Cheap High Quality Bubbler

[Delta3DStudios]

After watching this thread long enough I am of the opinion that there is a complaint and praise cycle that manufactures go through here. What I can't figure if it is a an actual cyclic rise and fall in quality or just the way we respond as users. Either way this thread is very informative and fun to follow. Thanks

Not entirely true. In the past 18 months I've watched this thread, I've seen a handful of vendors come up time and time again.

Kathy0577 had issues with shipping and customer service back about 13 months ago, she appears to have cleaned up her act and I haven't heard many complaints. CleanClearGlass started getting attention about a year ago, but had some issues with customer service (refusing to replace broken pieces).

Otherwise, I have really never heard any major complaints about Sunshinestore or Yingmin5. Of all the vendors on Dhgate, I personally trust them the most based on the feedback I've seen on this thread

I personally have dealt with Steven 3 times, I have been vocal every time stating my honest opinions on the pieces. I know my feedback helped improve the FC-187v2 with a better perc. But I can tell Steven's factory is being pushed to manufacturer at a rapid pace. 90% of the problems I've seen with Steven's pieces appear to be directly related to rushing the work. Not giving the glass enough time to cool down before moving on to the next piece can have disastrous impacts on QC. If they cut their daily/weekly production numbers by 15%, I'm sure it would have a dramatic impact on QC.

Steven is not innovative, he is simply taking ideas handed to him by a handful of FC members and making something "good enough" to make and sell. Props to him for actually listening to his customers and making an attempt at making what his customers want. But after seeing what other more reputable vendors can do for the same price, I'm done.

Maybe it's time I flip the coin and start taking their designs to American blowers and ordering a better version!

 

[ou812?]

Two is better than one for sure but it will be next week before I'm in a position to start snapping pics and sending messages.

I wrote him he said send pics, which is normal and he says if his fault no worries I'll replace it. My pics are going to have to good, you spin this rig around and the crack becomes visible,at another angle you cant see it,but I'm gonna try like hell. Ive been gone a while, isnt he the dude who was shipping out the barrel to funnel recycler that was literally just as fragile as a babys ass? ,most arrived DOA,and mine was no different. No one likes to buy shit and even if its 20 bucks ,make it so it works and doesnt break when you look at it, geez. But imagine the unlucky peeps that buy these at LHS for 4x the price and have them crap out on them....SMH
I think he wants to seize the moment and rushes his work out and maybe his glowers are entry level and not as experienced as some others. I have never had a Kathy rig give me headaches, most were put together well enough that they didnt break when you looked at them and I didnt witness any wanky percs or bases. Not talking 500 $ art here but for the most part a lot of my CH glass is decent and works well. Ive had a good run with a lot of it and this FC1000 & my Jhan Pixel were my only rigs that had self destructing cracks coming out of no where.


Edit**
sent out pics,I'll advise on his response back,Mine is getting worse as I speak,bummer, I now have a small leak, coming from small crack and this too is spreading,WTF is he making them out of Hollywood stuntman sugar glass? I dont want beat him up too bad, I hope he trys to make good,Im gonna try fish tank caulk fix, but I was loving this thing and was getting used to it being my daily for a while,I like how the top chamber begins to get milked up a little, from there clearing it ,the top chamber gets filled with thick milky vapor from the lower and I had to learn to not milk the top too much due to the lower holding a lot more vapor than meets the eye. I only have 1.5 lungs left due to the CA. But I'm in remission a good while now but I want that other 1/2 back just for clearing this big bad boy.

Eventually the perc is going to split in half and the floor of the pillars is about to crack in 1/2 as well. Yikes, gonna have to really look on the sides of the can for chard's the size of grains of sand, I dont know if you could accidentally inhale this stuff

 

[Dangus]

Thought this was interesting:

http://www.dhgate.com/product/bong-glass-bong-glass-bongs-glass-hookah/242454838.html

 

[DieHard]

Hey Everybody, we focus on pay attention to this forums for a long time. We finally sign in today. I am sooo happy. .
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/2015-new-best-quality-glass-roor-bong-10/239242626.html
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/hot-sell-hand-blown-glass-smoking-pipes-glass/241645339.html
http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/ot-sell-glass-bongs-glass-smoking-pipe-with/240965664.html
We have some good designs right now. Is there anybody interested in them? We guarantee the good quality.

Hello welcome to the forum. You should contact @vtac for Manufacturer Account Status to avoid getting banned.

 

[MilkyMondays]

Just got the straight fab and fc-186 w/ mobius logo and literally all I can say is wow. Both came completely undamaged and are thick as hell and look identical to the real thing. Hit both and they're incredibly smooth. I'll get back to you with more info and pics but just wanted to chime in with some positive Steven feedback.

edit: I've never held a real Mobius or a real Mothership (which I assume would be heavier than a similar size Mobius with Mothership's real thick bases) but when I opened and was holding it for the first time looking at it I honestly felt as though I had stolen it or was sent the real thing accidentally.

really hoping they don't shatter in front of me from looking at them too hard.I heard that can happen

 

[ChiefKeefe]

Has anyone got a steven new torus yet?

 

[J_ackson]

I guess I'll pipe up and just say that I haven't had any issues with Steven so far and none of the pieces have had defects that made me seek a remedy from him. I've found his pieces to generally be of better quality than some other sellers, but I'm also not expecting perfection at that price from that site so I'm willing to discount small things like bubbles in the glass or marks or angles being slightly off as long as the function is good.

I did not personally order something from him but I have seen more than one users that were told that they weren't getting a replacement unless buying an other item from him or were given a discount code to buy a new one at a cheaper price... in either cases this isn't really acceptable, all of my DHGate pieces were packaged with pretty much 5cm of bubbler wrap all over it and every piece wrapped individually and I never bought a piece that cost me more than $50.

--
I was excited when I found DHGate for new cheaper bongs but for most bongs there that aren't simple with just a downstem and a tree perc, the price after conversion & shipping is about 50-60% what I'd pay in a shop here and most of the time it's a hit and miss with the quality... Sure, most of them will replace it but you can also find other sellers that will ask but does it work? and even if it does, who the fuck likes a 90 degree inline perc?! Even if it is just a crack in the bent neck mouthpiece, I could be inhaling glass shards damn it! We don't have the same opinion on safety but oh well... Also I've started noticing some price going up on a lot of pieces that were way cheaper when they weren't popular and if you ask me that isn't really honest of them but obviously they're a business lol.

Just my 2 cent.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

Also I've started noticing some price going up on a lot of pieces that were way cheaper when they weren't popular and if you ask me that isn't really honest of them but obviously they're a business lol.

Just my 2 cent.

Annoying sure, but I don't see how it's dishonest...

 

[MilkyMondays]

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but I'm 3/3 with Steven and couldn't be happier. I hope everyone has the same success I've had-- if you do, there's really no way to be disappointed.
edit: I did have to wait for the second batch of the 186, so if you want one I'd jump now. Just ask him for a logo if you feel like fooling your friends.

 

[J_ackson]

Annoying sure, but I don't see how it's dishonest...

When you set a price to an item you're selling there is a lot of factors that will make it vary, the cost has to include the glass tubes and acquiring the percolators, the craftsmanship, the shipping etc.

I'm pretty sure their worker's wage or glass cost didn't go up since it's only certain popular items' prices that go up and I saw something even more strange, when the price of the item doesn't go up on the listing, it's the shipping that is ridiculous! And when I check other seller's listings for the same item, the price is usually the same but with free shipping... it is obvious that they are playing a couple tricks on us knowing that this massive thread gives more attention to certain glass products.

Jacking up the price for no reason just because you know a lot of users are recommending it on certain forums is not being honest if you ask me but it's all about business once again...
I believe Steven did apologize for having to increase the price of one item but he said it was because there was a high volume of broken glass when his workers tried to make them, that is being honest since he specified.

 

[MileHighLife]

When you set a price to an item you're selling there is a lot of factors that will make it vary, the cost has to include the glass tubes and acquiring the percolators, the craftsmanship, the shipping etc.

I'm pretty sure their worker's wage or glass cost didn't go up since it's only certain popular items' prices that go up and I saw something even more strange, when the price of the item doesn't go up on the listing, it's the shipping that is ridiculous! And when I check other seller's listings for the same item, the price is usually the same but with free shipping... it is obvious that they are playing a couple tricks on us knowing that this massive thread gives more attention to certain glass products.

Jacking up the price for no reason just because you know a lot of users are recommending it on certain forums is not being honest if you ask me but it's all about business once again...
I believe Steven did apologize for having to increase the price of one item but he said it was because there was a high volume of broken glass when his workers tried to make them, that is being honest since he specified.

Economics 101 ... when supply falls or demand rises, the price of the product goes up.

 

[Cannabis Connoisseur]

Hey everyone just wanted to give you guys an update on this piece I got from Sunshine store since no one had grabbed one. Its the 13" 18mm female Egg
http://www.dhgate.com/product/2015-...water/238488989.html#myaccount_shipped-1-null

Overall 9/10
The package was SUPER BOMB PROOF!! The Egg itself is as close to a full size Mothership as you can get! This is $77, Its a full 13". The Egg including the area where the perc is a full 6"! So this is a nice size Egg. The perc is the only reason its not a 10/10. The slits are different sizes but it fires evenly.There are also oddly only 7. There's 8 holes and 4 horizontal slits. The downstem has a very solid seal on the Inner and Outer Egg! It hits awesome with a small amount of water or a lot, with no chance of splashback! My only regret for this piece is that I didn't buy 3. He's only sold 5 and I was the 2nd. I'd like to go on but I'm about to go play!! @BoogerMan you wanted to know this is worth it? Yes Sir! This thing is a huge tank of a beast I'm loving it!!

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

I got my FC-186 from Steven and its a tank! A great piece, the only thing wrong is a few grayish marks on the joint. It's in the frosted section inside so you only really notice it when looking down into the 18mm female joint. It was supposed to come with the UFO, so I will have to wait on releasing payment. If its anything like the 186 he just sent I will gladly pay the man. Hope everyone gets there Steven situations taken care of as well, it's back to the lab for me!

 

[mixchu69]

I got my FC-186 from Steven and its a tank! A great piece, the only thing wrong is a few grayish marks on the joint. It's in the frosted section inside so you only really notice it when looking down into the 18mm female joint. It was supposed to come with the UFO, so I will have to wait on releasing payment. If its anything like the 186 he just sent I will gladly pay the man. Hope everyone gets there Steven situations taken care of as well, it's back to the lab for me!

Just received the fc186 and it is a nice piece. But like you Ssvun~yah, I have the grayish marks too. Have you found a way to clean the piece? Tried pbw, simple green and ISO but no luck.

 

[nihil]

I believe Steven did apologize for having to increase the price of one item but he said it was because there was a high volume of broken glass when his workers tried to make them, that is being honest since he specified.

Or.. that is being lied to. But hey, I'm a happy pessimist.


My FC-710 came in today and fit & function are 10/10. This definitely feels the most "high end" of my 12 DHGate pieces, mostly due to the design. Thanks to Steven for cloning this piece, it will probably be my only dab rig and the price was right.

This is my 2nd, so I'd vouch for Steven if you're ordering this piece, by itself, not worried about tracking numbers, grey marks, questionable policy on defects and of course broken english. Not trying to sound harsh, but am bummed about the UFO being a game of Russian Roulette.

 

[Slow Draw McGraw]

I got my two pieces today, I will wait to comment on one until the seller responds....I have pics, they aren't pretty people.

On the good side of things, the UFO I received is very nice for what it is. Few heres and theres but nothing to contact Steven about. I am satisfied after using it with some conductions vapes.
EDIT: I noticed I didn't get a 18m2m with either of my pieces. Whats up with that? My LSV had dibs or dabs on those.

 

[Delta3DStudios]

EDIT: I noticed I didn't get a 18m2m with either of my pieces. Whats up with that? My LSV had dibs or dabs on those.

Yeah, neither of my FC-UFO's had an M2M. I forget if my GB-187-S did.

 

[cybrguy]

My UFO came with just the joint MP and whip MP, and the whip.

Fortunately I already have a couple M to Ms from previous orders.

 

[flotntoke]

Not to quibble, but doesn't look like Steven throws in the crappy oil rig attachments that Sunshinestore & Kathy (I think) usually throw in. So no M2M, no globe and no POS glass nail. Really not sure if he used to or not, but pretty sure the UFO V2 never showed that and nothing on his store with 18mmF seems to now. I think SS throws them in with everything that is 18mmF. Still have a couple around here somewhere that have never been out of the bubble wrap.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

Just got my FC-cake and straight fab in from steven.

Haven't tried them out yet, but they look good

Here's my package today from steven.
It fairly represents the quality of all the packages I've received from him, and IMO everything was packed reasonably well

I'd be interested to know if the others with issues with shipping quality have received packages in the same state but want better, or if mine is an example of his better shipping practices?

There was a layer of bubble wrap/paper on the top and bottom, and each piece was wrapped with 2 layers of small bubble wrap, and 1 layer of large bubble wrap.

The cone-pieces were just in a little bubble wrap bag loosely in the package, they survived but I don't care about them
Sometimes kathy will wrap those accessories inside one of the layers of bubble wrap around the piece, sometimes it's like this and loose

 

[herbivore21]

That straight fab looks fantastic mate! I wanna get one myself once I hear your thoughts on function/build quality

 

[dabsonthemountain]

So did anyone here actually order the doughnut klein from CCG?
I'm pretty interested in it. I'm either gonna order that or the newer eggs with the color on the inside ball.

The blue one reminds me of the droids in Star Wars for some reason... I cant see it right away, but I can't get the image out of my head either. It's like the inside entire blue part is the droid, and the clear part of the egg is it's charging station. It flies out after an hr or two, it's antennas extend, and it floats away to spy on some jedi somewhere or whatever droids do in their spare time... All the holes look like it's cameras and lenses, the horizontal space between the drains the spacer between the top and bottom half, and the joint is where the antennae pulls into and extends from. I think it's because of the way the color has a sort of lip to it, it isn't a perfect ball of color, the color extends out far into the clear.

The doughnut klein looks pretty sweet too. I'd be more interested in just a classic pear shaped klein though. The doughnuts seem to be just for looks, the bubbles don't seem to do to much throughout them. and I'd really like see some joint support on that thing...
That looks fragile as hell.
I'd honestly be surprised if it showed up in one piece. Very surprised, which is why I haven't ordered it yet.
Apparently some people ordered a couple though.
Was that anyone here?
I'm eagerly awaiting a review on it.

 

[Nugg]

I told myself I didn't need any more glass but all these straight fab reviews are making me want one!

 

[ou812?]

Got a message from Steven,he will replace FC1000. He says they will ship on 06/12/15,he remarked they were a bad batch. FWIW you may want to hit him up if you any issues with one now while he has a new batch coming out.Lets just hope he does what he says and makes good. I thought a few times he told others the same and they waited for infinite amount of time and ended up having to buy another with a discounted price....BS right there,I hope he doesnt pull that.Only time will tell. Glad some are recv'n rigs in great shape.I have to admit, my FC 1000 came double boxed with 2 thick heavy boxes and yards of bubble wrap, looked good!!

 

[deltr0n]

Anyone got any thoughts on this? Looks like a lil bitty straight fab, little pricey and customer service %, but could be small enough for a decent travel fab
http://m.dhgate.com/product/bong-glass-recycler-2015-new-glass-bong-oil/240342920.html

NOTE: seller is kathy0578, not kathy0577, the latter of whom I believe many members have previously dealt with successfully