OF
Well-Known Member
1) What is the VG? Sorry, I'm not up on all the acronyms yet. VG being true convection portable? Much like the Boundless Terra is convection, or more convection like?
Vapor Genie. There's a 'secret decoder list' around somewhere.....the Lounge maybe?
VG technology uses a SiC (very tough, they make machine tools from it) heat exchanger. Lots of guys call it a 'filter', but it's not...... It's 'bowl diameter (say 3/4 inch or so) and maybe 3/8 thick and made of a bunch of tiny Y shape pieces 'sintered' (fused) together. You draw the flame of a lighter through this mass which heats it up quite hot. Stored heat is added to the residual from the flame and the air leaves the 'herb side' in a smooth, uniformly hot airflow the result of 'wondering down the channels in the exchanger. The herb is below, zero conduction contribution, all the vapor is made by heat from the heated air. You need to learn how to keep the fire on as you hit, but once mastered it's capable of astounding vapor production. Very hard to combust really, since there's no conduction the heat flow in stops instantly along with the airflow that would support the combustion. You typically find a couple of tiny specks that caused the rapid change in taste.
IMO every vape owner should have a VG. It will teach you very valuable 'vaping technology' quickly and cheaply. Some guys like the all glass, some the coil (compact), my favorite is 'the Big Bronze' one, the metal and long stem keep the vapor cooler than the others even if it's more trouble to clean.
2) You mentioned wood. Meaning wood will retain the smell over time?
Thanks....
Porous stuff absorbs condensate ('reclaim') which evaporates slowly over time for us to smell. The center section of VapMan (won't abbreviate it VM and start this all over again.....) is wood and famous for absorbing and retaining smells unlike the metal parts below, or plastic MP above. Unglazed ceramics are in this class too. Tough nut, you can't soak it out like you might with metal or glass since the solvent simply dissolves the junk and carries it yet deeper..... Combustion taste is usually lessened by scraping and ISO wipes but usually 'goes away' only after fresh condensate from a few bowls covers it up.
Some vapes, like some VGs for instance, have wood stems, fortunately the condensate there tends to stay 'sweet' since combustion is so rare.
BTW, VM is also on that list. Also fairly cheap and a true joy to own. Hand made by an 'old world craftsman' in Switzerland of all places. Perhaps not a good 'first vape' as you need considerable skill and experience to get good results. There you heat with a lighter, then shut it off and 'coast' through the hit on stored heat conducted into the bowl, so you must know ahead of time how much additional heat is needed between hits. A very strong 'fan base', lots of guys collect exotic woods (the base model is made of Pear wood.....how many things have you ever owned made of Pear wood?), and laser engraved custom units.
It's a big and complex world, lots of fun stuff to consider.
BTW, also on my 'should consider' list with VM, VG, and Solo/Air/ArGo is the MFLB (Magic Flight Launch Box, I think the thread is 'Launch Box'). Again, cheaper than ArGo. These guys have earned long Threads filled with happy campers, and IMO should be seriously considered by serious vapists.
OF