EZ Trim Bud Bucker

How the EZ Trim Bud Bucker Takes Flower Off the Stem

A branch goes into one of the entry holes tip first. Rollers inside grip the stem and draw it through. The hole is smaller than the flower, so the flower stays on the near side and the bare stem comes out the back. That is the whole job, and the machine does it in a few seconds per branch. The eight holes sit in two banks of four. Each bank carries four tip sizes, 5/32, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 in, and the tips unscrew so a bank can be set up for one stem thickness. The tips protrude from the face rather than sitting flush. Flower coming off the stem is pushed clear of the plate instead of being pressed against it by the next bud down the branch. A geared motor turns the rollers, rated 228 W with 101 lb-in of torque at 170 RPM, running from 120 or 240 VAC at 1.9 A. Speed is variable from a control box, and there is a reverse for backing a jammed stem out. Everything the plant touches is 6061 aluminium or silicone, and the control box, motor and cord are UL certified components. One operator clears a plant every one to five minutes and two operators a plant every one to two. Front, rear and top tables are built in: flower lands on the front table, stems on the rear, and the top is a prep surface. The frame weighs 116 lb and stands 42 in long, 28 in wide and 46 in high. The machine is made and assembled in the USA and carries a three year warranty.

Running a Commercial Bucking Machine Through a Harvest

A commercial bucking machine earns its place by keeping the trimmers fed, because bucking by hand is where a harvest crew stalls. One person on the machine replaces three to five people with scissors at the same table. Set the speed by the material. Wet stems are flexible and the flower hangs on, so wet material runs at the higher speeds. Dry flower shatters if the rollers snatch at it, so keep the dial low and let the stem come through slowly. Match the tip to the stem rather than forcing a thick stem through a small hole. The reverse is there for the stem that jams anyway, and a few seconds backing it out beats pulling it by hand. Prep the plant before it reaches the machine. Cut the branches off the main stalk and strip anything the operator does not want in the flower bin. Stack the branches tip towards the machine. A second operator on the other bank roughly doubles what comes off the machine in an hour. Clean at the end of every shift. Blow the loose debris out with compressed air and wipe the metal with denatured alcohol or a heavy duty degreaser. Take the rollers back with a rag and alcohol. A plastic putty knife lifts heavy resin without scoring the aluminium. Unscrew the tips and the chute and soak them. A pressure washer is fine on the frame, and the one thing it must never reach is the speed control box.

Key Features

• Eight entry holes: Two banks of four, so two operators feed one machine.
• Four tip sizes: 5/32, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 in, interchangeable and unscrewable for cleaning.
• Protruding tips: Flower is pushed clear of the plate instead of crushed against it.
• Wet or dry: Variable speed from a control box, fast for wet, slow for dry.
• Reverse: Backs a jammed stem out of the hole.
• 80 to 150 lb an hour: With two operators feeding.
• Geared 228 W motor: 101 lb-in of torque at 170 RPM, 120 or 240 VAC.
• Food grade contact surfaces: 6061 aluminium and silicone, with UL certified electrical components.
• Three tables built in: Front for flower, rear for stems, top for prep.

Technical Specifications