A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO STANDARD SOLO STEMS AND HITS AND CONSUMPTION
by MrNorml, on behalf ot the scientific FC community and Solo User Group of the Globe.
On bowl-size etc of the Solo, today I was able to keep track of one sesson through a glassblowerdirect glass bubbler, and here are my findings.
Fiirst, i use good herb. I'm guessing 20-22% although i havent' had the specs tested.
Second, I grind find, it's dry, and I sort of smash the bowl into the herb and keep doing it until it is full. I'm guessing maybe 1/4 to 1/3 a joint worth. There is a screen covering the 4 holes.
Third, I run it hot - currently 6 out of 7 setting for water.
Forth, I use the stock straight stem terminating in about 1/2" of tubing which plugs nicely into the glassware. I don't stir or shake or anything during the session - just use it as is.
Today I got 10 good hits through the water before I determined I wasn't getting enough to keep going. It was all good visible vapor. That was over maybe 15 minutes, and someway through the first "on" I shut the Solo off, turn it right back on and reset the heat to where it was. That way I don't feel rushed, and I hate to hear it run out while I"m using it.
So, using what I would have to say is a 3-4 hit wonder herb I really sqeeze it for all it's worth. 10 hits. I don't need more than that bowl-full, for sure. Sure, I might use more, but I sure don't need more. I'm a pretty 'tolerant' guy, and can't seriously believe anyone "needs' more than that, assuming good herb. Bad herb, all I can say is there is more than sheer cost driving my harvesting/hoarding/buying. I am just a lucky guy though in that regard. What I use, "It's all good." I hope the same for you all.
I'm lucky to live in a grow state. I use seeds from Amsterdam via mail. Currently one seed has provided for many in over (guessing here) 15-20 grows between 3. I am a 1-2 grow/year type of guy, only provide for me single plant 5-11 oz grow, but that seed is getting over 15 oz of AK per plant every 6 weeks for one friend. The 3rd guy can't grow much beyond mites and over-fertilized plants but he always has like 10 plants vegetating so he can pretend that he'll get something from them. So, I don't use bagweed or badweed, which obvously helps, and I can grow a year's worth in 3-4 mos including cloning and veg and flower, which also helps keep me not scared of running out or using low--grade herb because it's cheaper. Those things don't vconcern me.
So, there are the results of my extremely scientific, triple-blind-tested, Solo use today. Again, willpower is a big thing... Obviously many users here (including me) are sort of OCD and over the top in sort of going overboard. Most I bet don't 'need' as much as they consume.
One other thing. I bet most users consume about the same every day. Track what you use for a month, divide by a month's days, and that's your daily average consumption. Mine, through all I do, is about 1/2 oz/month. And I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm always hitting some vaporizer or another, basically all through the day and evening. That is the best thing I learned about vaporizing - how much less I use to get way higher way more than I used to setting a fire and sucking some small amount of the hot and dry fumes from the ignited bowl or joint into my lungs. I don't always use water, but I do always vape, and I do always sip liquids when I vape because short of glycerine tubes, it's all hot and dry to my throat.
The Solo is very good for conservation I feel. Q is better I believe, but Solo is good, better than the Pax I think, better than Iolite. Maybe MFLB is more efficient but that isn't for me. So the Solo with standard stock stems does just fine without making me load it several times. I don't perceive size of bowl to be a consideration to getting something else. I do think the Solo gives a tough draw (not as bad as Pax IMO) and glass does break, so there are two reasons to get Ed's or HPVES but that's not for bowl size but draw restriction of the stock stems. I have always had issues with the draw. But, to be honest, using through water lets me sip sip sip and fill up bubbler with vapor without having to get my lungs involved in the issue, so I don't even have a tough draw issue through bubbler.
