Best of the Firefly Vaporizer thread

I've ended up waiting a bit longer than expected for my HI, so I've been using the FF as a daily driver for a couple weeks now.

A while back, I was convinced that the FF would not be satisfying as a daily driver, but only as a portable or to augment a desktop at home. I have now changed my tune because using the FF all day has been both satisfying and ... might I even say a joyful experience?

No throat irritation at all, even though I tend to need water for other vapes. With an extra battery and external charger, I'm never waiting. It goes with me all around the house and all around outside the house. I'm becoming more convinced that the FF, while expensive, is definitely a two-fer, which to me makes the price seem fair.

In fact, the past couple nights, I haven't even bothered with my usual Ascent 430 F sleepytime knockouts. I just finish off a bowl as far as I can in the FF and ten minutes later I'm ...

The FF is starting to feel as though it was designed specifically for me...

I decided to take apart my original 'cool' unit and inspect. Disassembled the heater core and noticed my coil was touching the ceramic top plate at one side, but not the other. I carefully adjusted the angle of the heater coil so that it was in contact along the full 1\2 top perimeter. I also aligned the groove in the ceramic plate with the top groove on the ceramic housing surrounding the heater coil. Put it back together, loaded and gave it a go. Combustion after the second button press and draw. A few more tries resulted in the same. Now it was too hot! Took it apart again and slightly lowered the angle of the heater coil. Reassembled and tested it out. Holy shit...perfection. Half the button presses of previous sessions, huge clouds and even, very DARK abv. Fuck ya!

(No pictures, sorry...)

My buddy loves the replacement I sold him and I now tweaked my FF to work for me...albeit by chance partially.

I cannot recommend anyone try this as I don't want you to screw your warrantee...I risked it and things worked out.

I apologize to @Vitolo for my rude, defensive response several posts ago and to you all for my negative initial review.

NOW I can share in the joy...

WildChild said:

I cannot recommend anyone try this as I don't want you to screw your warrantee...I risked it and things worked out.

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Wow! Nice work! Glad that ended up well for you. I personally would be scared shitless to try and tweak the coil. I'm sure I'd screw it up, or break it, or something. If this were my FF I'd just spend 10 bucks and send it to FF to fix, but again I am all but assured to mess this kind of thing up. It's actually surprising that such a small positional change would have such a dramatic effect, but I guess that explains the variations we are seeing reported from unit to unit...because I can see how easily the coil's position might be a teeny bit different in some units, despite quality control. And that could explain why every unit seems to have a bit of variance.

Which leads me to Day Five with my new Red FF. I have noted the following differences over my Silver FF:

• Battery cover fits more snugly. The silver's didn't come off by itself or anything but had a slight play in it, side to side, at times.
• Heat button is weird. I'd almost call it "mushy"...sometimes it's tricky to feel the detent position when you push it in. It never fails to work, but I'm a bit alert for issues with it. Hopefully it won't cause any operational problems. The button on the silver unit had a weird side-to-side play to it. Also weird, but different weird.
• Heat shuts off after 30 seconds of holding down the button. The silver shuts off at 45 seconds.
• Overall, a touch cooler, or should I say it cooks in a smoother, less heat-spikey fashion. ABV is almost always very even, almost never see any charred bits. Basically it's getting to the same temp and level of extraction, but it takes longer with the button to get there, particularly in the back half of the session. I have a feeling this one is calibrated the way FF intended, though the silver worked great...It just got hotter faster and so technique differences are required between the two FFs.

Be interesting to see what I get back from FF...if they replace my silver one, the new one may be more like the Red than the old Silver. And if they tweak/repair the Silver, that could affect temp profile also (in fact it absolutely will). Life is never boring in FF Land.

Bottom line: Red FF is gorgeous, works great, extracts as well but more smoothly and evenly, and is noticeably different than the Silver.

Tickdickler said:

Im sorry if this has been brought up before I've only read like 60 of the 100 pages on this thread. How do you have your screen in the bowl? I messed around with it resting above the gap at the bottom of the bowl. When I first used the unit, the screen in there had its edges inside of the gap at the bottom. What way do you guys prefer?

I cant really comment on a difference, I've only had the FF since yesterday and I'm still working on my draws. I just wanted to know if screen position changes anything?

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The screen is JUST large enough so that the edges slot a touch under the bottom edge of the glass bowl. One tip to seat the screen: make it into a dome, so that the circumference is smaller than the surface of the bowl. Place it dome-side up, and gently press down till the edges of the screen slide under the bottom edge of the glass bowl.

vinhale said:

Question: I was cleaning the bowl and I pressed as I twisted some paper towel and an o-ring started creeping out from the bottom of the bowl. How is it possible that a rubber piece is so close to the heating element? Is the purpose of this ring to keep dust out of the internals?

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It's pretty odd that the O-ring came out from the bowl...I clean mine with some paper towel damp with iso and so far haven't caused the ring to pop out. (Very weird...must have been some circular play in your bowl, which is strange because the bowl and heater assembly are held in place by the pressure of the top plate.)

If you didn't seen these excellent tear-down pix, check 'em out. You'll see the black O-ring in several of the shots around the top edge of the bowl. I assume it's there to make a solid seal between the bottom edge of the steel plate and the top edge of the glass bowl.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-firefly-vaporizer.11365/page-81#post-549916

Here are a few of the positives and negatives I have experienced with the FF over the past few weeks. I do love this device and when I am getting good results, the positives heavily outweigh the negatives.

Positives

• The device itself looks and feels like a Rolls Royce. It really is kind of a trip just using it and holding it. At times, I feel like I have a crush on it. My wife catches me all the time just trying to talk about it.
• It is very efficient on herbs. Great way to conserve. Can use only small amounts when you want to and that is enough for a head change
• It is absolutely capable of giving extremely large, bong like hits that really knock your socks off.
• It is pretty intuitive, you can start getting good results right away with no experience. I had absolutely zero vaping experience before this and was able use it very effectively right out of the box.

Negatives

• In my experience I have found it be on the inconsistent side. Just when I think I have my technique down, all of a sudden it is not working anymore. For example, I have had the FF 3 weeks now. I have been able to produce huge satisfying hits on the first few draws pretty consistently. Lately the past few days (about 15-20 bowls) I have not been able to produce the same large clouds and have been left very unsatisfied at the end of every bowl. This can be very frustrating.
• The battery life is a little annoying, but if you have the external charger and extra battery it is not a problem at all. But you are always making sure that one is being charged all the time which can be annoying as well at times.

I admit this device has had a lot of pressure on it. I went from not having any vaping experience to taking this thing home to be my one and only device to be used throughout the day and night. So far it sure has been a rollercoast ride. A true love hate relationship! I have been hanging in there, but at night time I do miss a couple of good ole bong rips to the face...

Posted this in the toronto vape review of the Firefly. Let's see if they approve the comment...

"I have been using my firefly for several weeks and need to correct you on several points.

1. It is not similar to the Magic flight. The Magic Flight is a conduction vape. The Firefly is a convection vape. It only heats your herb when you are drawing through it. That is a HUGE difference in flavor/amount of herb used. When I am vaping I do not want my herb heated constantly at high temperature. I like to be able to vape and wait a few minutes before my next vape.

2. Have you figured out where the heft comes from? It is because the body is powder coated aluminum not plastic as you have reported falsely. This not only gives it a nice heft it acts as a heat sink so that the unit remains comfortable to hold (an intentional design feature). Some people just love the nice weight of it in the hand, it feels solid and well made. And the finish is without equal.

3. Your comment about magnets losing heat. I work with small electric motors that generate a lot more heat than I have been able to feel on my top plate and they have been fine for years of service so I doubt the magnet is going to die any time soon. Making statements like this without testing are not responsible for a reviewer. Especially when it is stated as a fact, not an assumption.

4.You state there is no temperature control but the Firefly website says that the unit is computer controlled to a maximum of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Yes I have been able to combust a few times with my Firefly but it has been rare (2 out of 100+ bowls) and each time it has happened because of a tightly filled bowl, a slow draw and multiple button presses during the same draw (my girlfriend). New users often spend too much time preheating and draw too slowly. If the button is then pressed a second time the heat cycle starts up again which is computer controlled to give a higher burst of current in the initial stage. If the temp was already about 400F then this can lead to combustion.

5. Yes the firefly has its issues. I agree the battery is too small, perhaps a change to 18350 battery cells or other commonly available vaping batteries would alleviate this problem. I purchased mine new with battery and charger for 300 so it is very easy for me to just rotate batteries when at home, or to take another battery with me on the road. The two batteries have been more than plenty for out of the house. As you perfect your technique you learn to not preheat the bowl and to draw for four or five seconds then let go of the button and draw for several more. This really helps on the battery efficiency and gives great taste and vapor.

6. The firefly can be very discreet. It is about the same length as my iphone 5 in case (5 ½” for iphone in mophie case 5 3/8” for Firefly) Width is 2 ½” for iphone in case and 2” for Firefly. I use an overhand method that covers the glass and makes it look like you are just sitting with your phone under your chin thinking. The firefly looks remarkably like a nokia phone. I have walked in public with it to my ear talking as a joke and no one gave a second look.

So in conclusion as a reviewer I feel that you have misrepresented some facts here and I am trying to correct them. I am also giving a different viewpoint on some of the features that I like in the Firefly. I am no noob and this is my favorite vape. And I love the glow! That is more important to me than a digital readout. The Firefly feels very analog. It is easy for a noob to use immediately and can take weeks to master fully. That being said, as with all vapes it is a matter of preference, YMMV, and I can’t wait for a second generation with a better battery system!"

Well, it looks like I will be getting a replacement for my Silver FF. Just heard back from them, and they wrote that they looked at my FF and determined it has "a misaligned heating coil, and will need to be replaced". This makes me think...a. anyone playing with their coils had better be careful, because it can obviously have dramatic consequences...b. HOW did my coil misalign? no idea. Worked fine for months. Maybe it was always misaligned? and c. I'm wondering why that kind of thing can't simply be repaired, instead of replacing the entire unit.

This also reminds me that the guy who posted the original teardown pix, and even removed the circuit board, did say that he didn't dare try to move the heating coil even a little bit. He was obviously rightly concerned about it. So those of you tweaking the coil, keep in mind it not only potentially violates the warranty but also can create all kinds of problems if you cannot re-align it properly. Caveat Modders!

twigs said:

First Date Report

My Silver lady arrived yesterday and was fully charged after just 15 minutes. With 97 pages of expectations and anticipation, I tried her out last night. Sorry to say I'm disappointed and worried that I may have received one of the "cool" units. ...

Click to expand...

UPDATE -- Going on 1 month since our first "date":

Thanks to all the good technique tips from FF owners on this forum, I've begun to learn the ropes with my lovely lady. Here's what's working best for me:
• full oven, lightly packed coarse ground herb (2-3 turns in my SpaceCase grinder)
• heat button pressed for 6-7 seconds, draw for ten seconds
• consider the first draw as "throw away" -- I think someone else has already mentioned this
• next two pulls (within 60 seconds of the first) with 5 second pre-heat, 10 second draw, heat off, continue pull for 3 more seconds
= good amount of vapor and thinnish clouds

That's usual enough to get me going for a couple or three hours. (I'm not a heavy user).
I then stir the load a bit, getting things set up for a 2nd session later on.

I like to refresh the oven contents after a 2nd session and re-charge the battery every 2nd or 3rd session.

Still experimenting with various strains and methods of packing, and no longer worried about having a "cool" unit.

Lovin my FF; life is good.

T.

I'm having a wild ride with my new Silver Firefly.

I previously reported that my new silver unit was functioning exactly like my first dark grey unit. Eventually I started noticing that it was a tad warmer than the grey one. I also noticed that the gap between the glass bowl and the metal plate seemed bigger on the silver unit, allowing more material to slip under the bowl, past the screen, and onto the metal plate. So I decided to try changing the screen to see if a different one would slide around less inside the bowl.

That's when the combustion started

I was using my normal technique and...flash of flame (visible even above the FF glow), acrid smoke, nasty burnt cherry in the bowl.

Well I snuffed it out and set about cleaning the Firefly to try to get rid of the smell. I chalked it up as a fluke until two sessions later - flames, smoke, cherry. I had even backed off on my button press time to prevent it from happening again!

Not to be deterred, I cleaned the unit up again and got ready for the next session.

I had been using 8 second button presses after the first draw, so I figured I would cut it down to 4 or 5 and see how it went.

One-one-thousand...two-one-thousand...three-one-thousand...four-one-th...COMBUSTION!

Again flame, smoke, cherry!

Frustrated, I took the top plate off, lifted the bowl assembly off of the ceramic components, and tried moving the coil around slightly (and gently). I cleaned and reassembled the unit with a different screen. After tightening the top plate the gap between the glass bowl and the bottom metal plate seemed somewhat smaller than before, with the screen fitting a little more snugly. I've run several bowls through it since, and have not combusted. I am still using much shorter button presses than before though.

It really seems to me that the combustion started after I changed the screen. I was careful not to apply too much pressure to the other components when doing so, but it still seems to me that changing the screen somehow changed the way the unit worked. It seems to be almost a completely different vape than when I got it.

Something tells me that there are ways that the Firefly performance can change, depending on how things are put together, how the screen sits in the bowl, and how much of a gap there is above the metal plate. All speculation of course, but something changed in my Silver unit.

akaye47 said:

my arizer solo doesn't need to be stirred or shaken. its convection and it only cost me $130

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I could go on a HUGE list of reasons why that vape is on the top of my list of least favorite portables...

BUT to stay on topic I'll throw some things out there that the firefly does FAR better.

1) Tastes good
2) Safer design
3) Better customer support
4) External hotswapable batteries
5) Cool vapor...WITHOUT needing water
6) Pocket friendly, no glass shards in your pocket...whoops!
7) Stealthier in usage
8) Visually far more appealing
9) Can take single hits whenever you want. 1 minute bowl is easily possible vs 11 minute arizer sessions.
10) 0 second warm up time, heat on demand no waiting.
11) TASTES GOOD

I mean if one person can declare a vape "no good" based on their opinion, there are NO good vapes out there period. There is no vape that is universally loved. The firefly is the overall best portable I've ever used personally. There are many others who feel that way.

For the record I've never stirred my firefly once. I either shake it gently once, or if I placed a full nug in the chamber for the first hit, I'll open it crush that in my hand and sprinkle it back in. Its not efficient to throw in a solid nug, but it tastes so good that I do it for the first hit a lot of the time. Then I crush it up to make it have more surface area and vape better for the remaining hits.

mitchgo61 said:

Interesting. So when you draw as fast as resistance allows, but no faster, you still have issues? That should work for you...the only time I find that approach doesn't work well (i.e. I feel like I'm running out of breath) is the tail end of a bowl, where I'm working harder to pull vapor. But in the early and mid stages of a bowl, if the FF is working right, this shouldn't happen to you...you shouldn't get anywhere near to a "run out of breath" stage, because your lungs will fill with vapor way before you run out of inhalation power/capacity. If that isn't happening, you aren't getting big enough hits and something is wrong. (Make sure you preheat for a four count before drawing...this'll front load some of the heating power before you put your lungs to use.)

Click to expand...

Yes, if I draw at my Firefly's "natural speed", without forcing it, I feel like I'm sipping through a very skinny straw. I feel uncomfortable, like I'm running out of oxygen unless I allow some air through my nose or around my Firefly's mouth piece.

If I really suck hard, its better, but I don't think I'm supposed to do it that way, and the vapor seems kinda weak.

And, yes, I do let it preheat for a few seconds before sucking. I tried pulsing it, but sometimes it partially scorches. One thing I like to avoid is when parts of my bowl scorch, and then the whole bowl smells and tastes like popcorn before its time.

mitchgo61 said:

As for wanting to finish the bowl, I'm not sure I understand the problem....is there an issue with putting the FF away and finishing the bowl later?

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As long as I don't want to smoke something different, that works fine.

But, if I want to stop smoking XXX, and switch to YYY, I'm out of luck. I'm reluctant to dump a half-smoked bowl, yet its not what I want at the moment. I guess I could try to store the half-smoked flower someplace...but, seems kinda messy and awkward...

A big difference that I can see between the Firefly and the MFLB:

The Firefly uses heat stored in the heater core to produce vapor even after the user releases the button.

I am still getting a significant portion of my vapor after I release the button. In fact, at the end of a bowl, I can often get one full hit without pressing the button at all. This is just using the heat stored in the core. I wouldn't say it is a huge "cloud" hit, but definitely visible vapor.

To the poster earlier who was drawing 3-5 seconds after releasing the button I say draw a LOT longer than that. See if you start getting vapor after releasing the button, but with a much longer draw.

@Vitolo - Even though I have pointed out some of the less desirable aspects of my Fireflies, I would still say they have both come a lot closer to "perfect" than most of the other portable vapes I own. Great build quality, and excellent results.

ElPic said:

I use the 7 holes wispr screen and it work perfectly in the FF, no taste degradation like with the arizer basket. I never try the fine mesh wispr screen but I finely grind my herb with my spacecase and it never reach the stainless plate

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I was intrigued by ElPic's suggestion so I ordered a three pack of the Iolite Wispr screens from VapeWorld. In general I have had no luck with any non-oem mods I've used on the FF...the Arizer baskets ruined the taste for me, a top screen seems to make the chamber too hot...but I figured the worst case scenario was losing 17 bucks.

They arrived yesterday, and man, what a find. They fit perfectly. They don't seem to add any heat (although I haven't used it yet on my Silver, just my Red, so I can't be sure what effects it might have on that particular device, though it fits both perfectly.) It keeps the floor of the bowl clean, eliminates the need for the bottom screen (and the attendant issues with removing, and re-installing the screen), keeps fine debris from slipping under the bowl edges, and in general makes the bowl much neater and compacted material doesn't build around the edges. It also pops out easily.

Doesn't seem to be a downside other than making the chamber slightly smaller due to the raised nature of the screen...but I didn't really notice it forcing me to use any less material. Overall, an *excellent* upgrade to the stock screens, the first non-stock thing I've done with the FF that works well for me, and I like it so much I'm going to order another half-dozen. As I said I need to see how it works in the Silver, but so far in the Red FF it's a stellar addition. Thanks to @ElPic for the awesome idea.

The Firefly is outstanding, I love it. It took me a couple days to adjust my technique, but now I think I have it dialed in. I found it fairly intuitive, and as always the collective dialogue here was very helpful.

I am now using a slightly courser grind than I do with my other vapes. Initially this was just to keep the airway clean. Normally I would assume that a courser grind would result in diminished cloud production, but in this case I'm not really sure. I haven't gone back to using my normal fine grind since mastering the heater, but as it is I am getting nice enough clouds with the courser grind. I haven't run the heater all the way up to its cutoff time yet, meaning I could push it a bit harder, but haven't felt the need to. The most I have held the heater on is probably about 20-25 seconds, which includes my 4-7 second pre-heat. Less time on the button with subsequent hits, as the unit starts to retain some of its heat. It is also sometimes nice to just sip on it for a few seconds and not chase clouds, although this is not usually my first impulse with vaping in general. I like clouds.

I like the bowl about 3/4 full and quite loose, so the material can be shaken/stirred around without opening the lid, either manually or by drawing. Packing down or overfilling the bowl results in uneven heat dispersion and makes it difficult and messy to stir the load. Even with stirring the load it comes out spotty. With a loose bowl and a couple shakes, the AVB is perfectly even. By the end of a session, I have no problem getting it as dark as I want it. It's all in how you operate the heater and how you draw.

I have a very small gap in one area where the glass bowl meets the bottom screen, as some others have mentioned. Small enough that not much will get in there, especially with the courser grind, but surely over time some tiny particles are going to collect inside the unit. Not sure yet if I will bother with the Wispr screens or just leave it to fate, or possibly try molding a screen myself. The 5 year warranty is reassuring, and if I really wanted to, it looks easy enough to get under the faceplate and spruce things up. Not too worried about this one minor issue.

I have also been experimenting with using a top screen which is flush with the outer diameter of the glass bowl element. Pressed down by the Firefly's lid, it is successful in keeping most debris out of the airway without noticeably affecting the airflow. Others have said they thought using a top screen may have been resulting in higher load temperatures due to increased thermal mass. While I'm sure this must be true to some extent, I'm not sure how significant the increase would be. I will try it again without the screen now that I have the heater figured out.

euph0ric1 said:

The top screen method is really something. I loaded my first finely ground, fully packed bowl with a Firefly screen on top.. and wow. The screen does a phenomenal job granting airflow and preventing any clutter on the top window or the airways.. but DAMN.. the hits were so huge and concentrated. Every draw made me cough up a lung and it was the most debilitating bowl I've ever vaped in the Firefly. I was supremely lifted. I couldn't finish the bowl. I stirred it and still had very light brown and even some green herb left.

This trick needs to be added to the Firefly's user manual.

Click to expand...

I have been using a top screen, on occasion, on my Red FF, which (also on occasion) seems to run a little coolish. I find the screen makes the unit run hotter, and allows me to extract more of the final vapor hits. I don't usually use it in the first half or so of a bowl, only if I'm having trouble getting the latter half to really extract to a darker color. I think that's why you're getting bigger hits right away...the screen seems to raise the heat level a very small but noticeable amount.

MaxVapor said:

Overall my first impression is quite positive. The only complaint I will make is that the button is too mushy. Hard to tell when it's pressed and so I tend to press to hard. I have arthritic knuckles so this can become a problem. I will try to keep my eye on the green light to see if it is on though, that may help a lot. I am only up to page 60 so I still have some more schooling to do

It is a sexy vape that makes you want to spend more time with it...

Click to expand...

You may find the mushiness goes away after a week or two; I had this experience with my Red unit. After some use it became much more "authoritative" when pressed.

Moving from a medium grind to a fine grind (with a trusty topscreen) changed my entire Firefly game. I do still hand-grind, not to dust, but just fine. When using a medium grind, I experience much more resistance, "heat tunneling", and general lack of extraction.

Im no expert, but from what I've observed, and even read in this very thread, decreasing the surface area of the herb particles greatly increases heat distribution and vapor extraction. And someone just mentioned pulling too hard doesn't let you get the highest of temps and best vapor.. But I seem to be having an opposite effect.

Since grinding finer, my draws have been smoother, producing much more vapor with less lung power. If I draw harder Im not experiencing low temp issues at all, in fact it only results in large mushroom cloud hits that make me cough and give me a head-change. But.. Im not always after that. I can pull steadily, almost gently, and consistently get substantial vapor until its completely milked to a dark brown ABV.

Again, this may just be my strain, and others may work best with a medium/coarse tear.. But you should at least try both ways yourself and make sure.

abhishek said:

Can anyone tell me , how much time do u spend maintaining and cleaning firefly...is it too much work, if compared to Solo

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I basically maintain my Fly and Solo the same way. After use, while it is still kinda hot, I give it a wipe in the bowl area with a tissue after I dump and blow it out. Then I wipe the chrome quickly as well. I also lightly wipe the window. (not too hard because you can screw up the gasket here). Pressure on the window is not your friend. With the solo I do a wipe while hot too with a tissue then I pop the glass piece into a tube from planet vape, no smell that way. I never get any particles in the channels of the Fly, but I would say after about a month I would take an iso wipe to the lid, bowl, and chrome, all of two minutes for a deep clean. The solo stem I soak overnight and its good to go. Both IMO are pretty low maintenance cleans

I guess that's going to depend on how much you're going to be using it.

And let me say, I treat my Firefly with much less love than @ShayWhiteGrow

For a regular ol' cleanin', it ain't much. If you clean it and maintain it regularly, then it's just a matter of a cotton swab and some ISO and some quick back-and-forth on the SS bits. You might need to do a little bit of light scrubbin' on the window, but speaking as someone who doesn't clean his FF often, it's still not much work or much time, once you do decide to clean it.

I'm still not sure whether it worth cleaning under the screen more than once or month a so.

I clean mine about once a week these days? Back when I was using it heavily, maybe every 5 days or so, just to keep it looking nice. Lots of FF users clean it more often, and some get bothered by the debris that will accumulate on the window, but.... eh. I don't feel the need to clean mine until I feel the performance is being affected, albeit to a small degree.

I'd say slightly longer than a Solo (depending on how long you soak the Solo stem), but not enough to make a difference.

Had my FF for about a week and a half, and I have to say I am definitely pleased with the purchase. I have been trying various techniques for draw, heating time, grind, etc. So far I can get consistent small hits (measured by vapor production) with occasional nice medium hits with a bit more visible vapor. What I love about it is the flavor, easily the best of any vape my limited experience has encountered.

Wish I had time for a more comprehensive review but work is being a beeatch. So instead here are some pics of it in it's new home along with a before/after shot of my abv. The little green box is an electronics component storage box with a flip up lid, it's embedded in the foam and I keep all the cleaning tools in there. Doob tube makes an excellent stash holder and the top doubles as a tamper and fits the bowl perfectly.

curlysue said:

I've had my FF for a month, and have encountered a rather steep learning curve. I can't seem to find a technique that produces consistent results, and the instruction manual is no use. I've done a lot of internet research to figure this out, which is actually how I landed here.

Correct me if I'm wrong: the product should not be ground too fine. I've been cutting it up in a shot glass with a pair of manicure scissors to get a small, choppy consistency, but not dust or anything, and certainly not large buds. Is that right?

Then, I have been heating it for about 8 seconds, taking my finger off the button for a second, pressing it down again and inhaling. This is often where i get tripped up. Sometimes it seems like a long, quick inhale is best, but other times that does not work. Other times, it seems like a slow, long inhale is best, but other times--not so much.

Sometimes, I get a lung full of vapor and exhale, a lovely, satisfying cloud. Other times--nothing. What gives? What should I be expecting here? Should I expect to exhale a cloud of vapor? I'm new to this whole approach in general and thought it would be easier to figure out. Is there a foolproof way to make this work? I feel like I wasted quite a bit of money and am this close to ditching it for edibles.

Click to expand...

How many strains have you tried? I have found that strain affects the performance of my FF much moreso than my other vapes.

Also, some people do grind it fairly fine (I know I sometimes do) and it works better for them. Might be worth a try, at least. I think the "official" FF advice is a "finger-tear" grind, but people in this thread all use their own approach, and plenty of them grind it down pretty well. Some tamp it down. Some pack it over the brim. Some use screens on the top. Try some diff. approaches and see what works for you, if anything. If nothing else, at least break the pieces up a bit more as your session goes on.

With taking your finger off the button, again, some people do, some don't. I don't do this. I hit the button, wait about five seconds (some people wait longer) and start a steady inhale, the speed of which depends upon which strain of herbs I'm using and the number of hits I've already taken. Usually, it's a fast-to-medium speed. I think the more important part is steadiness though. If it's near the beginning of a session, I don't push the button any longer than 5 seconds or so after I've started my inhale, but I keep inhaling because there will be some leftover heat after you take your finger off the button.

Yes, different techniques will yield different results at different times, again dependent on strain and at which point of the session you're at. For example, my first few hits tend to be faster and quicker to enjoy the flavor and low temp effects, then it'll switch to medium for both, then long and slow at the end, etc, as you'll want higher temps for a longer period when you get closer to the end of the bowl (although you may find the taste can suffer at this point).

When you don't see vapor exhaled, are you still feeling the effects? Sometimes the FF vapor is light enough to not be seen without a good spotlight.

You may have wasted your money, yes, but other people in this thread have been where you're at and bounced right back.



Just hang around this thread for a few days and you'll hear lots of good advice that should have you up and running before too long.

curlysue said:

Then, I have been heating it for about 8 seconds, taking my finger off the button for a second, pressing it down again and inhaling. This is often where i get tripped up.

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I get consistent results.

1. I do not do a "preheat" button push - only push the button once on each draw.
2. I keep inhaling long after I release the button.
3. I grind fine (probably not as important as some other factors?).

OK so here it goes:

Load bowl. Push and hold button, start drawing after 8 seconds. Continue drawing with button pressed for 16 seconds. Release button, keep drawing. You should start to feel the vapor a little bit into your long draw.

That's the first hit. Subsequent hits I hold the button for 4-5 seconds before drawing, draw for 7-8 seconds with button pressed, then a long slow inhale until I feel vapor. So I am essentially cutting my button time in half after the first draw.

Toward the end of the bowl I increase the button press time back to about 16 seconds.

As I have said before, for me the Firefly produces the bulk of the vapor after the button is released. Use the button presses to build up the heat in the core, then use the heat to vaporize the material. I barely feel any vapor production before I release the button.

curlysue said:

I've had my FF for a month, and have encountered a rather steep learning curve. I can't seem to find a technique that produces consistent results, and the instruction manual is no use. I've done a lot of internet research to figure this out, which is actually how I landed here.

Correct me if I'm wrong: the product should not be ground too fine. I've been cutting it up in a shot glass with a pair of manicure scissors to get a small, choppy consistency, but not dust or anything, and certainly not large buds. Is that right?

Then, I have been heating it for about 8 seconds, taking my finger off the button for a second, pressing it down again and inhaling. This is often where i get tripped up. Sometimes it seems like a long, quick inhale is best, but other times that does not work. Other times, it seems like a slow, long inhale is best, but other times--not so much.

Sometimes, I get a lung full of vapor and exhale, a lovely, satisfying cloud. Other times--nothing. What gives? What should I be expecting here? Should I expect to exhale a cloud of vapor? I'm new to this whole approach in general and thought it would be easier to figure out. Is there a foolproof way to make this work? I feel like I wasted quite a bit of money and am this close to ditching it for edibles.

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Didn't really read the other responses they were too long so sorry if I repeat anything...

But here it goes...like you I was afraid of grinding too fine and hand ground or scissored my material... Didn't get great results so I went to a grinder (space case) 4-5 full turns and I'm good to go...

Now loading, I dump in material so the bowl is a little bit over filled then wipe away the excess (kinda like measuring flour in a measuring cup)

Place lid on, press button until I see a full glow and keep pressing and inhale slowly. I inhale so slow and light you can't hear inhaling and I get huge dense clouds. If you want tastier but also whisper clouds inhale faster

Anyway that works for me so I hope it helps you

curlysue said:

I've had my FF for a month, and have encountered a rather steep learning curve. I can't seem to find a technique that produces consistent results, and the instruction manual is no use. I've done a lot of internet research to figure this out, which is actually how I landed here.

Sometimes, I get a lung full of vapor and exhale, a lovely, satisfying cloud. Other times--nothing. What gives? What should I be expecting here? Should I expect to exhale a cloud of vapor? I'm new to this whole approach in general and thought it would be easier to figure out. Is there a foolproof way to make this work? I feel like I wasted quite a bit of money and am this close to ditching it for edibles.

Click to expand...

You know you have arrived safely in the Land of The Firefly when you ask a technique question and get three thoughtful answers from three regular posters who have had great success with the device and all three of them are different. Ask any ten FF users how they get results and you will get ten different answers. The truth is that everyone has had to arrive at their own mix of the four key variables (grind, amount of material, draw technique, button technique) in order to find their own personal sweet spot. You should try variations on all of these to see what works for you.

My personal approach: Barely grind the material....PACK the bowl solidly to the rim...press button for at least four seconds, begin to draw....draw as fast as I can before I the natural resistance point, and no faster....let go of the button midway through...keep drawing for several seconds after releasing the button. I stir and iteratively grind every few hits, till I'm left with fairly ground stuff by mid-session. Towards the end, I'll slap a top screen on the bowl, which makes the final half-dozen hits neater, and raises the heat of the chamber which assists extraction in the final stages.

Some general tips/observations...

1. I cannot get good results unless I pack the bowl fairly densely. I feel like I'm not getting a decent thermal mass going without a dense load. (Others have had a different experience.)

2. It takes a few hits for the load to get really warm and start releasing big vapor. This is similar, in my experience, to any convection vape.

3. If I draw too slowly, hits aren't big. Unlike some portable vapes, I need to draw right up to the resistance point to get results.

4. I never hit the button twice...hold, count four, draw, release mid hit, keep drawing. No need to re-press.

You didn't waste your money, but you are still on the early part of the curve until you find the right balance of the key variables. Pretty much everyone has had to climb this curve, and they've always gotten results eventually. Don't give up!!

euph0ric1 said:

So while the FF has a more distinguishable, pure taste.. I think the "flavor" is a tad over-rated as a selling point.

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Sorry, brother, but I could not disagree more. I think the FF's flavor is actually underrated, and should be considered by all flavor-chasers as a superior option to even the Solo (even when used hamster style). IMO

The flavor of the FF is what keeps me coming back to it. I reach for it more often than my Solo, and just as often as my HI, to get my flavor fix. Flavor is crazy important to me, and as soon as it's gone, I find it difficult to enjoy the herb whatsoever anymore. The FF helps me to get as much of that fantastic flavor as is possible with an electric portable, and that is the reason I would buy another FF if mine were lost.

The FF has many outstanding features, yes, but to me, its flavor profile / signature is what ultimately makes it so luxurious.

But to each their own. This thread has certainly shown there's more than one way to appreciate a Firefly!

mitchgo61 said:

Neither of my FF's get hot enough at the bottom plate to create conduction...not even close. (Put material in the bowl and hold the heat button...does it cook? Mine doesn't.)

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I simulated a session with the FF but took no draws as a test. I wanted to see how much conduction and/or radiation was at play or if it was really using true convection. I even shook between "hits" to mimic normal use. My herb came out green afterward and I couldn't detect any degradation at all. I found this surprising as I had expected it to cook at least some.

I have only done this once, so maybe I didn't lean on it hard enough. I would like to hear the results of other FF users if anyone is game. It only takes a few minutes and doesn't waste weed. The only difficult part is forcing yourself to NOT take any draws during the test.