Discontinued The Venus Apollo

[GTAVaper]

@Vapodudule i cant take credit for the solo tube mod @GTAVaper has been the real engineer of the apollo so far. @virtualpurple has a real sweet set up too.

All the possibilities and the ways it can be used is really really fun. Keeps the toy fresh and interesting. I also really like how easy it is to adapt this peice, seems like every user has new ideas they are bringing to the table. I sit at work dreaming of how im going to adapt the apollo next.

The vap cap is modular and i got mine last night pretty cool so far. But the apollo is the real mod peice so many options and set ups already, and not even been out that long. I have seen vapes out for 3 or 10 years that dont have this many options and mod.
Once @villekille2 catches up with orders it will be interesting to see what comes out from his end as far as accessories/mods, im sure the community here has given him some ideas.

Thanks for the shout out @Milkytime and it was an interesting choice of words that you used. Either ironic, or you caught a glimpse of my left hand in the video I posted

However, I can't take the credit because I only thought of the Solo stem mod because I had seen a reference to an eNano stem mod either earlier in the thread (perhaps @Nssl?) or maybe elsewhere on the internet by another early pre-order....can't remember for sure......and then thought that since I didn't have an eNano that perhaps an Underdog or Solo glassware might work.

The UD glassware was too narrow but the Solo bowl at the end (with a little silicone around it) worked perfectly. I am also going to try some teflon tape around the UD and maybe even Solo glassware this weekend and see how that works.

But it was Pictures of Pot's Instagram video that first made it clear to me that the Apollo fits perfectly onto the end of an 18mm male joint......and then I remembered that I had an 18mm nectar collector stored away - which works perfectly with the cap as a very well functioning carb.

But I guess that perhaps I've been one of the most verbose and long-winded FC'ers in posting about the Apollo though ......which may not always be a good thing for the "tl;dr" crowd

I think that a few different custom borosilicate glass tubes for the Apollo are a must ......especially for direct draw since the vapor is so hot.

I say borosilicate, because apparently except for the straight tubes manufactured through an industrial process and cut to measure. Working with quartz requires a special torch as well as precautions taken to avoid the toxic off-gassing and can be quite expensive. At least that is what Robert from PlanetVape told me when speaking to him on the phone recently.

Apparently constructing a glass joint would cost far more than the quartz tubing itself - which I found online for $55 USD/4' section - although I'm not sure how hard it would be to cut this tubing down to size and polish the ends.

But borosilicate tubing also doesn't come in that sizing apparently and some additional work is required to construct tubing of the proper Apollo sized tubing. I am thinking that a coil within a borosilicate tube that is either placed in vacuum or surrounded by glycerin (such as a SSV vapor tamer) that can be placed in the freezer prior to using the Apollo might be a nice option.

Also, a tube with an integrated bowl at the end (Solo sized) and with the associated slightly reduced diameter (but still a bit larger) could sleeve perfectly into the lower part of the herb chamber and then include a high temp o-ring just before the tube widens out to the current Apollo tube size to help make this an airtight seal would work very nicely. An 18mm male joint at the end would then provide a gong connection to a water tool.....or even a vapor whip - or alternatively an 18mm female end could be made available for someone with an 18mm oil rig or for use with an Extreme Q whip.

This is the amazing thing about FC......there are a lot of creative people and manufacturers who are members of FC that can share information and help each other with optimizing each others vaping experience.

This is the FC community performing at it's best and I believe the spirit in which this forum was originally created.......as a source of information and a resource intended to promote cooperation and positive vibes towards helping one another achieve their ideal vaping experience .....whatever that might be.

The Apollo as it was released was the incredible brainchild of one very creative man from Finland......but the ideas that have come about through the discussions on FC have made an awesome vape even better with the mods that have been created......which I'm sure has provided Ville and perhaps some aftermarket accessory manufacturers such as PlanetVape with some ideas.

I can't say that I actually know Robert since I've only spoken to him on the phone .....but he seems to be a pretty nice guy and happy to chat whenever I've called. The last time I spoke to him I encouraged him to reach out to Ville and connect with him and see whether or not they might arrive at some mutually beneficial arrangement in producing Apollo accessories.

Whether or not that happens is another story since I am sure that North American glass work is probably going to be just as pricey as Finnish glass work. Then in the end - whatever is created, whether it be in Finland or North America......if the Apollo becomes popular enough, then the Chinese glassblowers will clone it all anyways.....and people will buy it.

I'm not pointing fingers, just stating a fact - I have a DHMobius stereo matrix clone myself and am considering the matrix pillar Sovereignty clone too since I can't afford a $1400 bong that I can get for $70 USD from a DHGate store.....even if it isn't as perfect in function as an original

But I really do hope that the Apollo becomes very popular because it is an awesome vape and its success can only mean more good things coming out of Ville's shop in the future as well as more retail Apollo accessories being available to purchase .....instead of having each Apollo owner having to construct their own mods.

I also wish hard work, creativity and innovation to be rewarded and for that reason I also hope that Ville does very well with his business in the future.

I am really looking forward to the Helios!
Please, please give me my RGBW LED bluetooth remote control vapor disco lights Ville .....and if I'm making crazy wishes - perhaps a bluetooth enabled thermocouple at the vapor stream so that I can have a read out of what the real time vapor temperature is on my smartphone or tablet - as I am boosting - so that I don't over-boost and combust my loads

Yes, I can dream .....but it is always far too easy to suggest .....rather than create and manufacture .....and only Ville would know what would make the most sense or what is even feasible from the production perspective to include in the feature set of the vaporizers he creates.

 

[StormyPinkness]

For a second I thought @Ratchett 's "MOUTHPIECE TO 18MM ADAPTER" would work from the tube to 18mm. It fits 24mm minimum though and the venus tube is smaller. Maybe if I cut a little ring into the big end for the glass to fit in and create a seal.... that would probably make it a lot less durable, but any silicone chunks would get stuck in the water.

http://delta3dstudios.com/mouthpiece-to-18mm-adapter/

 

[vapen00b]

Guys, please be very careful when experimenting with silicone. Can't stress that enough. Unless you surely know what temps you are reaching, I would not use silicone anywhere near the chamber or heat shield or source... This thing can easily toast a lot. You don't necessarily have to smell or taste something, there's crazy stuff that doesn't smell at all.
Truly appreciate everyone's MacGyvering, but play it safe!

 

[GTAVaper]

That is why I would love to see some custom glass accessories for this vape.

I think that the bowl should be integrated into the air path like with the Solo mod as well as having a more restricted air path within the diameter of the Apollo tube so that the airflow is perfect to provide just the right amount of draw rate and feedback to your draw.

But with the Solo mod the way I've implemented it, the silicone only acts as a spacer/seal near the top of the herb chamber and isn't within the vapor flow at all. The Silicone at the backplate might be getting pretty hot and perhaps sealing this area with a small piece of sheet metal might be preferable.....just in case. I don't have a heat gun but it would be nice to know what temps the backplate gets up to after 20-30min of use - with the silicone in place - to see what temps it is seeing.

I haven't looked up what chemicals might be off-gassing from the silicone if heated too high and didn't know that there might be those that have no taste or smell. But the smell of the hot flexicones and a slightly perceived change in taste was enough that I decided that I didn't want to go the route of that mod......even though the results were pretty good - just a little less effective than the Solo mod - but probably a little more convenient if you were pre-loadng for several sessions.

I am sure that this vape will attract enough interest that aftermarket glassware will be developed for it, or that Ville might offer some different alternatives in the future. Don't get me wrong - it works very well with the original herb chamber but with the Solo mod there is definitely a noticeable performance difference.

 

[Melting Pot]

Need to get some sandpaper finish tweaking.
Not bad. For my first attempt Lol

 

[vapognak]

nice! good work @Melting Pot
Tomorrow I will try again to build this "door" out of wood, I just need to be more patient and not cut it too small by accident.

 

[NickDlow]

nice! good work @Melting Pot
Tomorrow I will try again to build this "door" out of wood, I just need to be more patient and not cut it too small by accident.

Measure twice, cut once

 

[GTAVaper]

I was just wondering if anyone else experiences a vibration cue from the Apollo while holding down the boost button for an extended period. When it does this, for some reason I keep thinking for some Pavlovian reason that it has just cycled down in output ....even though the light stays on - so I release and press the boost again.

But I'm not sure if this is necessary, or if anyone else even experiences this same vibration alert with their Apollo after holding the boost down for an extended period.

I am wondering if I missed something in the manual that explains this when I first read through it?

..... and was wondering if anyone else knows what this alert means.....or at least has the manual handy (it's not lost....just misplaced ) and can check to see whether it is mentioned there and what this secondary vibration means?

Maybe it is just my unit? Or perhaps because I have it set at the max 115% maybe it drops down to 100% after a certain time limit?

Anyways, just curious and was wondering if anyone else noticed this behaviour as well while boosting

 

[Vapodudule]

Ok congrats to @GTAVaper then for Glass stem Mod. I kept my assembly described before with the up part of the bowl attached to the stem system and sandwiched with two hi temp Solo Oring which performs beyond likable, dunno about the only bottom part of the bowl assembly performance much. The system i use brings a total seal for all assembly, stock bowl+stem+glass tube+14mm Mouth piece

Apollo is still performing like crazy with the short Air stem. I am still looking at the device at each hit wondering how could it perform like thius. The hits are savoriest, numerous, dense and keep going and on and on.

I think the glass stem reduces the conduction while encouraging convection. No combustion issues at hi-boost level.

The puck at the end of the session is spent more dark in the middle than on the perimeter, saying that the convection is prior to conduction.

With one spoon on material you blow really really many clouds.

In my usage the ease of use with a 14mm VAP 3 hydrotube made this really light set up preferred with the VAP3 already deployed, saying it so...

I applause with all the members i have for Apollo.

Fact1: he allegory of the train by the manufacturer is true, this thing has a very big thermal inertia so tht the second session really needs few heat at first

Fact2: You can lift the whole stem when you estimate the heat is too strong or to cease the extraction.

 

[Fission]

I was just wondering if anyone else experiences a vibration cue from the Apollo while holding down the boost button for an extended period. When it does this, for some reason I keep thinking for some Pavlovian reason that it has just cycled down in output ....even though the light stays on - so I release and press the boost again.

But I'm not sure if this is necessary, or if anyone else even experiences this same vibration alert with their Apollo after holding the boost down for an extended period.

I am wondering if I missed something in the manual that explains this when I first read through it?

..... and was wondering if anyone else knows what this alert means.....or at least has the manual handy (it's not lost....just misplaced ) and can check to see whether it is mentioned there and what this secondary vibration means?

Maybe it is just my unit? Or perhaps because I have it set at the max 115% maybe it drops down to 100% after a certain time limit?

Anyways, just curious and was wondering if anyone else noticed this behaviour as well while boosting

My unit does this as well. I take it is just to remind you that you are boosting, lest you forget you are holding the button down. At least, that's what I assumed

 

[vapen00b]

My unit does this as well. I take it is just to remind you that you are boosting, lest you forget you are holding the button down. At least, that's what I assumed

+1

I thinks it's every 10 seconds of boosting..?

 

[Milkytime]

+1 Yes mine buzzes at me to stop boosting.

I tried my oversized underdog NonG, and i got it working great clouding up like a log, or having the vapor action of the solo stem mod, but then i pushed it too long i guess and got a mouthful of combustion. So i get to clean and rethink my apporoch. Im thinking packing the bowl a bit shollower/moving the screen back and reducing my power level. Or another option is that i have the NonG placed into the apollo tube you can move the tube and NonG away from the heater between hits like a log. It needs more testing but seems like a viable mod if i can dail in the heat settings and bowl depth.

 

[GTAVaper]

How are you linking the oversized Nong into the existing herb chamber?

There is quite a bit of space around the herb chamber after sitting the steel tip into it. I couldn't find a piece of silicone tubing thick enough to bridge the gap.

I thought of using a Solo core o-ring to slide over the silicone spacer when it is in the herb chamber - but then again there is nothing that would keep the o-ring in place securely.

 

[Milkytime]

Ill try and get some picks for you after work.

Its just the NonG inserted into the shorty tube they fit snug and the NonG tip pressed agaist the heater.
I tried using the bottom of the stock herb chamber inserted normally then slide the UD stem agaist it. This worked but didn't get enough even heat and it only toasted the middle of the bowl.
So then i just pressed the UD stem directly on the heater, but this was too much at my power level.

 

[Melting Pot]

Ill try and get some picks for you after work.

Its just the NonG inserted into the shorty tube they fit snug and the NonG tip pressed agaist the heater.
I tried using the bottom of the stock herb chamber inserted normally then slide the UD stem agaist it. This worked but didn't get enough even heat and it only toasted the middle of the bowl.
So then i just pressed the UD stem directly on the heater, but this was too much at my power level.

That's pretty much what I've been doing but with a nano stem pressed against heater.
Micro loads, nano screen basket style.
Boost on high setting 3 warm up unit for min or two.
Pretty good instant vapor.
More testing
Absolutely need extra batts, hate waiting...

 

[Milkytime]

I run 3 sets of battery's so 6 total, never had a down time moment yet.

 

[Melting Pot]

Mine vibrates to with extended boost.
Mine also started buzzing yesterday not real loud, but deff. buzzing.
Anyone else's making a sound.
Here's my nano stem mod

I know my glass is filthy, I have 3 stems I'm coating for a glass of coco.

Edit just noticed the sound goes away when I hit the boost button.
Other than that if it's on its buzzing

 

[Vapodudule]

Yes @Melting Pot Mine buzzes with start and make a very fainted sound. Your picture shows no stock bowl and losing a part of the section of the heater, don't you lack heat ? how do you vape what settings, more hot or cold side?

More than that glass stem you use or distance you put the stem (you have only hardly the depth of stock bowl to decide), i found that the criteria was the hermetic air seal among the whole stem system. So that you inhale the closest to the heater without any hot air lost and fresh air weakening vape process.

And also the depth of the glass stem enduring the stock metal bowl conduction/radiation. So the glass stem relies on the bottom screen of stock bowl and is contained in it.

I switched back to the stock bowl to test it and some air is lost and weaken the process. There is also a tunnel effect similar to the plenty when your load is not present in 100% of the section of airflow. I will try an heavy and tampered load to try in the stock bowl.

With a perfect seal provided by the orange Hi-temp O-rings, party is here every time, i am now spoiled to sense a weak vapor from Apollo...

I tried the double chamber stock bowl+air stem and IME it is a waste of time and spilleage party for the device.

My levels of heat is 1rst session: 5-6-7-8 very few boost
second session back to back is : 3-4 for long and lifting action of the stem, cutting all heat. Very Heavy hits here Hang on the train till the station! Then get back to 5-7.

Every loads even the tiny ones are a well spent puck of ABV, blowed back in its container. More dark on the inside than on the sides.

Last point: Batteries life: 7 to 10 solid sessions may be lost the counts but they drain equally and slowly to me.

Apollo cuts when batteries are 3.25/3.2V.

Few influence from batteries levels to the functioning.

 

[Melting Pot]

Thanks @Vapodudule
I like pure convection. Roast my abv dark. My setting is set at 1 my boost is on high.
I turn on vape leave on hi till I feel warm by heater. Then install stem. Hold boost almost whole hit instant vapor pure flavor. Im in total control with boost button.
Stock for me to hot to much material to much conduction.
Gotta give props to @villekille2
Awesome vape with endless variations its just fun to play with.
Everyone can make it work for them.
Getting ready to go full stealth see how that helps my batts.
I had some aw 18650 thought they would work its a no go.about a1/4 inch shorter.

 

[GTAVaper]

I highly recommend the brown wrapped LG HG2's ....button top from IMRBatteries.com. They are a touch shorter than the eFest batteries that are included but they perform probably a little better, have pretty equal capacity ratings .....although I trust the LG's to be more accurate.

Since they are a touch shorter you can also set the battery cap on without pressure and get the cap seated and threaded more easily before getting resistance on the cap from the internal spring. A much better improvement IMO......I use the original batteries in my LED flashlights

Edit: Also @Melting Pot , my Apollo also makes a short high pitched whining sound that starts low and finishes high in pitch when the light first turns on.....I've seen that in other people's videos as well.... so I think that is just common to a halogen bulb?

But aside from that I don't get any other buzzing sounds during the operation - except those that are associated with the vibration alert - which as I said before, also vibrates during an extended press of the boost button.

 

[GTAVaper]

Sorry.....but I was mistaken on that buzzing noise. When I hold the Apollo up to my ears I can hear a very, very faint buzzing noise.

I've never had a reason to do this before..... but just tried it now on a whim and now see what others are talking about.

But if I hadn't lifted it to my ears, then with the environment I vape in, .....music, computer fan, etc, then I would never have heard it.

I think that this is probably just common to halogen bulbs in general and not something that I would ever normally hear....and not something that I would worry about.

 

[Vapodudule]

@GTAVaper The sound behavior you describe is what i witnessed too and related above.

A Fair buzz when the bulb lights on and a fainted sound when working. I conclude too that the mastered current in the bulb make vibrating the heating element inside.

Hey privilege to post Images!

 

[vapen00b]

Hi fellow Apollonauts!

Just returning from a Mod-Mission. Successfully completed!
As I didn't have a perfectly sized o-ring, it looks a little very DIY but very nice results. Driving the lower temp mapping and only on 1 (=5%), playing a little just with the boost.
Yeah, it IS a boost. That's my conclusion.
Just used a Dabstorm mouthpiece connected it with a piece of silicone tube, took that elevape o-ring put it over it and shoved that up the tube and attached an Arizer solo/air dome screen basket style. This complex instrument I applied to the chamber cap (that ring with mesh screen in it) that sat upon the heating light.
An the other end of the Apollo tube (mouthpiece end), I attached a crafty cu with a dieting and sealing silicone piece. Nice hits, I'm telling ya!
But next flight, I'm definitely going for the short Apollo tube.. Will look and feel nicer.

Here some pics for the common.mission database:

Over and out

 

[Melting Pot]

Thanks @vapen00b that's exactly what I was missing

 

[GTAVaper]

Ok....after all that vape mod porn I just had to get off my lazy butt and get that Imgur account set up to show the Solo stem & chamber protection mods.

However, I have actually stopped using the silicone breech door mod completely and if I was to hand it over to a new user I would maybe use the silicone side sleeve as this is further from the chamber. This side sleeve protector can also be used without the Solo mod of course. But otherwise, since I use the unit inverted and remove the Solo mod stem through the top of the Apollo and let it sit on top of my glassware to cool.....and am careful....I usually don't use the protective silicone at all - except sometimes the cutout tubing that slips around the herb chamber if I want to remove this piece and switch out the herb bowl of the Solo stem before the lower portion of the herb chamber cools.

Also with the Solo mod I also insert the mod through the top of the Apollo and also remove it that way as well as demonstrated in my last video.

Since the bowl portion of the Solo mod along with the silicone spacer that surrounds it nests within the lower herb chamber this also keeps the herb within the Solo bowl "capped" and it holds together very well.

The Solo core o-ring also sits behind the silicone spacer at the exact height so that with a little pressure on the Apollo tube there is an airtight seal that is formed at this point.

This is also the advantage to utilizing the lower herb chamber in conjunction with the Solo mod rather than directly on the heater screen because the Apollo tube is wider than the heater screen .....but close enough to the diameter of the lower herb chamber that the o-ring will bridge the slight difference in diameter to provide the airtight seal at this point.

The other advantage is that the lower herb chamber provides and additional screen to loose herbs, locks into the heater screen as designed and provides a tiny bit of extra space from the heater.

As you can see, I also don't fill the Solo stem to the top as there is no need to and the direction of airflow (as well as gravity when inverted on a water tool) will also keep the herb away from the heater. This slight air gap also helps prevent combustion from happening.

I highly recommend this setup and I will also be purchasing the Air stem to see how this exact same setup works with the shorter Apollo mouthpiece.

Also the piece of silicone tubing at the end of the Solo stem in the pics serves no other purpose than a soft spacer to prevent glass on glass contact as well as keeping the end of the Solo tube more or less pointed directly out of the Apollo tube. But it also lights up nicely when the boost button is pressed and provides a nice visual identifier of where to watch the vapor stream pour out of the stem.

The residue on the end of the Apollo mouthpiece where I fit it to an 18mm male joint is not vapor residue.....it is glass joint wax which I use on the male end to help create an airtight seal against the 18mm male joint end.

In that case, I am guessing that with the short Air stem and the long Apollo tube that you could easily add an 18mm male joint on the other end (as also shown in Ville's early pics with the 18mm male - 14mm female adapter) if you wanted to insert it into an 18mm female joint on a water tool.

Edit: Oh, yes I can also confirm that the vibration that is felt when holding down the boost button occurs as part of a repeating cycle at approximately every 14s (just over) .....which seems to be kind of a strange interval

......perhaps 15s was the programmed target and Ville released his finger a half second too soon.....maybe as a result of his dedicated testing of the Apollo's performance?

I know that I certainly need help keeping track of the time while "testing" my Apollo