Vapman

[Gourmet]

Beautiful! How many vapman do you have now Gourmet?

Uff, let me think.. my first VM in pear, one pear for guest and only peppermint, one in walnut, one selfmade black basic VM, one in yew and now one in ash tree. That's 6 Vapmans. But I'm inocent, I swear!
I use all of them, mostly if I got visit. For me I use 3 VM regulary, and one of them is only for extracts.

And, oh wait, one I forgotten to count, that's the fantastic dualtone, tattooed M0j0-Vapman in yew, witch I don't use (only once or twice a year, for special ceremonious moments ;-)).

Now I'm with the holy number seven.

Wrong weed!

You're sure? You can vape any grass or herbs you like in the kitchen or tea, try it out!
I like f.i. peppermint.
But your right, on the other hand I never vaped chive, so I should give a try too! ;-)

 

[botanicalman]

Somebody had experience with these "Xing lighters".

It is the only brand i could find in my country but i have the feeling that they could be too strong for the vapman, and burn the flower. (i havent made the test yet, have nothing left to vape )

 

[vapman]

Why do you think these lighters may be too strong? Is the flame not adjustable? As long they have a single

flame, they should be usable. In case the flame is long and strong, just heat for a short time only, the

amount of energy delivered from a lighter depends on two factors: flame size and heating time.

I hope you can organize some replenishment, test the lighter and make yourself a nice day!


vapman

 

[Michel]

Somebody had experience with these "Xing lighters".

It is the only brand i could find in my country but i have the feeling that they could be too strong for the vapman, and burn the flower. (i havent made the test yet, have nothing left to vape )

I own one of these and they work pretty good with the VM. They aren't as comfortable to click as the original VM lighter because the piezo gives an cheap feeling, but I think it has a similar tank size compared to the original one. The best and cheap lighter I've found so far is @OF recommendation. He was promoting them more than once in this thread. I don't know why I have to try every single torch lighter out there by myself since owning the VM. Others did already share their knowledge... Severe case of LAS (Lighter Acquisition Syndrome)?

Edit:
If you ever can get one with this shape (thx to @OF)
http://www.dx.com/p/jet-1300-c-butane-lighter-1320#.V3aKrMnSO9I
http://www.tinydeal.com/refillable-jet-1300-butane-lighter-with-tank-p-2570.html

 

[The Beagle]

If you ever can get one with this shape (thx to @OF)
http://www.dx.com/p/jet-1300-c-butane-lighter-1320#.V3aKrMnSO9I
http://www.tinydeal.com/refillable-jet-1300-butane-lighter-with-tank-p-2570.html

I just got three of 'em in the mail and while they function well and are also pretty comfortable in hand the detachable black "foot" has the most evil, worst plastic smell ever.

 

[MediPuff]

I have one of those cheap Chinese lighters and a Vapman one and I prefer the Vapman.

The Chinese one has this awful chemical smell that made me wonder if it was leaking. It seemed to be coming just from the stand and may just be the plastic it's made of, but I find it really stinks and my sense of smell is very sensitive.

I tried washing the stand a few times in the hope that maybe that piece of plastic just had some kind of residue left on it from manufacturing, but the smell wouldn't go away, so when it was empty, I put it away and switched to the Vapman lighter.

Ironically, my only disappointment with the Vapman lighter is that it doesn't have a stand. Oh well, nothing's perfect.

Btw @botanicalman, they both have a flame adjustment on the bottom that's operated with a small, straight screwdriver. I found the flames on both were about the right setting when they arrived. Chances are, the one you're looking at will have the same thing. The butane capacity is less with the Vapman, but certainly more than adequate.

MP

P.S. @The Beagle Saw your message right after posting mine...nice to know it's not just me who's bothered by that stinky plastic!

 

[OF]

I just got three of 'em in the mail and while they function well and are also pretty comfortable in hand the detachable black "foot" has the most evil, worst plastic smell ever.

Agreed, the stand is a joke. And dangerous! It's just not stable, would you seriously lock the flame on and use the stand for 'both hands available'? It seems some do?

The cover is also a PITA, as is the chain if you just take it off. And the chain leaves a lug right where I want to put my index finger.......and don't even get me started on the useless lug on top (are we expected to attach it to our key rings? Maybe a safety lanyard so we don't drop it when rock climbing or deep sea fishing?).

My 'go to' lighter now looks like this:

Base, chain, cover and lugs removed. Notice it has a lot of paint worn off, but I've never carried it in my pocket except incidentally. Also please notice that I've fondled it enough that the screws are rusty...... That little guy has been through a lot and is quite the trooper still. The shiny thing is a magnet epoxied to the unit, it's mate is under the desktop so my trusty lighter is out of sight but ready for instant use.

The one at the BBQ has a cover still, don't want little spiders moving in between uses. The one on the kitchen table (for candles) also has it's for no really good reason. The rubber base goes straight into the trash with the wrapper in any event. I'm after the lighter part, not accessories or bling. It might help sales but doesn't have a use for me.

OF

 

[Michel]

Personally I own one of these:

I assumed they are comparable to the lighters above @OF uses since they look very similar apart from the stand. Mine hasn't a high quality neither and is made of plastic too but doesn't smell bad.
Long story short, better buy the original VM Lighter!
Btw, mine seems to bite the dust since it only fires up every third or fourth click. The piezo is still working good and I'm using the same gas as before. I tried already cleaning with iso and pressured air, nothing helped so far. Any advice?

 

[VapourHaze]

Ive bought about 6 of the ones @OF has posted. Unfortunately ive not been so lucky and only one works properly atm. However they're so cheap i would say they are the best option.

 

[MadDread]

...since they look very similar apart from the stand. Mine hasn't a high quality neither and is made of plastic too but doesn't smell bad.
Long story short, better buy the original VM Lighter!

I have seen these lighters too and they look exactly like the original vapman lighter when you compare them side by side
I think im going to get this one

 

[OF]

I assumed they are comparable to the lighters above @OF uses since they look very similar apart from the stand. Mine hasn't a high quality neither and is made of plastic too but doesn't smell bad.

Btw, mine seems to bite the dust since it only fires up every third or fourth click. The piezo is still working good and I'm using the same gas as before. I tried already cleaning with iso and pressured air, nothing helped so far. Any advice?

Looks like the same thing all right, where it counts. The tank looks a bit shorter (better for pocket carry). The base looks like acrylic or other hard plastic? The black base is soft, comes with 'new sneakers smell'.

Failure to fire is almost always a spark gap issue. The nozzle gets fouled with carbon and spiderwebs so the spark jumps to someplace other than the nozzle tip. Carefully clean the ceramic around the burner and make sure the electrode is clean and well centered so the spark jumps into the gas stream not off to some side wall instead. Sometimes taking them into a dark place can help see the spark. I had one a workmate gave me to fix years back that seemed to have some sort of oil, it took some careful ISO, cotton and toothpick work to restore the spark, but once there it was back to the old Ronson claim, "Lights first time, every time". For you history buffs, the Brits in WWII were seriously short of tanks (and guns, food, fuel and darn near everything) so got 'lend/lease' M4 ("Sherman") tanks which we produced in HUGE numbers. The Sherman was a poor match for the German tanks, but defeated them with tactics and numbers. A hit from a Panzer was sure to be fatal, lighting the gasoline and or ammo. When the Brits nick named them 'Ronsons' it was not a complementary term.......

Anyway guys, carefully clean the nozzle, electrode and spark gap on a lighter that doesn't strike. I've done it dozens of times over the years (funny how folks will bring you a baggie of 'broken' lightens they saved anyway......), only lost one (broke the electrode off snagging it. You need to take away all the easy paths for the electrons so they'll take the big jump to the nozzle tip.

OF

 

[Michel]

Thank you for your suggestion, I recentered the electrode even if it wasn't really necessary (I think). The spark is hitting the nozzle on the upper half were the electrode is located. Looks pretty much like the other jet flames I have lying around. I tried heating the nozzle by adjusting the flame as big as possible and let it run for 1-2 minutes, didn't help neither.
It's bizarre the lighter is working every time I twist my hand fast downwards when clicking...
Perhaps I should have invested in a 2nd VM torch instead of buying so much crap ware...
@vapman , is it possible to get a transparent black lighter from you? I'm thinking of a Stealth Edition with black egg, black lighter and ebony VM?
Btw, I never saw an ebony basic VM. Since I use a lot of concentrates I might prefer a basic since cleaning seems a lot easier. I (ab-)used a walnut basic for some weeks now and it barely shows any signs of use after sanding and oiling the charred areas down... Can you convince me to get a classic ebony or could you eventually create a special one for me if the ebony isn't to vulnerable to heat and cracks... Or could a charred basic walnut be the better choice for my use case?

Just for clarification for everyone, if I speak of the original VM lighter I mean this one:

 

[Goatpig74]

Hello guys, unfortunately I dropped my vapman and the legs separated from the chamber, I tried fixing it with some instructions but wasnt successfull. I'll try to do a little soldering to see if it stays inplace, thinking about a small dot on the acute angle of the legs/chamber attachment on each leg. Do you think a normal eletronics solder will hold up the heat from the seasions?

Thanks.

 

[OF]

I'll try to do a little soldering to see if it stays inplace, thinking about a small dot on the acute angle of the legs/chamber attachment on each leg. Do you think a normal eletronics solder will hold up the heat from the seasions?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Sorry to shout, but bad idea all around. Not only will the flame melt the solder every time you hit it. Eutectic Solder, ideally 63% Tin, melts at something like 360F, it's melted again before the load reaches 'magic temperature'.

More importantly, the other 37% of such solder is LEAD..........

I suggest you rethink the idea.

The originals are 'staked' in, the necked down end is flared out inside the pan (bowl) 'in place' using special tools. If yours is a basic model (no mica) then you can open the hole up a bit (like with sandpaper) and install a new pan and tubes from below. Saves a trip in for service. FWIW I think someone here (Mojo?) has the tools and parts in the US?

Good luck with it, but I'd avoid 'soft solder'.......or Silver ('hard') solder for that matter. It's not unlikely that the solder would adhere to the Gold plating and rip free from there anyway?

OF

 

[vapman]

@vapman , is it possible to get a transparent black lighter from you? I'm thinking of a Stealth Edition with black egg, black lighter and ebony VM?
Btw, I never saw an ebony basic VM. Since I use a lot of concentrates I might prefer a basic since cleaning seems a lot easier. I (ab-)used a walnut basic for some weeks now and it barely shows any signs of use after sanding and oiling the charred areas down... Can you convince me to get a classic ebony or could you eventually create a special one for me if the ebony isn't to vulnerable to heat and cracks... Or could a charred basic walnut be the better choice for my use case?

Just for clarification for everyone, if I speak of the original VM lighter I mean this one:

Don't know if we can get this lighter in black, I will ask the manufacturer and will let you know as soon we get the news.

I can't convince you to acquire a classic nor a basic ebony vapman for this task. Ebony is much denser than walnut for instance, it has less "air" inside and is hence not as good in terms of heat insulation. Ebony is expensive and rare, looks very classy but it is not a better choice at all! Pear tree, american walnut, yew tree and ash tree are ideal woods for vapman, they are dense enough to hold the screws and good heat insulators at the same time. Stick to your basic walnut, it is a good choice. A charred and two-toned basic walnut from MOJO would be the elegant choice.

@Goatpig74 What @OF said about this is correct, soldering is no solution to this, the small tubes have to be flanged (cold deformation) to the bowl. Even using lead free solder is no option, as @OF mentioned, it would melt when heating vapman. In case you are at home in the US, you can send in your vapman to MOJO, he has the knowledge and the right tools for this. If not, write us an email, we will help you!


vapman

 

[VapourHaze]

Any other manufacturer would recommend their most expensive option 'yes get the expensive ebony set up'

Not @vapman ..just the truth that the most economic is the most effective

This is why we have so much respect for you Rene

@OF any pearls of wisdom re my lighters that dont even spark .. the gas button seems almost locked (it isnt)

Also want to say ive been having some amazing vapman sessions recently. Vapes come and go but i always seem to come back to the vapman. I just fucking LOVE this vape.

 

[OF]

@OF any pearls of wisdom re my lighters that dont even spark .. the gas button seems almost locked (it isnt)

"No click", a mechanical failure of the piezo stack or linkage, is usually fatal. And rare. While you can replace the assembly (there are basically two types 'used in everything') is possible ('a man built it, a man can take it apart....') and while done with Iolite (which uses this say system) it's not practical on cheap lighters IMO. If you're bored and have a dead lighter you can rob one from.......

OF

 

[Goatpig74]

Thanks @OF & @vapman for the response. I will contact you then, I live in Brazil so sending isnt that viable. I will try get more proper tools to fix it.

 

[OF]

Thanks @OF & @vapman for the response. I will contact you then, I live in Brazil so sending isnt that viable. I will try get more proper tools to fix it.

You're welcome. I get the customs/shipping issues. Like I said, if you have the classic version (no mica) you can order a replacement pan and tube assembly and replace it yourself. Latest production units do this directly, older ones might need sanding the center hole out a bit first so the pan will slip through from below.

This reduces the customs/shipping issues to a single incoming shipment of a new (non contaminated) part?

The tools you need are simple, but uncommon. There's a step inside the tube (very small) that the support pin has to rest on (one mm?) to support the tube. The inclined pan is inserted and the stub end of the tube staked down (small center punch or heavy awl?). Then repeat for the other two tubes, rotating the pan and lower VM body to keep the pin and tube being set vertical.

There's a lovely 'making Vapman' video around, it shows this step about half way through:

Check around the two minute mark.

Good luck with it.

OF

 

[Michel]

Don't know if we can get this lighter in black, I will ask the manufacturer and will let you know as soon we get the news.

I can't convince you to acquire a classic nor a basic ebony vapman for this task. Ebony is much denser than walnut for instance, it has less "air" inside and is hence not as good in terms of heat insulation. Ebony is expensive and rare, looks very classy but it is not a better choice at all! Pear tree, american walnut, yew tree and ash tree are ideal woods for vapman, they are dense enough to hold the screws and good heat insulators at the same time. Stick to your basic walnut, it is a good choice. A charred and two-toned basic walnut from MOJO would be the elegant choice.

@Goatpig74 What @OF said about this is correct, soldering is no solution to this, the small tubes have to be flanged (cold deformation) to the bowl. Even using lead free solder is no option, as @OF mentioned, it would melt when heating vapman. In case you are at home in the US, you can send in your vapman to MOJO, he has the knowledge and the right tools for this. If not, write us an email, we will help you!


vapman

I appreciate your honest advice very much and / but will surely buy a 2nd VM. I will simply char a pear VM which should match the black lighter and the black egg very good, too. If I'll feel the need for some more exclusive wood in my life I might choose an ash tree VM, they are so beautiful to look at!

Edit: I'm trying to convince every smoking friend to fuck combustion, but they think I'm just loving fancy gimmicks. None of my vapes attracted them (pax may be). But I finally convinced one of them with the help of the VM!

 

[Goatpig74]

@OF thanks for the info, will try again to fix it. Getting a new pan would be nice but mine is the mica version, than it isnt possible to swap myself? Oh, unterstood know why it wouldn work, to hole is too small indeed, would have to remove the mica.

 

[UnshavenFish]

is it possible to get a transparent black lighter

Don't know if we can get this lighter in black

I have never used this site so can't recommend it (just using for reference) but it sure does look like what we are looking for...

http://www.bugstores.com/shop/Solar-Deluxe-Torch-Lighter.html

Anyway, if we can get an official Vapman version I'm in

 

[MediPuff]

I have never used this site so can't recommend it (just using for reference) but it sure does look like what we are looking for...

http://www.bugstores.com/shop/Solar-Deluxe-Torch-Lighter.html

Anyway, if we can get an official Vapman version I'm in

I just looked at that item and it's a dead ringer for the Vapman lighter with a smoky/black tinted tank. The only colour option available though is clear. A bit pricey compared to René's version.

I took a quick look at some of the rest of the site and it looks like they're importing some cheap lighters and reselling them at a huge markup.

MP

 

[VapourHaze]

"No click", a mechanical failure of the piezo stack or linkage, is usually fatal. And rare. While you can replace the assembly (there are basically two types 'used in everything') is possible ('a man built it, a man can take it apart....') and while done with Iolite (which uses this say system) it's not practical on cheap lighters IMO. If you're bored and have a dead lighter you can rob one from.......

OF

Ah rubbish. . Got a couple that dont click. The others should be salvagable with a service and a purge hopefully. Still better than paying a tenner or some extortionate mark up in my local tobacconist (yuk)

Thanks for the endless fountain of wisdom

 

[OF]

Oh, unterstood know why it wouldn work, to hole is too small indeed, would have to remove the mica.

That would be 'the rub' as they say. I'm not sure you could get the mica back in the slot in the wood and the screws lined up without ending up with a pile of chips. AFAIK, nobody has reported doing it. I think the mica is trimmed and polished (edges) in place.

You could, of course, discard the mica and end up with a usable classic version with some extra screw holes and a couple of slots........

Repair or replace, IMO it's worth getting going again?

I took a quick look at some of the rest of the site and it looks like they're importing some cheap lighters and reselling them at a huge markup.

Great observation, Lady. Sadly such folks are not alone. For many it's all (and only) about making money. Nothing wrong with that idea, of course, but it's not all that nice sometimes.

In kind of a fun way I think it falls to us to take care of each other? Not only helping answer questions and solve problems but giving each other useful tips on best values and such.

Is this a great Forum or what? Those poor SOBs who don't join us are missing some great bets I think. Their call, but I hate to see wasted money (not as much as ripoffs of course). I assume other's money is as valuable to them as mine is to me......more so sometimes. There are some about that can ill afford a financial loss of the same size many of us spend on lunch. "There, but for the grace of God" as the saying goes.

I feel good helping good folks out when/if I can. And I know for certain I'm far from alone in that attitude around here. I like that too.

Ah rubbish. . Got a couple that dont click. The others should be salvagable with a service and a purge hopefully. Still better than paying a tenner or some extortionate mark up in my local tobacconist (yuk)

Thanks for the endless fountain of wisdom

Yer surely welcome, glad to help.

The endless fountain thing comes up from time to time, less now that I'm retired. I seem to be blessed (at least for now) with an excellent recall of (some) details. As long as they're not names......for some reason I have a problem there. When I used to teach I could go through an entire quarter meeting 3 nights a week in some cases, and still not remember half the names. Seriously, all sorts of technical details, but the most basic thing (and the place courtesy begins) like calling an acquintance by their right name isn't in my DNA I guess?

But the observation has been made many times. I recall a staff meeting years back when I came up with some minor detail to add to the discussion when the Chair 'you seem to come up with obscure details' only to have a co-worker respond 'yeah, useless trivia is one of the many things he's full of'.........

Recognition. Accept no substitute.

Good luck resurrecting at least some of your balky lighters. Start with the spark part is my advice. Until you get a strong spark from the tip to the nozzle you're never going to succeed.

OF