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Opinions On Spinpro?


Highlander

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That's obvious to me.  I take my scissors and clip the leaves way up inside the buds. There's no way a machine without eyes is going to do that. It's just going to trim the buds like they are a Christmas tree. I can't believe anyone would grow with pride for months then trash the buds they grew with a Christmas tree trimmer. I'm really disgusted to hear about it. 

 

I can certainly appreciate anyone's position who doesn't like mechanically-trimmed buds, and all things being equal, I'd take the hand-trimmed buds too.  And not to sound defensive, here's a little food for thought and some of the things I kicked around before giving a trimmer a try.

 

  • I always snap off the larger leaves during a two week flush.  By the time it is time to trim, there are only small leaves left - the ones that won't simply snap off because they have a very small stem.  I'm not sure I've met anyone who trims all of those leaves deep into the bud.
  • What's so bad about a little extra leaf and stem that the trimmer doesn't get.  Those leaf bits are almost always covered in trichomes.  If the trichomes are the same on the leaf as on the bud, then who cares?  If the trichomes on the leaf have differences in cannabinoids than those on the bud, wouldn't you want a patient to also have some of those trichomes - for a similar reason that we encourage patients to use oil products with a broader profile?
  • Yes, a mechanical trimmer will knock off more trichomes.  But after talking to a few patients, they all agree that they'd be just as happy with a sack of such buds and a little bit of hash scraped out of the bowl vs. hand-trimmed buds.
  • Also, talking to a few patients, I was told by each that they'd rather pay less money for raggity buds if the option exists.  I'd estimate that manual trimming necessitates about 75% of the total labor involved in growing and preparing meds.
  • I'm very possibly/probably in the minority, but I don't care what the meds look like that I use myself.  I care how they affect me and how much they cost. 

Personally, I see what looks like a lot of "bud-snobbery" with some people I've met.  A few years ago, I delivered a new strain to a patient.  It was a sativa and kind of airy as far as the buds.  The patient hated it and said he never wanted that strain again.  The next harvest of the same strain, I trimmed the plant and after letting it dry for a few days, I took a few nuggets and gently rolled them between my hands to compact them.  Then I told the new patient "I have something new for you to try." I gave him a small bag for free and guess what, he loved the meds.

 

I guess I see this discussion very similar to lab testing.  I mean, geeze, who would spend all that time and care growing a plant only to deliver it with no quantitative data about its cannabinoid profile?  I don't see lab testing as something patients need if their meds are working as needed.  I don't see hand-trimming as something a patient needs if their meds are working as needed.

 

So we try to balance cost with quality (visual quality too, for some anyway) and deliver a product that meets a patient's needs.  To me, taking pride in the visual appearance of a bud should be a very low priority compared to effectiveness, cost, etc.  What makes me proud are positive patient outcomes.

 

We could look at an extreme example.  If it took four hours to trim one oz by hand and 15 minutes using a trimmer, what would the patient want?  I don't want to spend hours every week trimming buds.  I'd far rather offer a patient a choice.  Hand-trimmed for one price, machine trimmed for another price, and not trimmed at all for a lower price still.  Just like with the lab testing position - let the patient determine what the best fit is.

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Not even spring-assisted?

 

Luddite...

 

Hand trim, never spin, please. Patients want the sugar on the bud not the bowl.

 

Before I bought a trimmer, I talked to patients to see what they thought.  Everyone said they'd be just as happy to get meds in a jar and a small container of sugar that they can sprinkle on a joint or bowl.  Some were excited about the idea because it would be easier to get a strong dose when needed and allow them to better control doses.  I tend to offer patients what they want and what works for them - not what I believe they should want.  Maybe I'm just lucky that I don't need to hand-trim to please patients anymore.  It takes a big burden off me and lets them get meds for a bit of a discount.  I just don't see a problem with that.

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Before I bought a trimmer, I talked to patients to see what they thought.  Everyone said they'd be just as happy to get meds in a jar and a small container of sugar that they can sprinkle on a joint or bowl.  Some were excited about the idea because it would be easier to get a strong dose when needed and allow them to better control doses.  I tend to offer patients what they want and what works for them - not what I believe they should want.  Maybe I'm just lucky that I don't need to hand-trim to please patients anymore.  It takes a big burden off me and lets them get meds for a bit of a discount.  I just don't see a problem with that.

 

Just my preference in reference to Bill's comments not you directly. You seem a professional caregiver from your posts and comments. Whatever you choose to do is obviously working.

 

What would you prefer? A hand-manicured bud or one from the machine?

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Just my preference in reference to Bill's comments not you directly. You seem a professional caregiver from your posts and comments. Whatever you choose to do is obviously working.

 

What would you prefer? A hand-manicured bud or one from the machine?

 

For me it would come down to cost, really.  If they were the same price, then hand-trimmed for sure.  But say I could get 1 oz of machine trimmed for $180 or hand trimmed for $200, I'd probably go the machine route.  I also understand that there is some concern with damaging trichomes.  I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but since I grind my buds up before use, I'm unconcerned about that.

 

In my view, it is about patients having choices.  I was talking to someone recently, I think it was Phaque, who said he leaves quite of bit of leaf on his buds when he trims, as long as the leaves are frosty.  I think his CG brings him untrimmed bud.

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Everyone I know complained. But that's because I showed them how it was supposed to look.

aha, I was a consumer, not a grower, until 2008. I didn't even give 2 thoughts to a person trimming cannabis, only

if my dealer was stocked when I needed it. when I did buy in bulk for the savings I do recall removing sticks once and weighing in a quarter ounce under, oh well I thought. now though my patients would have a kanipchit if a stem poked out lol

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aha, I was a consumer, not a grower, until 2008. I didn't even give 2 thoughts to a person trimming cannabis, only

if my dealer was stocked when I needed it. when I did buy in bulk for the savings I do recall removing sticks once and weighing in a quarter ounce under, oh well I thought. now though my patients would have a kanipchit if a stem poked out lol

 

Reminds me of a patient who wanted really bid buds - probably for show, so I'd bring him the entire cola loaded with buds.  He loved it, but biotched that he was also paying for stem.  So the next time I brought him bare stems of the same length of the cola but from lower on the plant, so they were thicker.  I'd weigh those stems and then add extra bud to his jar to more than make up for what he lost.  He was happy.  I was happy because it saved me a lot of time cutting each bud off the stem and trimming the "inside" of the bud.  He was also pleased to get extra stems for making tea (I think).  Win-Win.  Everyone is happy.  That's my goal.

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For me it would come down to cost, really.  If they were the same price, then hand-trimmed for sure.  But say I could get 1 oz of machine trimmed for $180 or hand trimmed for $200, I'd probably go the machine route.  I also understand that there is some concern with damaging trichomes.  I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but since I grind my buds up before use, I'm unconcerned about that.

 

In my view, it is about patients having choices.  I was talking to someone recently, I think it was Phaque, who said he leaves quite of bit of leaf on his buds when he trims, as long as the leaves are frosty.  I think his CG brings him untrimmed bud.

 

I only recently encountered machined flowers in the "never bricked" world. I have no beef with c.g.s doing what they can to keep their hands and costs in good shape.

 

Do people want handmade sports cars? Do they buy a Focus because it is practical and what they can afford? And they will love their new car because it does what they need it to. They'll still prefer the handmade.

 

Perhaps the near future will have an option for "Hand trimmed" or "Machine processed" when we make a selection from the vending machine.

 

I'm in Phaq's camp. I'll deal with some extra leaf in the name of reduced post growth adulteration. Weight means less to me than other people though and I know it is a sensitive subject for people thinking they are getting ripped off for leaf material.

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those sugar leaves often add great flavors to the bud too, and they dry first for sampling!I trim to each patients specs. some want big stick colas, some snipped little buds. No bother either way.

What do you think about the difference in weight proportions - frosty leaves vs buds? My take is that because leaves weight nearly nothing, that dried sugary leaf would have a higher ratio of cannabinoids to other plant matter than would buds. I've met at least a few patients who have resorted to smoking or vaping leaf when nothing else was available, and they were pleased with the results.

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Not even spring-assisted?

 

Luddite...

 

Hand trim, never spin, please. Patients want the sugar on the bud not the bowl.

Try trimming a 8-10 plant crop in one night with those scissors your hands going to be swollen and useless I know mine give out about half way and I just shuck the buds off the stalk into a bowl and start over in a day or so .

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Try trimming a 8-10 plant crop in one night with those scissors your hands going to be swollen and useless I know mine give out about half way and I just shuck the buds off the stalk into a bowl and start over in a day or so .

Yup. Either that or you have to give up before you're finished and hang them to dry. Then it's twice as hard to trim them.

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Yes sir and my hands end up feeling like a truck backed over them I enjoy playing guitar so trimming actually steals joy from me .

 

Indeed. Trimming a large grow by hand is not good, especially for musicianship. A lighter trim though and leaving more for the end user can be good for a c.g.

 

Impossible to state it enough times: I have no qualms with however people want to trim. I respect the work growers put in. I've worked a pair of scissors enough times to know the work involved and its effect on guitar playing.

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Before I bought a trimmer, I talked to patients to see what they thought.  Everyone said they'd be just as happy to get meds in a jar and a small container of sugar that they can sprinkle on a joint or bowl.  Some were excited about the idea because it would be easier to get a strong dose when needed and allow them to better control doses.  I tend to offer patients what they want and what works for them - not what I believe they should want.  Maybe I'm just lucky that I don't need to hand-trim to please patients anymore.  It takes a big burden off me and lets them get meds for a bit of a discount.  I just don't see a problem with that.

Yup, you are lucky. Give them what they want. But the standard of our industry is well trimmed buds. I'm still doing it out of pride. If you get into a competitive market you will have to trim well or just supply yourself. Most folks appreciate a well trimmed bud if they have a choice. 

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Yup, you are lucky. Give them what they want. But the standard of our industry is well trimmed buds. I'm still doing it out of pride. If you get into a competitive market you will have to trim well or just supply yourself. Most folks appreciate a well trimmed bud if they have a choice. 

 

I don't intend to get into a competitive market. 

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Use a camera without a GPS and photobucket.com

 

Yes I use a Nikon D600 - simply awesome.  The camera is all about GPS, etc. but I can avoid the details.  Then I import pics to photoshop and scrub the details.   I just don't know how to post pics as I've never done it before.  If you have some pointers as to uploading/posting, it would be helpful. 

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