, 2008)

yea true that. my last batch i was soo worried about bud rott cuz the colas were like 6" thick. i did overkill tho and roasted them hanging in my closet at 100 Degrees F for one whole night using the space heater on blast.

i wonder if i lost a lil potency, buds were strong enough anyway even with that. WW is some tastey shit man.

but after that debackle i didnt even flush them cuz of the bud rot issue and the erb is a lil harsh,

next time im just gonna flush the piss out of it and dry it normal.


if i need a bud early u can put it in the oven, I do 170 deg f which is the lowest setting on my oven takes anywhere from 10 - 20 min and then walla u got a nice crispy sample to amaze your friends


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## southfloridasean (Apr 6, 2008)

panhead said:


> I thought of using a fish tank heater so i went to pet smart & opened one up & plugged it in,after it warmed up i licked my finger & touched it,those lil bastards get hot as hell,im sure it could be worked into the system with a thermostat but the fire aspect of it had me worried.
> 
> Im thinking of buying a couple of these mini dehumidifier devices & seeing how they work,supposedly they add heat & move air at the same time.
> 
> Air-Dryr 1000 Dehumidifier Moisture Humidity Dryer - eBay (item 200213972264 end time Apr-10-08 22:33:16 PDT)


I like that little dryer/humidifier.


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## Stormfront (Apr 7, 2008)

like the idea, i was considering something along the same lines....with a 30 gal trashcan with 6 comp fans wired up and installed on the sides drawing the air out, i have a 4 inch inline but it seems it would be better if i placed 2 of them in the lid of the barrel and ran a daisy chain of comp fans up the sides of the barrel or all at one side and had the air circulating in a circular pattern with an even airflow to each bud...still a work in progress but i like yours a lot...gave me ideas for the shelving thanks


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 7, 2008)

good deal panhead!!!! i need to build a drying tub soon. 

i also think i should put one in my cab....for that all in one deal.

i want to set up a carbon filter...im always worried about smell!!!


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## panhead (Apr 7, 2008)

LoudBlunts said:


> good deal panhead!!!! i need to build a drying tub soon.
> 
> i also think i should put one in my cab....for that all in one deal.
> 
> i want to set up a carbon filter...im always worried about smell!!!


Im having excellent results with those home made carbon filters,im kinda pissed now that ive had a couple months using the home made job's,they work every bit as good as the first one i bought off ebay for $80,atleast i have a point of reference though, so i know how well the home made jobs should work.

Damm hydro shops are ripping us off for this stuff.


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## gotdamunchies (Apr 7, 2008)

Cool idea Panhead, waiting patiently for the carbon filter.....


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 7, 2008)

panhead...i know you said you could just replace them....but maybe we could modify it to where we could just refill when necessary!!!!!


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## panhead (Apr 7, 2008)

LoudBlunts said:


> panhead...i know you said you could just replace them....but maybe we could modify it to where we could just refill when necessary!!!!!


Well that is my plan,i musta been having a brain fart,im thinking that it'll be pretty simple to just cut open a corner,dump out the used carbon & pour in new then sew it back up,i might even staple it back up if the slice is small enough.


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## panhead (Apr 7, 2008)

gotdamunchies said:


> Cool idea Panhead, waiting pateintly for the carbon filter.....


I posted a link to the carbon filter in my signature.


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## DragonsBreath (Apr 7, 2008)

if you're using cooltubes and exhaust can't you just place the exhaust from your lights in the area of your bud dryer to give it the heat it needs to dry since the exhaust of the bud dryer will pull in the heat from the light exhaust?


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 7, 2008)

panhead can you pm me?


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 7, 2008)

panhead said:


> Well that is my plan,i musta been having a brain fart,im thinking that it'll be pretty simple to just cut open a corner,dump out the used carbon & pour in new then sew it back up,i might even staple it back up if the slice is small enough.



i meant something like a canister!

fuck sewing...this aint home economics ! naw just playing bro!!!

but something we could screw the cap on and off!


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## panhead (Apr 7, 2008)

LoudBlunts said:


> panhead can you pm me?


Will do,pm comming your way.


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## gotdamunchies (Apr 7, 2008)

panhead said:


> I posted a link to the carbon filter in my signature.


Cool, appreciate it, thanks again for all the great ideas.......


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## BRSkunk (Apr 8, 2008)

Now am in process of making of of these suckers ... but using a pc fan and tought how about mounting the pc supply in one of the corners of the box to slightly act as a heater...? If this is possible?

Might be able to give off some slight heat to help without overheating the pc supply...


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## panhead (Apr 9, 2008)

BRSkunk said:


> Now am in process of making of of these suckers ... but using a pc fan and tought how about mounting the pc supply in one of the corners of the box to slightly act as a heater...? If this is possible?
> 
> Might be able to give off some slight heat to help without overheating the pc supply...


If i was to use a pc fan i'd be very cautious,the key to not getting mold is to have a constant air flow,im not sure a pc fan would be up to the task once the bud dryer was packed full,you need to pull fresh air around every last bud top & bottom,seems a huge task for such a small cfm volume fan.


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## BRSkunk (Apr 9, 2008)

seems to be blowing out alot to me have 6 air vent holes... + another pc fan inside it moving the air around...


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## panhead (Apr 9, 2008)

BRSkunk said:


> seems to be blowing out alot to me have 6 air vent holes... + another pc fan inside it moving the air around...


Hey,if pc fans work thats even better,the more options the better i'd say,im just very leary of low cfm fans but its hard to argue with something thats working


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## ACSCorp (Apr 9, 2008)

How about this for an economical heat source. Use a 50 or 100 watt incandescent light bulb inside a coffee can (to block the light since you need to dry in the dark) inside the box. Or, a small box or galvanized steel duct with the bulb inside it outside of the dryer's intake and a light trap connecting it to the dryer. You could control the internal temperature with a ductstat inline thermostat (available at Home Depot or Menards) hooked up to the bulb.

Personally I think this idea rocks, Simple and 4 days in enough for me to dry.


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## VictorVIcious (Apr 9, 2008)

Carbon filtering for a box like that can be as simple as buying a 'cut to fit carbon filter, about $9.00 at Menards and fitting it over your holes. I put it over all of the intake and out flow when I built mine. The filter is 48" by 16", even covering the basket for the muffin fan I used it only took one filter. https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/29683-bud-dryer.html VV


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## panhead (Apr 9, 2008)

VictorVIcious said:


> Carbon filtering for a box like that can be as simple as buying a 'cut to fit carbon filter, about $9.00 at Menards and fitting it over your holes. I put it over all of the intake and out flow when I built mine. The filter is 48" by 16", even covering the basket for the muffin fan I used it only took one filter. https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/29683-bud-dryer.html VV


Hey victor,im a bit slow so can you help me out 

What are you using for the heat source ? from what im seeing in your pics & reading in the thread the food dehydrator is the heat source correct ?

This is the obstacle im struggeling with right now,i think if i can raise the temp to a constant 80 degrees i can cut my drying time in half,ive got a massive cola getting ready to come down thats so dense it worries me, i cant bring myself to chop it up for drying,i think the added heat source speeding things up will assure no mold.

Ya know,there should be a seperate forum where members can post all the DIY stuff they've made,if i had seen your bud dryer before i sat & thought about mine,along with looking at Al Fuct's dryer it woulda made my job much easier.


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## BRSkunk (Apr 9, 2008)

yes, i was talking to a guy who did the light bulb idea but in a wooden cupboard and just blew a pc fan onto the built under a upside down bowl to distribute heat... he reckons it worked a treat and thinks that what i just built (this idea) is not going to work.


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## VictorVIcious (Apr 9, 2008)

panhead said:


> Hey victor,im a bit slow so can you help me out
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## panhead (Apr 9, 2008)

BRSkunk said:


> yes, i was talking to a guy who did the light bulb idea but in a wooden cupboard and just blew a pc fan onto the built under a upside down bowl to distribute heat... he reckons it worked a treat and thinks that what i just built (this idea) is not going to work.


I dont know about lightbulbs but the dryer i posted works well with the parts shown,im looking to improve on the 4 day drying time to 3 days but 2 days would be even better.

Were back at these pc fans again too,what you just stated is part of the big picture why i have no faith in them for any application,most of what i read where people try to use pc fans ends up in failure,the cfm on a standard pc fan has to be crazy low.


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## panhead (Apr 9, 2008)

VictorVIcious said:


> Yes that is the heat source. At the time I didn't understand what a 'heat sink' that Al talked about was. I understand they are a standard part of a lot of computers, just a place that draws heat from whatever and disappates it by conducting it from a single point to the entire mass, giving you a 'low temp' heat source.


Shit,i thought we had a winning heat source with the dehydrator 

My understanding of what a heatsink & its form of operation is that they are connected to electronic parts that give off xtreme heat,like transistors & capacitors,the sink itself is merely the conductor & is placed near an exhaust fan or outside the box containing the electronics.like on the back of stere amplifiers.

My dryer is working great as is but i want to improve the dry time by atleast a day,the hard part here is finding a plug & play method to keep the heat a constant.


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## VictorVIcious (Apr 10, 2008)

Exactly. The heat sink does that regardless of what the source of heat is. The material is usually aluminum and the only better conductor of heat I am aware of is copper. The fins on the heat sinks are designed to encourage air flow and have lots of surface area. I tell ya that computer server cabinet is the catz pajamas. Made to keep the heat down for multiple processors, tinted plexiglass, a non-conductor of heat, and cuts down ultra violet light, has three fans installed and wired. CHeck it out. Its post 258 in My current setup: Journal? thread. VV


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## VictorVIcious (Apr 10, 2008)

simple grower said:


> i rekon just get one of those little heat pads,try and fit one in on the bottom,the heat off that should work just right,just a matter of fittin it in


I have one of those, I'll try it and let you know, it does seem like I stopped using it because it would get in the low 80's which would be just about right for a drying cabinet. Give me a couple of days. VV


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## panhead (Apr 17, 2008)

Im redesigning the bud dryers shelves soon as the shelf system is a royal pain in the ass to work with,the way i have it designed takes way too long to get inside & flip the buds & rotate them around,when the racks are loaded with bud its a pain in the ass to work with,still dry's great but it needs to be easier to work with.

If you plan on building my dryer use a different approach on how to make the racks easier to get in & out.


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## MonkeeMan (Apr 17, 2008)

how loud is that intake fan?


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 17, 2008)

put tacks or something to hold up racks on the sidewalls of the tube.

make a rack out of screening or some of that mesh stuff.


simple enough aye?


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## LoudBlunts (Apr 17, 2008)

yo panhead....if/when i build one of these things....i may go with something like (scroll down to the AIR Reactor MX120) AHL - Products - Air Purification and Odor Control or something from foothill filters on ebay!!!!!


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## panhead (Apr 17, 2008)

MonkeeMan said:


> how loud is that intake fan?


Not very loud, infact much quiter than a standard house fan,if i have a DB level meter that i use to calibrate our home theater & if i can ever find the damm thing i'll take a measurement of its noise level & compare it against a few other household items for reference.


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## panhead (Apr 17, 2008)

LoudBlunts said:


> put tacks or something to hold up racks on the sidewalls of the tube.
> 
> make a rack out of screening or some of that mesh stuff.
> simple enough aye?


Putting up tracks for the existing racks is exactly what i was thinking,as soon as im done drying this harvest im going to fix the design,both dryers have been going for 7 days straight now & i havent even made it 1/4 of the way through all the plants,fuckin with all the racks in both of them is starting to be a real drag.


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## panhead (Apr 22, 2008)

Ive solved the heat issue.

After giving this way too much thought i went back to the basics,green light does nothing for weed plants hmmmmm............,i mounted a light outlet inside one bud dryer & installed a 60 watt green bulb in it,with the exhaust fan going & the lid fully closed the green light keeps the internal temps in the bud dryer at a constant 81 degrees.

The added heat from the light has sped up the drying process to where it now takes 3 days to dry,it has also changed the way the plants are drying,they now dry more evenly & the smell of the dryed buds has more of a skunky bite to it.

The taste of the buds from the heated dryer is very close to fully cured bud,im now going to use this heated dryer along with a 1 week cure for my smoke.

If anybody needs a pic of how to install a light in this dryer just ask & i shall post one,i still have not got around to redoing the shelf supports but that is next on my list,after the shelf redesign i will surely post new pics.


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## thecloset (Apr 22, 2008)

definitely wanna see how u put the light bulb in....


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## GerryWanna (Apr 22, 2008)

Slick Idea.


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## Damion5050 (Apr 22, 2008)

Nice thread time to make one


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## ACSCorp (Apr 23, 2008)

Did you use a regular green bulb? I mean, any old incandescent green one? I'm getting ready to flower soon and was always wondering if I needed a green horticultural bulb or if a plain green one off the shelf would do.


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## crazy-mental (Apr 23, 2008)

all looks good.
but whats up with a c.box and string to hang? and a small fan if your in a rush?.


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## crazy-mental (Apr 23, 2008)

ACSCorp said:


> Did you use a regular green bulb? I mean, any old incandescent green one? I'm getting ready to flower soon and was always wondering if I needed a green horticultural bulb or if a plain green one off the shelf would do.


plants dont see any green light.


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## panhead (Apr 23, 2008)

crazy-mental said:


> all looks good.
> but whats up with a c.box and string to hang? and a small fan if your in a rush?.


To tell the truth yes im in a rush,for the size harvest i had i knew i'd of had buds hanging everywhere if i didnt do something beforehand,a closet would not have worked for me,even running 2 dryers full time was not enough,i had to stagger the harvest in 3 day intervals.

The bud dryers are no great work of art nor are they better in any way over tried & true drying methods, but when you have large harvests & cant afford entire rooms dedicated to hanging buds they sure are handy & 4 times as fast.


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## panhead (Apr 23, 2008)

thecloset said:


> definitely wanna see how u put the light bulb in....


Gimme a few hours & i'll post up a pic or two,i had a busy day & i wanna have some coffee & smoke a bowl or two but i'll get one up.


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## panhead (Apr 23, 2008)

crazy-mental said:


> plants dont see any green light.


Crazy is correct,green light does not effect the buds.

Yes i used a standard green party bulb.


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## panhead (Apr 26, 2008)

thecloset said:


> definitely wanna see how u put the light bulb in....


Here ya go,i just used a standard ceiling fixture that cost $1.29 at home depot,i traced an outline of the fixture to where it would put the bulb dead center of the middle & top shelf's,then cut the hole smaller than the outline,the whole instalation process took less than 1 hour.

Notice in this pic that i drilled air holes around the light fixture thinking it would draw cool air across the hot bulb,thus heating the air,it works & keeps the temp in the dryer at a steady 81 degrees.


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## panhead (Apr 26, 2008)

LoudBlunts said:


> good deal panhead!!!! i need to build a drying tub soon.
> 
> i also think i should put one in my cab....for that all in one deal.
> 
> i want to set up a carbon filter...im always worried about smell!!!


Ive stopped using a carbon filter on the bud dryer,i wanted to speed up the process so i started using scented fabric softener sheets for drying clothing,a single sheet lasts the entire 3 day drying process & allows much more air flow over the carbon filter.

An added bonus of the increased air flow from using dryer sheets over the exhaust, plus the added heat from the green light is that i can now jam pack the dryer full,the increased capacity is now up to 6 ounces of trimmed bud dry in 3 days.

Popcorn buds will be dry in 24 hours & small buds in 48 hours,big fat cola's still take the full 3 days.


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## kearners (Apr 26, 2008)

thats a very good idea dude! im gona make one of these when i am more experienced and go more up scale!!


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## BigBudBalls (Apr 26, 2008)

FilthyFletch said:


> Any ideas how to add any heat to the inside to help speed dryinga nd control humdity better?Looks good.I need 20 of these or bigger tubs lol


Boat stores sell (or at least used to) these little low heat boxes. About 1 foot square. Was meant to keep the moisture down while storing. just plug 'em i and done.


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## BigBudBalls (Apr 26, 2008)

VictorVIcious said:


> Exactly. The heat sink does that regardless of what the source of heat is. The material is usually aluminum and the only better conductor of heat I am aware of is copper. The fins on the heat sinks are designed to encourage air flow and have lots of surface area. I tell ya that computer server cabinet is the catz pajamas. Made to keep the heat down for multiple processors, tinted plexiglass, a non-conductor of heat, and cuts down ultra violet light, has three fans installed and wired. CHeck it out. Its post 258 in My current setup: Journal? thread. VV



Silver is a better heat conductor then copper. diamond is the best.


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## WWgrower (May 6, 2008)

2 idea's for the heat. No.1 use a germinating pad on the bottom of the tub. They raise the temp 10 degrees above what the inside temp. is. No.2 One of those heater defrosters they make for cars. Mine has a small fan to move the heat around. Iam soon going to build one of these probably a month from now. I think I will try the germinating pad first, sound the safest to try. Just my 2 cents!


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## panhead (May 6, 2008)

I would think any of those ideas will work,im damm happy with the green light,it took the dry time down to 3 days with much more bud in the dryer.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 10, 2008)

BRSkunk said:


> how about mounting the pc supply in one of the corners of the box to slightly act as a heater...? If this is possible?
> 
> Might be able to give off some slight heat to help without overheating the pc supply...


PC power supplies are of the 'switching' variety. They don't make much heat unless loaded heavily. Running only a PC fan from a 300W PC power supply won't cause it to make much heat. 




ACSCorp said:


> How about this for an economical heat source. Use a 50 or 100 watt incandescent light bulb inside a coffee can (to block the light since you need to dry in the dark) inside the box. Or, a small box or galvanized steel duct with the bulb inside it outside of the dryer's intake and a light trap connecting it to the dryer. You could control the internal temperature with a ductstat inline thermostat (available at Home Depot or Menards) hooked up to the bulb.
> 
> Personally I think this idea rocks, Simple and 4 days in enough for me to dry.


Personally, I think it rocks, too! Incandescent lamps are a great way to make heat cheaply. The trick is to keep the light away from the buds while efficiently shifting the heat into the flowing airmass. Coffee can engineering should not be underestimated! 



DragonsBreath said:


> if you're using cooltubes and exhaust can't you just place the exhaust from your lights in the area of your bud dryer to give it the heat it needs to dry since the exhaust of the bud dryer will pull in the heat from the light exhaust?


Mainly because you can't control the output temp of the air from the cooltube. You should not exceed 29C when drying buds. The output from my pair of 1000HPS in cooltubes is usually above that by several degrees (30-34C).



panhead said:


> I thought of using a fish tank heater
> 
> [...]
> 
> ...


Aquarium heaters are designed to operate submerged in a cooling bath of water. I'm really surprised that the nichrome wire heating element in the one you ran in air didn't pop. They usually do!

The 'AirDryr' looks a better bet than a fish tank heater. Hard to tell much about it other than their claim that it 'draws about the same power as a light bulb.' If that's true, perhaps 50-60W, it could be a great heating element for a bud dryer. I bet you order one and find out it's a light bulb in a coffee can. 


pandabear said:


> maybe all u need is one of these and just use that as your fan too and attached it to your box
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The space heater in the spare room with circ fans sounds great. Not much control over scent, but your chances of getting the air to stay close to 29C if working with the airmass of an entire room are pretty good. 

However, the thought of a 1000-2000W heater/hair dryer pumping 100C air into a small box, however, terrifies me. It'd be very hard to limit temp to 29C with such big heating elements warming small containers like rubbermaid tubs. 



panhead said:


> i went back to the basics,green light does nothing for weed plants


Righto, mate- _*chlorophyll*_ ignores green light. 

THC in plant resin isn't so selective.  Got to keep the beggars in the dark- from all visible light.

There's a million ways to make a low temp dryer, we should work out a very simple way to do it. My dryer works well, but as many have said, is more complex than it needs to be. You need a drill press and a threading tap set to make one like mine!

I like the light bulb in the coffee can idea. Might also take a tomato sauce can inside of a coffee can or some other clever thing to control the light while efficiently shifting the heat.

Let's work out a way to do the heater with more 'everyday' components- or plain old junk.


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## PlasmaRadio (May 10, 2008)

Did any one suggest using your light's ballast. You can fry an egg on some of those things.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 10, 2008)

PR, heat sources have to be controllable. It'd be hard to control the temp of the air from a ballast.


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## PlasmaRadio (May 10, 2008)

My bad, I thought the idea was constant heat.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 10, 2008)

no worries! 

A bud dryer should provide a steady through-airflow, limited to 29C. 

delta-9 THC begins to break down into non-psychoactives or less desirable psychoactive cannabinoids like cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidinol (CNB) with exposure to heat above 29C. 

Similar effect with exposure to light, so the dryer should be in a dark space if made from translucent materials, or simply be lightproof. 

I'm looking wistfully at the baked beans tins in the recycling. We in Aus don't get the nice big coffee cans you get in the USA, so my creativity with a light bulb based heater is gonna be limited!

I DO have a 4 litre olive oil tin that I could mount a light socket in and a muffin fan on. *rubbing hands* I'll MacGuyver this yet.


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## PlasmaRadio (May 10, 2008)

You do however get large cans of tomatoes, artichiokes and tomato sauce. Restaurants need bulk cans to keep cost down. I guarantee you local pizza place is recycling those big cans.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 10, 2008)

There's a thought.  Thanks.


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## ACSCorp (May 10, 2008)

So it looks like my light bulb idea wasn't a waste on bandwidth after all!

OK 100 watt incandescent light inside a coffee tin and hooked to a dimmer.

You adjust the dimmer to get the temperature you want. 

Put one of those radio temperature gauges in the dryer and you should be set to go!


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## panhead (May 10, 2008)

Al B. Fuct said:


> Righto, mate- _*chlorophyll*_ ignores green light.
> 
> THC in plant resin isn't so selective.  Got to keep the beggars in the dark- from all visible light.
> 
> ...


Well i'll be a rat's ass,Howdy Al .

I wasnt sure if you ventured out into no mans land in the rest of the forum but im glad ya made it to see your orphaned child in develpment.

I wasnt sure if the green light was a big negative for drying but i thought i was safe,see what happend when you let kid's run loose !

Seriously though i would like to have a better soultion to the heat aspect of the dryers than just a light bulb,if you come up with something please let us know.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 10, 2008)

ACSCorp said:


> So it looks like my light bulb idea wasn't a waste on bandwidth after all!


No, not a waste at all. Heat's heat and incandescent light bulbs are cheap as chips. 



> OK 100 watt incandescent light inside a coffee tin and hooked to a dimmer.


What's the biggest incandescent you can get as a supermarket? If you can get a 150, that'd be better yet. Whatever the biggest is that fits in an Edison screw (USA) or bayonet type lamp socket (as in Aus).



> You adjust the dimmer to get the temperature you want.


That's one way to do it, but the temp won't be regulated. The air temp through the dryer will be dependent upon the intake air temp. If you set your dimmer to get a 29C airstream when the intake air temp is 20C, you can expect the airstream temp to be 5C higher (34C) if the intake air jumps up to 25C.

Use a thermostat to switch the lamp on & off when temp hits 29C, let the fan/s run all the time. 

Use a fan motor speed controller (MSC) to slow the fan/s down if they're too noisy. A bud dryer doesn't need to be a wind tunnel. MSCs are on the shelf next to dimmers in electrical at your local hdwe store. MSCs are NOT the same as a dimmer- a fan motor will NOT run on a dimmer! 



> Put one of those radio temperature gauges in the dryer and you should be set to go!


...radio temperature gauge? Can't say I've seen one of those. My radio never seems to boil over, haven't needed one yet. Good to know they are around if it ever does. 

I prefer an indoor/outdoor thermometer, with peak memory if possible. These will have a remotely mountable temp sensor for the outdoor reading. Put that sensor in the warm airstream. 

The coffee tin is going to need some help moving its heat into the air stream. My first thought is to increase the surface area of the coffee can by adding some fins. 







Fins could be made out of 1/4 diameter sections of another coffee can or two. The semicircular fins could be fixed to the coffee can with pop-rivets, The pop-rivet gun would be used from inside the coffee can so the fins can overlap. 

Then it could be put inside a piece of metal duct tubing:







I happen to have a very clever can opener. Part of the can's rim bead remains on the lid when the lid comes off, so the it fits neatly back on the can if you want. A socket could be fitted to the coffee can lid by cutting a round hole in it.

Other ideas? Fire away. 



panhead said:


> Well i'll be a rat's ass,Howdy Al .


I'm so glad you didn't say 'well, I'll be fucked!' I'm real sensitive about my name, you know, so thanks for not taking the piss. 



> I wasnt sure if you ventured out into no mans land in the rest of the forum but im glad ya made it to see your orphaned child in develpment.


I don't, usually. I just happened to notice a cannon about to get loose, reckoned I otta say sumpin'. )



> I wasnt sure if the green light was a big negative for drying but i thought i was safe,see what happend when you let kid's run loose !


'fraid it is. You'd have been disappointed in potency. 'sokay, we'll fix it. 



> Seriously though i would like to have a better soultion to the heat aspect of the dryers than just a light bulb,if you come up with something please let us know.


The thing is that low power heat sources are actually pretty hard to come by! Heating elements usually are hundreds to thousands of watts. We need around 100W for this job. 

Incandescent light bulbs make shitloads of heat, run on mains AC voltage and are cheap and readily available. Downside is they emit light, which we know is bad for da budz. 

I did do an alternative design which uses a soldering iron heating element. Could be 25-60-100W, whatever you can get. Soldering irons are not designed to heat air, so you need to increase their surface area. I reckoned that if you pinched a sheet of aluminum around a soldering iron, fixed it in place with nuts & bolts or pop rivets, then rolled it into a spiral and stuck it in a piece of duct, you'd have a pretty good air warmer that you could control easily with an incandescent light dimmer.


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## ACSCorp (May 13, 2008)

AlBFuct;

To increase the surface for the coffee tin by adding fins, how about we replace the coffee tin with a Class B Rain Cap such as the one shown in the attached image. Its aluminum so it will dissipate the heat evenly and quickly and the fins are already cut. They run about $8 at Menards if my memory serves me correctly.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 13, 2008)

Hey, that looks like it's got some potential! Menards is a bit of a commute for me, but someone in the USA will surely try out one of these vent pipe caps. Just got to work out how to keep all the light inside of it.


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## panhead (May 13, 2008)

ACSCorp said:


> AlBFuct;
> 
> To increase the surface for the coffee tin by adding fins, how about we replace the coffee tin with a Class B Rain Cap such as the one shown in the attached image. Its aluminum so it will dissipate the heat evenly and quickly and the fins are already cut. They run about $8 at Menards if my memory serves me correctly.


I never thought of that,i like it !


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## im.hip (May 13, 2008)

I'm thinking if your input air could be funneled through a 6" inlet tube thats 6" long or so and then tapers or expands to cover all of the tubs inlet holes on the dryer tub, then why not use a heat lamp to warm the air? You could adjust the heat by the proximity of the heat lamp to the inlet as it's drawn inward. I love the dryer idea though and will try my idea when I'm ready to dry.. . . . . .. . . . . in 8 weeks or so.

thanks for the thread


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## ACSCorp (May 14, 2008)

Well AlB, your diagrams showed a coffee can with fins and a secondary can over the one with fins to hold the light so the rain cap would just replace the first can or...

The rain cap can be outside the dryer with a bulb wired inside it. A "S" shaped light trap using pvc or galvanized elbow joints (painted black inside) would attach it to the dryer.

On the opposite side of the dryer would be the exhaust fan. The negative air pressure would draw air through the fins of the rain cap and heating it and through the light trap into the tub and then exhausted out.

A thermal switch such as a ductstat thermostat (www.suncourt.com/*DuctStat*.html) or dimmer switch coulkd be used to regulate the temps.

Just an idea.


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## Al B. Fuct (May 14, 2008)

ACS, ah, OK! I see what you're doing. Sounds like a plan- and a pretty good one at that!

Thanks for that.


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## ACSCorp (May 14, 2008)

Al, coming from you that's quite a compliment! Thanks!

I have read many of your posts and learned a great deal from them so thank you!


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## Al B. Fuct (May 14, 2008)

No worries, ACS! 

I think your rain cap idea would work pretty well and be very cheap to build. All it needs is a thermostat and you're good to go.  Well spotted.


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## Vexus (Sep 9, 2008)

Guys you can also use a pc power cord for the inline fan as well no need for an extension cable.


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## voltaire64 (Sep 15, 2008)

A couple of dumb questions regarding the dryer. I've just completed mine, harvest time is still a few weeks away. Once the buds are cut is there a favorable rack to put the largest buds on say like largest on the bottom rack and popcorn buds on the top rack or does it really matter? Other question is has anybody put like an apple slice or orange peel in while the drying is taken place, to possibly add flavor to the bud? Finally, could not for the life of me find the $5 carbon filter diy thread, can someone post a link?


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 15, 2008)

voltaire64 said:


> A couple of dumb questions regarding the dryer. I've just completed mine, harvest time is still a few weeks away. Once the buds are cut is there a favorable rack to put the largest buds on say like largest on the bottom rack and popcorn buds on the top rack or does it really
> matter?


If there's effective cross ventilation of the dryer box, it won't really matter. Large buds will of course dry more slowly than popcorn, wherever they are located in the box, tho.



> Other question is has anybody put like an apple slice or orange peel in while the drying is taken place, to possibly add flavor to the bud?


Why would you do such a thing? Don't like the flavour of cannabis smoke? Properly grown & dried buds from good DNA are a perfumey, incense-like slice of heaven. No fruit slices required.


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## voltaire64 (Sep 15, 2008)

Al B. Fuct said:


> If there's effective cross ventilation of the dryer box, it won't really matter. Large buds will of course dry more slowly than popcorn, wherever they are located in the box, tho.
> 
> 
> 
> Why would you do such a thing? Don't like the flavour of cannabis smoke? Properly grown & dried buds from good DNA are a perfumey, incense-like slice of heaven. No fruit slices required.


Thanks Mr. Fuct, much appreciated.


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## voltaire64 (Sep 15, 2008)

What are the chances of crystals hitting the bottom of the tote? I was thinking of cutting a piece of glass and putting it on the bottom of the tote to catch anything that would fall, only problem is that the fan would be too strong and would suck everything out before it hit the bottom.


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 15, 2008)

voltaire64 said:


> What are the chances of crystals hitting the bottom of the tote? I was thinking of cutting a piece of glass and putting it on the bottom of the tote to catch anything that would fall, only problem is that the fan would be too strong and would suck everything out before it hit the bottom.


Yes, a few trichomes do come off the buds, not really a whole lot, though they do build up over time and make a nice smoke if you collect them. It wasn't designed with the intent of catching them, but the dryer arrangement I'm using, intake fan down low, exhaust up high, prevents trichs from being blown out.


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## voltaire64 (Sep 28, 2008)

Do you clean and/or sterilize the dryer after each use and if so, how do you do it?


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 28, 2008)

no need to clean the dryer.


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## potlike (Sep 28, 2008)

Inline Dimmer

Temperature Sticker

Add green bulb....adjust to 83 degrees 


-potlike


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 29, 2008)

Sorry, chlorophyll may not be sensitive to green light but THC can be degraded by light of any colour.


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## potlike (Sep 29, 2008)

Al, I am just asking here because I am not sure of this, but chlorophyll generally doesn't respond to 315nm does it? Last I heard PAR was 400nm-700nm in wavelengths, and while growing-THC can be induced to excrete by higher levels of UVB(~315nm); what do you think would be the result drying with UVB lights?



-potlike


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## Purple^stars (Sep 29, 2008)

WOW Panhead you have made a great writeup im definatly going to make one of these containers now.


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 29, 2008)

potlike said:


> while growing-THC can be induced to excrete by higher levels of UVB(~315nm);


I'd like to see some decent botanical science substantiating that theory, thanks. There's lots of reasons that plants make sticky substances and neurotoxins, but it would be novel if any plant did that as a defence against or response to exposure to UV. 

Plants evolve to suit certain prevailing conditions; if you found a plant that did anything in response to exposure to UV, that plant would almost certainly be indigenous to equatorial latitudes, where the sun's rays are most perpendicular and travel through the shortest path through the atmosphere, filtering less short wavelength visible & UV light. Equatorial or subtropical plants are quite often perennials as they often can grow continuously through the winter or dry season.

Cannabis is indigenous to temperate, four season latitudes. This is evidenced by its means of procreation, being an annual which makes seeds to get through cold and perhaps freezing winters. At higher latitudes, solar angles are not as high in the sky and sunlight has to pass through a longer path through the atmosphere. This is most pronounced in autumn, when the sunlight must pass through a very long path through the atmosphere, in which dust and water vapour filter or diffuse quite a lot of blue & shorter wavelength light before it reaches the ground. Autumn sunlight at temperate latitudes thus appears red-yellow due to the reduced amount of blue light. Also accounts for why the red-yellow spectrum of HPS works so well for flowering cannabis. 



> what do you think would be the result drying with UVB lights?


THC is unstable and breaks down into isomers CBD & CBN with exposure to light and high temperatures. 



> *Reactivity Profile*
> 1-TRANS-DELTA-9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOLis very unstable to light and high temperatures. It should be protected from air during all handling due to its extreme instability. [NTP, 1992]. Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of alcohols with alkali metals, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. They react with oxoacids and carboxylic acids to form esters plus water. Oxidizing agents convert them to aldehydes or ketones. Alcohols exhibit both weak acid and weak base behavior. They may initiate the polymerization of isocyanates and epoxides. (NOAA REACTIVITY, 2007)


Without information to the contrary, given I've got some data saying light degrades THC, I'd expect that UVB light would cause THC to break down as does visible light.


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## potlike (Sep 30, 2008)

Al I respect your knowledge probably more than I do anyone else on this forum, however I have seen and smoked the results of UVB treated marijuana and disagree with you here.

Keep in mind that I have a background in economics and statistics so empirical data appeals to my logical mind as well, but when one sees and smokes the results it is hard to ignore. I do not know how to measure THC content level or I would try to do this test myself.

This is probably the closest we have to a half way descent study on the matter, however logically speaking humans have defense against the sun. Yes, at first people may sun burn with too much exposure to the sun, but people do develop sun tans after some exposure which does act as natural protection against solar radiation. Why can't plants have a natural defense mechanism as well?

I am pretty much sold on that higher levels of THC can be excreted given the proper amount of UVB lights to fill out an area.

At this point, I am just unsure if drying buds with it will lead to a positive or a negative outcome-because it may no longer have access to that chemical process. Given what I know about the process and being reminded through your last statement I could see wherein drying with UVB light or any light could be detrimental to its' THC content.

-potlike


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## Al B. Fuct (Sep 30, 2008)

potlike said:


> Al I respect your knowledge probably more than I do anyone else on this forum, however I have seen and smoked the results of UVB treated marijuana and disagree with you here.


Have you smoked some grown in the same batch which were UVB exposed and some which was not?



> Keep in mind that I have a background in economics and statistics so empirical data appeals to my logical mind as well, but when one sees and smokes the results it is hard to ignore. I do not know how to measure THC content level or I would try to do this test myself.


Failing having any double-blind, peer-reviewed data, of course I was postulating based upon what we DO know for sure. You need a gas chromatograph or a mass spectrometer to do such measurements, so you won't be doing any THC assays in your basement. 



> This is probably the closest we have to a half way descent study on the matter


Yes, that is a well written bit that references far and wide. It's a very good bit, thanks very much for that. I've saved that to the local drive for future reference, good stuff. However, the writer (reasonably) does not make any broad or certain conclusions, rather sets up a framework for further investigation, which is useful in and of itself but unfortunately doesn't set anything in stone for testing. He notes some very curious inconsistencies (i.e. seeds from "Mexican" which were later grown in the US displayed cannabinoid content that was not present in the source buds) and there's a few holes in the methodology, which are somewhat unavoidable due to the black market nature of cannabis. 



> Why can't plants have a natural defense mechanism as well?


I'm quite sure that's a possibility. However, the writer of the bit you reference also suggests that the reasons the plant may be making resin & THC may have to do with defences against browsing animals and insects as much as UV exposure. 



> I am pretty much sold on that higher levels of THC can be excreted given the proper amount of UVB lights to fill out an area.


I'm sorry to hear that. I don't think there's anything conclusive enough to be convincing in the paper you've cited. The writer does make some reasoned conclusions but doesn't really nail anything down. it's a good start, though. 



> At this point, I am just unsure if drying buds with it will lead to a positive or a negative outcome-because it may no longer have access to that chemical process.


I think you're on the right track with that line of thought. 



> Given what I know about the process and being reminded through your last statement I could see wherein drying with UVB light or any light could be detrimental to its' THC content.


I think your notion that (if anything) UVB may have some effect on the plant while growing may have some merit, though in what degree, I'm not sure. Once harvested and bioligical processes are halted, I don't think you can do anything that's going to increase potency, rather only hasten the breakdown of d9-THC into non-psychoactive isomers. 

Thanks again very much for the link to that paper. As said, while I don't think it makes any replicatable conclusions that I would put into practise, it certainly is a good investigation of the scientific possibilities.


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## peaceb2usall (Oct 21, 2008)

Any update / success with new designs pan?


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 21, 2008)

So, how did it work?


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## panhead (Nov 21, 2008)

peaceb2usall said:


> Any update / success with new designs pan?


Lotsa success,the dryer allways worked great but albfuct got me worried about the green light,i took a roof top vent much like what another member in this thread suggested & covered the green light with it,its about the same size as a coffee can,i dont think the total darkness within the dryer helped any in making the weed any more potent than before but i leave it on anyways.


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 21, 2008)

panhead said:


> Lotsa success,the dryer allways worked great but albfuct got me worried about the green light,i took a roof top vent much like what another member in this thread suggested & covered the green light with it,its about the same size as a coffee can,i dont think the total darkness within the dryer helped any in making the weed any more potent than before but i leave it on anyways.


 any pics of the finished product? I'm really thinking about building this, but still unsure about the look of the buds, if they are flattened at all?


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## panhead (Nov 21, 2008)

Why would the buds be flattened ? they dry a full week faster than the average drying takes,if anything they come out just as nice looking as the hanging till dry method.

If your worried about bag appeal dont worry,the buds look as good as any high times photo shoot buds & smell just as good as the best weed ya ever smelled


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 21, 2008)

panhead said:


> Why would the buds be flattened ? they dry a full week faster than the average drying takes,if anything they come out just as nice looking as the hanging till dry method.
> 
> If your worried about bag appeal dont worry,the buds look as good as any high times photo shoot buds & smell just as good as the best weed ya ever smelled


 Hey brother, I've read alot of your stuff today.....I trust ya'!
You are crazy creative bro'!!!
Ever tried out the PPP (pure power plant)? Got some on the way.


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## .:SEXISTONER:. (Nov 26, 2008)

just my thought but the elements from any house hold hot water tanks DONOT need to be submerged in water to work they come in several diffrent sizes and are easy to hook up you can also controll the temp.


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## panhead (Nov 26, 2008)

.:SEXISTONER:. said:


> just my thought but the elements from any house hold hot water tanks DONOT need to be submerged in water to work they come in several diffrent sizes and are easy to hook up you can also controll the temp.


True,try one out & let us know how it works,im having excellent success with a covered light bulb on a dimmer switch,there are no wrong ideas as long as it works,the heating element is another solution to regulated heat fo sho.


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## DaGambler (Nov 26, 2008)

i only made page 6... and i usually like to read a whole thread before popping off some dumb-arse remark... butta....

I'm confused, i thought people created elaborate setups to -prevent- their bud from drying in 5 days or less. I can dry my bud in 30 seconds. But i'd think a slow cure would taste a lot better.


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## Angel B Smooth (Nov 26, 2008)

Hi all, new poster but been rading for a while,
My question is what fan would you use for a scaled down version of this?
I only grow about 2 plants at a time but the drying time is gonna make a vein explode, hence the growing lol 

Thanks for any input, great thread/idea.


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## panhead (Nov 26, 2008)

Angel B Smooth said:


> Hi all, new poster but been rading for a while,
> My question is what fan would you use for a scaled down version of this?
> I only grow about 2 plants at a time but the drying time is gonna make a vein explode, hence the growing lol
> Thanks for any input, great thread/idea.


What fan would depend on wht you mean by a scaled down version would be,there comes a point where it's simply easier to use whats off the shel at home depot & cheap,a 4 inch inline fan is only $25 at home depot & should work well,plus you cant possibly have too much air flow.

The one type fan i wouldnt reccomend is using a muffin fan or computer fan,for some reason people seem to gravitate to those stupid little things,IMO they are 100% worthless,they simply do not move enough air to be worthty of anything.


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## panhead (Nov 26, 2008)

DaGambler said:


> i only made page 6... and i usually like to read a whole thread before popping off some dumb-arse remark... butta....
> 
> I'm confused, i thought people created elaborate setups to -prevent- their bud from drying in 5 days or less. I can dry my bud in 30 seconds. But i'd think a slow cure would taste a lot better.


Why confused & why say things like your above statement,were not talking about drying buds in 30 seconds anywhere in this thread,nor are we talking about putting buds in the microwave,whats there to be confused about ?,a moments thought would give a person the reasons why some people need quick dryers,is there really a need for me to put it on paper ?

Also why would "you think" that a slow cure would taste better,if you've not smoked properly quick dried buds then the only possible reason to think such a thing is because that's what you've heard, people hear it's good to piss on their plants,or drive a nail through the stalk,or boil the roots,all nonsense too.

What we as growers "think" is irrelevant,much of whats repeated as fact & "thought" by growers is utter nonsense,it's what we can prove by blind testing & science thats helpfull.


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 26, 2008)

panhead said:


> Why confused & why say things like your above statement,were not talking about drying buds in 30 seconds anywhere in this thread,nor are we talking about putting buds in the microwave,whats there to be confused about ?,a moments thought would give a person the reasons why some people need quick dryers,is there really a need for me to put it on paper ?
> 
> Also why would "you think" that a slow cure would taste better,if you've not smoked properly quick dried buds then the only possible reason to think such a thing is because that's what you've heard, people hear it's good to piss on their plants,or drive a nail through the stalk,or boil the roots,all nonsense too.
> 
> What we as growers "think" is irrelevant,much of whats repeated as fact & "thought" by growers is utter nonsense,it's what we can prove by blind testing & science thats helpfull.


 Amen, brutha!!


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## DaGambler (Nov 26, 2008)

So... this thread is about how to make a DIY Food Dehydrator for about $40 dollars... when you can buy a Food Dehydrator for about $40 dollars or less?

Seems like this would belong more in the "Harvesting and Curing" Forum... and i can't believe that i'm the first/only person to be 'shooting it down'.

I guess i don't have anything better to do 

But don't take me -too- seriously. Sometimes i just like to play Devil's Advocate. Even when i know i'm wrong 
This may be just a small part of what makes me an Asshole, but, hey... you gotta embrace ur inner child.


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## panhead (Nov 27, 2008)

DaGambler said:


> So... this thread is about how to make a DIY Food Dehydrator for about $40 dollars... when you can buy a Food Dehydrator for about $40 dollars or less?
> 
> Seems like this would belong more in the "Harvesting and Curing" Forum... and i can't believe that i'm the first/only person to be 'shooting it down'.
> 
> ...


Ok here we go,i can see where this is gonna lead into,i seriously hope im wrong,i do take you seriously,i take growing weed & helping others learn very seriously also,this is not a game for some of us its our life,ive read your profile & read many of your posts,your not a noob grower so i know your not here by accident,after reading many of your posts its perfectly clear that you are here to disrupt.

The comments you've made so far are completely out of line,i find it neither cute or funny the ongoing intentional disruption of this tutorial,i took several hours of my personal time taking pics & writing descriptions,not to mention 8 months of answering questions from members who are interested in building a DIY bud dryer,this tutorial has attracted responses from some of the most valueable & knowledgeable members of this site,we've made great progress in this tutorial.

If you want to discuss the pro's & con's of quick drying vs standard hang & cure methods then you go to the harvesting & curing forum as you point out,i'll even join you there if you wish,this thread is not a discussion of harvesting & curing,its a tutorial designed to teach members with real interest how to build their own DIY bud dryer ,instead of buying a $500 model bud dryer sold at hydro shops world wide.

Please do not take away from the hard work that ive done putting this tutorial together just so you can grab a quick laugh,your no noob & should be able to appreciate & respect something designed to help teach others,i also ask you to please not take away from the learning experience of other members by clogging up a tutorial with repetative & nonsense posting, posting that is intentional & with the purpose of disruption of the thread.

I dont know what more to say other than if you are forced by some inner need to continue disrupting a tutorial on how to build a DIY buy dryer then atleast give me the respect of learning some things before you come here,please show some respect for the work ive put into this tutorial & learn the differences between bud dryers & off the shelf food dehydrators.

Please show some respect for the members here who want to learn how to properly build a DIY bud dryer & not have to wade through post after post of nonsense,nonsense that has no scientific or helpfull value to the membership at this site,nonsense that is posted all so you can gather a quick laugh at others expense,once again your no noob grower & should understand the need to keep tutorials clear of nonsense,please show the respect that you'd expect from other adult men.

Were all here to have fun but there is a big difference between having fun & intentionally trying to ruin any learning experience others might need to get,especially from an experienced grower such as yourself, just to suit your own personal need to not be bored.

Please show me the respect that men afford other men,is that too much to ask of you ?


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 27, 2008)

Well, i appreciate the DIY, plan on building one, and don't know exactly where i could get a food dehydrator for under $40.00, but even if i could i wouldn't use it for my weed. 
This is a little bigger than a dehydrator, seems to work a little better than one, and i don't have to look like a dumb ass for frying my weed in a dehydrator.
Yup, i think i'll stick to this thing instead.
Thanks for all your hard work, patience, and creativity PAnhead!!!!!


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## DaGambler (Nov 27, 2008)

alright alright. +rep for handling my annoyance in a gentlemanly fashion 

its just that after reading 6 pages into this thread i still hadn't come across anyone commenting what-so-ever that 5 days drying time may not actually be optimal. and it seemed a little irresponsible not to point that out to the ten thousand complete first time harvest noobs that will be checking this thread out.

as you said, its bigger than a food dehydrator, so already it has greater usefullness to many than a food dehydrator put on a timer.


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## gr33nz (Nov 28, 2008)

I don't post too often but been reading this great thread, and thought of if it at pets mart when I saw this. It's a bit pricey for a DIY box but could be a great regulated heat source.

*Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitters*

Zoo-MedStarting at: $19.99 

Ceramic heating devices are much more efficient then conventional reptile heating devices. Designed for species that require extremely high temperatures; like green iguanas, monitors, tegus, boas and pythons, these devices are capable of raising cage temperatures up to 20 degrees above room temperature. Designed for use in a porcelain fixture. Produces no light and lasts for an amazing five years. Completely moisture resistant. 



*http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/info/23297/category.webhttp://www.petsparade.co.uk/reptiles/heating/?p=1680*


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## .:SEXISTONER:. (Nov 29, 2008)

well i like the idea to although it may not be for every one but what is 
i know whats its like to have to sit there knowing that you have a shit load of buds that you cant smoke yet. y not give it a try before u knock it and all the materails can be reysed for something else if u dont like and for 40 bucks y the hell not?


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## Picasso345 (Nov 29, 2008)

DaGambler said:


> alright alright. +rep for handling my annoyance in a gentlemanly fashion
> 
> its just that after reading 6 pages into this thread i still hadn't come across anyone commenting what-so-ever that 5 days drying time may not actually be optimal. and it seemed a little irresponsible not to point that out to the ten thousand complete first time harvest noobs that will be checking this thread out.
> 
> as you said, its bigger than a food dehydrator, so already it has greater usefullness to many than a food dehydrator put on a timer.


Food dehydrators run too hot. I think 95-160F is pretty typical. And as Al said, THC begins to deteriorate above 84.2 F.

Panhead, What about spraying that light bulb with some black high temp spray paint? Solve that light problem.


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 30, 2008)

good idea.....it would cancel out the light and still produce heat!


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## Proph (Nov 30, 2008)

Geez i always figured a cardboard box with two holes in it, a fan, and some lines to hang bud were always good enough.... 3-4 Days to dry with. IF that is too long to wait you should prob just grind up some wet bud, than let it dry and it will dry alot faster if you are feigning.


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## lilmafia513 (Nov 30, 2008)

Proph said:


> Geez i always figured a cardboard box with two holes in it, a fan, and some lines to hang bud were always good enough.... 3-4 Days to dry with. IF that is too long to wait you should prob just grind up some wet bud, than let it dry and it will dry alot faster if you are feigning.


 LOL!!!


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## panhead (Dec 1, 2008)

Picasso345 said:


> Food dehydrators run too hot. I think 95-160F is pretty typical. And as Al said, THC begins to deteriorate above 84.2 F.
> 
> Panhead, What about spraying that light bulb with some black high temp spray paint? Solve that light problem.


Hey bud,we solved the light problem a long time ago using a rain cap designed for a hot water pipe as suggested earlier in the thread,works great too,the dryers are working flawless at this point.

just kinda lost interest in the constant arguements with the younger mind set on the site so never posted updated pics,will get to the updated pics soon.


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## panhead (Dec 1, 2008)

DaGambler said:


> alright alright. +rep for handling my annoyance in a gentlemanly fashion
> 
> its just that after reading 6 pages into this thread i still hadn't come across anyone commenting what-so-ever that 5 days drying time may not actually be optimal. and it seemed a little irresponsible not to point that out to the ten thousand complete first time harvest noobs that will be checking this thread out.
> 
> as you said, its bigger than a food dehydrator, so already it has greater usefullness to many than a food dehydrator put on a timer.


Your welcome.

The reason dehydrators are not usefull is the high temps make them too hot,only the most expensive models with temp control that can be set below 80 degrees are usefull,these model dehydrators hold only very small amounts of product & cost $500 or more.

Nothing magical happens durring the curing/drying process within a dryer,its the elemination of moisture at fastest levels possible without degrading the product.


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## lilmafia513 (Dec 1, 2008)

panhead said:


> Hey bud,we solved the light problem a long time ago using a rain cap designed for a hot water pipe as suggested earlier in the thread,works great too,the dryers are working flawless at this point.
> 
> just kinda lost interest in the constant arguements with the younger mind set on the site so never posted updated pics,will get to the updated pics soon.


 I'd love to see the finished product with some finished "product" that came out of it!!!!


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## sid (Dec 24, 2008)

why dont ya just use window screens


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## panhead (Dec 24, 2008)

sid said:


> why dont ya just use window screens


Window screens would work as well,there are no set rules here only ideas,if you wish you could use whatever you like.


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## onthedl0008 (Dec 27, 2008)

Man thats what i kinda needed right here. THANKS Fek it ive lost my mind completely!
Thanks for this link


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## SOMEBEECH (Dec 28, 2008)

Nice read Panhead,ty for the 411.Oh yea my cross is a female and budding.


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## Bladesplitter (Jan 12, 2009)

Wow thanks for the super discription. that was really helpful. I really gives me a good idea of what im gonna do. thanks for the wisdom


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## FullMetalJacket (Jan 12, 2009)

This was really useful. I am building an bud dryer that hooks to my flower or veg intake via a 6" duct. This way my current carbon exhaust kills the odors and i dont need a new fan and filter.


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## YaK (Jan 13, 2009)

I really like this ceramic heater idea, it can be put on the low intake side of the bin with maybe a 90 degree angle to eliminate light. 4" exhaust fan on the high side with either a carbon filter or a dryer sheet.

Great Ideas in this thread, it's really going to help me to build mine.

Panhead, what type of system did you work out for the racks? I'm looking forward to see pictures of what you ended up with.



gr33nz said:


> I don't post too often but been reading this great thread, and thought of if it at pets mart when I saw this. It's a bit pricey for a DIY box but could be a great regulated heat source.
> 
> *Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitters*
> 
> ...


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## panhead (Jan 13, 2009)

YaK said:


> I really like this ceramic heater idea, it can be put on the low intake side of the bin with maybe a 90 degree angle to eliminate light. 4" exhaust fan on the high side with either a carbon filter or a dryer sheet.
> 
> Great Ideas in this thread, it's really going to help me to build mine.
> 
> Panhead, what type of system did you work out for the racks? I'm looking forward to see pictures of what you ended up with.


I kept the exact shelf design as pictured,they work too well the way they were to chage them,on my other dryers i added a 4th shelf along with swapping out the 4 inch fan to a 6 inch fan to make up for the 4th rack.
I also covered the light bulb with a rain cap allmost exactly as another member posted a picture of earlier in the thread.

Ive got the system down to 3 days perfect drying with the 4 shelf dryers that are using the 6 inch intake fans,the bud comes out the dryer smelling like killer smoke with nothing but skunk smell & ready to smoke down happily .


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## free2believe (Jan 13, 2009)

How much can you dry at a time?

Looks awesome! Thanks for the post


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## panhead (Jan 14, 2009)

free2believe said:


> How much can you dry at a time?
> 
> Looks awesome! Thanks for the post


It depends on what type bud is drying,if its all fat ass colas the weight goes down,if its smaller buds the weight goes up,the finished weights are usually between a qp & a half pound every 3 days.


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## surreydistrict36 (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks for the ideas panhead. This is my dryer based partly on your design. I only have 2 shelfs, I wanted to ensure good airflow and easy to remove shelfs so i can flip easily. I used pc fans so I can spread the airflow better. 

You say you don't like pc fans cuz of the low airflow but if you look at the specs for a 4" pc fan, they are around 50cfm @ 12V. I have 2 x 4" for the exhaust which is ~100cfm, and so far I have 4 x 1.5" for the intake but I might add 2 more which are 5-10cfm each. I can boost the voltage up to 18V if I need more flow or drop the voltage for less. I'm looking into a variable voltage power supply that I can use to adjust the airflow easily, the one I have only does 300mA which works great for my hash tumbler. Current draw at 12V is ~ 800mA theoreticaly. 

I have a 4" inline vent accelerator like you have, if you look at the specs (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100073963&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100073963&cm_mmc=1hd.com2froogle-_-product_feed-_-D26X-_-100073963) it states the airflow in free air is only 40cfm and 80cfm "boosted". So I'm useing it for my room exhaust but I have 2 4" pc fans boosted to 18V inline also, the airflow should be over 100cfm and it definantly feels like it.

I also might add carbon filters behind the exhaust fans if i need them. I can't wait to use it...

Hope you like my design, any tips or suggestions I would like.


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## panhead (Jan 16, 2009)

Looks like you've got things covered pretty well,air flow will not be a problem in your dryer thats for sure,what are your plans on adding heat to the dryer or the air comming into the dryer ?

I started out without adding any heat & the dryer worked very well but it wasnt fast enough for my needs,after adding heat i knocked a full day off drying time & was able to add a 4th shelf & still stay within the 3 day drying range i was looking for.


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## surreydistrict36 (Jan 16, 2009)

I was going to try and avoid adding heat if I could. If I need more heat I'll just have to put the tub into a warm room or near the heater. I'm not to concerned about cutting a day or so off drying. I just needed somewhere with good airflow thats dark. I thought with your design I could get better, more consistent airflow to ensure a more even dry versus hanging them upside down in a closet with 1 fan on them. I want to avoid mold at all costs. 

One thing I was curious about was if hanging upside down hand any benefits to laying down.

Also, the only problem I see with my design is light leaks through the fans. I think if I put a piece of cut to fit carbon filter on each fan it should block most light leaks and provide nice clean filtered air for my buds to dry in. Would these filters also catch mold spores or would it need to be a HEPA filter?

I was also wondering what the minimum temp for drying would be. i understand that every degree below 82 slows drying but with temps outside at -20, 82 is hard to hit.


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## panhead (Jan 16, 2009)

As long as you have positive air flow mold will be a non issue,i had zero mold issues when i was running the dryer without heat,just the moving air is more than enough to kill off mold spores,you will not mold in the set up you posted pic's of.

The mold issue is another benifit to adding heat to the drying process,the faster the buds dry the less chance of mold but you'll still be fine the way you've designed your unit.

The buds will not flatten out from laying on the shelves either,once you flip them then take them out of the dryer they should look perfect,the main reason to hang dry is to ensure positive air flow to all areas of the bud & with your shelf system you've accomplished that requirement.

The minimum drying temp isnt really an issue unless you reach near freezing temps.

My dryers have 24 places where light can enter from around the holes that support the 4 shelves per unit,these holes also aid in the venting of the stale air within the drying unit.

Light leaks are not a problem ive worried about too much,i thought about stopping the light from entering but i chose better air flow over complete darkness,ive overcome the light infiltration issue by keeping my dryers in a dark place while they are loaded.

The bottom of your dryer will act as a keif catch basin as well,after a few loads are ran through it you'll have a nice load of kief


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## surreydistrict36 (Jan 16, 2009)

I think I might still add some carbon filter to the fans, mainly to stop any dust or hair from getting all over my bud with that much airflow. Have you noticed any issues with this? 

I wasn't to concerned about crushing the buds, mainly gravities effect on pulling the moisture down the stem when they are hung upside down versus lying down.

The keif is a nice added bonus, I can't wait to see how much collects on the bottom. I also built a tumbler to keif all my trimmings i cant wait to use. I'm hopping to have a really nice pile of keif soon.


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## panhead (Jan 16, 2009)

Ive had no problems with dust or any other particles collecting on my buds & my dryers look filthy at this point from heavy use.


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## lilmafia513 (Jan 16, 2009)

cool tip on the keif pan! I should be building one of these soon for my harvest. You checked out the girls in my garden lately? 

First harvest ever, and i want to build this cuz, the only place i have to hang dry is in a basement room without the right conditions. So i have no choice, but i love your plan for this!!!


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## LinearChaos (Jan 17, 2009)

I haven't read the whole thread but looked at the initial design, and instead of the inline fan you can also use a scrubber with a fan built into it. Foothill Filters sells a dryer box with a filer/fan built in but it is $150. They also sell the fan/filter combo separately, but it is more expensive then your entire setup :\

Dryer

Sorry if this has already been posted


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## [email protected] T33 (Jan 17, 2009)

do you htink there is suction cups that i could insert the doll rods into???

and evrything esle you used was that everything or was there extra like the sheeting becasue i have a 30 gal and i might have to get 2 if that was all that came in a pack....


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## lilmafia513 (Jan 17, 2009)

[email protected] T33 said:


> do you htink there is suction cups that i could insert the doll rods into???
> 
> and evrything esle you used was that everything or was there extra like the sheeting becasue i have a 30 gal and i might have to get 2 if that was all that came in a pack....


 i wouldn't do that with suction cups man, if the weight gets to be too much and the moisture content not high enough, that holds them on, the trays will fall onto the other trays, crushing your buds.

I would try using an adhesive, or double sided tape, that doesn't have any chemical smell too it. Don't want to smoke glue flavored buds!!LOL!!!


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## panhead (Jan 18, 2009)

LinearChaos said:


> I haven't read the whole thread but looked at the initial design, and instead of the inline fan you can also use a scrubber with a fan built into it. Foothill Filters sells a dryer box with a filer/fan built in but it is $150. They also sell the fan/filter combo separately, but it is more expensive then your entire setup :\
> 
> Dryer
> 
> Sorry if this has already been posted


Ive looked at those dryers in the past,they dont have heat which makes them pretty slow to dry,plus the large model is closer to $250 by the time shipping is figured in.

Im leary of the carbon filter with that unit as well,most of what keeps the buds from getting moldy is the high cfm air stream flowing across the buds,you slow down that air stream & you increase risk of mold.

For me i see no reason for anybody to buy these things since they are so easy & cheap to build at home.


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## panhead (Jan 18, 2009)

[email protected] T33 said:


> do you htink there is suction cups that i could insert the doll rods into???
> 
> and evrything esle you used was that everything or was there extra like the sheeting becasue i have a 30 gal and i might have to get 2 if that was all that came in a pack....


The only thing that comes with a rubbermaid tub is the tub,you have to buy whatever material you want the shelves to be made of as well as all other materials to hang the shelves from,if you can find suction cups that you were confident in then i'd say go for it but i cant think of any suction cups that could withstand the flexibility of the dryer tub,the cups would fall right off i'd think.


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## redcell7 (Jan 18, 2009)

the dryer i am making uses alot of your ideas ,but in order to get to the buds quicker could i use a (hanging chain pot design) you know were each shelf is hooke to a collapsable chain that way when it is hooked to the lid each shelf is spaced out but when you want to get into each shelf for whar ever reason you just pull the top out and hang it some were put your buds on or off and then just put the lid on and yor back in business again thanks for the ideas


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## [email protected] T33 (Jan 19, 2009)

its a really good design PANHEAD!!!

but i think for me im hanging 4 shoelaces across my 30 gal tub and brown paper bags for my popcorn buds then to mason jars!!!


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## panhead (Jan 19, 2009)

[email protected] T33 said:


> its a really good design PANHEAD!!!
> 
> but i think for me im hanging 4 shoelaces across my 30 gal tub and brown paper bags for my popcorn buds then to mason jars!!!


Why tank you,the design has worked very well for me.

Good luck on yer harvest,its the best time of the grow


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## surreydistrict36 (Jan 20, 2009)

I just added a rheostat and an on/off switch to mine. Now I have infinitely adjustable speed and and nice lighted switch to round it out. I'll post some pics when it's done being used. An added benefit of the speed control is the voltage regulator puts out some heat, it's not much but a little and the heat sink helps spread it. I can find the link to a circuit schematic if anyone wants add variable speed to their pc fans as well. Cost of the parts was like $5 from radio shaq.


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## hydgrow (Jan 21, 2009)

great idea and so cheap also man I was trying to think of a better way to dry than just hangin and this looks like its it! Thanks for the info and pics you rock!


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## tokinwhiteguy (Jan 21, 2009)

Hey can you put some pics of the new modified system up? I read through all 17 pages!


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## MEANGREEN69 (Jan 21, 2009)

i dont think a budd dryer is for everyone:if the budd drys to fast ur messing up the dry/cureing of the budd...it's good if u 

dont care about that..but if u like FINE budds that taste great a dryer is not how to get them...but it is a very nice setup 

and it's cheap too!! all and all good job!...peace..meangreen69


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## panhead (Jan 22, 2009)

Thanks for the compliment & yes i like fine buds,lots of misinformation floating around regarding this subject.


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## Skeksis (Jan 22, 2009)

panhead said:


> Thanks for the compliment & yes i like fine buds,lots of misinformation floating around regarding this subject.


I've read that if you dry the bud too fast it becomes harsh to smoke. Is that
true? 

What's the best way to dry it and get the smoothest possible smoke?


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## [email protected] T33 (Jan 22, 2009)

Skeksis said:


> I've read that if you dry the bud too fast it becomes harsh to smoke. Is that
> true?
> 
> What's the best way to dry it and get the smoothest possible smoke?


they say water sure but thats a whole new level....


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## panhead (Jan 22, 2009)

Skeksis said:


> I've read that if you dry the bud too fast it becomes harsh to smoke. Is that
> true?
> What's the best way to dry it and get the smoothest possible smoke?


Most smokers have not even smoked a bud that was ran through a quick dryer that they know of, but still, most people write all kinds of things about drying in a bud dryer.

People confuse alot of things about quick drying vs what i call stupidity drying,if you put your weed in an oven,or in front of a heater,in a microwave,on top the ballast,lay it out in the sun ect ect ect,most any method involving lots of heat,these practices will ruin the taste & high,most the methods i outlined above have been used by people who ruined their stash then equate what they did with how a bud dryer works, which is not the case at all.

The main goal in drying any weed is to get most the moisture out evenly & allow any remaining clorophyll out of the bud,chlorophyll is what makes weed harsh & makes you choke & cough,slow or fast drying does nothing to break down micro elements like boron,zink ect,same goes for macro elements like nitrogen, these are released from the bud through moisture & evaporation,once all the moisture in the bud has gone no more elements will leave the bud no matter how long the bud sits,thc does not get better with age,the one & only thing that may increase in content or strength over time is cannaboid content.

These dryers are not for everybody,if a guy is only growing a few plants then why even bother with a bud dryer,it makes no sense to even worry about it,just hang the plants & when they are dry they are dry,these dryers are for people with larger quantities of bud that cant have buds hanging in every room of a building for months on end.

If you have a small grow then normal drying methods might be the best method if one is concerned.


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## SHOTTY6868 (Jan 25, 2009)

hell yhea. i love this setup dude. never really thought about this, i just remember, i gotta xtra 6" inline booster sitting around. hell yhea, im getting busy


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## panhead (Jan 25, 2009)

SHOTTY6868 said:


> hell yhea. i love this setup dude. never really thought about this, i just remember, i gotta xtra 6" inline booster sitting around. hell yhea, im getting busy


Glad my dryer design helped,i'll get off my lazy ass perdy soon & post some updated pics of how i solved the problem of light inside the dryer.

I love these dryers.


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## livesoul (Feb 1, 2009)

The ceramic heaters seem like the perfect answer. Also Panhead, I didn't see that you had addressed making the box easier to work with for rotating your buds. What about just making the trays connect so that you can just pull the whole setup out at once and just set it back in when your done? You wouldn't need the holes on the side for the bars but you could still have them as your intake vents. Sorry for the wack sketch! lol.


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 1, 2009)

livesoul said:


> The ceramic heaters seem like the perfect answer. Also Panhead, I didn't see that you had addressed making the box easier to work with for rotating your buds. What about just making the trays connect so that you can just pull the whole setup out at once and just set it back in when your done? You wouldn't need the holes on the side for the bars but you could still have them as your intake vents. Sorry for the wack sketch! lol.


 Hey man, i think i read earlier, way earlier on, that the holes helped create airflowm, as an intake, to work with the inline fan, as an exhaust. So i think the holes were an important part.
Just my guess. Pan can answer it better than me though.


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## motoracer110 (Feb 11, 2009)

First of all I want to say that I love the setup you have made  I was reading half way through the thread and you were talking about maybe sticking a heat source into the tub but wanted it to be safe. Here is a little idea that might work. all that you need is a computer radiator about $20 used, computer fan, a bucket, some hose, a small pump, and a fish tank heater. in the lid of the bucket make three holes in the top lid. one for the outgoing water, one for the return water, and one for the heater. you could run the water lines to the inside of your dry box where you would stick your radiator with fan in. just hook everything up and adjust the heat on the fish heater to the heat that you want in the container and the water will stay that temp. here is a picture for reference. with this setup you can be assured that the plastic will not melt and you wont start a fire.


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## panhead (Feb 12, 2009)

livesoul said:


> The ceramic heaters seem like the perfect answer. Also Panhead, I didn't see that you had addressed making the box easier to work with for rotating your buds. What about just making the trays connect so that you can just pull the whole setup out at once and just set it back in when your done? You wouldn't need the holes on the side for the bars but you could still have them as your intake vents. Sorry for the wack sketch! lol.


I stole & copied my design from ALbfuct who used to frequent this site,his design is based on the collapsable shelf system.

I used collapsable shelves much like what your speaking of in one early design & it did not work to my benifit,i have large hands & i fumble around quite a bit,i think i got some kinda michael j fox shit going on where my hands arent real steady anymore,i had a hell of a time fukin around trying to work inside the collapsable shelves.

It sucks getting old .


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## panhead (Feb 12, 2009)

motoracer110 said:


> First of all I want to say that I love the setup you have made  I was reading half way through the thread and you were talking about maybe sticking a heat source into the tub but wanted it to be safe. Here is a little idea that might work. all that you need is a computer radiator about $20 used, computer fan, a bucket, some hose, a small pump, and a fish tank heater. in the lid of the bucket make three holes in the top lid. one for the outgoing water, one for the return water, and one for the heater. you could run the water lines to the inside of your dry box where you would stick your radiator with fan in. just hook everything up and adjust the heat on the fish heater to the heat that you want in the container and the water will stay that temp. here is a picture for reference. with this setup you can be assured that the plastic will not melt and you wont start a fire.


I had lots of help from the membership here while designing my version of the dryer,when it was still in its infancy we discussed using a fish tank heater,i cant recall exactly why i scrubbed the idea but it was discussed,i did solve the heat problem though.One of the main problems was supplying enough consistant heat to make a difference in dry time,another problem was keeping the heat at a constant 79 degrees so as to not degrade the THC content of the buds.

Here is what i came up with,i mounted a light fixture in the center of the tote on the outside of the tote,the bulb screws in from the inside & does not make contact with the plastic, inbetween the light fixture & the power cord i used a rotary light dimmer control,i can regulate the heat inside the dryer by turning up for added heat & down for less heat.

To overcome the issue of THC degredation from light i then installed a water heater cap that is made from galvanized over top the light bulb,i got that idea from a participating member in the thread,the metal cap not only took away any chance of thc degredation but it helped speed up the drying process as well,it made the surface area where cool air was being drawn across much larger, which in turn sped up dry time.

There are a ho-gillion ways to build these things,my plan was to keep it as simple as possible & as cheap as possible,i dont think there is a wrong way to build them as long as heat is constant as well as adjustable, & that air flow is heavy & continuous.

The main thing is that we can get our harvested buds off the plants & in to smokeable form in 3 days or less.


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 13, 2009)

pan, would a 6" in line fan be too much for this?
Gonna make one, but i already have the 6" fan, but would this be too much airflow, or should i reduce it down to a 4" pipe into the tub from the 6", with a scrubber on the fan?


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## panhead (Feb 13, 2009)

lilmafia513 said:


> pan, would a 6" in line fan be too much for this?
> Gonna make one, but i already have the 6" fan, but would this be too much airflow, or should i reduce it down to a 4" pipe into the tub from the 6", with a scrubber on the fan?


A 6 inch fan would be better than the 4 inch i used,you cant ever have too much air flow to cause problems.


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 13, 2009)

panhead said:


> A 6 inch fan would be better than the 4 inch i used,you cant ever have too much air flow to cause problems.


 thank you sir, i'll start building this weekend!


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## fadetoblack72 (Feb 14, 2009)

Why are you trying to dry it so fast? I thought that it would be better bud if it was cured slowly.


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 14, 2009)

fadetoblack72 said:


> Why are you trying to dry it so fast? I thought that it would be better bud if it was cured slowly.


 Right, it is better when CURED slowly, but the idea behind this is for people who don't have ideal conditions to hang dry, and it also speeds the process up to get to curing. Then you can let them jars sit all over, it doesn't take up as much room as a bunch of plants hanging all over.


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## panhead (Feb 14, 2009)

fadetoblack72 said:


> Why are you trying to dry it so fast? I thought that it would be better bud if it was cured slowly.


If you asked this question its likely you did not take the time to read the whole thread as this has been answered several times.

You said the key word in your post which is "you thought",much that is repeated as fact about drying & curring is unfounded myth which is a polite way for saying pure bullshit,the main thing that needs to be taken out of the bud is clorophyll,other things like the elements in fertilizer will mostly never leave the plant,its the break down of clorophyll that makes buds taste harsh,too many people repeat what they have heard as fact & it just keeps right on going.

There are also a large group of growers who have tried quick dry methods & their buds tasted like pure shit then they try to pass off their experience as facts about quick drying machines,when you find out the method they used its allways some squirelly ass shit where the cooked it in an oven or microwave,on top of a lamp or ballast ect,never in a well thought out high air flow even tempature bud dryer.

Of all the people ive seen tout slow dry methods as being the way to achieve "connaseur" type buds none have ever done any real side by side testing using a properly designed bud dryer vs standard methods,proper testing requires the use of other people & they are to never know which weed is which,all the negative info allways flows like a river from those saying they didnt like the way the weed tasted,its caled placebo,they think its going to be bad & it is because they knew & had pre disposed beliefs or were succeptable to believing things they read others spew as fact.

I'd be willing to match bud for bud in a smoke off with any grower who's skill level is equal to my skills any day & all my buds are quick dried,ive slow dried many a harvest before i adopted this method & the way i dry there are no differences.

The reasons for quick dryers are easy,number one why have weed hanging all over the place for weeks when you can get it done & over with in a few days,with no difference in taste/quality of buzz.

Another reason is time,many growers like myself simply dont have the space to even start to hang the weed they grow,nor do they have the time,as it is i have several dryers loaded at all times & when buds come out i go chop more down & reload,if it werent for the dryers i'd never be able to dry everything before the next harvest.


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## fadetoblack72 (Feb 14, 2009)

Thanks for the info panhead.


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## 420BudMan (Feb 14, 2009)

Hey Panhead, GREAT idea and thanks for sharing. I'm fixing to get my very first harvest in about 2 weeks so I plan on starting to build one of these next week. 

I got the "general idea" of the light buld mounted inside, but is there any possibility that you can/would post some updated pics of the finished version ??? 

Again, thanks for sharing the idea and any more updated pics would be greatly appreciated.

Also, your design for the homemade carbon filter to go with this would be great to see. I have read through all 19 pages and saw "mention" of the $5.00 carbon filter but never saw and pics or description on how to make one and add it to the system.


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## panhead (Feb 14, 2009)

420BudMan said:


> Hey Panhead, GREAT idea and thanks for sharing. I'm fixing to get my very first harvest in about 2 weeks so I plan on starting to build one of these next week.
> 
> I got the "general idea" of the light buld mounted inside, but is there any possibility that you can/would post some updated pics of the finished version ???
> 
> ...


My harvest is just about over but the dryers are still in use for a few more days,once they are done working i can & will post updated pics,if you need to finish your design before i update the pics showing the metal cover over the light its real easy,i just used an exhaust cap i got from home depot,it is supposed to be for a 4 inch hot water heater pipe,i mounted the metal cap over the light bulb.

The $3 carbon filter tutorial is somewhere burried on this site,gimme a few & i'll google it up & post a link to the tutorial.

Google is awesome,i havent thought about this tutorial in a while,these filters work fantastic,here ya go.

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/63004-my-3-carbon-filter.html

In a week or so i'll have free time & empty dryers,i will get some new pics up.


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## 420BudMan (Feb 14, 2009)

Awesome, thanks Panhead. I look forward to seeing some pics in the next week or so.


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## Trichopathic1 (Feb 15, 2009)

That is BADASS !! I have yet to harvest. But will be soon!! You look as though youve got some serious experience.I have heard both sides of the drying and i would like to make one of these and try for myself.Thanks Panhead! I would definately use this if drying fast was needed ++REP


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## panhead (Feb 15, 2009)

Trichopathic1 said:


> That is BADASS !! I have yet to harvest. But will be soon!! You look as though youve got some serious experience.I have heard both sides of the drying and i would like to make one of these and try for myself.Thanks Panhead! I would definately use this if drying fast was needed ++REP


Thank you.

Even though i do have a need to dry quickly its not all about the drying time,it's as much about quality as it is about speed.

When i 1st started to understand that i needed a better/faster method than the standard hang & cure method i was using i started researching other methods of drying,at that time i discovered what really makes weed that is improperly dried taste like shit which is clorophyll.

My research on the subject is what led me to join this site in the 1st place,i was using google to search key words & a thread on this site came up,after starting to get into the thread i discovered a design for a dryer much like my design,the man who designed the dryer was a very experienced grower with much intelligence behind his posts & methods,i started researching his methods & his theory's on drying weed.

Taking into account that this member is a professional grower who openly makes his living 100% from selling the weed he grew (his words not mine) i knew he had a vested interest in getting top quality from every harvest,i also realized that if any professional grower was consistently putting out product tha was harsh,bad tasting or low quality he wouldnt be in business long,this member had been using the quick dry method over 5 years at that point,this assured me that his method was sound because no customers would put up with bad smoke for 6 years,they'd find another source.

It is highly important to me & my wife that i allways have top quality smoke,i do not sell but i do have strong reasons to be concerned about quality,my wife is very i'll with RR Multiple Sclerosis & regular street shwag is valueless to her as medicine,she needs strong & potent smoke to help her with pain relief,also i have a large family where most smoke daily so i grow enough to supply my entire family with all their smoking need so they never have to frequent drug dealers & waste cash,im a very frugal man as is most my family so its allways been important that the quality of my buds be as good or better than any other Medical strains available on the street,this way nobody has to ever spend hard earned cash on weed.

When i first adopted this method i did not put all my fish in one barrel,i halved up the harvest with half being dried & cured using the standard slow dry methods i had allways used,then less than half was quick dreid,i then needed test subjects.

I personally rolled up a bunch of joints from both dry techniques & passed out samples to my family,i never told them that there were any differences in the 2 different samples,i never told them that one sample was quick dried & one was slow dried,im very aware of the placebo effect & the power of suggestion so i wanted to take away the possibility for skewed or biased results.

I asked every member to smoke each sample seperately & to write down their thoughts,to comment on taste,how the smoke burned,the smell,the after taste,how the buzz was,how long the buzz lasted,i also asked them to write down any negative issues they might find with either sample,remember these are all family members who i supply all their needs for free so they were glad to help me seeing that i only wanted to grow them better weed.

After i got everybodies papers i sat down & read them all,not one member reported any issues with bad taste,no harsh taste,no short term buzz,no headaches,no nausia,no bad smell ect,no negative issues were reported & most reported that they thought both samples tasted the same,after reading the positive feedback from the comparison tests i knew i'd never hang dry my buds again.

I also used this exact testing method with the concept of flushing the plants before harvest,in this case also no members reported any differences or negative issues with the non flushed sample vs the flushed sample,this is when i knew how much effect the placebo places on growers shoulders,the test subjects/family i used were not little kids or new smokers, they were all well seasoned smokers & all were over 50 years old,they've smoked dope for decades & i trust their opinions,aagain after these tests i became fully aware of how larg an influence the power of suggestion & placebo plays in growers minds,if they know any details where they have even heard can make a difference their veiws will be biased & not valid.

Since adopting this quick dry/no flush method ive experienced no difference in quality,no difference in taste,no difference in the buzz & no difference in the bag appeal of the finished buds.

What i have experienced is absolutely no chance of having a harvest turn moldy,no strong smell fouling up the building,no large amounts of weed laying around & perfectly dried buds that are equal in quality with any other growers buds.


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## Trichopathic1 (Feb 15, 2009)

First off, Thanks for sharing your situation with me,so that I better understand where your coming from with your theorys.Im truly sorry to hear about your wifes illness.And its very valiant of you to do this for your wife and family!
Since were on the drying subject.Yesterday when we were checking trichomes on the plants we cut a small lower bud off the bigger plant,which we never have done yet.we trimmed all the leafs off it and put it in a paper towel with it folded in half and put it on top of our dvr where warmth exhausts through vent holes.that was at 7 pm last nite.this morning I came downstairs and checked it out.It wasnt fully dry and it dosent have that fruity,citrusy smell anymore.it smells like lawn clippings.Is this from too much heat?too much light getting through the paper towel? Thanks for all your great info panhead


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## panhead (Feb 15, 2009)

Trichopathic1 said:


> First off, Thanks for sharing your situation with me,so that I better understand where your coming from with your theorys.Im truly sorry to hear about your wifes illness.And its very valiant of you to do this for your wife and family!
> Since were on the drying subject.Yesterday when we were checking trichomes on the plants we cut a small lower bud off the bigger plant,which we never have done yet.we trimmed all the leafs off it and put it in a paper towel with it folded in half and put it on top of our dvr where warmth exhausts through vent holes.that was at 7 pm last nite.this morning I came downstairs and checked it out.It wasnt fully dry and it dosent have that fruity,citrusy smell anymore.it smells like lawn clippings.Is this from too much heat?too much light getting through the paper towel? Thanks for all your great info panhead


What your smelling where it smells kinda like wet hay or grass is normal,the smell is comming from the Clorophyll that is breaking down in the leaf matter within the bud,the bulk of clorophyll that buds contain is in leaf matter,only very small amounts of clorophyll are contained in the pistill's & calyx's which make up the bulk of most buds,knowing this for smoother smoke its allways best to remove as much leaf matter as possible when trimming.

After the buds are 100% dried it takes a week or two before the bud starts to regain its skunk smell,buds that still smell like grass have not broken down all the clorophyll in the leaf matter & the smell is normal.


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 15, 2009)

wow, just caught up on the last page and this one......impressed.
You just gave me the idea to do my own study on my family, with this.
I always knew you knew your stuff pan, but never to that level. I'm all ears for any info. you can spare. Got two of my girls down last night and made a little bigger version of this, but in a tv. cabinet. 
It's in my journal in the sig, if interested. https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/124405-my-cabinet-grow-journal-77.html#post2085645


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## panhead (Feb 16, 2009)

lilmafia513 said:


> wow, just caught up on the last page and this one......impressed.
> You just gave me the idea to do my own study on my family, with this.
> I always knew you knew your stuff pan, but never to that level. I'm all ears for any info. you can spare. Got two of my girls down last night and made a little bigger version of this, but in a tv. cabinet.
> It's in my journal in the sig, if interested. https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/124405-my-cabinet-grow-journal-77.html#post2085645



Maybe im too blind to see but after looking twice i cant find any pics in your journal of your dryer,what page are the pics on ?


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## lilmafia513 (Feb 16, 2009)

when you click the link it takes you right to it, not just like yours, but got the fan and the intake for air, and just hung them up on string i ran. Tried to lay some to dry befor, and they go flat on one side. Just not dense enough i guess. So i hung them up.
They look tasty already and it's only been two days. The leaf edges (whats left) are getting curled in, but they still feel fluffy. They lost some smell already, but not all the way.


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## 420BudMan (Feb 21, 2009)

Hey panhead, you haven't gotten a chance to take any pics yet have you ??? It's the weekend and I'm off to the hardware store to buy my supplies, was hoping for some pics before this weekend.


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## LordDrast (Feb 21, 2009)

NIce idea looks slick


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## curbstop (Feb 23, 2009)

> After the buds are 100% dried it takes a week or two before the bud starts to regain its skunk smell,buds that still smell like grass have not broken down all the clorophyll in the leaf matter & the smell is normal


.

Awesome read. Hats off to you my good man, My question to you personally is. If the fruit is %100 dried, But the smell is gone, What do you personally do with it(before permanent storage) till the smell arrives back.


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## 420BudMan (Feb 23, 2009)

Alright, I thought I would share some pics of the start of my bud dryer, I'm basically in the middle of the build, but you should be avle to get the basics from what I've got done so far. Of course, props have to out to Al B. and Panhead for the initial desogn and builds, I only used their design to suit my own needs and felt I improved on it some as far as the rack mounts and vents are concerned. I bought some 2" round metal louvered vents and have eight of them, 4 on each side for incoming air along with 30 holes drilled in the top lid. The very bottom vents are just that, just for ventilation purposes, the next set towards the top of the tote serve as air intakes AND they are used to mount the lower/bottom screen. The top screen is mounted on the upper inside lid of the tote, they will only go in one way and only fit one way, VERY easy to take in and out, they just simply sit on the vents and the upper lip of the tote, they lift right out. I have a 6" booster fan reduced down to a 4" collector to a dryer vent and a carbon filter mounted on the outside of the dryer vent/ouitside of the tote. The fan will be put on a variable speed switch (waiting on that to arrive). I will also mount a green light at the very rear towards the fan intake for heat purposes, I will have a rain cap over the light and the light will also have it's own on/off switch with a slide dimmer to adjust the heat. Also, I bought everything to make my own screens, that way they are a perfect fit and very easy to take in and out, all materials to make your own screens for under $20.00 bucks and they look and function so much better in my opinion. Tell me what ya think so far. Special thanks to Panhead for starting this thread.


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## Trichopathic1 (Feb 24, 2009)

Thats a pretty sweet setup.I cant wait to build something like this.Makes me wanna go to home depot right now!! Awesome job on that Unit man 
+rep 4 sure Cant wait to see how it works
also Thanks to Panhead for starting this thread


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## mjr99 (Mar 1, 2009)

Someone out there should sell these. I'd buy one.


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## 420BudMan (Mar 1, 2009)

mjr99 said:


> Someone out there should sell these. I'd buy one.


There's plenty of people out there that sell them, they are all over ebay.

Contact foothill-carbon-filters on ebay, they sell them.


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## lilmafia513 (Mar 1, 2009)

mjr99 said:


> Someone out there should sell these. I'd buy one.


Why when you can build one like this man is showing you how to do right here.........


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## 420BudMan (Mar 1, 2009)

lilmafia513 said:


> Why when you can build one like this man is showing you how to do right here.........


I agree with you lilmafia, BUT, we do have to keep in mind that not everyone is mechanically inclined or not very good with handy work or making stuff on their own. Absolutely no offense to anyone not wanting to or not able to make their own, just stating the facts of life is all. 

Oh yea, thanks for the +rep on my dryer Lilmafia. +rep back at ya bro.


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## lilmafia513 (Mar 1, 2009)

420BudMan said:


> I agree with you lilmafia, BUT, we do have to keep in mind that not everyone is mechanically inclined or not very good with handy work or making stuff on their own. Absolutely no offense to anyone not wanting to or not able to make their own, just stating the facts of life is all.
> 
> Oh yea, thanks for the +rep on my dryer Lilmafia. +rep back at ya bro.


 Thanks, your right. sometimes i forget that i'm so used to building stuff all the time. I think everybody thinks like me.LOL!!Pass it on!


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## uptosumpn (Jun 15, 2009)

Wow!!! just read all 21 pages and i will def build about 4-6 of these for my perpetual harvests!!!!! Hey panhead, any pics of the finished tote? or anyone that was building one?????? ++rep to you pan....


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## Mattplusness (Aug 2, 2009)

Hey I was wondering, how much can this thing hold..? On average of course.


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## Cyproz (Aug 2, 2009)

isnt it better for the buds to dry longer tho without speeding it up. Something with the THC or something doing chemical stuff.


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## Mattplusness (Aug 2, 2009)

Cyproz said:


> isnt it better for the buds to dry longer tho without speeding it up. Something with the THC or something doing chemical stuff.


yeah it is. i'm just doing it with the tubs (no fan), would a cardboard box be easier? Yes.


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## lilmafia513 (Aug 6, 2009)

Mattplusness said:


> yeah it is. i'm just doing it with the tubs (no fan), would a cardboard box be easier? Yes.


 Panhead outlined how this dryer can be used and have no signs of error in drying the buds. This is a 4 day slow dry box. The only way you degrade THC on buds is if you try to quick dry them(oven,microwave,top of tv). 

I used the box that my reflector hood came in, ran strings inside through holes punched through the box, and hang buds on the string. Mine can be dry in about 4-5 days this way, but pans idea is still awesome. I will be building one of these one day.

I believe pan also once stated that he has a few of these dryers going on a regular basis, and has no complaints from anyone about difference in taste, smell, or burn.


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## Cpt Jack (Aug 8, 2009)

Just built a dry box from panheads idea, cheers man. Its mustard!! Made mine out of a cardboard box tho, 120cm x 60 x 100 (roughly) from my 50 inch tv box. Its been sat gatherin dust. got 4 shelves and only had a spare 4 incher to pull air through. couple more days should be there wit some nice jacko. Never cured before so gona try. how long do most people leave it curing? i suppose the longer the better ay but just wondered what everyone else does. do you cure yours pan?


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## lilmafia513 (Aug 8, 2009)

Cpt Jack said:


> Just built a dry box from panheads idea, cheers man. Its mustard!! Made mine out of a cardboard box tho, 120cm x 60 x 100 (roughly) from my 50 inch tv box. Its been sat gatherin dust. got 4 shelves and only had a spare 4 incher to pull air through. couple more days should be there wit some nice jacko. Never cured before so gona try. how long do most people leave it curing? i suppose the longer the better ay but just wondered what everyone else does. do you cure yours pan?


 The curing process is what brings out the taste,smell, and great high. If you dont cure you will be smoking partially wet bud, and it will taste like a plant.

After the buds feel crisp, like there is a thin crusty shield around the bud, you are ready to cure.
Put the buds in mason jars loosely, and put the lid on. Every day for one week open the jars and inspect the buds for mold or any other issues. If you find moldy weed throw it out. The inspecting process should last about 20-30 minutes to allow the air to move around the buds.
The nest week open the jars every other day.
The nest week open the jars two or three times throughout the week. After this point they arte ready, but you can let them cure longer for better results.


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## Gimme The Spliffff (Aug 9, 2009)

wow this is an awesome idea.. Im deff taking this idea...!!


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## silentx (Aug 18, 2009)

I just read from start to finish. Very interesting stuff and I hope to build a few of these in the future.


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## alex420cali (Aug 18, 2009)

thats an awesome drier! isn't better to dry the plant whole though? I always do the plant in one piece. check out this video of my 12 oz harvest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8JHmKj5rfs


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## mindphuk (Aug 18, 2009)

should cut a mirror or piece of glass for the bottom to catch all of the resin glands that fall off. Much easier to collect them than on the bare plastic bottom.


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## Harry Potter (Sep 12, 2009)

panhead said:


> Hooking up the exhaust fan you have several options,option number one is the most flexible,a standard inline fan from Home depot has 3 wires comming out of it,White = Hot,Black = Ground & Blue or Green = Neutral.
> 
> 
> I want to clarify what you said. Black is always (Hot or load) Red is the second (hot or load) White is always Neutral, and Green is always (earth or ground). load 1 to neutral = 120V load 1 + load 2 to neutral = 220V. Neutral and ground are connected back at the main box. so they are kind of the same thing. (not safe to use ground as a neutral lead but can be done).


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## milowerx96 (Sep 12, 2009)

well done dude


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## herbtoker420 (Sep 14, 2009)

panhead said:


> Hooking up the exhaust fan you have several options,option number one is the most flexible,a standard inline fan from Home depot has 3 wires comming out of it,White = Hot,Black = Ground & Blue or Green = Neutral.



holy hell is this guy tryin to kill someone???? black is hot 
white is neutral and 
green is ground!!!!!!!!!


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## potlike (Sep 14, 2009)

couple ideas I can see right off to add heat to it would be :

1. Using an Infrared lamp as marijuana doesn't respond to >700nm wavelength I believe.

2. Using a peltier device with an aluminum heat sink to warm the air.


That is all


-potlike


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## lilmafia513 (Sep 14, 2009)

herbtoker420 said:


> holy hell is this guy tryin to kill someone???? black is hot
> white is neutral and
> green is ground!!!!!!!!!


 you are right in USA thats how it is, maybe he is not from usa?


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## Harry Potter (Sep 14, 2009)

white, black, red, and green is universal


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## c5rftw (Sep 26, 2009)

I highly recommend not foolin with 220v if you dont half to. you can die from 120v, but it is highly likely that 220v will kill you or come damn near close... if you dont feel comfortable with what you are doin with electricity.. DONT DO IT. Also, if the neutral has a load being pulled through it, it WILL be hot too.


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## hiroshima (Sep 26, 2009)

c5rftw said:


> I highly recommend not foolin with 220v if you dont half to. you can die from 120v, but it is highly likely that 220v will kill you or come damn near close... if you dont feel comfortable with what you are doin with electricity.. DONT DO IT. Also, if the neutral has a load being pulled through it, it WILL be hot too.


alot less can kill you actually... its the Amps what get you.. not the voltage.

Hence why you can take 400,000 Volts from a stun gun and be ok as the ampre is low.

Still a valid point though... dont go messing around with electricity unless you are confident with what you are doing. If you are uncertain, then have asomeone who is a little more savvy look over your wiring prior to switching it all on


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## npsant (Sep 28, 2009)

Where do you find the design or plans to build the dryer


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## Harry Potter (Sep 28, 2009)

on the first page of this thread.


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## npsant (Sep 28, 2009)

Thank you for the information thread, I read your post I always thought there had to be a fast way, it seems things are coming together for today this info my grow equipment arrived today also, have to ready the room for setup this weekend. 

I will try and build it right and make you proud of your fine design improvements. 


Thanks again you and the RIU crowd are the best here's to better grows

Thanks Friend


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## npsant (Sep 29, 2009)

So the is no type of heater or anything that connects, it draws regular air through the holes?


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## npsant (Sep 29, 2009)

Look into home theater equipment thei is a fan system that has temp control Thermostat, we use them with cabinets packed A/V equipment which run pretty dam hot and if you have a entertaintment system that cost $10.000 and up these fans the answer, their systems with come complete with 2" - 3" duct work.


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## npsant (Oct 2, 2009)

Tis fan is duct booster fan right as listed at home depot?


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## npsant (Oct 3, 2009)

Hello again, Panhead is the blub just a regular green blub or a green heat blub and where in the dryer is the best spot to mount it in your opintion.


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## unclejohn (Oct 8, 2009)

Yea this looks really cool. totally agree with all that you said and its nice to see someone willing to tell it like it is. Im sorry to hear about your wife, she is in my thoughts. Where are the pictures of your drying contraption im a little confused as to how to find them? haha


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## megs (Jan 19, 2010)

panhead said:


> Hooking up the exhaust fan you have several options,option number one is the most flexible,a standard inline fan from Home depot has 3 wires comming out of it,White = Hot,Black = Ground & Blue or Green = Neutral.
> 
> Option number one (used on my other bud dryer) is to buy a male plug from home depot & attach it to the wires comming out from the exhaust fan,this will leave you a very short lead to plug an extension cord into,it will be like plugging a power tool into an extension cord.
> 
> ...


Holy crap! I'm an electrician from canada and our wiring is way different. ours is black=hot, white= neutral, green=ground.


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## panhead (Feb 18, 2010)

Mattplusness said:


> Hey I was wondering, how much can this thing hold..? On average of course.


Sorry for not answering the questions posed to me in my tutorials on tis site but i got extremely sickened by the children playing weed baron on this site derailing threads & tutorials & i gave up on sharing the things ive learned,i mostly only visit the site nowadays for research but occasionally ceck a thread or two.

Over the last year ive totally redsigned all of my dryers,the upgrades include jumping up in size to using 40 gallon holding bins that are able to hold 5 seperate shelves,ive also installed thermostrtats to every unit to automatically turn the heat on & off at desired drying temps.

The new dryers still dry in 3 or 4 days but are able to hold between a half lb up to 3/4 of a lb depending on bud size & density.


One of theese days i will post up some pics as well as instructions.

Take care all & be safe growing.


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## RasJames (Feb 27, 2010)

what would be the best way to filter the smell of a phototron growin 2 or so plants in a small closet


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## Shrike (Feb 28, 2010)

Hope to see pic's and tute's of your new upgraded dryers, Panhead...and thanks for all you have already contributed to us already...



panhead said:


> Over the last year ive totally redsigned all of my dryers,the upgrades include jumping up in size to using 40 gallon holding bins that are able to hold 5 seperate shelves,ive also installed thermostrtats to every unit to automatically turn the heat on & off at desired drying temps.
> 
> The new dryers still dry in 3 or 4 days but are able to hold between a half lb up to 3/4 of a lb depending on bud size & density.
> 
> ...


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## uptosumpn (Mar 3, 2010)

yeah thanks for all your great ideas...cant wait for the updates, wid pics of course!!!! much respect and ++ rep


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## The Lone Bonger (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks for posting this thread panhead. Gave me some great ideas for building my next setup. 

+rep and Respect


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## Dozun420 (Apr 12, 2010)

So do you do a final trim before putting the buds into the containers? Or do you leave them leafy still then do a final manicure after they are completely dry.


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## SativaSam13365 (Apr 12, 2010)

Natural drying is the only way to go...........


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## smifnwessun (Apr 12, 2010)

This is a clever setup.


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## NLNo5 (May 19, 2010)

Dood, this threads been around for a while. And I really think this is a good idea. But seems like a lot of work. Id just get a cardboard box about the same size. string some fishin line back and forth to hang the bud. Poke holes allaround the place. Stick a small 8 inch AC fan inside the end of the box cut a hole for the fan and have it blowing out. You could probably make it for free with stuff around the house. Tape the flaps of the box down with masking tape and just cut it open if you want to chedk the weeed. Like I always say, grow your weed at small cost to get the most enjoyment for your money.

Also anyone who's thinking about adding heat to the system, don't. The good organics on the weed have a semi-volatile vapor pressure and heat is just going to make the good juice leave the plant.


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## Favre2Harvin (Jun 9, 2010)

*I used this same idea same materials and all just a smaller rubbermaid tote and I used an old air hockey fan. +rep!*


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## IGrowSnow (Jun 9, 2010)

Maybe this is a newb question, but I was under the impression the longer you dry/cure the better the buds turn out. Hurrying the process reduces quality. Does this system circumvent that?


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## DragonScholarofMysteries (Aug 18, 2010)

Al B. Fuct said:


> Hey, that looks like it's got some potential! Menards is a bit of a commute for me, but someone in the USA will surely try out one of these vent pipe caps. Just got to work out how to keep all the light inside of it.


Set the intake at a 90 degree angle to the drying chamber, or 180 degrees for that matter. Make the inside surfaces of these chambers and tubes all flat-black in color. Just my 2 cents. You guys make me feel giddy all over, this is almost as fun as actually doing it!!!


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## DragonScholarofMysteries (Aug 18, 2010)

ACSCorp said:


> Well AlB, your diagrams showed a coffee can with fins and a secondary can over the one with fins to hold the light so the rain cap would just replace the first can or...
> 
> The rain cap can be outside the dryer with a bulb wired inside it. A "S" shaped light trap using pvc or galvanized elbow joints (painted black inside) would attach it to the dryer.
> 
> ...


Yeah, S-shaped... good one... SMART BUGGERS... I want you guys on my team when we go to the finals.


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## DragonScholarofMysteries (Aug 18, 2010)

lilmafia513 said:


> Well, i appreciate the DIY, plan on building one, and don't know exactly where i could get a food dehydrator for under $40.00, but even if i could i wouldn't use it for my weed.
> This is a little bigger than a dehydrator, seems to work a little better than one, and i don't have to look like a dumb ass for frying my weed in a dehydrator.
> Yup, i think i'll stick to this thing instead.
> Thanks for all your hard work, patience, and creativity PAnhead!!!!!


I second that thought, and I really like your Avatar.... Man oh man....


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## DragonScholarofMysteries (Aug 18, 2010)

panhead said:


> It depends on what type bud is drying,if its all fat ass colas the weight goes down,if its smaller buds the weight goes up,the finished weights are usually between a qp & a half pound every 3 days.


How many plants is that per type that you mentioned? Sounds like you put in one indoor plant's worth at a time, right?


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## d r0cK (Oct 13, 2010)

came across this thread yesterday.... so i figured id give it a shot and here's some pics of what i built.


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## BubalienBongabusta (Nov 28, 2010)

I think if we can all just come up with a " Rotisery Chicken" theory of a box possibly with a fan built into it thats just perfect.
Or maybe it would just work if you bought a thing for rotisery chickens and just installed the green light into it.
With just the right heat, just the right air flow, and just the right rotating of the buds to ensure them to dry even and fast. 
Call me crazy....but what if you blew C02 into the box with the hot air from the light bulb, while they rotate?!?

IDK , im just throwing things out there. GREAT thread! im def going to be using your lovely ideas  mucho thanks.


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## panhead (Dec 24, 2010)

Quick drying the bud PROPERLY bud has zero negative effect on the finished quality, or pleasurability of the smoke.

Once the buds are properly dried & all the clorophyl has decomposed & dissipated you'll not be able to tell any difference between my quick dried smoke vs long dry & cured smoke.


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## andjarew (Dec 31, 2010)

could i use an 8 inch inline fan instead of the 4 inch, and just make the holes bigger and stuff?


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## supaleeb (Jan 6, 2011)

andjarew said:


> could i use an 8 inch inline fan instead of the 4 inch, and just make the holes bigger and stuff?


Used an 8" fan for mine, but it's more modified than just the addition of a larger fan.. I use a system of rubbermaid drawers instead of one big tub.



Air is drawn passively through the interior of the structure through holes cut in the drawers, now filled with screen. Everything dries in 3-4 days.


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## endogarden (Mar 26, 2011)

supaleeb said:


> Used an 8" fan for mine, but it's more modified than just the addition of a larger fan.. I use a system of rubbermaid drawers instead of one big tub.
> 
> View attachment 1366162View attachment 1366161
> 
> Air is drawn passively through the interior of the structure through holes cut in the drawers, now filled with screen. Everything dries in 3-4 days.



I want to build a large capacity one such as yours! Do you think 8 of these stacked together with screens cut in each drawer bottom (except for the very bottom one) sealed together, maybe with gorilla tape, with an 8" duct fan in the top with panhead's homemade carbon filter bag will do the trick? I have hardly any horizontal space, but like 10 ft of vertical space, I want to make a multi drawered tall version of what you have. How do you control heat and humidity? What is your desired temp and rh%? Thanks for the sweet idea!


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## WeeGogs (Mar 26, 2011)

get a job in home depot and you will get 10% off and it will cost you $30. LOL


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## yesGrowingPassionyes (Jun 15, 2011)

WeeGogs said:


> get a job in home depot and you will get 10% off and it will cost you $30. LOL


lmao... this dude is too high for math.. or he skipped a grade lol...


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## panhead (Jun 15, 2011)

Cyproz said:


> isnt it better for the buds to dry longer tho without speeding it up. Something with the THC or something doing chemical stuff.


Im not trying to slam you but your post tells a story & warrants a response in a thread ive long ago abandoned.

The story your post tells is much the same as many other growers stories,they repeatedly read something being reported as fact ,over & over again they read, then before you know it they are repeating the hearsay that they have accepted to be factual information,then they advise others on what to do without ever knowing why the task they report as nessacary is nessacary to start with,anybody see the irony here ?

The main reason flushing is needed is to allow the green veg matter in the bud to release or dissipate the chlorophyll within the bud,chlorophyll is what makes bud taste harsh.

Contrary to popular belief among many growers the act of long term curing does not release excess ferfilizer left in the bud after drying,the compounds that make up fertilizer are elements that do not dissipate.

The only real benifit to slow drying is that if the grower dries at elevated heat levels above 80 degrees the thc starts to degrade,the same goes for the essential oils within the bud where cannaboids are stored.

As long as the temps are kept below 80 degrees nothing is lost in the quick drying process.


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## cues (Jul 1, 2011)

For my 2 cents worth, I have had to finish two grows in a hurry. One, i didn't flush (hydro). Came out bad, poor yield (10 days early) and it spat/sparked when lit. The second I harvested at the right time but dried in 3 days in a heated room, at 27C with a fan blowing past, but not directly at a clothes horse, then carefully cured at a mate's in glass coffee jars. Just asked him to open them up for an hour every time he saw moisture, and empty out onto a sheet once a week, rearrange and refill jars. Came out great! I think part of the trick is not to over-dry before curing so there is still some moisture in the centre of the bud and then bleed that out through careful curing. Also had the advantage that i had scrogged so all buds were of a similar size. No popcorn and no colas. Also helped that my mate didn't smoke but owed me a big favour (put him up and fed and watered him for 3 months when he came out of prison) so none went missing!


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## mastiffkush (Sep 4, 2011)

LoudBlunts said:


> good deal panhead!!!! i need to build a drying tub soon.
> 
> i also think i should put one in my cab....for that all in one deal.
> 
> i want to set up a carbon filter...im always worried about smell!!!


the tub is a good idea, but for people that need more space i would check out home depot in their wardrobe cabinet section, they have small to large at decent prices! You can utilize the same concept, use an intake and exhaust fan with racks and have more space for larger crops. I have seen them from 28"d x 42"w


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## Bsw9090 (Sep 21, 2011)

Hey Pan, I have been lurking for some time and looked over a lot of the posts and everything and this particular DIY struct my interest.

I love the idea but for a larger scale do you think it would have a potential to be upgraded from this concept to a 4'x4'x4' box while having fans and trays that roll out but when closed are sealed? And for airflow just have a 6 or 8" fan to pull air out, and as far as air entering, have a small slit on the trays to where some air could come into the unit but not excessively?

It is just a random idea that popped into my head and thought I'd run it by a few people and let others know of potential quick dry boxes..


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## ryanme123 (Dec 25, 2011)

hey pan how are you finding your dryer now you have used it over and over?? still got the green light in mate? just wanted to know if i should make one..


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## panhead (Dec 25, 2011)

ryanme123 said:


> hey pan how are you finding your dryer now you have used it over and over?? still got the green light in mate? just wanted to know if i should make one..


I ended up using a light bulb as pictured & covering up the bulb with a roof vent type metal cap,muck like a coffee can,any metal covering to block the light will work.

The dryer works so well i made several more kust like it with the addition of extra shelves,my new dryers can hold about an lb & still finish just as fast.

I love the dryers.


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## ryanme123 (Dec 25, 2011)

so what was the reason for covering the light up? wouldnt think a green-bulb would hurt the buds.. how many watt globe 40w party style green?


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## spex420 (Mar 27, 2012)

its so simplistic and cheap +rep to you sir nice job


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## panhead (Mar 29, 2012)

The reason light was blocked was so thefe was no chance of degrading thc or any canaboids,another reason was so the natural maturation process of thc that takes place in the abscence of light would not be lessoned.

Ive since found out that simply running a 60 watt green bulb set up with a thermostat controling the bulb works just as good as covering the bulb to block light,up until about 6 weeks ago i was a co owner of a medical co-op in michigan,ive since sold my interests back to the membership as well as selling my grow op & the building to the club,at the club we regulary sent samples of our most expensive med strains in for analysis of thc levels,i had the max number of patients allowed to a caregiver so my grow blew up pretty large,i ended up needing to use 6 dryers full time so i built additional machines.

A couple of the dryers didnt have covers over the light bulbs,when samples are tested the lab results are only good for one year,after that strains need retested at the lab ,later samples i sent in were from dryers where light was blocked as well as dryers were the buds were dryed under.green light,awhen comparing lab results against results from the previous years results any differences between them was negligable & were so small i concluded that green light did not need to be blocked.

I now have a tiny ass lil grow where i only grow 4 plants in soil under a single 600 watt so i dont need dryers any longer,i now hang dry my smoke using more common methods,i also have buds that were slow dried & have been cured for well over a year that are left over stock that was for the club,of all the different methods used to dry/cure these buds its all the same,good stuff.


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## oHsiN666 (Jun 11, 2012)

i have one fast question. i just purchased a 3x3ft tent and a 4" fan with carbon filter combo. my plan is to use this tent to dry in only. what else would you use to add to make this set up more efficiently? im trying to simulate your design, but on a slightly bigger scale. the tent and carbon filter/fan combo was only $250. so not cheap by any means, but i live in a very dry climate and am having major issues with drying properly. i may also be chopping at the absolutely worst time also... but will this set up work the same way? in theory it should, shouldn't?


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## oHsiN666 (Jun 11, 2012)

im sorry, i totally forgot about the "green light" in your dryer boxes. how beneficial or needed is the green light???


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## oHsiN666 (Jun 12, 2012)

i will be waiting patiently for a response.


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## Dalek Supreme (Sep 4, 2012)

oHsiN666 said:


> i will be waiting patiently for a response.


LOLZ! The green light was just a heat source that was originaly light proofed to prevent thc degradation.


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

panhead said:


> I thought of using a fish tank heater so i went to pet smart & opened one up & plugged it in,after it warmed up i licked my finger & touched it,those lil bastards get hot as hell,im sure it could be worked into the system with a thermostat but the fire aspect of it had me worried.
> 
> Im thinking of buying a couple of these mini dehumidifier devices & seeing how they work,supposedly they add heat & move air at the same time.
> 
> Air-Dryr 1000 Dehumidifier Moisture Humidity Dryer - eBay (item 200213972264 end time Apr-10-08 22:33:16 PDT)


use a light bulb old edison one to heat the airduct all intack to a bulb in a peice of metal liek teh fan is in and you can ajust temp with watt light out put


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

panhead said:


> My other dryer has been used twice & has completed both drying cycles in 4 days,the room i keep them in is pretty much a constant 76 degrees & humidity is kept at 40% in that room.
> 
> Im still working on the heat aspect of this where i can get something store bought & incorporate it into the design without worring about over heating or fire.



like the old easy bake ovens heated with teh bulb but with air flow into your box great idea on teh box will be making one of these!!!!!

thanks for reposting this idea!


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

panhead said:


> Im having excellent results with those home made carbon filters,im kinda pissed now that ive had a couple months using the home made job's,they work every bit as good as the first one i bought off ebay for $80,atleast i have a point of reference though, so i know how well the home made jobs should work.
> 
> Damm hydro shops are ripping us off for this stuff.


yes most stores do that


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

LoudBlunts said:


> panhead...i know you said you could just replace them....but maybe we could modify it to where we could just refill when necessary!!!!!


you could make a can in a can filter to fast pour ands go like in a fish tank 

put larger can with intake hole and put smaller can with smaller then pellet sized holes in in and fill th espace between them


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

DragonsBreath said:


> if you're using cooltubes and exhaust can't you just place the exhaust from your lights in the area of your bud dryer to give it the heat it needs to dry since the exhaust of the bud dryer will pull in the heat from the light exhaust?


yeah perfect


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

nice you got there with the light very good glad i kept reading did you get teh tray issue worked out? maybe make it sideways with etop being tehside to make loading and unloading faster 

cant wait to see what u came up with


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## only71 (Dec 29, 2012)

panhead said:


> I would think any of those ideas will work,im damm happy with the green light,it took the dry time down to 3 days with much more bud in the dryer.


add 2 lite and see how much it lowers the time


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## only71 (Dec 30, 2012)

panhead said:


> I never thought of that,i like it !


i wonder if any one has tried a food dehydrator they have adjustable temp settings 85f min to 155f and i assume you could paint the translucent covers

http://www.discountjuicers.com/dehydratorcompare.html


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## elkukupanda (Jan 1, 2013)

omfg... this post idea is simple and effective... it isn't about how to create weed out of a coffee plant.. and it's only 28 pages so far... you can find all the required info in the first 20 pages... i seen the guy answering the same questions and sarcasm over and over.. don't be fucking lazy... and read the entire thing...


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