Looking for a good bong (eventually hooking up to a vaporizer)

[tdavie]

I'd like to buy a bong, but am utterly ignorant of where to start looking/researching). Vaping daily since Dec/09, and am currently vaping/combusting 50/50.

Probably I'd want something as smooth as possible (percolators? diffusion?), and I suspect I'd want to be able to use ice (does it really help to smooth out the hit??).

If I vape, I'd go through ~0.8+ g. Combusting goes upwards of 2 g (on a daily basis).

Usage patterns; constantly on weekday evenings from ~ 6pm till midnite, and on weekends from ~12 pm until 2-3 am.

Prefer to not have to hit the bong more than 2wice in an evening but am okay with that if need be.

Don't know what the price of a good bong would be (I work in a lab, so I imagine the price is frightful if the cost of high quality glassware is transitive), and I've got no idea if it's worth it or am I just chasing some kinda idyllic image? Good glassware is supposed to be better....right?

Top $ is 400 US, and of course preferably less.

thanks for any advice.

Tom

 

[colly]

check out www.aqualabtech.com they have some nice glass there

 

[charliedontsurf]

Your concerns about diffusion and percolators are sound.

Be a diffusion snob if you're going for a one and only situation. Inline, stemline, showhead - something besides a normal tube or traditionally diffused tube. It can make the difference between loving your piece and tolerating it.

400 dollars is a tremendous budget. Half of that will get you a fantastic, locally made piece if you shop wisely. I'd also recommend something a with second percolator in the shaft of the bong. This is my personal preference, but I really, really like having the option of having a second level of water filtration built right into the piece.

Don't get taken because this is your first real glass buying experience, beware overpriced stuff in your local headshop.

 

[Nycdeisel]

all good advice so far. if you want simple stuff on the cheaper end of thescale there is ssfgglass.com, as well as a few cheaper brands on ALT, like HVY, Syn, MGW is good too but has more advanced pieces

 

[havock69]

I just got a zob fixed stem circulator for about 200 from my lhs, and aqualab has the same piece for 260> My advice is compare prices everywhere, you can usually haggle a lil' bit at your lhs. I'm a big advocate of fixed stems, I like my zob because i dont have to hit it vertically every time I hit it and it has a recessed joint(less prone to breaking). Just don't be fooled by cheap china glass. look for even trees and joints, clean joints and thick glass all around.
good luck bro

 

[Stu]

Tom,
I would just wait patiently for FC's resident glassaholic Pappy to put up one of his pieces on the "for sale" thread here. That's what I did and I got a great piece from him.

 

[Progress]

Tdavie, what vaporizer do you use?

If you can wait, the Cloud from Vape Exhale (VXC) is an amazing Vape that comes with the glass you are seeking and is still in your price range. It is also compatible with your future glass.

If you don't mind a bit of a wait, see if they are still offering the introductory price.

There is a thread on FC about the Cloud. Check it out.

 

[tdavie]

Tdavie, what vaporizer do you use?

If you can wait, the Cloud from Vape Exhale (VXC) is an amazing Vape that comes with the glass you are seeking and is still in your price range. It is also compatible with your future glass.

If you don't mind a bit of a wait, see if they are still offering the introductory price.

There is a thread on FC about the Cloud. Check it out.

I use the Extreme at home, and occasionally mix things up by using the SSV or MFLB. Never really thought of a connect to a vaporizer when I ended up buying a bong yesterday (on Easter of all things ).

And yup, I am on the waiting list for the VapeXhale. Got on the list on day 1 or 100. It's been a while but I'm on the list for a gridded something or other.

I'm going to have to look at a lab glass shop pretty soon I think.

thanks for the heads up.

Tom

 

[jeffp]

I have this and I love it.
http://www.ssfgglass.com/shop/tubes/10-10-12-inch-straight-tube
I'm a neophyte in this area and NYC-D hipped me to this piece. I'm not really sure
what a more expensive bong would provide that this doesn't.
check this out -
http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/?action=view&current=MOV036302.mp4
how simple is that?
I've used this with the PD, SSV and VB (bought an adapter from 7th floor - this one -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120694006749&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
and it's really good for the whip vapes)

 

[tdavie]

jeffp; thanks muchly for posting that link; 14mm adapter is what I need. I'll try to remember to order one tonight. I think I'll love the SSV through the bong I just picked up.

One question I never thought to ask is; is there any odor coming through the bong?

thanks

Tom

 

[Stu]

It is the same as you would get through the whip....only smoother

 

[jeffp]

The odor is probably a little lighter than you would get from straight vaping but I'm not sure.
The hits are smoother and they are also more massive and intense.
Somewhat less hits per load though because you're taking in more vapor per hit.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Spot on^ you take bigger hits, so you get less hits in the end. but its somewhat of a different high, for some people its a very different high.

Probably doesnt smell much different then dry hits.

I did get something recently that I have not spoken about at all, its one of these things http://www.smokebuddy.com/ its made for smoke, but works equally well with vapor if you are concerned and would last a ton longer if you are mostly putting vapor though it.

I did several 'tests' with this, a couple times with smoke and multiple times with vapor. it actually works well. the most surprising was that I was able to pick one up at my LHS otherwise Im not sure I would have bought one(at least for a while). so if you get concerned about smell, pick up one of these little things for $20. its worth it.

edit: it DOES include the silly keychain. but mine doesnt even light up like it should!
hahaha

 

[jeffp]

Not for me but a neighbor in my building on a different floor is being continually harassed by religious fanatics whenever she lights up. She and her boyfriend have a SSV but I know they don't vape exclusively. These psycho neighbors even called the police! They came to her door and basically did nothing more than tell her to "knock it off." Still, a frightful experience I'm sure. Then they had the president of the coop board knock on her door. I know the "president" doesn't give a shit either but she had to give the psycho shareholders lip service.
I'm going to send her this link even though she was the one who fucked up my VaporBros by laughing into the bong tube instead of inhaling. It still doesn't work right but since I've gained mastery with the PD/bong it's not a pressing concern.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Your VB is down? that sucks man...


time for vape shopping?

 

[jeffp]

Yeah... VB is down.. I have a backup VB (I bought both of them used from craigslist) and VB has a very good warranty policy and I also have a VaporBox which is excellent - it's an upgraded VaporWarez with a lifetime repair warranty as well. Also bought used. I'll eventually send the down VB out for a repair so I won't need to go box vape shopping any time soon.
It's more of a frustration and a hassle to find a suitable box and bubble wrap and it will cost about $45 with shipping to have it repaired than anything else. Lesson learned is keep her away from my vaporizers but she did give me at least 1/2 cup's worth of ABV for brownies, with more to come, she said, before she adiosed my unit.
Incredibly this individual is a respected corporate headhunter by day.

 

[Nycdeisel]

I see you are prepared, no shortage of box vaporizers in your house!

crazy shit about that person who messed up your vape, people like that really get on my nerves.

 

[jeffp]

I know I know but I don't have the heart to tell her that she fucked it up. I know her and she will feel despondent and feel obligated to buy me a new one and I just don't want that.
Money is "no object" to her; she just somehow lucked into a very lucrative field and she's good at it and she's smart and has a forceful personality but defective on the inside.
She's actually "banned" from a bar in Forest Hills after she was thrown out for sniffing coke in the bathroom with some guy she met. Amazing. But I get what you're saying about fuckups pissing you off. Especially when they're in your home and they fuck your things up. On some level I am pissed off.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Exactly, and I understand what you are saying, some people dont even care but others may feel the way she might.


and if one wants to spend around $400 for a nice piece, I can think of quite a few that would fit in my collection

here is one I really like http://www.itzaglassgallery.com/?page_id=1007&shopp_pid=20

 

[hereatlast]

^^ I like that one a lot

Beware, its tiny

 

[Nycdeisel]

haha how ya likin it man? Im sure its treating you well I like tiny tubes, or micro pieces

 

[hereatlast]

I'm liking it a lot, definitely the favorite in my small collection. I use this and the peashooter the most often and the hits are so very different. I'm really enjoying the smaller pieces as of late as well and I'm not sure I would go much smaller than this with (flower) vapors. Don't know if its the dry chamber or the tiny size (maybe a bit of both) but this is by far the best tasting piece I've got. Definitely a big supporter of Itza after this...they seem to really like people coming out to their gallery in Long Island and am sure they'll cut a deal if you deal directly with them (either online or at their in-store).