Ascent Vaporizer by DaVinci

Ratchett said:

I'm really pleased to introduce my redesigned "mini loading stand". Much smaller than my previous design, much cheaper for Shapeways to print, and more stable (in my opinion).

Feel free to post comments, I'm really excited to hear what ya'll have to say!

Click to expand...

Looks cool to me, and I don't even own an Ascent......

How about a suggestion? Make the bottom half hollow so you (or the customer) can fill it with lead or steel shot followed by some glue (Elmer's glue works great for this....) and then cover it with a piece of self adhesive felt (like you'd put on a table lamp bottom).

Make the sucker more stable (harder to tip over) and protect the surface it's on......

OF

OF said:

Looks cool to me, and I don't even own an Ascent......

How about a suggestion? Make the bottom half hollow so you (or the customer) can fill it with lead or steel shot followed by some glue (Elmer's glue works great for this....) and then cover it with a piece of self adhesive felt (like you'd put on a table lamp bottom).

Make the sucker more stable (harder to tip over) and protect the surface it's on......

OF

Click to expand...

All easily done - If I get a request, I can upload a modified design with a small lead weight, though it actually is more stable than it looks.

Here's a Voronoi Tessellated version I'm working on:

All that looks really great Ratchett. Good luck with your business.

Some have mentioned using ISO when cleaning the Ascent. If you have a Stealth (maybe other models too) be careful not to get any on the outside of the unit. A member commented a while back that ISO degraded the material on the outside of their unit.

Also not very good on all the fixtures under the bowl, make sure your q-tip isn't saturated with ISO, like not dripping wet.

I was out with my friends tonight and we al wanted to partake, but didn't have any papers or anything and all I had was my ascent and my davinci. I loaded both of them up, but didn't have enough to fill the ascent, so I used my daisy screens on top because they were in the chamber.

We did our thing and everyone was hovering to the davinci because they thought it put out more vapes. I know how to hit the ascent, but the davinci really does beat the ascent for vapor production. Aside from that, I guess people were hitting the ascent hard because when I went to open the chamber one of the daisies was stuck in the screen and broke it right in half. Aaarrrgggg! So the ascent was officially shut down for the night until I got home.

Of course the davinci battery didn't last long enough for another round after I emptied the ascent bowl. Rough day with DV products haha I'm convinced the best thing for a large group of people in a public setting has to be a J (forgive me), or a charged up davinci. The davinci is fool proof haha if only it had a better battery and better flavor.

Pinnacle Pro said:

All that looks really great Ratchett. Good luck with your business.

Some have mentioned using ISO when cleaning the Ascent. If you have a Stealth (maybe other models too) be careful not to get any on the outside of the unit. A member commented a while back that ISO degraded the material on the outside of their unit.

Also not very good on all the fixtures under the bowl, make sure your q-tip isn't saturated with ISO, like not dripping wet.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I know I don't have much available yet, but my Makerbot has been busy printing parts for a friend this week, haven't had much print time for my prototypes. I should have some more designs available soon.... I'm thinking about a funnel to help load the machine faster (with less mess).

Only one member has ever reported issues with ISO on their stealth unit. I have not seen anyone complain about this recently. I personally use 91% ISO every other day to clean the resin buildup on the flat surface (where the serial number is located)

I have gotten ISO on both the outer black plastic, and on my burl wood graphic on multiple occasions. I haven't had the slightest issue with either when in contact with the ISO.

Until I see more complaints about the issue, I will continue to use ISO to clean my Ascent without any concerns for the exterior of the unit.

I'm really careful with my Ascent and my other portable vapes when I clean them, some I use ISO with. I remember a member named WildChild who had a cleaner that worked real well on the inside of your unit. If you turn your unit upside down that helps with any fear that ISO can get to the under bowl fixtures.

The Burl wood Ascent of Rachetts sure looked nice, like it had a gloss finish. I don't think I want to take a chance with ISO on the outside of my Stealth. I do use ISO around where the screen stem butts up against the bowl, the rubber area. I have used ISO in the bowl but am very careful.

I think it was our FC member OF who suggested not to use ISO in the Ascent, he's pretty knowledgable regarding electronics and vaporizers.

Ratchett said:

Only one member has ever reported issues with ISO on their stealth unit. I have not seen anyone complain about this recently. I personally use 91% ISO every other day to clean the resin buildup on the flat surface (where the serial number is located)

I have gotten ISO on both the outer black plastic, and on my burl wood graphic on multiple occasions. I haven't had the slightest issue with either when in contact with the ISO.

Until I see more complaints about the issue, I will continue to use ISO to clean my Ascent without any concerns for the exterior of the unit.

Click to expand...

That was me, and it was 99,5% Iso.

Ratchett said:

Thanks! I know I don't have much available yet, but my Makerbot has been busy printing parts for a friend this week, haven't had much print time for my prototypes. I should have some more designs available soon.... I'm thinking about a funnel to help load the machine faster (with less mess).

Only one member has ever reported issues with ISO on their stealth unit. I have not seen anyone complain about this recently. I personally use 91% ISO every other day to clean the resin buildup on the flat surface (where the serial number is located)

I have gotten ISO on both the outer black plastic, and on my burl wood graphic on multiple occasions. I haven't had the slightest issue with either when in contact with the ISO.

Until I see more complaints about the issue, I will continue to use ISO to clean my Ascent without any concerns for the exterior of the unit.

Click to expand...

ISO will definitely hurt the outside of the stealth.

bassman said:

ISO will definitely hurt the outside of the stealth.

Click to expand...

Jesus! If that's really the case even with the new Stealth models, how could Davinci choose a material which can be damaged when coming into contact with a cleaning solution known to be used frequently by their customers??

My replacement Stealth has been shipped & I will receive it next week. I have some questions & hope some of you can offer advice. Thanks.

Per DV website:

Charging
For optimal usage, please allow the Ascent Vaporizer to have an initial 10 hour charge and subsequently a 5 hour charge.

1. Is it ok to do burn ins during the 10hrs initial charge (while plugged in)?

2. How about vaping during the 10hrs initial charge (while plugged in)?

I've had my Ascent for 2 days now and i think i made a terrible mistake. I was not sure whether to get the pinnaclepro+watertool or the ascent... I wanted the ascent but everywhere it said the pp was way better (including the fb page of the guy i got it from). I really liked the looks of this one better and half an hour battery life on the pp seemed ridiculously short to me.

I bought it because after 20 years i really think i should quit smoking specially tobacco.

(I live in london, in europe we mix herb+tobacco. )

When i got rid of the smell i started loading it first with herb+glasspebblebeads* and after i tried a couple bowls with just herb (almost 1.5grs per bowl which to me would be 6 spliffs. or a whole days medication) ...

*(someone wrote about and i got those from day 1 because its 6 quid delivery for the daisyflowers)

...in every case as tight as possible, and from 350F-420F (just because i like that number)... with not very good to terrible results (Also the first time ever i use a vaporizer).

I have almost no visible vapour and whatever i load finishes in ten minutes. Yes, i get hi*h , but nowhere near as i would have gotten with 6 spliffs. Im wasting a lot of material. Im not getting medicated enough.

Im happy about the big bowl but not about having to re-engineer it for small loads. ~After all i just paid flippin £180 pounds for it. Its a sh*t load of money for a "pipe@" that doesn't seem to be performing beyond "acceptable" levels.

Today i have smoked 3 times and feel very dissapointed . Im wondering if i would have felt the same if I had bought the pinnaclepro or the solo instead .;

Will it make a very big difference if i manage to find the glassflowers?

I also have the 400F temperature issue.

any advice?

namaste

@Yes, i know its not a pipe

Ratchett said:

All easily done - If I get a request, I can upload a modified design with a small lead weight, though it actually is more stable than it looks.

Here's a Voronoi Tessellated version I'm working on:

Click to expand...

Mate i think i have some ideas for this...
For instance, i think a tripod would have more stability specially whilst loading the ascent...

A tool to both load and compress the material would be amazing,
however i think we could address the bowl problem with a different approach more like the pp's bullet system... (would that not be possible?)

Are you sipping slow through the glass straw? The Ascent is counter-intuitive...if you draw fast/hard because of the easy draw, it will have the opposite effect. You will NOT get visible vapor nor the total effect you are looking for.

You have to sip real slow. I was always capable of getting nice clouds at about 375 and especially above 400, and it usually kicked my ass pretty good.

Ratchett said:

If that's really the case even with the new Stealth models, how could Davinci choose a material which can be damaged when coming into contact with a cleaning solution known to be used frequently by their customers??

Click to expand...

Because, perhaps, they thought it was the best material for the job?

I suggest their customers (or any other makers for that matter) take full responsibility for using it in any manner not advised (specifically) by the maker.

Lots of vapes don't respond well to even dilute ISO, or even water.

RYFM comes to mind here. If something 'known to be a problem sometimes' strikes you as something good to do this seems all the more worth checking rather than assuming?

OF

Pinnacle Pro said:

Some have mentioned using ISO when cleaning the Ascent. If you have a Stealth (maybe other models too) be careful not to get any on the outside of the unit. A member commented a while back that ISO degraded the material on the outside of their unit.

Click to expand...

CLARIFICATION: It is NOT the entire outside. It is ONLY the soft-touch center panels. The Side panels are NOT affected.

Also, I think the ISO was applied when the unit was hot. IIRC. The combination of heat+ISO caused the soft touch material to bubble a bit.

The other models are unaffected as they use a different material for the center panels (either printed Al or Leather).

Ratchett said:

Jesus! If that's really the case even with the new Stealth models, how could Davinci choose a material which can be damaged

Click to expand...

Because it is a freakin' cool material. It feels really good in the hand.

FWIW, I have never had this issue with my Stealth. Nor for that matter, has anyone else reported that issue.


So this isn't a big deal. Just be aware of it and you'll be fine.

OF said:

Because, perhaps, they thought it was the best material for the job?

I suggest their customers (or any other makers for that matter) take full responsibility for using it in any manner not advised (specifically) by the maker.

Lots of vapes don't respond well to even dilute ISO, or even water.

RYFM comes to mind here. If something 'known to be a problem sometimes' strikes you as something good to do this seems all the more worth checking rather than assuming?

OF

Click to expand...

I use ISO to clean all of my glass pipes (granted, those are all glass, not a collection of plastic/silicon parts). If Davinci doesn't want us using ISO - what do they expect people to use for cleaning the machine (which I do almost daily)?

I didn't see anything in the user manual to indicate ISO was not recommended for the device.

Yahmuffin said:

Mate i think i have some ideas for this...
For instance, i think a tripod would have more stability specially whilst loading the ascent...

A tool to both load and compress the material would be amazing,
however i think we could address the bowl problem with a different approach more like the pp's bullet system... (would that not be possible?)

Click to expand...

A "tripod" was the effect I was going for with my "Mini Stand" design - the flared sides create a stable 'leg' - while the third leg is the bottom of the ascent (which if you notice, rests perfectly upright on a flat surface). I'm actually really amazed at how stable the mini stand is, and it's much more comfortable than hanging my open Ascent over the corner of my table while I load. I'm going to keep playing with designs, but at the prices Shapeways is charging for my mini stand, I need to keep the volume as low as possible to reduce costs, unless you're willing to pay $100+ for a 3d printed stand! lol

I already have a tamping tool on my store which I LOVE - I use it every time I pack my Ascent (Put 2 glass flowers, dump some herbs, toss in 2 more glass flowers, pack down gently, and then toss in another layer of herb, another gentle tap down, and fill the rest of the space with glass flowers). I have no problem obtaining clouds of vapor even at 350F! Note I don't tamp down my herb tight, I leave it loose enough for optimal airflow through the whole bowl.

What were you thinking for the loading tool? I use a folded business card to load my unit currently, but I'm considering a funnel the shape of the oven to easily dump the herb. What's this PP bullet system you speak of? Links?

Keep the ideas rolling! The DV Ascent is my only vape right now, so I'm focused on accessories for the Ascent, but I'm looking at purchasing an Airizer Extreme Q in a few months - I'm sure I'll come up with a few accessories for that as well!

Ratchett said:

If Davinci doesn't want us using ISO - what do they expect people to use for cleaning the machine (which I do almost daily)?

I didn't see anything in the user manual to indicate ISO was not recommended for the device.

Click to expand...

Understood. What I'm saying is you don't find them recommending it. The list of things not to use is pretty big and sure not to cover anything.

Again, the danger is in your assumption. I would not assume ISO is safe for all plastics since it's not. In fact, I bet it's a problem for more plastics than not? They will pick what works best under the conditions they specify.

As for what they'd probably suggest, I bet it's the typical 'slightly damp cloth'? Mild detergent in water? The advice that usually ends up with 'don't use Benzene or other petrol products'? Resin build up and similar tough cleaning issues are confined to the glass areas I think?

Anyway, forewarned is forearmed as they say, best advice seems to be not to use the ISO haphazardly on the appearance surfaces? IMO this would especially include the window.....

OF

Yahmuffin said:

any advice?

namaste

@Yes, i know its not a pipe

Click to expand...

What I usually recommend to folks new to vaping is to either take a series of tiny sips (without exhaling between) until your lungs are full, or else take one long slow hit, inhaling at a rate that would take 15-30 seconds to fill your lungs. The first might be easier to understand and implement, but with a bit of practice the second is easily mastered as well. I learned this method with my MFLB knock-off, and it also works well with my Ascent.

Also note that the first few hits will have more flavor and visible vapor, with both characteristics declining through the life of the bowl, but don't think that just because the flavor has changed and the visible vapor has thinned that you won't be getting medicated - you certainly will. At first I thought I was "wasting" a lot because I was declaring a trench/bowl as beat way prematurely.

Vaping is a different experience than smoking, and you have to learn new techniques and get used to different feedback sensations as compared to smoking. I'd say stick with it a while and see how it goes.

Yahmuffin said:

I've had my Ascent for 2 days now and i think i made a terrible mistake. I was not sure whether to get the pinnaclepro+watertool or the ascent... I wanted the ascent but everywhere it said the pp was way better (including the fb page of the guy i got it from). I really liked the looks of this one better and half an hour battery life on the pp seemed ridiculously short to me.

I bought it because after 20 years i really think i should quit smoking specially tobacco.

(I live in london, in europe we mix herb+tobacco. )

When i got rid of the smell i started loading it first with herb+glasspebblebeads* and after i tried a couple bowls with just herb (almost 1.5grs per bowl which to me would be 6 spliffs. or a whole days medication) ...

*(someone wrote about and i got those from day 1 because its 6 quid delivery for the daisyflowers)

...in every case as tight as possible, and from 350F-420F (just because i like that number)... with not very good to terrible results (Also the first time ever i use a vaporizer).

I have almost no visible vapour and whatever i load finishes in ten minutes. Yes, i get hi*h , but nowhere near as i would have gotten with 6 spliffs. Im wasting a lot of material. Im not getting medicated enough.

Im happy about the big bowl but not about having to re-engineer it for small loads. ~After all i just paid flippin £180 pounds for it. Its a sh*t load of money for a "pipe@" that doesn't seem to be performing beyond "acceptable" levels.

Today i have smoked 3 times and feel very dissapointed . Im wondering if i would have felt the same if I had bought the pinnaclepro or the solo instead .;

Will it make a very big difference if i manage to find the glassflowers?

I also have the 400F temperature issue.

any advice?

namaste

@Yes, i know its not a pipe

Click to expand...

You need to practice a bit. The glass flowers really do make a difference. If you read through some of the pages you will see that the Ascent drops temp after you take a slow draw.

The glass flowers help with keeping the heat up and they help fill the big bowl. Also a bit of cotton helps at the top to keep the herb from flying and getting caught up in the mouthpiece. Try getting the gong it works well as a mouthpiece.

The Ascent has a learning curve. You have some homework to do.
Also if you have only been combusting and just started vaping, it takes about a week or two for your body to adjust. I stopped combusting over a year ago. I feel so much better, my lungs feel like I can breathe better.

Give it some time. This will be the best thing you will ever do for yourself.

Pinnacle Pro said:

If you read through some of the pages you will see that the Ascent drops temp after you take a slow draw.

Click to expand...

Actually, this is misleading - the temperature actually drops after you take ANY hit. A slower constant draw is actually the best (from my experience), all my friends who take faster draws get half the clouds I do.

This is my first true vape (I had a knockoff easy-vape which I have only used a handful of times). But I haven't had any problem moving from combustion to vaping. (Probably because I was a slow-toker to begin with, and always smoked with water pipes). I guess since I read all 211 pages of this thread before my Ascent even arrived, I knew exactly what to expect and how to use it!

Within my first week with a vape (no combustion), I'm never looking back. Hell I'm already shopping for my next vape (and so it begins..... ha ha )

Yesterday, my friend and I did a side-by-side comparison between his IOLite and my Ascent. In every way, I found the Ascent a better portable vape, flavor, clouds, effects, etc.

I said it last week, and I'll say it again - FUCK COMBUSTION!!!!

Yahmuffin. The Ascent drops temp and takes awhile to recover, so you need to wait 30 seconds before taking another draw to get the vapor. One of the reasons for the glass pipe screen flowers it helps with the heat recovery time and distribution. Yes all vaporizer drop temp after a draw that's only natural.

The glass flowers are really worth trying if you can get them. Look for glass pipe screens.

I must have a defective unit (again) because I can't seem to get good vapors out if my ascent. I've tried different draw techniques, glass flowers, different ways to pack it, different herbs, everything. Just not getting quality vapes, hopefully you're not in my boat. The glass flowers are a pain in a "portable setting when it comes to empty your chamber in a quick manner. I was so on board with the ascent when I had my stealth, it out out great vapes. Now I just want my money back $250 is too much for all this troubleshooting. Does anyone at least agree with that? Not to mention the multiple times paying to ship it back when it inevitably breaks.

Yahmuffin said:

I've had my Ascent for 2 days now and i think i made a terrible mistake. I was not sure whether to get the pinnaclepro+watertool or the ascent... I wanted the ascent but everywhere it said the pp was way better (including the fb page of the guy i got it from). I really liked the looks of this one better and half an hour battery life on the pp seemed ridiculously short to me.

I bought it because after 20 years i really think i should quit smoking specially tobacco.

(I live in london, in europe we mix herb+tobacco. )

When i got rid of the smell i started loading it first with herb+glasspebblebeads* and after i tried a couple bowls with just herb (almost 1.5grs per bowl which to me would be 6 spliffs. or a whole days medication) ...

*(someone wrote about and i got those from day 1 because its 6 quid delivery for the daisyflowers)

...in every case as tight as possible, and from 350F-420F (just because i like that number)... with not very good to terrible results (Also the first time ever i use a vaporizer).

I have almost no visible vapour and whatever i load finishes in ten minutes. Yes, i get hi*h , but nowhere near as i would have gotten with 6 spliffs. Im wasting a lot of material. Im not getting medicated enough.

Im happy about the big bowl but not about having to re-engineer it for small loads. ~After all i just paid flippin £180 pounds for it. Its a sh*t load of money for a "pipe@" that doesn't seem to be performing beyond "acceptable" levels.

Today i have smoked 3 times and feel very dissapointed . Im wondering if i would have felt the same if I had bought the pinnaclepro or the solo instead .;

Will it make a very big difference if i manage to find the glassflowers?

I also have the 400F temperature issue.

any advice?

namaste

@Yes, i know its not a pipe

Click to expand...

Hi Yahmuffin,

I have my Ascent, my first vaporizer for about two months, so I have a little experience but I'm newbie too.

I find that vaping actually I'm using less staff than smoking, I'm loading about a tenth of yours and getting good highs, not equals than smoking but satisfying.

I use a one or two tiny oval rolling stones, if one at the top, if two the other at the bottom, leaving a gap all around and almost without compressing. (why stones? I hate to buy something you can easily find in your way, I have to go to the beach to look for similar glasses and test them).

My technique of inhaling is do gentle sips leaving time in between one and another to heat the staff again and I think it works pretty well. Sometimes you can see more clouds sometimes less, but the result is the same.

About battery life... I just got my third Ascent and doing the burns in at a maximum temperature to get rid of the bad smells it has arrived up to 2 hours, great success!! I hope at lower temperature it will be even greater It seems that the units or their batteries are not all the same. I'm glad to have asked for the replacement.

nigel said:

CLARIFICATION: It is NOT the entire outside. It is ONLY the soft-touch center panels. The Side panels are NOT affected.

Also, I think the ISO was applied when the unit was hot. IIRC. The combination of heat+ISO caused the soft touch material to bubble a bit.

The other models are unaffected as they use a different material for the center panels (either printed Al or Leather).



Because it is a freakin' cool material. It feels really good in the hand.

FWIW, I have never had this issue with my Stealth. Nor for that matter, has anyone else reported that issue.


So this isn't a big deal. Just be aware of it and you'll be fine.

Click to expand...

I use tiny amounts of this stuff http://www.vapefiend.co.uk/epages/e.../Shops/es115421_es122485197719/Products/42118

its non toxic and free from alcohol, solvents and PH neutral works really well on the ascent with no damage to panels. I still use iso for the glassware and haven't decided what to use on the bowl yet any suggestions?

Another nice tip - I use an electric shaver mini brush thing to brush away warm oils and debris whilst the unit is still warm from both sections taking care not to go near the hot bowl, saves on cleaning and wear.

For everyone that has trouble loading their ascents. I work in the service industry, so it's best to grab as many things as possible. Just position the device in one side of your hand, and grinder right next to it in the other. I was trying to add a picture I took, but can't from my phone.

Basically hold the ascent with your thumb and pointer with the bowl open and on kind of the butt of your hand and palm, then lay your grinder in the rest of your palm and use your other three fingers to keep it safely in your hand. Works perfectly, I can understand people wanting a stand if they need two hands to load or have arthritis and can't manipulate their hand like that.

Hi,
Is there a place where we can buy some wood pipe to replace the glass parts of The DaVinci Ascent ? They breaks so easly...