The only costly amount to the DIY is the Mold. you can get some retired molds online or buy a new one like i did. I learned mostly from watching online. Also we have a shop in town that has a roller, and he has taught me a couple things.

I have less than 100$ invested and i have about 2lbs of tobacco right now, the mold, glue etc..
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Very interesting that you posted this and I thank you. It reminded me of how and why I first got into the cigar world and found these forums learning about cigars. I originally was going to go this route and get tobacco from other places after I learned the different tastes origins etc but ended up with fear that the leaves i get may taste like dog rockets so then I decided to take it a step further and found a place to buy seeds grow it , build a place to ferment it and got stuck on where to hang it that would be climate controlled and no mold and a place same way to start the seedlings and first stage.
So I put in on hold thinking that with the cigars out there and the money I would pay for on leaves of same quantity of cigars yet better quality it may not be worth my while but I stayed somewhat unsatisfied holding on 2 dreams. So again I thank you this refreshed me. And I'm glad your enjoying yourself.
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If you are just getting started you can also skip the mold and use news paper. Just bunch as you normally would but then wrap it in newspaper and twist the ends like a tootsie pop.
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Thanks for the pictures of your setup. It must be pretty rewarding smoking one that you rolled yourself. I will have to try it one day. :-)
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Last question...I promise. Do you need a vice for the press, or do you just stack some books or other heavy objects on it?
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The original mold that I had used 5 bolts with wing nuts to tighten it down, the new mold will be compressed using weight, I am also looking into getting an old wine press or something along those lines.
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My issue right now is finding good Long small ring Gauge molds for a good price
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Got a bid on a 20 ct perfecto mold, I also want to find a corona but 7 inch. What would be nice is to find a place I can get leaves similar to generals leaves or AVO but have a few blends that sound tasty written down. Only issue with that is what grade they are ? Would hate to roll up some turds and smoke them for me upcoming 10 yr sobriety in Feb. But I figurwe start with tobacco get good at rolling and make my way to lanceros and better baccy.
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Wow thanks for the info and pics, keep us posted!!!
If you need a blind taste tester let me know:-)
I would love to get into this but it would be a huge downer if they all came out to be dog rockets:-)
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got some CT shade leaf for the wrappers. I also have Ligero, and Seco fillers from nicaragua.
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and here is organizing the wrappers, spreading them out as they were bunched together, moistening the leaves etc..
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Very nice, thanks for the pics!
Can't wait to hear how they taste!
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that is very cool I would like to try it
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Nice picks, the ct shades look smaller than what I expected.Tell me how they work. Are you cutting the vein out or rollin it out and keeping it whole?
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cutting out the vein and wrapping with the half
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some more today, using a CT shade leaf wrapper, Dominican Ligero and Seco filler so it should have some bite, but look pretty.
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Very nice thread and pic. Some friends of mine have always talked about going to one of the rolling your own events at the B&Ms around here but have never made it you. Can't wait to see more pics of the hobby and to hear how they are smoking.:-)
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Keep the pics coming I love this thread!
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you can smoke these pretty much right after?
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just had one :-)

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How was it?
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