The King Kone Dutch Closer Machine

The King Kone Pre-Roll Filling Machine is one of the fastest and most versatile ways to fill pre-rolls that we’ve discovered. But like many (though not all) cone-filling machines, closing the filled pre-rolls is something that has to be done by hand, slowing down the entire production process.

In fact, hand-closing pre-rolls is the No. 1 pain point in pre-roll production we hear about from manufacturers around the country.

Thankfully, the new King Kone Closer is here to not only address that pain point, but speed up your production process and potentially save you money. It takes a little practice, but quickly becomes a fast and simple way to close cones.

So let’s get into exactly what is involved with the new King Kone Closer, how it can help your business and why it’s a must-have addition to any King Kone Machine.

The Problem: Closing Pre-Rolled Cones

The King Kone Cone-Filling Machine is fast and versatile when it come to packing up high-quality pre-rolls. It’s adjustable, vertical bounce motor helps ensure a perfect pack every time, whether you are packing mini dogwalker cones, 84mm half-grammers or 109mm full-gram king size pre-rolled cones, there are no floppy filters and a smooth, canoe-free smoke every time.

And with the ability to fill up to 169 pre-rolled cones in a single cycle, its packing speed is near legendary.

However, despite those advantages, when we conducted our Battle of the Pre-Roll Machines, the King Kone finished second to a machine that does not fill as many pre-rolls in a single cycle, simply because every single pre-roll filled by the King Kone had to be hand-folded or twisted by an employee.

Meanwhile, the other machine had a closing tool that sped up the closing process, allowing for the smaller machine to easily surpass the King Kone’s totals.

But now, with the King Kone Closer, it's easier than ever to give all 169 pre-rolls a Dutch Crown-style finish.

The King Kone Closer: Out of the Box

A rather large piece of equipment, the King Kone Closer comes with the device itself, the double-sided Pin Assembly, which has long, clear acrylic pins on one side and star shaped pins on the other, as well as the Closing Tray and a single, size-specific Cone-Holding Tray.

Holding Trays are available in all sizes, from 70mm mini dogwalkers, to half-gram 84mm 1 ¼ size, to our Special 98mm size that will hold about ¾ of a gram and king size 109mm full-gram cones.

However, and this is important, if you choose the 109mm full gram size, you will need to purchase a special new 109mm Filling Tray for your King Kone Machine. The new trays are designed to allow the Pin Assembly to push the filled cones out through the bottom and into the Holding Tray. However, the original 109mm trays do not allow for that, so be sure to add a new 109mm Filling Tray to your bundle if you plan to use the Dutch Crown Closer on that size pre-rolled cone.

Operating the King Kone Closer

As noted, using the King Kone Closer takes a little practice to get used to, but once locked in, it will definitely speed up your production line. There’s no trick to it. It’s just about memorizing the steps and making sure your positioning is correct before pulling the lever.

But let’s start with a few quick safety notes that we at Custom Cones USA have discovered from using the machine in-house.

First, note the holes in the base of this machine. These are designed so that you can firmly attach your King Kone Dutch Crown Closer to your work bench. It is not necessary for use, but we recommend it if you have a permanent location planned for the machine.

We have found that while the Closer is well-balanced for taller people who can more easily put downward force on the handle, some of our shorter Pre Roll Experts ended up pushing down the handle at an angle and force that caused the machine to tilt forward and/or slip on the work surface, potentially falling.

Using screws or bolts to attach this machine to a table will ultimately make it more sturdy and secure.

Speaking of the handle, be sure that when you return it to its top position, it's all the way back and fully in position. If it is not, the handle may fall forward and can clip you or your employee in the head. So think of this like an airline tray table: When not in use, you want to make sure it is in the full upright and locked position.

Finally, the transfer ring slides up and down inside the machine, so be careful of your hands as it can slip and pinch your fingers or hands as it falls, which can be painful.

Closing Pre-Rolled Cones with the King Kone Closer

Begin by using the King Kone Cone-Filling Machine as you normally would. However, and this is critical, make sure your fill is even and leaves between 3-5mm of paper unfilled that can be folded over. If you don’t leave enough paper for the machine to fold over, it isn’t going to work.

Also, another reminder that if you are making 109mm 1-gram pre-rolls, you are going to need to buy a new, special Filling Tray if you plan to use the closer.

Once your cones are filled, lift the Work Tray so the cones protrude from the bottom and then place the tray in the Transfer Ring of the Dutch Crown Closer.

Next, slide the Pin Assembly Tray into position with the clear, acrylic pins facing down. If you need to, adjust the Pin Alignment Tray – the built-in thin, black ring on the tray that slides up and down and can help keep the acrylic pins straight and properly lined up.

Once your pins are lined up, give the handle a pull. That should push your packed cones into the Closing Tray. This is called The Transfer Process. But again, be careful when using the handle, especially when returning the handle to its raised position. Make sure it is all the way back to prevent it from falling.

With your handle in the full upright position, remove the Pin Assembly and the empty Packing Tray. Your pre-rolls should now be in the Closing Tray. Again, this is a good chance to check your pre-rolls to make sure you have the right amount of paper left so it can be folded over.

Now slide the Cone Folding Tray into its position on the Transfer Ring and push it down – hard - onto your cones so it gathers the paper into the middle of its star shape and can be folded by the machine. When you do this, you want to hear the paper crunch because that means the tops of your cones are in the right position and ready to be folded over.

Now put the Pin Assembly back in place, but this time, flip it over so the star pins face down. Once you’ve slid the Pin Assembly back into position, pull down on the handle again to fold over the 3-5mm of paper you left unfilled. You may want to do this a few times, just to ensure all of the paper gets folded and tamped down. It also may take some force so don’t be afraid to give it a little elbow grease.

Visually check that all your cones are folded over and then return the handle to the top position. Then, remove the Pin Assembly, flip it back over so the acrylic side is down and slide it back into position.

Use the Pin Alignment Tray to make sure everything is lined up with your pre-rolls and then pull the handle one more time to force the filled, folded cones through the bottom of the tray.

Now, this may take a little more force than before, and even more force if your cones are overpacked, so don’t be afraid to give this a decent crank.

The hardest part is to remember the order of usage for the Pin Assembly: Clear-Star-Clear.

Final Thoughts on the King Kone Dutch Crown Closer

And believe it or not, that’s all there is to it.

It sounds like a lot, but again, after a run-through it gets easier and faster. Not only will the King Kone Dutch Crown Closer speed up the back end of your production process, but create pre-rolls that look better, light smoother and are less likely to canoe or run that a twist top.

Just remember, the Pin Assembly usage order is “Clear-Star-Clear.” With that in mind, everything else will become second nature.

One more reminder that if you plan to close 109mm King Size full-gram cones, you need to buy the new 109mm Filling Tray to use in your King Kone, as the original tray does not work with the King Kone Dutch Crown Closer.

And as always, if all else fails, contact the Pre-Roll Experts at Custom Cones USA. We’ll help you get through it.