The Screwball by Vapvana

[TedJones]

Glad you’re enjoying @Slimjob Dopamine Yea mine sticks to my pass though and a N adapter I like. Wiggles free after about a minute or more cool down .. no biggie. When I use one of the TAG drop downs or my reclaimer, no stick at all.

 

[JohnnyTorres]

I have a pass through adapter so I put that on and if I need to empty/re-fill while it’s still stuck I can just lift that.

A word of caution, I've broken an adapter doing just this, just be sure to hold the glass! I picked up the bowl by the handle to clear a piece, the adapter was stuck to it, then the adapter dropped off and shattered. A K-Clip might be in my future.

When I use one of the TAG drop downs or my reclaimer, no stick at all.

I wish TAG was a bit more consistent, my current TAG downstem sticks every time. A little coconut oil and a twist keeps it reasonably easy to remove for a day or so.

 

[.brew]

In a last ditch effort, I set my PID to 900f while I made breakfast (30-40 minutes).

I microwave a mug of water for a couple minutes, throw a dash of PBW in it, then toss my balls in and they come out clean as a whistle in a few minutes.

 

[2pumpchump]

I microwave a mug of water for a couple minutes, throw a dash of PBW in it, then toss my balls in and they come out clean as a whistle in a few minutes.

I'm guessing you mean after you separated them from the coil and housing ! Right? Or at least with the coil unplug for safety purposes

 

[.brew]

I'm guessing you mean after you separated them from the coil and housing ! Right? Or at least with the coil unplug for safety purposes

I’ve done it both ways—when my top wouldn’t unscrew—doesn’t hurt anything. My vape is SS but same applies to Ti.

 

[Westinero]

Hellp good people, anyone from europe ordered the SB in December, my package shows no update with usps since 21st of Dec and i cannot contact USPS customer service. Anyone had an issue like this?

 

[Gomaruana]

Hellp good people, anyone from europe ordered the SB in December, my package shows no update with usps since 21st of Dec and i cannot contact USPS customer service. Anyone had an issue like this?

Haven't had any issues, I think mine was stuck at customs for about a week. They are notoriously slow here.
Not surprising as they don't really have to deliver a service to customers.

 

[Westinero]

Haven't had any issues, I think mine was stuck at customs for about a week. They are notoriously slow here.
Not surprising as they don't really have to deliver a service to customers.

Mine is stuck in transit since 21st Dec, no updates nothing and I dnt even know how to contact them

 

[Gomaruana]

Mine is stuck in transit since 21st Dec, no updates nothing and I dnt even know how to contact them

I hope you can get it resolved! With the holidays there might be some extra waiting times.

 

[2pumpchump]

Hellp good people, anyone from europe ordered the SB in December, my package shows no update with usps since 21st of Dec and i cannot contact USPS customer service. Anyone had an issue like this?

The last time I had spoken with cal in a live feed he had mentioned that some international united was having trouble with shipping dates because of holiday season he also stated he was working on smoothing out kinks for international orders in the future .

 

[Vapvana]

Happy New Year + Presale #2 Update​

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy their time with family during the holiday

And hopefully y'all didn't get sick like I did for a week

Next Presale Is Live!​

(At 4:20pm MST today)

The next round of production is currently in motion! Kits are expected to ship out to me before CNY begins (Feb 2nd) and should arrive in 1-2 weeks after.

There is now a PID free option available, and the presale pricing for both options are:

Screwball Starter Kit - With PID - $299*​

Screwball Starter Kit - Without PID - $199*​

*Use coupon code FC10 to get an additional 10% off and support future community projects.
*Prices will increase to retail after the next order arrives.

Bowl & Accessory Availability​

Any Chance that there will be Bowls available seperately next year?

Bowls, extra mesh screens, along with additional accessories will be available within the next few months.

The goal is to ramp up production and SKUs after the upcoming Chinese New Year (Feb 2nd - 18th)

Salad Bowls > Double Deckers​

After seeing Cal doing all that science on IG Live yesterday, I decided to experiment with cleaning my heater from the devastation of double deckers....

......In short, if you want to keep your head clean with no maintenance, or you like the raw titanium color, SALAD BOWLS ONLY!

Thanks for doing this testing and documentation!

It seems like we came to the same conclusion, and I agree that salad bowls are recommended UNLESS you don't mind the extra maintenance

Ruby Cleaning​

I microwave a mug of water for a couple minutes, throw a dash of PBW in it, then toss my balls in and they come out clean as a whistle in a few minutes.

Good tip!

I've also had success with 99% ISO rather than the 91%

Videos / Feedback​

Loving the low temp characteristics of this vape! Just got some new glass in so I can get my hits to be a lot smoother then before with my herborizer tube.

I took this from one of my first goes with the Screwball

Couple at 495 Could have done without the pass though .. still mighty pleasant

https://imgur.com/a/4SmAtcy

Thanks for taking the time to post your experiences + vids!

It's always nice (and appreciated) to see Screwballs out in the wild

Stuck Bowls in Joints​

only issue for me is the bowl gets stuck in my glass every time but Cal had already told us that could happen so I expected it.

I agree that one of the downsides of the metal bowl is how it can get stuck in glass joints.

It seems like it depends on the type of glass joint (thinner walls = more likely to get stuck) matters and it varies from joint to joint. I've also had success using my hand to turn a quarter turn and lift to remove hot bowls that don't come straight up out of the joint.

Shipping Updates​

Hellp good people, anyone from europe ordered the SB in December, my package shows no update with usps since 21st of Dec and i cannot contact USPS customer service. Anyone had an issue like this?

The last time I had spoken with cal in a live feed he had mentioned that some international united was having trouble with shipping dates because of holiday season he also stated he was working on smoothing out kinks for international orders in the future .

After checking outstanding tracking numbers today, there seems to be a few still waiting for an update.

Please be patience since I believe things are delayed due to the holiday time. If tracking doesn't update by next week I will get everyone taken care of on an individual basis.

If you have an issue please send an email to hi@vapvana.com

Quality Control Update​

From the last round of production, I originally thought there was an issue with mesh screens not being the correct diameter - causing the screen to bend and not sit flush.

After working through the issue with our manufacturer, I've received an update that the problem has been fixed and the assembly process is updated.

Here is the demo video I was sent:

Next Update​

I'm still behind on some projects due to being sick over the holidays, but I'm feeling better and working hard to get caught up.

Right now my focus is getting in contact with US retailers who are interested in carrying the Screwball. So if you have any suggestions please let me know

It's also been awhile since I made a video update, so I plan on taking time to record a message over this weekend.

Thanks again to all the love, support, feedback, and contributions made from this community.

Talk soon,
Cal

 

[purplenurple24]

Quality Control Update
From the last round of production, I originally thought there was an issue with mesh screens not being the correct diameter - causing the screen to bend and not sit flush.

After working through the issue with our manufacturer, I've received an update that the problem has been fixed and the assembly process is updated.

I definitely could’ve missed something somewhere, but what did the issue end up being? Was it the screen size or something else?


Love my Screwball, by the way. I’ve been meaning to leave feedback here, but I’ve been singing it’s praises everywhere else

 

[Alex3oe]

My package luckily came through flawless in record time, without robbery customs, only had to pay DHL a small fee. Cal does a great job here too

Don’t know if it’s caused by the updates or it’s some illusion, but I think the new unit delivers slightly better taste than the old one. Is this possible?

My first screwball got a friend meanwhile and he’s in love too.

Cal is doing an extraordinary great job here, wish you all the best with the Screwball business!

 

[2pumpchump]

I definitely could’ve missed something somewhere, but what did the issue end up being? Was it the screen size or something else?

I noticed mine the clip didn't let the screen set correctly it needed a wider Grove I actually was ran mine with no clip for a bit til I dropped is gems didn't pop out but the screen started to pop out so I put it back in ... my falt as well for not reporting!!
Edit just came back from looking at the website I noticed some changes!

 

[purplenurple24]

I noticed mine the clip didn't let the screen set correctly it needed a wider Grove I actually was ran mine with no clip for a bit til I dropped is gems didn't pop out but the screen started to pop out so I put it back in ... my falt as well for not reporting!!
Edit just came back from looking at the website I noticed some changes!

Cal mentioned a while back that in the last run, all/most of the bottom screens weren’t sitting flush and he theorized that the screen was too large and he’d be sending out replacement screens once they got to the bottom of it… His last post touched on that but didn’t mention what the solution was (just that they had worked it out in the production process).

I don’t even know if it’s having an effect on our units’ efficiency, but that screen isn’t sitting the way it was designed to sit and I think it’d be cool to see if it changes anything. Either way, I’d still like mine to sit the way it was intended to sit.

 

[2pumpchump]

I don’t even know if it’s having an effect on our units’ efficiency, but that screen isn’t sitting the way it was designed to sit and I think it’d be cool to see if it changes anything. Either way, I’d still like mine to sit the way it was intended to sit.

It has difference in performance in any way I tested .. was just a ocd thing and has been pointed out was being taken care of

 

[TedJones]

Guess I haven’t inspected mine in a bit. Screen was flush against the clip as I checked it a few times during the first couple weeks. Now it’s domed itself slightly upwards and doesn’t rest on the clip. Didn’t notice a difference when ripping last night and the screen seems to be in there solid now Will wait to tinker.

 

[purplenurple24]

My screen is domed upwards and that’s how it’s been since it arrived. Still produces lots of vapor and seems to work as designed. The gems are tight. I tried manipulating the screen without removing the gems and it doesn’t move at all, it’s tight. I could remove the gems and try pushing from inside the heater, but I don’t know if it’s worth messing with at this stage.

I’ll probably just wait until Cal has time to give us an update.

 

[purplenurple24]

One more question for you guys with more coil/ball vape knowledge than I;

I’ve noticed some of y’all’s coils aren’t as tight as mine is. Mine has zero gaps while there’s noticeable gaps between some peoples’. I’ll try and post a screenshot of one with a screenshot of mine. Just curious how much this will affect our units’ heating efficiency.

My coil/heater
https://ibb.co/0F5PtyQ

Someone else’s coil/heater
https://ibb.co/pdLtStD

Is spread out heat better than more consolidated heat or is it negligible?

 

[Vapvana]

Behind The Scenes: How Do We Communicate Product Problems?​

Since my last post wasn't as thorough as I'd like, my goal is to show how we (our manufacturer and I) work through issues.

The Presale Problem:​

The first round of production the C-Clip and Mesh Screen in the housing wasn't assembled as intended. The screen was not sitting flush (flat) on top of the C-Clip

Problem Source:​

After opening up the first kit and seeing the bent screen, I opened up a second kit to see if it had the same issue..

When I saw both screens had the same problem, I started to take apart the vape to see if I could pinpoint the source of the issue.

Problem Assumptions:​

• Since we upgraded the mesh screens in the housing to be more firm/stronger... in the process they ended up increasing in diameter
  • Due the increased diameter size (assumption) -> the screens weren't sitting flush in the cutout and bending

Testing The Problem:​

Although I knew the heater wasn't assembled to specification, I was curious to see if it impacted the performance of the vape.

After testing a heater with the bent housing side by side with a correctly assembled heater, I realized there wasn't a noticeable decrease in how the vape performed (which made me feel slightly better about the whole situation )

Finding An Immediate Solution​

With the goal to get the presale kits in peoples hands ASAP, I decided to send out all the kits as is. I reached out to all preoders on an individual basis to communicate there was a known issue, and I would send out replacement screens after I resolved the problem.

Problem Deep Dive​

Once I was all caught up sending out preorders, I took time to take a deeper dive into the heater assembly. After a little experimenting, I realized the problem wasn't with the screen diameter - it was with the cutout in the housing.

After the problem source was identified, I took time to document the assembly process for feedback.

Communicating Feedback​

Here our the screenshots from the Google Doc I sent over to our manufacturer for feedback:

Solving The Problem​

After communicating with our manufacturer, we agreed that the screen cutout needed to be increased (from 1mm to 1.2mm) and that they were already in the process of solving the problem.

Here is the video update they provided:

Side Note: Manufacturer Shoutout​

I wanted to make a special shoutout to our Manufacturer for being a great partner throughout the process of bringing this idea to life. None of this would have been possible without their expertise, support, and shared vision to create great products that people enjoy using.

For those that haven't seen, I had a chance to meet the Owner of our Manufacturer last April in San Francisco.

(Me before a haircut, at our visit to Stanford University in April, 2023)

Resolving The Presale Order Problem​

The second round of production includes the updated housing (as seen in the video above). My plan is to confirm in person that the problem is resolved once I receive the next round of kits.

Assuming the problem is 100% solved, I will have additional Housings with installed C-Clips and Mesh Screens made for all early adopter and presale orders.

After I receive the updating housings I will send them out along with extra rubies to everyone.

If you have any issues or need help please send an email to hi@vapvana.com

Final Thoughts​

Although there will always be unexpected problems that arise, I am still beyond grateful for the opportunity to make better products, and provide better experiences for our community.

Every day I wake up excited (and sometimes a little anxious) to work on this business and make things better. Over a decade ago I started my Entrepreneur journey, and I don't think my younger self would ever have believed I'd be where I'm at today.

And this all wouldn't be possible without this community.

It's still a surreal experience being able to contribute to this thread, after I've spent so many hours being on the other end - researching the next product that would scratch my VAS itch

The past ~2 years have been a hell of a journey to get to this point - and I wouldn't want it any other way. I have a lot of exciting things planned for 2024, and I invite you all to come along for the journey

Talk soon,
Cal

PS - If you read to this point, you are the real MVP

 

[purplenurple24]

Behind The Scenes: How Do We Communicate Product Problems?​

Since my last post wasn't as thorough as I'd like, my goal is to show how we (our manufacturer and I) work through issues.

The Presale Problem:​

The first round of production the C-Clip and Mesh Screen in the housing wasn't assembled as intended. The screen was not sitting flush (flat) on top of the C-Clip

Problem Source:​

After opening up the first kit and seeing the bent screen, I opened up a second kit to see if it had the same issue..

When I saw both screens had the same problem, I started to take apart the vape to see if I could pinpoint the source of the issue.

Problem Assumptions:​

• Since we upgraded the mesh screens in the housing to be more firm/stronger... in the process they ended up increasing in diameter
  • Due the increased diameter size (assumption) -> the screens weren't sitting flush in the cutout and bending

Testing The Problem:​

Although I knew the heater wasn't assembled to specification, I was curious to see if it impacted the performance of the vape.

After testing a heater with the bent housing side by side with a correctly assembled heater, I realized there wasn't a noticeable decrease in how the vape performed (which made me feel slightly better about the whole situation )

Finding An Immediate Solution​

With the goal to get the presale kits in peoples hands ASAP, I decided to send out all the kits as is. I reached out to all preoders on an individual basis to communicate there was a known issue, and I would send out replacement screens after I resolved the problem.

Problem Deep Dive​

Once I was all caught up sending out preorders, I took time to take a deeper dive into the heater assembly. After a little experimenting, I realized the problem wasn't with the screen diameter - it was with the cutout in the housing.

After the problem source was identified, I took time to document the assembly process for feedback.

Communicating Feedback​

Here our the screenshots from the Google Doc I sent over to our manufacturer for feedback:

Solving The Problem​

After communicating with our manufacturer, we agreed that the screen cutout needed to be increased (from 1mm to 1.2mm) and that they were already in the process of solving the problem.

Here is the video update they provided:

Side Note: Manufacturer Shoutout​

I wanted to make a special shoutout to our Manufacturer for being a great partner throughout the process of bringing this idea to life. None of this would have been possible without their expertise, support, and shared vision to create great products that people enjoy using.

For those that haven't seen, I had a chance to meet the Owner of our Manufacturer last April in San Francisco.

(Me before a haircut, at our visit to Stanford University in April, 2023)

Resolving The Presale Order Problem​

The second round of production includes the updated housing (as seen in the video above). My plan is to confirm in person that the problem is resolved once I receive the next round of kits.

Assuming the problem is 100% solved, I will have additional Housings with installed C-Clips and Mesh Screens made for all early adopter and presale orders.

After I receive the updating housings I will send them out along with extra rubies to everyone.

If you have any issues or need help please send an email to hi@vapvana.com

Final Thoughts​

Although there will always be unexpected problems that arise, I am still beyond grateful for the opportunity to make better products, and provide better experiences for our community.

Every day I wake up excited (and sometimes a little anxious) to work on this business and make things better. Over a decade ago I started my Entrepreneur journey, and I don't think my younger self would ever have believed I'd be where I'm at today.

And this all wouldn't be possible without this community.

It's still a surreal experience being able to contribute to this thread, after I've spent so many hours being on the other end - researching the next product that would scratch my VAS itch

The past ~2 years have been a hell of a journey to get to this point - and I wouldn't want it any other way. I have a lot of exciting things planned for 2024, and I invite you all to come along for the journey

Talk soon,
Cal

PS - If you read to this point, you are the real MVP

Very thorough. Thank you for the update Cal. I appreciate you!

 

[Vapvana]

Don’t know if it’s caused by the updates or it’s some illusion, but I think the new unit delivers slightly better taste than the old one. Is this possible?

Thanks for your (repeat) support! As far as I can tell, the flavor has stayed the same. However, there are too many variables for me to really do an accurate test.

The only thing that seemed to make a noticeable difference in flavor is testing the SS housing + bowl vs the Titanium version. The SS version seemed to reduce the flavor slightly.

Removing Your C-Clip (Presale Orders)​

I noticed mine the clip didn't let the screen set correctly it needed a wider Grove I actually was ran mine with no clip for a bit til I dropped is gems didn't pop out but the screen started to pop out so I put it back in ... my falt as well for not reporting!!

If you'd like to have your screen sit flat, it's possible by removing the C-Clip and installing the screen by itself.

The problem with doing this is you'll create extra space in the housing, which should cause the gems to 'rattle' around a little. I don't recommend doing this since it doesn't seem to increase the performance.

Website Updates​

Edit just came back from looking at the website I noticed some changes!

For those that don't know, I have a background in websites, so all the updates are done by yours truly

I know people have suggested I add a section for communities / FC - so I did that awhile ago and never made an update here

Stretched vs Non-Stretched Coils​

Each piece of the Screwball is designed to work with each other. Our manufacturer has sent a housing to the coil manufacturer so they can provide custom coils to spec.

One more question for you guys with more coil/ball vape knowledge than I;

I’ve noticed some of y’all’s coils aren’t as tight as mine is. Mine has zero gaps while there’s noticeable gaps between some peoples’. I’ll try and post a screenshot of one with a screenshot of mine. Just curious how much this will affect our units’ heating efficiency.

My coil/heater
https://ibb.co/0F5PtyQ

Someone else’s coil/heater
https://ibb.co/pdLtStD

Is spread out heat better than more consolidated heat or is it negligible?

From my understanding, it seems like there may be a performance benefit to stretching the coil. In my opinion, this is due to having the coil make better contact with the housing.

Since our parts are made to work with eachother, the friction tight fit is accomplished without the need to stretch the coil.

From the pictures above, it seems like the one with a stretched coil is due to the coil being a 2nd quality US coil. Because I ran out of US Kits, I've converted International Kits using the 2nd quality coils (which were too short in height).

The stretched coil you see in the picture was intentional and done by me. It looks like the picture of your (@purplenurple24) coil/heater is correct.

Next Update​

I'm still working on updating our private forum for customers, building a review database, and getting in contact with potential wholesale retailers.

Again, please send an email to hi@vapvana.com if you need anything.

Otherwise I look forward to the next update.

Talk soon,
Cal

 

[TedJones]

Is spread out heat better than more consolidated heat or is it negligible?

I’m still fairly new with these but think the main reason is to cover more surface area of the heater housing. IMO, negligible for the SB since it already covers most of the housing un-stretched. I did do this for a Taroma which had a lot of room to do so. Seemed to help it’s efficiency. And Cal beat & explained better!

 

[purplenurple24]

I’m still fairly new with these but think the main reason is to cover more surface area of the heater housing. IMO, negligible for the SB since it already covers most of the housing un-stretched.

This was my thinking, as well, but it seemed worth asking. Cal also confirmed that mine appears to be sitting as designed so I’m happy with this explanation.

My Screwball works great and gets the job done well, but there’s lots of variables so I’m always wondering if there’s anything I could do to improve it (even slightly).

 

[TedJones]

but there’s lots of variables

Yea, even slight differences in adapters (if using), like this, make a difference