Discontinued A Hot Pod

[underdog]

Wow, has it been almost a year since my last post? Anyway I've been doing some thinking...

I haven't heard anything from the beta testers, but what I've noticed is that I've started melting my power cords. I don't know why I didn't see this sooner; maybe I've been running hotter temps lately? Regardless, I see this as a design flaw and not something I can knowingly let loose on the public.

So I'm gonna have to come up with a new design. I can just see everyone rolling their eyes now...

The good news is that I've spent the last few months giving it some serious thought so the ideas are well advanced, and I've been doing some experiments. I don't want to say anything right now, but I'm hoping to improve the design in several areas.

One thing that I wanted to ask everyone about, I may need to depart from my favoured barrel shape design and make it just a plain cylinder instead. How does everyone feel about that?

Welcome back hazy! If you want to talk shop about your new design at some point get in touch.

To me the barrel shape and wood used are what attract me to your device. I think I saw that same wood used by another log vape maker but it was in a classic cylindrical shape, and I clearly found it less appealing for some reason... like if it had lost part of its personality and what makes your design stand apart.

Sorry if this wasn't what you wanted to hear but since you asked...

We make a handful of banksia pod pieces every year (and jokingly call them PodDogs) so it might have been one of ours you saw. The barrel shape is a pain so we usually don't do it.

Speaking of PodDogs I just got a bunch of huge banksia pods in with a wood shipment the other day so will be making a handful in the coming months. These last 'pods' I got are 2-3 times normal size too so hopefully they'll be nice to work with.

 

[StormyPinkness]

Hot pods alive!

 

[hazy]

To me the barrel shape and wood used are what attract me to your device. I think I saw that same wood used by another log vape maker but it was in a classic cylindrical shape, and I clearly found it less appealing for some reason... like if it had lost part of its personality and what makes your design stand apart.

Thanks for your input. I agree, I really like the current shape, which is why I made it like that in the first place! Feels really nice in the hand too. But I'm thinking of moving to a side entry socket which would make things difficult. Still thinking if there is a way around it.

Welcome back hazy! If you want to talk shop about your new design at some point get in touch.

Good to see you drop by Dave

Hot pods alive!

 

[Alan]

Good to see you back hazy. Looking forward to seeing more Hot Pods. I was having the same issues with the power socket melting the end of the plug with my first HI design. I even modified an extension cord to use a glass bead for the insulating material but it wasn't worth the effort. I found some right angle adapters that could handle the high temps of the power socket and provide a side power port, but they were a pain to incorporate into the base. I concur with your thoughts about moving to the side entry socket. Threading the hole for the socket is always a challenge for side entry, but makes for a more secure and permanent installation. I am using a wire gauge that is sufficient to support the heating element from the power socket. You wouldn't really need a center support plate. The wires would support it from below and the glass tube from the sides.
I have been using your method of spiraling the wire around the heating element to keep it centered in the tube. It works really well. For my glass heater covers, I also added a thin walled 1/4" stainless steel sleeve around the heating element to act as a radiant heat shield. More of the heat energy stays with the heating element to be available to heat the air. The stainless steel also provides some thermal mass which allows better heating.

Here is how your Hot Pod would look as a classic cylinder. I am called this one a HIPod since it has a heat island core.

 

[hazy]

HI Alan, thanks for posting the pic. Gives us some idea of what it would look like compared with my current design. I have to admit, it does look kind of cute and slim, but I'm finding myself agreeing with what KeroZen said and I think I'm ultimately gonna have to figure out a way to work around the issue

Very simple and ingenious idea using the heavy guage wire to support the heating element. I would never have thought of that

I agree with your idea of adding thermal mass to heating element. It's something I've wanted to incorporate into the design for a while now.

 

[newVaper420]

There has been no movement in this thread. How is the hot pod going?

 

[hazy]

Thanks for asking! There are things going on behind the scenes, just nothing substantial to report yet. I'm at the mercy of external forces so I can't give any kind of guesstimation of when the new prototype will be ready. But believe me, I'm working on it!!!

 

[virtualpurple]

When it's ready, so too shall I be!

 

[nomadicsoul34]

I want one too !!