Salutations,
It’s a pleasure to announce that preliminary 2-Fingers ideas finally confirmed in a non-equivocal fashion and hence i plan to implement single-hand multi-level PinHole control on my Classic VG Aluminium Handle, possibly in good time to publish some Father’s Day snapshot/version, i guess. Always keep in mind the “Prototyping Platform” was intended to guide further “Bi-Energy” DiY exploration integrating Induction Heat to “Plan-B”, e.g. where a Dual-Core Reversible Near-Symetrical LAVACapsule is also meant to support IH-driving performed at both sides in economic (non-Premium) mode, e.g. with airflow circulating from right to left only (the 2nd core behaves as a self-cleaning “Hot Filter” during reverse “reclaim” cycles):
This schematic expressed a “Pass-Through Pre-Heating” concept which actually dates back to March 3rd, 2016… In other words i finally experience satisfaction which proves worthy of a long expectative prelude indeed!
Apparently injection of Fresh Air directly ahead of the right-side Top-of-Bowl Brass Screen enhances the “shielding” effect of my 17-Holes Metal Disc by “shifting” transient dynamics into a lower “Plan-B” energy range, so to speak, yet in IH-driven mode it’s going to become a primary heat source as the main radiator… Most of the beauty in it being that only clean-burning butane Pre-Heating cycles need to benefit from such PinHole-assisted protection of a bowl, to promote its “conservation”; while i presume in “Plan-A” scenarios there’s not even a requirement to separate Pre-Heating from Inhalation.
Starting from there the level of unverified interpretation threatens to increase, all i can say it that Brass Tops are too heavy for wood Classic handles even in a short configuration. Consequently i’m refocussing on Aluminium Tops from now on and intend to extend that to Spherical versions of identical dimmensions to the original. The light increase of mass should help compensate for this decision to put aside Brass in favour of Aluminium, for multiple motives it turns out: brass tarnishes fast and eventually looks dull, the lighter material matches Classic-look Alu. hanldes and it’s also somewhat more rewarding in terms of crafting efforts vs results. Not to mention it’s quite significantly more affordable as well…
So in the end i think i’ll want a short and a long alu top of cylindrical shape, plus 1 alu sphere if i can help it! As for my Split-Paths On-Top Core-PH strategy i’m pleased this paid real dividends too, by providing all the versatility i can wish for during LEGO-Style evaluations.
While i think of it lets insist again that “Plan-B” was never supposed to become a purist’s “Plan-A”, mainly because i still can’t guaranty there won’t be lead (Pb, Plumbum) exposure potentially threatening to induce “Saturism” considering i can’t find “Bio” alternatives so far. Just a few days ago i was reminded of this old topic and hence i wish to include instructions which were revised in this crucial perspective:
- About Bowl loading, Always Fill and Never Pack. Keep in mind the Support Loop located right under a pipe’s Cannabic Bowl needs to be “flipped” after removal as this greatly eases re-insertion, simply by screwing it in clockwise. Bowl size/weight is ajusted to match a top’s temporary heat-storage capacity using that Support Loop.
- With butane and/or it’s related compounds present in the lungs path just make sure there’s ALWAYS a CLEAN-BURNING flame to convert butane from such stream into relatively safe superheated Water Vapor and Carbonic Gas, while taking care to inhale with much less force (by lifting the thumb over a pipe’s PinHole) to Pre-Heat the Hybrid Core of a customized Sphere almost SEPARATELY. Filtered butane is Paramount and proper lighter maintenance too.
- NEVER let a flame touch anything as this will result in the addition of soot plus other nuisances. All that is required to be captured by the Flame-Catcher to inject a “Heat Charge” (or “Energy Bubble”) has to do with the Energy-Carrying Exhaust + some Radiative Heat.
- NEVER light up or extinguist a butane lighter close to the Flame Catcher. Flint-Wheel Yellow-Flame models generate health-hazard particles in the spark while the Blue Flame ones may fail to consume butane cleanly (extinguish at random and/or spitting out some contaminant droplets not convertible by fire)… Briefly put, ALWAYS wait for a flame to STABILIZE before it’s taken close to the Flame-Catcher Aperture.
- When a primary PinHole is available lift thumb during Pre-Heating to enhance the Hybrid Core’s transitional “Shield” effect. Stop torching after the SiC Front Puck appears to glow dim-red (which reflects approximative temperature once that Sphere got sufficiently energized), e.g. between 2~5 seconds depending on a butane lighter. Past this power injection cycle use the temporary “Heat Charge” from the Hybrid Core WITHOUT any butane and/or related stream still present near the Flame-Catcher Aperture. This indirect/residual energy-source ALONE shall suffice to proceed with the actual Vaporization process.
- While vaporizing/inhaling try obstructing the PinHole in brief pulses, in very short bursts at first then increasingly longer to compensate for lost heat from the Hybrid Core as its energy reserve gets depleted. The periods with no PinHole-obstructive thumb in action contribute to oxygenation of the cannabic stream while promoting early detection of vaporization signs, especially hints as aroma/taste which appear to depend on minimal “Attack”/“Decay” periods around the pulse itself (to cut total “Baking” time)… Think of some method vaguely similar to “pumping” a car’s breaks in an emergy maneuver situation, the goal being to probe using a sequence of short pulses instead of attempting to get it done in 1 single long pulse. The start/stop transitions appear to cause TURBULENCE which helps with stream movement a lot.
- A ~125 mg Bowl provides about 5~6 tokes, the left-over can be made useful at a later time to produce relaxing cookies. Don’t forget that once in a while even an empty cannabic Bowl can provide some satisfying toke (or two) from a sticky/waxy screen alone. Evidently stronger cookies should result from leaving more THC behind. Yet these days i just prefer no to bother and vape it dry: used vegetal substrate falls off easily anyway…
- It’s time for cleanup maintenance when the pipe stops working as usual. Pick a pipe stick wetted with 94 % pure grain alcohol to clean wood VG Handles fast. NEVER allow the wood to absorb water as this would promote cracks in the wood. Metal models are to be prefered when condensed noble molecules need to be “reclaimed”, though these feel heavier in the hand while wood’s near organic-like aspects would prove more “sexy” (with the benefit of being an insulator). Alternately, wood is also an absorbing material so this makes it less desirable if/when resin reclaims are desired, especially during a user-training period. The back face of metal pipes proves handy for quick torch-cleaning of a screen (so it won’t generate metal fumes anymore…), with no risk of a skin burn as a result of mass nonetheless. Choose the “Classic” look Aluminium for superior aroma/taste performance + ease of maintenance (+ Single-Hand 2-Fingers manual PH control).
- Initially i found the genuine layout with VG’s DuckLips MouthPiece was getting uncomfortably hot, the addition of a half-ball stainless steel object down under my cannabic Bowl paved the way to lower-temperature cannabic vapor being sent towards the lungs; as an option it may also help to capture particles in the cannabic vapor using a tiny cotton ball which somewhat adds to the cooling action after getting moist. Half-sphere screens were gradually dropped in my more recent versions, at 1st in favour of an auxiliary PinHole located on the MP base, then my whole PinHole concept finally unfold as a Full-Fledged implementation offering 4 different Fresh Air admission sites along the path!..
- When attempting to reconfigure DuckLips MouthPieces to reflect the side-wise preference of an operator (e.g. right-handed vs left-handed positioning) try to never forget about twisting this part while pulling on it with care as its stem proved very brittle. Somehow an helix motion seems more gentle.
- The need for eye-contact on a flame tip may require some Flexible Plastic PVC Tubing Extension. A length around 12.5 cm will do and that’s a better place where to install the optional cotton ball (strongly recommended), unless a plastic/metal Mating junction is available of course. Last but not least, clear plastic makes it easy to monitor butane consumption based on water vapor condensation creating droplets in the tube after a potential abuse situation, or operating error, etc. The Tubing Extension ultinately opacifies if/when abuse continues. End the session and re-evaluate operator skills if this occurs, don’t forget to shake off liquid water droplets after removing that tube. Consider this a true “Harm Reduction” self-awareness feature.
The purpose of those directives is to address concerns inherited from VG’s original preference for “soft” yellow flames applied to a slow/steady consumption method & ritual. My switch to Dual Flames fully justifies the recent migration to metal tops but it’s still no absolute remedy to the old “contaminant”/“impurity” problem, though “Plan-B” truly proved necessary to prepare “Plan-A” where butane is only optional.
Experimenters are expected to be mature adults willing to use “Plan-B” for what it is, e.g. to gain perspective until ready to depend on Induction Heat + Distilled Water (or e-Liquid?) instead. Hot Dry Air remaining straightforward as an option… We don’t have to be doctors to worry that the problem with lead vs kids results from their human body having no means to eliminate it, which means this is a non-curable poison which accumulates slowly, hence it’s safe enough to fall-back to butane on occasions, for example for a grown up who’s lost in the woods when the touristic season arrives every year (…), but not OKay at all for chronic under-age consumers i think. So please exercise rational reasoning suitable for an intermediary phase in order to avoid the sacrifice of its final purist-compatible goal! Each good thing comes in its good time, a finished proof-tested layout shall serve as a basis for future IH-driven experiments, eventually. I wish someday i’d be able to promise a Classic Glass IH-compatible update but i just can’t, yet who knows what’s the limit with VG’s Monobloc Stainless Steel in such highly hypothetical context?
In the meantime…
The clear plastic Containment Bridge is another successful idea but this would render a sturdy/reliable design too fragile in comparison to what it used to be like. My options are to elongate alu. cylinders and seal the handle/top junction with a base “O-Ring” -or- find some relatively smaller tube made of suitable material (ideally, which is mechanically resilient and somewhat thermally-resistant…) to perform containment for wood handles. In both scenarios the chances are this PH Bridge will be opaque, lucky me that’s no real issue knowing it’s only channelling Fresh Air (nothing to see), euh…
M’well, that’s a lenghy text so maybe it’s about time for me to re-fill anyway.
Good day, have fun!! 
