Custom Glass Ideas/Designs Thread

[PoopMachine]

I don't know if you guys bring up this perc because it's just badass or if you want to get the Chinese working on a copy.

I'm just here to inform you that Pukinbeagle has been working on that propeller perc for a looooong time to perfect it. You're talking about a very small family owned shop. They just got this Perc functional and working over the last 6 months or so.

I'm just saying that it would be a damn shame to copy this perc and try to Chinese glass it up already. At least give them the opportunity to sell some first.

I thought we discussed this in the other thread or here or somewhere but basically decided no vendor was off limits.

They cant copy that helicopter perc anyway right now but I think playing favorites about who can be reproduced (Im not saying copying because nothing is an exact copy) sets a bad precedence.

While I respect the art (Mrs P blows glass and has already registered a domain to display her work dirtygirlglassworx.com) I also have watched pieces made before and know what the profit margin is on this stuff. When you got the blower pricing himself at a premium per hour when making these things and then the shops marking the stuff up 200% or more, its hard to defend the whole supply chain.

Id love to see a company go online only, not sell to any shops, cut the middle man out, make more money for themselves and sell things at a fair price. Thats what we were doing at Doughboy until Trey got overwhelmed with wholesale orders. The problem with that is most blowers dont want to deal with the public.

 

[Deadshort480]

I thought we discussed this in the other thread or here or somewhere but basically decided no vendor was off limits.

They cant copy that helicopter perc anyway right now but I think playing favorites about who can be reproduced (Im not saying copying because nothing is an exact copy) sets a bad precedence.

While I respect the art (Mrs P blows glass and has already registered a domain to display her work dirtygirlglassworx.com) I also have watched pieces made before and know what the profit margin is on this stuff. When you got the blower pricing himself at a premium per hour when making these things and then the shops marking the stuff 200% or more, its hard to defend the whole supply chain.

Id love to see a company go online only, not sell to any shops, cut the middle man out, make more money for themselves and sell things at a fair price. Thats what we were going at Doughboy until Trey got overwhelmed with wholesale orders.

Who decided that because I don't remember that vote?

Obviously, there's more interest in just getting the cheapest possible recreation of something where a few can make a bit of profit rather than supporting the actual artists, so this is where I'll bow out and unsubscribe from this thread because the taste in my mouth is horrible.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

I've been keeping a close eye on the 3D printed glass technology - HP is getting close, but no word on what it can do (transparent? dunno).

I think 3D printed glass will revolutionize the waterpipe industry, but it won't replace it.

Do ya'll think it's worth getting one of those diffusion pumps just for shits and giggles, maybe flip it on craigslist if I don't like it with my vapes (Obviously I'd tell the buyer it's a knockoff, and NOT the original!)

3d glass printing is going to turn the bong and pipe industry upside down. Why spend hundreds on a bong when you spend it on a printer and have infinite, super intricate bongs at your disposal. It may take a while to become a reality, but when it does, it's gonna be awesome!

 

[grdwaste]

3d glass printing is going to turn the bong and pipe industry upside down. Why spend hundreds on a bong when you spend it on a printer and have infinite, super intricate bongs at your disposal. It may take a while to become a reality, but when it does, it's gonna be awesome!

 

[VJJJV]

alright alright, let's just move on, the helicopter ain't happening. whatevs..

more important: it seems like most people are liking the FC-187, even with some messy percs here and there and one broken piece? it be interesting to see if the percs improve over time.

@blankrider are the pillars coming in January? diffusion pump in february maybe?

oh and @EverythingsHazy how is it going with other suppliers? are you having anyone make something soon or so?

 

[ataxian]

alright alright, let's just move on, the helicopter ain't happening. whatevs..

more important: it seems like most people are liking the FC-187, even with some messy percs here and there and one broken piece? it be interesting

The FC 187 Is decent!
The percs should be set lower.

 

[nihil]

My take on the FC-187:

General feelings: Good. Solid build quality, good design with 2 exceptions. For $40 I'd buy again, although I'd spend the extra $5 every time if the GB-187 were available (due to my exceptions).

Perc: This is exception 1. I prefer my GB's for the simple fact that they are welded to the base with a small bead of glass. This downstem through the perc design isn't doing it for me. If the blower was forced to weld the perc to the base, I think we'd get some consistency with the perc's vertical placement.. and it looks much cleaner. The actual perc on mine looks fine, but it is not as intricate as my GB's (it's also slightly larger).

Mouthpiece: Exception 2. The mouthpiece needs to have its outside diameter slightly decreased and the fluting less shallow. I can not get a seal with this piece. Maybe I got the only bad one, but other pictures you guys/gals have posted look exactly like mine. Thanks to people here, I was able to rig a wine stopper, tubing, and a glass stem to utilize a whip rather than the mouthpiece.

On that note, using a whip and watching the action more closely, it looks like my perc isn't firing evenly like I initially thought. Not that big of a deal, but now I'm another with a slightly off perc.

Would I recommend? Yes, absolutely. Would I personally buy another one? Not until a Version 1.2 comes out fixing the above.

Lastly, because I'm taking the time to give input on what I think can be improved, and only that, please know that I love this piece. It's damn close to being my best China piece and it's cool to see it community designed. As of now though, I'll probably be using my GBs as my daily drivers.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

I don't mind the downstem-through-the-perc thing, because it isn't left open at all, its sealed to the bottom of the can...

Since it is welded to the bottom of the can, I don't understand your other point of it needing to have a bead to seal it to the bottom of the can...

 

[VaPeD&CoNfUsEd]

My take on the FC-187:

It's still in jaimaca New York. 11 days after clearing customs.

That is all.

 

[Frederick McGuire]

My take on the FC-187:

It's still in jaimaca New York. 11 days after clearing customs.

That is all.

 

[nihil]

I don't mind the downstem-through-the-perc thing, because it isn't left open at all, its sealed to the bottom of the can...

Since it is welded to the bottom of the can, I don't understand your other point of it needing to have a bead to seal it to the bottom of the can...

Production standpoint.

If the blower only has 1/8" to connect the perc to the base, it will only vary in vertical measurements of equal to or less than 1/8". If they are simply making rough tubes (downstems) with percs added say every 6" before cutting into 12 total perc/downstem combo, there is going to be some major variance on the vertical location of the perc from piece to piece. In other words, they are not using the base of the perc as the measurement to the base of the can. Rather, they are welding a 6" piece to a 6" can, perc placement be damned.

I am not a Chinese industrialist with a glass making facility, but that's what I'm assuming would be a very efficient assembly process, hence a certain percentage with "too high" perc placement.

So my point is, the perc should be as low to the base of the can as possible with this particular design. If I'm wrong on this, I'm open to input.

 

[NorthernHuskie]

alright alright, let's just move on, the helicopter ain't happening. whatevs..

more important: it seems like most people are liking the FC-187, even with some messy percs here and there and one broken piece? it be interesting to see if the percs improve over time.

@blankrider are the pillars coming in January? diffusion pump in february maybe?

oh and @EverythingsHazy how is it going with other suppliers? are you having anyone make something soon or so?

Yeah I was wondering about the diffusion pump and pillar perc too. Any updates @blankrider ?

 

[blankrider]

@VJJJV the diffusion pump should be released very soon and the mini peyote pillar will hopefully be next. The final mini pillar prototype has been blown and approved for production so now all they have to do is make them. I don't have a time line but hopefully by February.

@nihil I am definitely interested in trying to get an improved perc in the next run of 187s. I also agree on the mouthpiece being adjusted as you described. I have full lips and can make a pretty good seal but can see where others would have problems.

Besides the fact that it looks different I don't understand what problem you guys are having with how the perc is braced. It is sealed and securely fastened to the bottom of the can. It doesn't effect function in any way. Is this really something worth telling him to change or is it nit picking?

He has sold about 2/3 of the first batch so when the rest are sold he will make a new revised version for us. I'm not sure how many more of you need one or if you got it out of your system

@VaPeD&CoNfUsEd sorry to hear that your 187 is still in limbo

 

[Frederick McGuire]

Is the full size pillar still on the horizon?
I'm definitely gonna grab a pump once they're done but I'm not too keen on the mini pillar so I was thinking I'd wait for the full sized one.
(Or more likely I'll cave in and get the mini pillar anyway but I'll still want the full size )

 

[MuushuPork]

Still in on the pump, I just wanted to add that the mouthpiece in the photo of it looks good to me. No flared anymore pls

 

[blankrider]

@Deadshort480 please don't leave the thread. You have a lot of glass experience and one hell of an impressive collection. I actually share your sentiments about not ripping off certain artist and tried to voice it earlier in the thread. It was in regard to Hamm. But it is very hard pick and choose who is off limits which is why I tried to say that technically no one is off limits.

But... Some things are completely unrealistic to suggest for various reasons. I'm not going to name all of them but I definitely think pukinbeagle propeller perc is one of those designs. I understand how small of a operation they are and how much they have put into making this design a reality. Like heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears. To try and have China make inferior copies is a huge insult.

I really don't think that they could make it and if they did it wouldn't work great and would be a shipping nightmare. There is no way it would come together from China. It is glass and has moving parts!

Sorry guys but if you want this one you are going to have to buy it from the man himself. His prices actually aren't that bad

 

[EverythingsHazy]

Is the full size pillar still on the horizon?
I'm definitely gonna grab a pump once they're done but I'm not too keen on the mini pillar so I was thinking I'd wait for the full sized one.
(Or more likely I'll cave in and get the mini pillar anyway but I'll still want the full size )

Yes, that piece is still getting made. It's being worked on and revised for production.
The matrix perc may be from a different maker than those on the first run of the fc-187.

 

[blankrider]

@EverythingsHazy do you have any prototype pictures for anything yet? Will you be sharing them with the thread and asking for input or are you doing everything solo? When can we expect some glass for sale from whoever you are working with? How much will the big pillar be sold for?

 

[Mynameismud]

I don't know if you guys bring up this perc because it's just badass or if you want to get the Chinese working on a copy.

I'm just here to inform you that Pukinbeagle has been working on that propeller perc for a looooong time to perfect it. You're talking about a very small family owned shop. They just got this Perc functional and working over the last 6 months or so.

I'm just saying that it would be a damn shame to copy this perc and try to Chinese glass it up already. At least give them the opportunity to sell some first.

Have you seen birddogart glass. Hes made a plane recycler that has a spinning propeller in it too. A litte different function though

 

[nihil]

Besides the fact that it looks different I don't understand what problem you guys are having with how the perc is braced. It is sealed and securely fastened to the bottom of the can. It doesn't effect function in any way. Is this really something worth telling him to change or is it nit picking?

Aesthetically I can deal with it. It's the variance in vertical alignment that I am having an issue with. From viewing what others have posted, it seems like the perc is anywhere from 1/8" to 1" from the base of the can. Both of my GBs are roughly 1/16" from the base of the can, while my FC is just shy of 1/2" from the base, hence more water needed.

With this style perc, wouldn't it be best that the perc sits as low as possible? If so, that is my argument. If not, I'm open to being educated.

 

[MuushuPork]

The issues with uniformity make us think our pieces will have the same issues.

 

[PoopMachine]

Given that you usually start at the base and work backwards with these things and tacking in the perc would be one of the first things you do, its kind of surprising that they arent all the same height.

I realize this is a mass production environment but it literally only takes seconds for these pieces to solidify once you attach them. You'd think they'd get them straight given that its such a quick process.

 

[blankrider]

@nihil I for sure agree that we all want our perc closer to the bottom of the can. I'm not sure if the style of support has a lot to do with the height of the perc. I will make sure to tell Steven that we want the percs as low as possible on the next batch.

I am curious how much variation there is between everyone's 187. My perc is 1cm from the base of the can in my FC. I think it is ~9mm in my GB so it is very close

 

[nihil]

@nihil I for sure agree that we all want our perc closer to the bottom of the can. I'm not sure if the style of support has a lot to do with the height of the perc. I will make sure to tell Steven that we want the percs as low as possible on the next batch.

I am curious how much variation there is between everyone's 187. My perc is 1cm from the base of the can in my FC. I think it is ~9mm in my GB so it is very close

Thanks @blankrider, it's appreciated.

And yeah, if mine was only 1cm, you would have heard nothing from me on this matter.

I'm still thinking it is due to the style, although I could be wrong. Let me put it a different way.. If they were forced to weld it with a bead, do you think they could obtain a 1" bead in the extreme cases? It would be harder for them to do that, therefore the perc would be welded as closely to the bottom as possible for efficiency.

What I think they are doing now, is one person on the assembly line attaches the upper downstem and lower downstem to a perc. That person may not be exact with what s/he was told to measure for the bottom downstem, and from his perspective as the working joe on the assembly line, it doesn't really matter.

With the GB style, they create a perc with the upper downstem only and leave the bottom of the perc closed. Then I'm guessing they weld it to the base. Hence a very low perc every time.

Anyone with glass making experience please chime in. I am only guessing with all of this.

Hope that makes sense.. I just tested this guy again and am pretty high. It's a fun piece and I am enjoying using a whip for the first time on a bubbler, so all is good.

 

[PoopMachine]

I think the perc is attached to the base first. It depends on how they assemble things. If youre working on a lathe, thats how the blowers I know would have started that piece. Id say the base gets the perc attached, the can put on, the hole for the mouthpiece blown out and then the mouthpiece attached last.