Pen Focus Vaporizer

[Elac]

In the mean time, I'm also waiting on two Ti GH's, but something tells me they won't be the answer to my eternal search for the perfect vape

Same boat here.
I am more than willing to be part of an 'open source' community based vaporizer team.
Let's build what WE want a vaporizer to be.

 

[MonkeyTime]

Same boat here.
I am more than willing to be part of an 'open source' community based vaporizer team.
Let's build what WE want a vaporizer to be.

Not sure what I could contribute, but I'd be up for that

 

[Hammahead]

I'll have to check again

I could imagine stickstones refers to the Flowermate Aura. Pretty much fits your list. No exchangeable battery though.

 

[moondog]

I could imagine stickstones refers to the Flowermate Aura. Pretty much fits your list. No exchangeable battery though.

Thanks. I should have been clearer whit my list. Swappable battery is item #1 and is, until someone convinces me otherwise, non-negotiable. If I can't replace the battery myself, a vape is out of the running. I realize how much this limits my choices, but...

 

[stickstones]

Found it. It's the V3.0 Air and the V3.0S Pro

 

[Elac]

Want to get huge cool rips from either Focus?
For <$5 you can make one of these:

20" - 3/8 i.d. X 1/2" o.d tubing
1 - barb tee to fit tubbing
Not the prettiest but works well. Try 392F or higher with only one air flow hole open.

 

[moondog]

I have written to the Focus Vape people to ask them about the out-gassing problem. I want to see what they say before I give up and send it back.

 

[Chose]

I have written to the Focus Vape people to ask them about the out-gassing problem. I want to see what they say before I give up and send it back.

Ime sorry to hear you have had two bad vapes I was looking forward to hearing your opinion on this vape
I like mine not as mutch as my hopper or my beloved solo
But I use mine as a party vape so simple to pass around to none vapers but gets the job done with out the stress of them droping your high end gear and you having to drop kick them in the head
Loool
Just joking I'm a none violent human

 

[moondog]

Ime sorry to hear you have had two bad vapes I was looking forward to hearing your opinion on this vape
I like mine not as mutch as my hopper or my beloved solo
But I use mine as a party vape so simple to pass around to none vapers but gets the job done with out the stress of them droping your high end gear and you having to drop kick them in the head
Loool
Just joking I'm a none violent human

Thanks. I'm actually hoping the Focus folks come back saying that the unit should not smell at all and if I get a third one it should be fine. I'm looking for the Focus to fit the same role as you. That way I don't have to let anyone touch my Precious (grasshopper) when it arrives.

Since His Highness and others have stink-free Focus units, I don't think my hope is completely groundless, but we'll see.

If I ever get a Focus Pro I can actually use, I'll be sure to post a review here.

 

[Hammahead]

Since His Highness and others have stink-free Focus units, I don't think my hope is completely groundless, but we'll see.

I'm saying this with the utmost respect… I think if you're the type to be annoyed by a "light" chemical smell, this one might not be for you. The thing with your sense of smell (and thus taste) is, that it's a very old and basic sense, and it's hard or even impossible to ignore anything that's potentially irritating. So I really do believe it's possible that two different people would judge the smell of the very same FocusVApe quite differently, because that's exactly what happened to me this weekend.

I used the FocusVape with an old lady-friend of mine who is a bit notorious for having a real high definition sense of smell and taste. I like to call her the "Fat Lady of Limbourg" - after the same titled Brian Eno song:

"But her sense of taste is such
that she'll distinguish with her tongue
the subtleties a spectrograph would miss"
​

She's the kind of person who _really_ tastes a _huge_ difference between a bottle of wine for EUR 20 and the one for EUR 200, when I can actually enjoy the cheap Syrah sold at Aldi. She knows some of my vapes and really enjoys the Firefly, the Hopper and the Verdamper, but when she tried the Focus she was like "Ugh, what's that taste? What's that smell?". She didn't say it was unbearable and had a 2nd and third bowl but never really stopped complaining about the chemical taste. For me it was like "I kind of know what she means but why bother? It's nothing" but for her it's definitely a big deal, not the possible health hazard kind but she surely wouldn't buy it.

Could you find yourself in this desciption? Then, as I said, maybe the Focus is not for you. Please do not understand this like I think you're prissy or something, but that you might be highly sensitive.

All the best,
Hamma

 

[moondog]

I'm saying this with the utmost respect… I think if you're the type to be annoyed by a "light" chemical smell, this one might not be for you. The thing with your sense of smell (and thus taste) is, that it's a very old and basic sense, and it's hard or even impossible to ignore anything that's potentially irritating. So I really do believe it's possible that two different people would judge the smell of the very same FocusVApe quite differently, because that's exactly what happened to me this weekend.

I used the FocusVape with an old lady-friend of mine who is a bit notorious for having a real high definition sense of smell and taste. I like to call her the "Fat Lady of Limbourg" - after the same titled Brian Eno song:

"But her sense of taste is such
that she'll distinguish with her tongue
the subtleties a spectrograph would miss"
​

She's the kind of person who _really_ tastes a _huge_ difference between a bottle of wine for EUR 20 and the one for EUR 200, when I can actually enjoy the cheap Syrah sold at Aldi. She knows some of my vapes and really enjoys the Firefly, the Hopper and the Verdamper, but when she tried the Focus she was like "Ugh, what's that taste? What's that smell?". She didn't say it was unbearable and had a 2nd and third bowl but never really stopped complaining about the chemical taste. For me it was like "I kind of know what she means but why bother? It's nothing" but for her it's definitely a big deal, not the possible health hazard kind but she surely wouldn't buy it.

Could you find yourself in this desciption? Then, as I said, maybe the Focus is not for you. Please do not understand this like I think you're prissy or something, but that you might be highly sensitive.

All the best,
Hamma

Hamma,

First and foremost, you get ALL the points for the Eno reference. You're my best internet friend today. The early "rock" discs (Warm Jets, Tiger Mountain, Another Green World, and Before and After Science) are some of the most important discs in my musical life, so thanks.

I suppose it's possible that when others say their Focus doesn't smell at all, they are in fact experiencing what I perceive as a problem. That's a good point. At this point, the smell is faint enough that I believe it would be masked by whatever I was vaping. So rather than the smell itself, my only concern is what is it that I would be masking and whether inhaling it is harmful. Depending on what I hear from the Focus folks, I'll decide how comfortable I am and either forge ahead or give up.

I really appreciate your thoughtful and considerate framing of your post and for relating your Focus experience.

"Honor your mistakes as hidden intentions"
-Eno

"I have lots of hidden intentions"
-moondog

 

[Hammahead]

The early "rock" discs (Warm Jets, Tiger Mountain, Another Green World, and Before and After Science) are some of the most important discs in my musical life, so thanks.

Why am I not really surprised? In fact I consider his first 4 albums a unique and timeless universe that sounds as fresh and surprising today as it did way back then. I have a sampler of each 4 songs of those four albums on every mobile music device I have. I loved these albums when I was 15 and I don't love them any less today, nearly 40 years later.

 

[His_Highness]

I am ultra sensitive on the 'smell' side. A few years ago I was sent, along with my wife, to attend a corporate retreat. One of the presenters at the retreat stated that women are more smell sensitive than men and then did a demonstration to prove it. I out-smelled everyone in the class almost disproving her thesis. I say almost because every other guy in the class was out-smelled by the female contingent. I was so sensitive that she tried to throw me off 'the scent' in some additional trials but couldn't.

Admittedly I have a larger than average proboscis or maybe my nose is average and my head is small

I'm selectively sensitive on the taste side in that some tastes hit me harder than the same taste hits others and in other taste areas I'm behind the curve. It may be that my nose is so sensitive that it overcompensates my taste senses so when a smell is low level maybe my taste abilities, hyper-dependent on smell, don't compensate for the lack of smell.

Where I'm headed with all this.....It's entirely possible that someone could be hypersensitive to smell or taste or hypersensitive to a specific taste or smell. This may have something to do with this mystery.

For what it's worth my two units were used by 3 separate people at the onset including one who uses it as a daily driver and nothing turned up. Even when I did some serious burn in's for the reviews and placed my schnoz right on the thing during the burn-in....I couldn't pick up anything bad.

I'm leaning to the packaging smell bleeding into the Silica Gel covering and the smell affecting taste. If it is the Silica Gel covering....... the manufacturer may not find anything on their side without finding and opening a box that's been sitting around for long awhile. Unfortunately.... I have no idea how long mine sat in the box.

 

[MonkeyTime]

Ok, then I'd like to offer another perspective on the smell issue.....

I can relate to what each of you have said @Hammahead , @moondog , @His_Highness , may not be my situation, but understand and agree with the logic behind it.

I don't think I have a very good sense of smell at all, and it's been confirmed by many people including all three of my kids lol!

My first Focus Pro had a smell that sent me reeling, it's been chronicled in these few pages, no need to repeat.

My replacement Focus Pro was picked up today and has a noticeable smell, but far less than the first unit. I let it sit out for some time and the smell didn't change, there, but faint. As I loaded a full battery into it and started a burn off (after a good iso wash), the smell increased. I've yet to hit it, because I'm guessing this one is going back too, the screen is offset and the draw resistance is much more than the last unit.

I'm going to edit this post before I've even posted it. While creating an Imgur account and figuring out how to post a pic (think it worked, we'll know in a moment), I did load a bowl and hit it. The taste is still there, but less than the first unit. @moondog , I hope when Focus gets back to you that they say it's all good, cuz I can still taste it in my mouth and it again, left a filmy/greasy feeling in my mouth. It's either the adhesive or silicon gel coating, but it's there!

With that said, this unit, while the resistance is much more, I got small respectable clouds at 350F and larger ones at 385F. Once the smell/taste is gone and I can read the display, this will fit what I bought it for, beginners, friends and as a loaner.

 

[moondog]

I consider his first 4 albums a unique and timeless universe that sounds as fresh and surprising today as it did way back then.

A PERFECT description, sir. Well said. I'm gonna steal that from ya' if that's OK. What's also amazing is how much Eno you can hear in so much of the music that is created more recently. Those crazy kids are discovering what we've known for decades!

To keep us somewhat on topic: I'll bet Eno would really appreciate the engineering on the latest generation of vapes.


EDITED TO ADD:

I appreciate everyone's feedback on this topic. Great community! As I struggle my way through middle age, I am noticing that my sensitivity to smells has increased in all sorts of ways. Could that be a factor? Sure!


But here's some encouraging news:


I received a reply to the email I sent to iFocus Technology over the weekend. I used the email address on their website. Great turnaround! I did not ask for permission to reprint the entire email so I will paraphrase and use a couple of verbatim phrases here.


They are using the same exact outer material on both the analog and Pro versions. The "silicas are food-grade". No mention of any adhesives being used or what they might be.


They are putting together a study team to analyze "this critical serious issue".


Additionally, they were very appreciative of my "feedback and support" and are sending me another unit direct from the factory to try.


So, major customer support points to the folks at iFocus. They appear to be taking this seriously and their response gives me renewed confidence in this device. I'll let you know how things go when it arrives. Hopefully, the third time will be the charm.

 

[His_Highness]

@moondog - That's great news! I'm also a fan of their support...very quick and very pleasant.

@MonkeyTime - Did ya do any burn offs before hitting it or did you just leave it out? If you did a few highest temp burn-offs and then hit it and still got that filmy/greasy feeling in your mouth......I'd have to seriously consider sending it back. Smell is one thing....filmy, greasy taste is another. Sometimes tough love is good for the manufacturer if the manufacturer is showing that they have their heart in the right place and will react accordingly. iFocus sure seems like they are good citizens.

I mentioned this before ..... I searched other sites for Focus taste and smell issues and came up empty. I hope our diligence helps them if there is something there.

They also just introduced a vape called the Adventurer that looks like a Flowermate Pro.

 

[moondog]

@moondog - That's great news! I'm also a fan of their support...very quick and very pleasant.

@MonkeyTime - Did ya do any burn offs before hitting it or did you just leave it out? If you did a few highest temp burn-offs and then hit it and still got that filmy/greasy feeling in your mouth......I'd have to seriously consider sending it back. Smell is one thing....filmy, greasy taste is another. Sometimes tough love is good for the manufacturer if the manufacturer is showing that they have their heart in the right place and will react accordingly. iFocus sure seems like they are good citizens.

I mentioned this before ..... I searched other sites for Focus taste and smell issues and came up empty. I hope our diligence helps them if there is something there.

They also just introduced a vape called the Adventurer that looks like a Flowermate Pro.

According to their website, the Adventurer has its own built-in bubbler?!?!

They are also showing another unit called the Tourist with separate bubblers for herb and wax and a magnetic base.

Looks like they are ramping up to make a splash!

[Really, moondog? More VAS already? You're still trying to sort out the one you just got!!!!]

 

[MonkeyTime]

@moondog - That's great news! I'm also a fan of their support...very quick and very pleasant.

@MonkeyTime - Did ya do any burn offs before hitting it or did you just leave it out? If you did a few highest temp burn-offs and then hit it and still got that filmy/greasy feeling in your mouth......I'd have to seriously consider sending it back. Smell is one thing....filmy, greasy taste is another. Sometimes tough love is good for the manufacturer if the manufacturer is showing that they have their heart in the right place and will react accordingly. iFocus sure seems like they are good citizens.

I mentioned this before ..... I searched other sites for Focus taste and smell issues and came up empty. I hope our diligence helps them if there is something there.

They also just introduced a vape called the Adventurer that looks like a Flowermate Pro.

Yeah, three burnoffs, none higher than 445F. I'm going to play with it tonight after work.....

This one produced vapor much better, just waiting to see what they say about the screen, hoping they say unscrew something, push it down and move on!

 

[Elac]

Starting a FrankenVape project:

A pic of the external power supply being tested.

 

[stickstones]

Starting a FrankenVape project:

A pic of the external power supply being tested.

You're fucking nuts...and I love it!

 

[moondog]

Starting a FrankenVape project:

A pic of the external power supply being tested.

This is exactly the kind of shenanigans that creates tears in the fabric of the space/time continuum and results in all kinds of pseudo-scientific gobbledygook being spouted by stereotypical characters on a shiny spaceship. Cut that out!!

Actually, this reminds me of a lost weekend many years ago when I powered my Vapor Brothers desktop with a car battery in a cabin in the Adirondak mountains. Ah, memories of youth...

 

[MonkeyTime]

Starting a FrankenVape project:

A pic of the external power supply being tested.

I finally found my all day battery!

 

[His_Highness]

Starting a FrankenVape project:

A pic of the external power supply being tested.

You developed the first vape that could also be used as a missile. Cover the air holes, jack up the temp, jack up the electricity and fire! Talk about getting high!

 

[moondog]

As long as I'm here ogling that weapon of mass distraction that Elac is building, here's a brief update on the iFocus customer service situation:

When they responded to my original query yesterday (I sent the question on Saturday), I responded immediately, but apparently it never arrived there. So the person who had emailed me yesterday emailed again today asking if I had received her first email!! When's the last time you had a company follow up within 24 hours on their attempt to contact you?

Man, I really hope this vape works out.

Also, while checking out those new Focus vapes on their website I noticed the following in the description for the Focusvape:

"Focusvape Hardware Is Protected By A Scratch Resistant Silica Gel, Which Fully Injected On The Hardware,"

Does "injected" mean that there is no adhesive used to bond the gel to the body of the vape? I suspect this might be the case since in her first message the customer service rep talked about the quality of the gel but did not mention adhesive even though I raised the question.

I ask because if there's no adhesive then any outgassing would be from the food-grade silica gel itself, which is less worrying than vapors from adhesive. I guess this will be one of my follow up questions for iFocus.

 

[His_Highness]

@moondog - at least from now on we don't have to worry about shipping a unit back. We just need to get @Elac to add a GPS to that missile of his.