A joint roller turns a sloppy, lumpy hand roll into a tight, even cone in about a minute. The Raw roller is the one most people own, but every roller with a fabric or plastic apron works the same way. Here's exactly how to use one, which size to buy, and how to fix the most common problems.
What You Need
- A joint roller (the Raw roller is the classic)
- Rolling papers that match the roller size
- A filter tip or crutch
- Ground flower. A medium grind works best. A grinder makes this easy.
- A rolling tray to catch whatever spills
How to Use a Raw Rolling Machine, Step by Step
1. Open the roller
Pull the two rollers apart so the apron sags into a little trough between them. That trough is where your flower goes.
2. Add your tip and flower
Lay the filter tip at one end of the trough. Then spread your ground flower evenly along the rest of it. Don't overfill. You should still be able to close the roller without flower spilling out the sides. For a standard 1¼ roller, about half a gram to three-quarters of a gram is right.
3. Close it and pack it
Push the two halves together. Put your thumbs on the rollers and spin them toward you five to ten times. This is what packs the flower into a tight, even shape. More spins means a tighter joint.
4. Load the paper
Take a paper and hold it with the glue strip facing you and at the top. Slide the bottom (non-glue) edge down into the gap between the rollers, on the side closest to you. It should tuck in behind the packed flower.
5. Roll it up
Spin the rollers toward you again. The apron pulls the paper in and wraps it around the flower. Keep going until only the glue strip is sticking out.
6. Seal and finish
Lick the glue strip, then give the rollers one or two more spins to seal it. Open the roller and pull out your joint.
7. Pack the tip
Tap the filter end on the table so the flower settles, then use a pen, poker, or the other end of a lighter to gently pack the open end. Twist the extra paper closed.
Which Size Roller Do You Need?
| Roller size | Paper size | Makes |
|---|---|---|
| 70mm | Single wide | Small, thin joints |
| 79mm | 1¼ | The standard joint. Most people start here. |
| 110mm | King size | Big joints and blunts |
Match the roller to your papers. A 1¼ paper in a 110mm roller won't wrap all the way around.
How to Roll a Blunt With a Raw Roller
Use a 110mm roller and a king size paper or a hemp wrap. Load it the same way, but go a little heavier on flower and a little lighter on the spinning, since wraps are thicker and less forgiving. Tuck, roll, and seal with a little extra moisture on the edge.
Troubleshooting
- Paper won't catch: make sure the non-glue edge goes in first and all the way down into the gap. Rolling the paper back and forth a few times first helps it tuck.
- Joint is loose or floppy: you didn't pack it enough. Spin more before loading the paper, or add a bit more flower.
- Joint is too tight to pull: too much flower or too fine a grind. Use a little less and grind a bit coarser.
- Paper tears: your paper is too small for the roller, or you're spinning too hard at the end. Go gentle once the paper is in.
- Apron is stretched out: it happens with use. Replacement aprons are cheap, and a stretched one makes loose joints.
Once It's Rolled
Don't toss it loose in your pocket or bag. It'll bend, flatten, or dry out. Our Stashlight is a smell-proof, waterproof aluminum doob tube with a refillable lighter built into the cap. The Regular fits a standard 1¼ joint (up to about 3 inches), and the XL fits king size (up to about 4.5 inches). Your joint stays in one piece, and the lighter is always right there.
Ready to smoke it? Here's how to light a joint so it burns evenly.
FAQ
Do you need a filter with a joint roller?
No, but it helps. The tip gives the joint structure while you roll, keeps flower out of your mouth, and gives you something to hold.
How much weed goes in a joint roller?
About 0.5 to 0.75 grams for a 79mm (1¼) roller, and around 1 gram for a 110mm king size.
Can you use any papers in a Raw roller?
Any brand works, as long as the paper size matches the roller size.
Is a joint roller better than rolling by hand?
For consistency, yes. A roller gives you the same tight, even joint every time. Rolling by hand takes practice but gives you more control over shape.