Aromazap/Myrtlezap/CeramicRockZap

[RumbleShorts]

I really like the "out on limb" series, with Ed's being my favorite so far. Hopefully the smaller size with Bark on top & bottom make it as a repeat model.
In the past Rick had advised that the grind results in particles about the size of coarse ground pepper. In my testing over the weekend I have found that when I grind to this consistency I get an average of 6-7 hits per stem. It has made a huge difference. When the grind is coarser I get 3 hits tops. I placed an order for a 2 piece SP grinder to do the work for me. Currently I am using a Cosmic Case grinder that works very well but, is still a little small for my hands to get a grip on.
All in all, I have found that with the new stems the grind has the greatest impact on providing the best vaping experience. More so than the pack "tightness" or the draw method.

 

[momofthegoons]

Have to agree with you Rumble, both on Ed's vape style and on your grind.

And Vito, you put the technique down to words perfectly (as usual). Often people think they have really try to suck the vapor out of that little stem. A slow, methodical draw is the way to go.

 

[Gobrian]

i'm dealing with this, from this:

to:

 

[SleepyHead]

For some reason I cannot get my ABV to come out dark brown (like vitolo's).
I am getting about 3 hits/stem with the usual declining amounts of vapor until about the fourth when nothing more comes out. The ABV I am getting has a little green in it. Anything to be concerned about?

Other than that, I'm loving the unit. For a daily driver, this is THE best vap I have used. Plus every time I look I at I think "damn, that's a sexy vap"

How dense are you packing the tips? Is it green throughout, or just whats touching the screen? How deep of draws do you take? How long do you wait with the stem in the zap before you vape it? How much time between hits? Is it the nug that is green, or do you also have small traces of leaf in it? A lot of contributing factors.

 

[karazi]

This is the most exciting thread in this joint. Can't wait to update my old softwood AZ to one of these new fangled thangs. Rick, let me get this straight, you came out with the new RockZap, it used to be real concrete surrounding the element, now you have converted to ceramic insulation yet still call it a RZ? Just trying to get caught up here...

Can you also provide a list of what materials are in the airpath? Thanks a ton.

 

[Rick]

karazi
The vaporizing air is totally enclosed in Stainless Steel. The airpath also has the RoHS ceramic coated power resistor for the heater as always used in Zaps and almost all other log vapes. The heater is connected to the plug via crimped small copper tube(no solder). One heater wire is insulated with tubular glass beads. The entry hole for the heater through the bottom ceramic insulator is sealed after the heater is installed with a small ball of sterile cotton.
That's it for the airpath.
We tried other names after the concrete cup was outdated but kept coming back to RockZap. Solid as a rock.
Gobrian. Your ABV should be darker...tweak something.
Also, dry as a bone material. With the proper dryness, you don't even need a grinder as it crumbles up perfectly in your fingers. A litter finer grind? crumble it some more............

 

[karazi]

Thanks Rick, can't wait to upgrade. I expect to be blown to smithereens by my (very near) future RZ.

 

[Gobrian]

Could you guys please describe the ideal tone of brown that the abv should be? I thought it was the bud so I went out and re-upd. My guy had some new stuff that while not as dank, it is very dry. Even if I rip slowly, take it out, grind it, and rip it a couple more times, I see a little green and yellow. (I did try ripping kief though and it just made it disappear into the most pleasing hit ever. )

I'm thinking it's the grind, it needs to be finer. Will go try and report back (likely tomorrow)

 

[momofthegoons]

Could you guys please describe the ideal tone of brown

If I was to use a Crayola color, I would say burnt sienna. Gobrian, you may have a couple flecks of green or tan around the edges, but most of the abv should look like the abv in Vito's pic. Especially the center of the stem full. That tends to get the darkest.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Hey Gobrian, this should help you. i just took these pictures as i was catching up on this thread and finishing a stem, this is as far as I go, i stop once i get 'that taste' which i suppose is different for everyone, but i get a very distinct ABV taste and at that point its very dark brown throughout

this is what I started with

hope this helps its too hard to explain with words and even though lighting will vary everywhere i think pictures can show it best

edit: in fact looking over this post, i think it looks darker in person, the camera really picked up the green. you get the point

 

[Vitolo]

I simply love that one added touch, Rick.
That "extra" brass sleeve...
That touch makes other stems work and connects the whole thing with a beautiful rythm.

What you did by adding that touch was provide an emotional security blanket besides an extremely functional tool.
It tells people (subconciously) that "change does not have to be scary, or totally encompassing... there are still ties to your comfort zone!"
It allows us to use old and new Zaps in harmony.

 

[Vitolo]

edit: in fact looking over this post, i think it looks darker in person, the camera really picked up the green. you get the point

You bad girl... showing what you started with was such a teez
hey... Deez rhyme with Teez!
once again... great camera work!

 

[Nycdeisel]

Thanks

and hey, at least I showed the ABV first!

 

[Ed's TnT]

I really like the "out on limb" series, with Ed's being my favorite so far. Hopefully the smaller size with Bark on top & bottom make it as a repeat model.

I gotta agree bout the size Rumble, I dig the OAl series but look kinda big in the photos, one I saw was rather large and seemed like it would be more than a handful when using it. Mine is bout the same size as the previous zaps, not to large and not to small, but just right, fits really well in the hand and makes using it a breeze. I do hope that Rick will make more just like this style, he has a winner in these in my eyes.

 

[collegerower]

he has a winner in these in my eyes.

I agree. At first it looked like a two hand operation but from yours I could see how one handed would work. I really do like that line as well.

 

[Gobrian]

Hey Gobrian, this should help you. i just took these pictures as i was catching up on this thread and finishing a stem, this is as far as I go, i stop once i get 'that taste' which i suppose is different for everyone, but i get a very distinct ABV taste and at that point its very dark brown throughout
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/DSC04511.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/DSC04512.jpg
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/DSC04513.jpg

this is what I started with
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/DSC04505.jpg

hope this helps its too hard to explain with words and even though lighting will vary everywhere i think pictures can show it best

edit: in fact looking over this post, i think it looks darker in person, the camera really picked up the green. you get the point

damn tat looks way darker than what I'm getting. When I was doing it I would rip it over and over and I'd get nothing and the bud would still come out a little green(emphasis:slowly). I'm gonna go try again right now and report back with pics. I am getting to the bottom of this.

Did you take that out and grind it further and suck it back in NYC?

 

[Nycdeisel]

Nope. never. I always load it and dont empty it until its DONE.

Try this, first your grind should be more even and a bit finer. also DO NOT PACK it in, if you load it too tight you wont be able to get good hits. Use the straw method to first suck the ground material into the tip, then let excess fall off the end and give it a small twist with the tip of your finger, carefully insert it into the unit so it that none spills out in the process. its very easy once you get it down.

 

[Gobrian]

I think packing it in may be my problem, vaping as we speak testing!

Test results:
I ground the bud way more (3rd time in the space case 4 piece, held upside down for a while).
I tried to leave it as lose as possible, and it gave me about 3 fat rips and 2-3 less visible ones and then 1 invisible one.

better lighting:

my phones camera is notorious for its blue hue that is meant to be fixed next update.
Needless to say, my bud is not as dark as you and vitolos.
I keep trying and trying to get it like yours with extreme care, seshing for like 10 mins over one stem, and I can't do it.

Rick, what are the chances that my unit is running cold?

 

[SD_haze]

looks like you're packing it too much (shouldnt look so "flat") with maybe a lil too coarse of a grind
but ill let the zapXperts chime in

Maybe what would help a lot is a picture of a loaded stem before vaporizing to see the consistency

 

[Nycdeisel]

I have to agree with SD, you need to grind it much finer. that 4 piece just wont do it, im sorry.
Get a 2 piece SC[Space Case] its a grinder that will last you forever if you take care of it, and it grinds quite fine. but I will admit that in those pictures its finer then I usually grind but i have been doing that lately and it works really well so im not complaining.

from those pictures i almost want to say it might be running too hot! but i dont think thats the case as im sure they are all tested before they go out, i think its just the lighting thats making half of each little bit look black.

 

[jackmormon]

Hey Gobrian,

I am learning how to use my RZ also. A couple of noobie tips... Your grind looks too large. If you can't get it finer with a grinder, dump it into a shot glass and continue chopping with some scissors until it is close to the consistency of rough ground pepper. The biggest learning curve for me has been packing the stems. The straw method works awesome but I had to learn to suck light and slow when filling the stem. If I suck too hard I end up with an over packed stem so I blow it out and try again. (This happens more often than not!)

It looks like you are getting closer! I doubt your zap is running cool with the color of your last ABV.

 

[Gobrian]

I have to agree with SD, you need to grind it much finer. that 4 piece just wont do it, im sorry.
Get a 2 piece SC[Space Case] its a grinder that will last you forever if you take care of it, and it grinds quite fine. but I will admit that in those pictures its finer then I usually grind but i have been doing that lately and it works really well so im not complaining.

from those pictures i almost want to say it might be running too hot! but i dont think thats the case as im sure they are all tested before they go out, i think its just the lighting thats making half of each little bit look black.

rofl i just went out and bought a space case 4 piece! was 80 bux!

thx for the help guise, back to the testing grind

 

[SleepyHead]

Grind is too large, and packed in too tight. Instead of shelling out bank on a space grinder, just get a chromium crusher (titanium crusher, whatever the name is now). It's a 4 piece I got years ago and still use it. Came with a bundle of other goodies on ebay for $20.

EDIT:

rofl i just went out and bought a space case 4 piece! was 80 bux!

Oops looks like its to late now :x

 

[SF Giant]

SC grinders (even the 2 piece) never seem to grind very fine to me, especially considering the cost. A couple gems ive found lately in local head shops (for much better prices i might add) are Santa Cruz Shredder for the coursely ground pepper size that folks talk about or a Leerick 2 piece that i picked up on a whim a couple weeks ago cuz the tooth design looked interesting, it turns out this thing grinds SUPER fine (damn near powder if you crank it for a bit) and it was only like 20 bones

 

[SirElton]

No need for another grinder, just keep it upside down and spin the bejeezus out of it. My recommendation:

- leave a nug out in the open to dry over night

- grind it up (seriously spin it like crazy. I've found it very difficult to over-grind with a hand-powered grinder)

- suck up the herb in the stem and be sure to keep it light. If you ever have the sense of sucking a super-thick milkshake, its too tight. The pull should feel like a milkshake but at the perfect temperature when its packed properly.

Remember the most important of all... patience. These things take time. It took me more than two weeks to get the technique down and I still must repack the odd stem every now and then. You'll get it soon enough.

RZ is en route home. It's just as suspenseful as last time, though now I have Moaning Myrtle to keep me company while I wait.