OF!
New Member
However, after a lot of use it seems that the o-ring that holds the glass stem has become a little loose, specially after a few heating cycles. I had a simple homemade solution that was to put an additional o-ring between the cap and the heater, and it seems to work ... anyone with any better tips?
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Hi!! Take care about that !! Putting a oring between the cap and heater and close the cap to the finish can give pressure to the bottom . This can finished in broken base , the ages of screws start to broke and you got a little problem . This can be explain a bit better by our proffesional , SOLO connoisseur and big friend at FC @OF! ( if im not wrong )
Due caution advised indeed. In fact if you're not mechanically inclined I suggest you pass.
Unfortunately I'm responsible for this idea. Years ago, with the OG Solo. I was annoyed that the seals that hold the stem (there are no o-rings per se) were loose enough that the bent stem would rotate so I proposed that fix. Never intended to do more that resist rotation under gravity. Not make it a handle........
I even went so far as to give out little baggies of the rings to any owners free if they'd send me their name and address for my own 4/20 celebration, several years ago, just shy of 100 sets IIRC. Then Arizer made the cap thicker. Later the oven top 'moved' with changes. Making the original fit too tight or too loose. Lots of guys took to screwing the cover down even tighter, breaking the tabs that hold the base in. No replacement bases since it has the S/N so we went to stacks of tiny SS washers. And stick on pads on the base notched out so the screws wouldn't scratch the table top. Along the line 'I read it on the web' took over and guys went nuts with it after ignoring the initial instructions trying to get tightness never intended on the mod in the first place. Unfortunate,
Sadly, at my suggestion, one of the major sellers started including rings. I regret that, it helped it get out of hand I think.
Arizer doesn't consider a loose stem to be a fault, ask 'em. They won't replace one because (some) stems are loose.
It's yours to wreck of course, but unless you really understand things I suggest avoiding it. A loose stem is not a fault. There are fixed limits to what it can do (not much) without risk and these days with modern Solos calls for careful fitting. For sure no new guys should take it at face value and order up some rings.
Regards.
OF