how far do you keep your flame?
I keep it around 1-2 inches away from the intake.
how full do you pack your load?
I pack it between 1/2 and 2/3 full.
I have tried speeding up my draw, and it does help. I'm coming back to this thread a couple weeks later, and I've had much better luck since...
I'm having about the same experience with it and my unit looks the same.
I do usually manage to get one or two good hits out of it, but it's always ruined by combustion or near combustion. Most of the time I get nothing, until I get a bit and then boom, combustion...
I really want to love it...