Magma and Obsidian Volcano Bubblers

[Magma_Industries]

I've gotta say, that's probably the most detailed critique/guide I've seen written by someone other than myself! I'll try to go through and address everything, but let me know if there's something I left out...

To start, I've never considered or even heard of someone just inhaling straight from the top of Obsidian. I had a good chuckle just imagining it, but hey, if you enjoy it, you do you and more power to you!

So when you say that it is not straight forward using the whip... it should be straight forward... The orange adapter should fit on the top of Obsidian as snugly as the bags do, and you shouldn't have to add any O-rings or other gasketing material. I just pulled a random Obsidian out from my most recent batch, and attached it to my hose adapter, and it fits snug as a rug... I can hold the assembly by only the Orange adapter and Obsidian is tightly secured. In fact, I can block the end and blow/suck from the whip without any flow, meaning it is fully sealed. If you feel like you have a defect for whatever reason and would like a replacement, please reach out and let me know, I'd be happy to get you a properly sealing unit especially if you prefer the whip.

Drying really shouldn't need any help. I put the drying instructions on the box and everything as the most ideal and optimal way to avoid anything untoward happening, but I'm honestly lazy and I don't actually do the "drying out steps" that I describe in the instructions. I just let my bag sit like usual, and the condensation always dissipates by the next morning. My current bag is like 9 months old and looks like new, so you really don't have anything to worry about. I do always recommend distilled or de-ionized water for best flavor though.

I'm not associated with Grunge Off at all, but it's honestly the best glass cleaner I've ever used aside from laboratory grade shit you don't want in your home. I'm glad you're finding it as effective as I do! The stuff is liquid golf.... I have a bottle that's like 3 years old, almost black, and still cleans things up to brand new. It's incredible. No need to flip, I'm pretty sure you can get full coverage on your Obsidian if you put the jar on it's side. I do this regularly.

I love your Obsidian cocoon. It'll never break like that, haha! I keep mine attached to my Hybrid Valve base and just leave it standing. It's a very sturdy base, this way, and on the couple of occasions I have knocked it over my Obsidian withstood every fall it took.

Thank you again for contributing so much and helping critique our bubblers. I very much appreciate it, and hopefully the community does as well.

Cheers!

-Ryan

 

[Robindean]

This thread has excited me. I had originally contacted Magma via email about issues over the obsidian when I first encountered it after purchase.
I have since experimented and played with this bad boy. And while I use it dry almost all the time, it is SUCH a improvement over just using the Volcano Classic, Hybrid and Mighty (and until I own one Crafty+) in ways I could never imagine. Infact, I think I will purchase the glass magma and a backup Obsidian as I await their new product..(see if they work like this one)..which I have been wanting for a long time. Which has inspired me to post this.

Not only something new and a discovery as I buy shit and play with high end things. But, unless I am bad at researching (And this I never looked up)
I am on to something. At least for the Mighty/Crafty (Better with a crafty due to weight, but I trust my shit with the mighty).
Sorry for the long post to get to the point, as seeing will be better then me typing this.
Oh i did this upside down first before trying it upright....on the mighty upright rocks, upside down on your rig is nice as well.
https://www.reddit.com/r/VolcanoVaporizer/comments/mrb8wd pics

 

[Magma_Industries]

That's pretty sweet! We didn't design it to fit like that, did you have to make some kind of connection to keep it air tight?

 

[Robindean]

I did not, this is why I am interested in purchasing the glass magma, and another obsidian. I want to see how close they fit, and if another obsidian would work like this.
Another thing I did was take the obsidian, flip it upside down into a Rig, and then put the mighty upside down into the obsidian.
From what I noticed, and why I didn't need to make any modifications, is the stors and bickle valves, both easy and the hybrid, are based off a lax 18mm design. And since you guys make these glass to fit that, its basically a 18mm random. So either I got pretty damn lucky....or this takes your guys product to another level.

 

[Magma_Industries]

Interesting! I've never heard of any of those uses before, kudos to you!

The spout design isn't actually based on anything to do with the 18mm standard glass taper as far as we know... they are, however, very similar. They are not the same taper, and this is important. Instead of making a face seal like you would want for this application, you will instead get a line seal from mis-matches taper drafts. This will have a high tendency to seize and potentially shatter the joint, which is the biggest downside of going with standard joints to try and connect the two. You got lucky, for sure

 

[Robindean]

I wonder, and now I know what kind of risk I am taking based on how you said it was designed.
Would you guys be willing to make something more along the liens for the mighty like this? As a premium bubbler for the mighty/crafty.
I could only imagine this being actually designed for the 18MM wpa glass adapter I use from planetofthevapes.

Otherwise I did get the magma, and will play around. Safely. Ha.

With the rig

 

[Timps27]

I’ve had my magma for a while now, and I’m still torn. I think it just comes down to price point for me; and this is not to say that I think the price is at all unfair, it just keeps nagging at the back of my mind. The Magma absolutely improves the bag experience; but does it improve it $100 worth (or based on actual paid price for most hybrid ‘Canos, somewhere around 20-25% improvement)? IMO, no. At a lower price point, I think it’s a must have. At it’s current price, if and when it doesn’t impact your budget it’s a worthy add on.

Under normal operation I don’t see how you can backflow water unless you overfill; or let the bag overinflate and push the vapor backwards. If you stop the air in time, or are ready with hand on valve to pull it as soon as it’s full, it should be fine. Also, count me down as one who sips directly from the Magma, but just when I remove the bag. There is usually just a touch of vapor left in the Magma when I pull the bag; as I remove the bowl I do a quick draw on the Magma to clear it. Can’t waste good vapor, that’s real money!

 

[Lukiita]

Interesting! I've never heard of any of those uses before, kudos to you!

The spout design isn't actually based on anything to do with the 18mm standard glass taper as far as we know... they are, however, very similar. They are not the same taper, and this is important. Instead of making a face seal like you would want for this application, you will instead get a line seal from mis-matches taper drafts. This will have a high tendency to seize and potentially shatter the joint, which is the biggest downside of going with standard joints to try and connect the two. You got lucky, for sure

Hello Ryan,

Im Lukas from Germany and thinking of buying an Obsidian for 200€ because I am coughing like crazy especially using the bags.

I researched quite a bit and there’s a China Version of your Obsidian, bigger and thicker and when it’s sealed completely it apparently seems to do quite the job.

Many people use your medium O-rings to make it seal (is this why they are sold out since so long ^^?). It also has a bigger water chamber so people say when you make it seal it’s at least as good if not better and of course much much cheaper.

My question now is what do you say or think about it? It’s „China Glass Obsidian from DHgate“ you can google something like that and you will find it.

If you can give me reason I will still the Obsidian because I don’t want a defect or wait so long time for shipping but of course I don’t wanna be stupid so if it’s really the same or even better I should buy it naturally.

I hope you give me some info I definitely need either of those.

 

[Magma_Industries]

Hello Ryan,

Im Lukas from Germany and thinking of buying an Obsidian for 200€ because I am coughing like crazy especially using the bags.

I researched quite a bit and there’s a China Version of your Obsidian, bigger and thicker and when it’s sealed completely it apparently seems to do quite the job.

Many people use your medium O-rings to make it seal (is this why they are sold out since so long ^^?). It also has a bigger water chamber so people say when you make it seal it’s at least as good if not better and of course much much cheaper.

My question now is what do you say or think about it? It’s „China Glass Obsidian from DHgate“ you can google something like that and you will find it.

If you can give me reason I will still the Obsidian because I don’t want a defect or wait so long time for shipping but of course I don’t wanna be stupid so if it’s really the same or even better I should buy it naturally.

I hope you give me some info I definitely need either of those.

Hi Lukiita,

Thanks for getting in touch! I'll see if I can touch on some of the pointers between the two below. I've posted some of this here before, so there's some c/p from earlier:

Yup, that's an available alternative to ours that works, but I wouldn't say particularly well. We've actually tried those out ourselves, and found a few things that make it a bit less desirable than ours.

First, the tree perc conductance is not matched to the Volcano, and it restricts the air flow much more than it should. The Volcano fan is a tank and shouldn't have any problems with it, but I'm always wary about stressing out mechanical components like that.

Second, and most obvious, is the necessary 18-14mm adapter needed. This might actually be the worst part, as the China-made 18mm on top is not exactly up to US National Glass Standards, and has a tendency to mate poorly with the adapter. This poor mating in conjunction with the conductance issue above, and the internal chamber volume not properly matched for the bubbling action with air flow, can cause water to bubble over the top of the bubbler and into the joint connector, which can leak out and into your Volcano.

Third, it's poor quality glass (ours broke with a small tilt over, not even a fall), and I personally don't like waiting months for delivery (it took like 40 days or something crazy when I ordered). There's also no customer service if something goes wrong or you have questions (which, from personal experience in the last 5 years making these, there's always someone with some question that needs answering), and if you get a defect your SOL (whereas we just want to know what could have gone wrong in our production/QA that allowed your defect to exist so we can fix it, and then replace it for free ASAP).

For what you've mentioned about dimensions glass, we have heard that is larger overall, and this actually contributes to one of the only negative effects/downsides that people have with our bubblers, namely that it is already top heavy and can tip over. Paired with China quality glass and workmanship as described above, it's not a great combination for longevity when it's even more top heavy.

Fourth, the high temperature silicone that is necessary for the O-ring material (and the proper seal to your Volcano) is very scarce, but luckily we have a solid supplier that is able to keep up with our demand right now. The provider of the China glass does not have this same material source, and they do not have the proper O-ring material OR SIZE. This is huge, as it is how you actually make a solid seal.... If the size is wrong, no luck... I have had many people try to get O-rings from us for this express purpose, but we've been sold out of the individual O-rings for so long we're not able to provide them for everyone. Not to mention I have no idea what their material is, but it is NOT high temperature compatible silicone, and I would not trust inhaling anything in it's airpath, particularly when heated like it gets while in use.

If you're ok with those risks, have at it! In the meantime, we'll be here for your Official Volcano Bubbler needs/questions/comments/concerns

 

[Principal Guy]

Picked up an obsidian on sale for 420. TOTAL GAME CHANGER for the volcano. My volcano original and hybrid usually collect dust on the shelf but not anymore. I could tell instantly that the vapor was not as dry or harsh with the obsidian bubbler attached. Highly recommended.

 

[SingNik]

Just got my Obsidian yesterday. Ordering was a total breeze and I forgot to add in some bag adaptors that they sell. Emailed them to see if I could add them on to my existing order and they were really quick to reply and raise a separate invoice for the items.

Setup is pretty easy and they provide a great write up on how to get it working. The smallest o-ring just wouldn't stay on so I had to go a step up and now it's perfect.

Made myself up a regular 30cm bag at about 375F. The vapour was very smooth and easy to smoke. Later that evening I made myself an XL bag using a new dosing capsule with a bit of full melt sandwiched between the flower. I filled it by going through a stepped process. Start at 375F and take it all the way to 446F. Usually this irritates my throat and while it gets me high as hell the flavour is a bit muted. Yesterday's bag filled through the Obsidian was incredibly smooth.

I'm pretty happy I've picked one up. I just hope I don't smash it because I am very, very clumsy.

 

[Magma_Industries]

Great to hear you guys/gals are enjoying your newly active Volcano If you ever have any issues or questions, please feel free to reach out to us either on here, or via email at support@magma-industries.com, we usually are able to answer within a few hours. Cheers!

 

[ChooChooCharlie]

Obsidian arrived today
Nice magnetic lid on box
Nice directions printed on box, unable to miss/ignore

Clever name, Obsidian, glass successor to the plastic og

Pardon my assault upon Macbeth:
Bubble, Bubble, some toil, no trouble

Mid sized o-ring for mine, and it does fly off when removing
Must learn to cup hands around, and not over sink drain

Conditioning enabled rapid consecutive inhales for first test, it works well

My lungs thank you, @Magma_Industries

 

[SirGanjaVapeAlot]

Hey @Magma_Industries!

So it looks like I snagged the last red glass magma bubbler in my country

I was wondering if you could explain the difference between the older red glass magma and the new one that is for sale on the Magma Industries site which is clear?

Is there any issue with using the older version?

 

[Magma_Industries]

Hi @SirGanjaVapeAlot ,

Thanks for getting in touch! That's actually very impressive, we haven't produced those for a couple of years now. If it's Red in color, then it is not actually glass, and is a high temperature Polymer that is made of 3 separate pieces, each bonded to the other using an ultrasonic welding technique. We stopped producing the units because of the combination of environmental factors (it can't be recycled), and that the ultrasonic welding was never as reliable as we liked. Combined with the fact that Obsidian proved to be the superior humidification device, we decided to stop producing the units.

When I say the welding wasn't as reliable, I mean that most of the time it works perfect and the seal is permanent, and you'd be none the wiser. But for a small portion of units, the welds would begin to fail and the top would essentially come loose after some time which could lead to vapor leakage.... If you experience something like this, shoot us an email and we'll be sure to help get you upgraded to the new Glass Magma free of charge.

Cheers!

 

[SirGanjaVapeAlot]

Hi @SirGanjaVapeAlot ,

Thanks for getting in touch! That's actually very impressive, we haven't produced those for a couple of years now. If it's Red in color, then it is not actually glass, and is a high temperature Polymer that is made of 3 separate pieces, each bonded to the other using an ultrasonic welding technique. We stopped producing the units because of the combination of environmental factors (it can't be recycled), and that the ultrasonic welding was never as reliable as we liked. Combined with the fact that Obsidian proved to be the superior humidification device, we decided to stop producing the units.

When I say the welding wasn't as reliable, I mean that most of the time it works perfect and the seal is permanent, and you'd be none the wiser. But for a small portion of units, the welds would begin to fail and the top would essentially come loose after some time which could lead to vapor leakage.... If you experience something like this, shoot us an email and we'll be sure to help get you upgraded to the new Glass Magma free of charge.

Cheers!

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

That sounds like a pretty amazing solution to the issue of bonding, how did you come up with the idea to use sonic welding? Genuinely I've never even heard of it

I will definitely let you know if there are any issues looking forward to putting it through its paces!

 

[Timps27]

I really liked the look of the original, I would have rather preferred it over my glass version. As a wise man once said, if you can’t love the one you want…

 

[Magma_Industries]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

That sounds like a pretty amazing solution to the issue of bonding, how did you come up with the idea to use sonic welding? Genuinely I've never even heard of it

I will definitely let you know if there are any issues looking forward to putting it through its paces!

I actually did a bit of R&D on the ultrasonic welding technique for a completely separate industry, but saw it's immediate application here due the fact it makes incredible seals (when it works properly) very quickly, and without the use of any solvents or chemicals. Unfortunately though the polymer is not recyclable, and so we decided to discontinue that line. I hope you got the last good one and it lasts for as long as you enjoy your Volcano Cheers!

 

[redrum891]

I’ve had my magma for a while now, and I’m still torn. I think it just comes down to price point for me; and this is not to say that I think the price is at all unfair, it just keeps nagging at the back of my mind. The Magma absolutely improves the bag experience; but does it improve it $100 worth (or based on actual paid price for most hybrid ‘Canos, somewhere around 20-25% improvement)? IMO, no. At a lower price point, I think it’s a must have. At it’s current price, if and when it doesn’t impact your budget it’s a worthy add on.

Under normal operation I don’t see how you can backflow water unless you overfill; or let the bag overinflate and push the vapor backwards. If you stop the air in time, or are ready with hand on valve to pull it as soon as it’s full, it should be fine. Also, count me down as one who sips directly from the Magma, but just when I remove the bag. There is usually just a touch of vapor left in the Magma when I pull the bag; as I remove the bowl I do a quick draw on the Magma to clear it. Can’t waste good vapor, that’s real money!

It is definitely worth grabbing one!

I was using a whip attachment and hitting the obsidian with my mouth until I received my o-ring and my oh my...the difference between the vapor directly coming into the obsidian vs into a whip then the obsidian is a big difference to me, I constantly had that tickle feeling in the back of my throat when using the obsidian like a bubbler in my hand with a whip attached.

putting it directly on the proper way, some how it is making the vapor way cooler? I guess the glass is grabbing a bit of the heat (bottom of the glass gets a little hot) and the only "bro-science" I can come up with on the difference.

I've ran a whip to an obsidian / klein recycler / mega globe and the obsidian directly connected to the unit is night and day difference in terms of not making me have that tickle in my throat after each hit once I go past 410F.

Best customer service also, shoutout to magma industries for taking care of me and not getting frustrated with all the questions too! <3

 

[redrum891]

I intentionally put water in the bottom to keep the bottom from getting hot, which makes the vapor see to be way much cooler in the obsidian.

Wondering if anyone who has tried obsidian with a whip vs mega globe and I guess that the glass absorbing a lot of the heat makes cooler vapor than using a bubbler.

 

[SeatownHaze]

Has anybody tried both the obsidian and the glass magma? Do they perform any differently or is the main difference just the added safety of the 2nd chamber?

Had an obsidian a while ago and loved it. Also FYI for anyone interested there's a sale going on right now.

Edited for spelling

 

[Stupidme]

Has anybody tried both the obsidian and the glass magma? Do they perform any differently or is the main difference just the added safety of the 2nd chamber?

Had an obsidian a while ago and loved it. Also FYI for anyone interested there's a sale going on right now.

Edited for spelling

I alternate between them, find no functional difference of note. Both great.

 

[Magma_Industries]

I intentionally put water in the bottom to keep the bottom from getting hot, which makes the vapor see to be way much cooler in the obsidian.

Wondering if anyone who has tried obsidian with a whip vs mega globe and I guess that the glass absorbing a lot of the heat makes cooler vapor than using a bubbler.

We've been hearing about a lot of people doing this! We never intended for it to be used this way, but we always welcome innovation from the community It definitely will increase the total thermal mass and contribute to longer/cooler sessions.

Has anybody tried both the obsidian and the glass magma? Do they perform any differently or is the main difference just the added safety of the 2nd chamber?

Had an obsidian a while ago and loved it. Also FYI for anyone interested there's a sale going on right now.

Edited for spelling

There's no real difference. I couldn't show a significant different in humidity or temperature reduction when i did the tests years ago. Obsidian does have slightly more mass, and can hold slightly more water, so when combined with a lower chamber water fill (see above), you could make the argument that Obsidian can keep it's cooling and humidity capabilities for longer, leading to longer sessions before having to refill the unit, but I don't think it's a significant difference.

I alternate between them, find no functional difference of note. Both great.

I agree

 

[Cereal4dinner]

https://es.aliexpress.com/item/1005004685022476.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2esp

This one is 21€ shipped to spain, 25$ maybe? it's 1/8 the cost and it looks pretty similar to the obsidian. I'm aware it won't be the exact same quality though. On top of that, glass is glass, if it falls it breaks regarldless of the price... And I'd rather break 20€ than 150€.

I'll give it a go

The quality of the obsidIan is questionable… very thin borosilicate. mine broke from a 2 foot drop onto the carpet…. I would 100% recommend going cheaper from ali express. The obsidian is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy over priced

 

[Magma_Industries]

The quality of the obsidIan is questionable… very thin borosilicate. mine broke from a 2 foot drop onto the carpet…. I would 100% recommend going cheaper from ali express. The obsidian is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy over priced

Thanks for the feedback. We use 1/8" Borosilicate which can withstand almost any and all physical impacts, especially regular usage like getting knocked over on the table or onto carpet. It's a compromise we had to make when considering weight issues on the Classic, which aren't much of an issue on the Hybrid with the locking chamber. If there are any failures, it's almost exclusively at the joining/mating sections due to internal stresses during fabrication. Feel free to send us a picture of the break if this ever happens, as we can almost always classify those as defects and get replacements sent out.

Regarding the AliExpress models, I've addressed the issues with those in other posts if you search my history so I won't go into detail here, but this one looks like a particularly bad knockoff, as the lower joint section doesn't have the proper splashguard, and it doesn't look like the right proportions for chamber size/water level so you're really at risk for water getting into your herbal chamber. Definitely don't blame anyone for trying them out, but you get what you pay for... Unfortunately we're not overpriced, just having to price our stuff appropriately to get our glass blowers paid acceptable wages. Again, appreciate your input, we're just trying to make a better vaping experience for everyone