I have a very sensitive lungs (severe chronic lifelong asthmatic) and have found that mouth pulls and degummed hemp fiber filters create a very smooth, cool, non irritating vapour.
Take a few inches of degummed hemp fiber.
Moisten one end and wind it like you are preparing to thread a needle. Place it between your thumb and index finger and wind it round and round between your two fingers to create a flat round filter.
Stuff this into the bottom of your bowl. This filter will effectively remove any tiny particles that may otherwise get through your screen and into your lungs. It also keeps your condenser surprisingly clean and clear of debris.
The mouth pull technique provides a cooler fresher vapor inhale. Dial down to a tight air restriction and cover the carb for most of the toke. Pull the vapor into your mouth without inhaling, like you would when puffing on a cigarette or cigar. Near the end of the pull, open or feather the carb to bring the last of the vapor into your mouth along with that pulse of fresh carb air, then open your mouth, remove the Vapcap and inhale the vapour and fresh air into your lungs. Exhale. Repeat.
Use a filter. Take short mouth pulls versus long tokes and incorporate fresh air.
I have tried the hemp fiber gauze now Squiby. Mine wasnt a piece of art like yours at all, Im not too skilled with my hands. But it formed together after being in there for a while. I am still using a coarse grind, so I can use my new satnta cruz 2 piece shredder mainly.
So I like it to be easy being to tip out the load for disposal, or further crumbling (which I find does help me to finish the load quicker and more evenly, this has been my experience with every vaporizer, always grinding down further as it dries out, to manintain the hit size with more surface area).
The hemp fiber gauze was making harder work of this process with bits getting hooked in it. This isnt a problem with whole nugs Im sure. And it does slightly reduce the bowl size as well.
So I have now put a bit of hemp fiber the other side of the screen, underneath it. It seems to be functioning the same so I hope this will be as effective this way as on top of the screen. Thouh that would actually keep the screen clean longer wouldnt it?!
Im experimenting with lighter placement and draw technique, airflow etc. The big issue I have is actually using the lighter without messing my hands up. I am using the quad, there is no way I can use the triple, I have one of the single jet flame ones
@OF reccomends coming from Deal Extreme. I will see if it is easier for me to use so I can make the experience of using the vapcap easier, then I can think more freely about how to use it.
I love the buzz, it really enhances colour as well. I notice a lot of red.
I think I am getting the best balance between high temp and aggravation, and not getting enough of a hit, by heating in the middle of the cap with the quad torch just inside the edge of the outer flame. The hits are good this way and not too aggravating. When they are, my sinuses sting as I exhale. If this doesnt happen then I am more in the true vaporizing range.
But I cant microdose regularly like you do Squiby, and I need to push the limits a bit to het the best and fastest effect to last for a while.
The quad torch is also harder for pinpointing specific cap areas.
No need to respond to anything here Squiby, just sharing, big thanks!
Anyway, what I actually came here to suggest to you
@Alexis concerns your allergies. I don't have any experience with allergies per se, and especially the type that you have- they sound horrendous. However when reading your above post, it reminded me of a recent post in the medical thread, where a user has been vaping nettles to combat their hayfever. It could be something to consider- apparently nettles contain a natural antihistamine (can't remember the name of the compound right now), and the user has been achieving remarkable results. And on the plus side, obtaining pesticide free nettles should be easy, they grow everywhere.
I should point out here too that the Vapcaps (and omni in particular) work great with other herbs such as camomile, hops, lavender, mint etc- I've been having lots of fun playing around with different mixes. I don't really like vaping them by themselves mind, but when mixed in with our favourite herb, they really help to modify the effects, and can make for a really tasty change. So I would recommend Alexis to try adding a small bit of nettles to your bowls along with your outdoor bud- it could be worth a shot. You may find that nettles by themselves may give you some relief too.
Here's the link to the thread regarding nettles/allergies:
http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vaping-nettles-for-hayfever-relief.9887/
Peace
Thanks again to another caring soul genuinely attempting to help, I really appreciate it.
Yes you could say "horrendous", I tend to use the word "tough" now, which actually is quite a broad and deep term with power. But it sure is tough and it must make me tougher in the process. I am working committed towards a resolution to the impossible so far by resolvimg all bodily infections and restoring biological equlibrium and can never give up.
But if (or when I hope) I get there and life can be lived normally without being dominated 100% by reavtions and symptoms, boy will it be the greatest pleasure to be free. I must keep my focus there!
Thanks for the nettle suggestion. I drink nettle tea. I dont really like it, but thee are only 3 drinks I can tolerate out of EVERYTHING I have tried to date, and that is: plain water, nettle tea, and chamomile tea.
There is no other type of herbal tea or other drink I know of I dont react badly to. I can make tea from spices, loke turmeric etc, which I love and are a key tool in health maintenance for me) but that doesnt really count as drink options.
I dont like nettle that much, and chamomile makes you sleep so only at bedtime. But I can drink nettle. And I will certainly look out for some to try vaporizing.
I am getting excellent relief now vy vaporizing essential oils with the herborizer bowl and injector. I am dropping the peppermint and eucalyptus oil onto hemp fiber, in the bowl, and using the vaporizer as normal, except 2 heat settings lower, number 5.
It actually worlks really well. You can see the vapor from the drops of essential oil. It keeps coming and then is gone, so the oils are all used up and inhaled quite quickly like this.
When doing steam inhalation, the peppermint really hurts as it goes in, which is what I want. It is "no pain, no gain".
The more it hurts, the bigger the difference there is in terms of relief. If it doesnt hurt, it is eitjer because my chest is actually pretty good (never really though), or it isnt working.
When my chest is really bad the oils cant even get into the lungs, so it takes longer for the pain to come, and to go. Ideally I want intense pain from the off, then Im over the hill and downhill from there with immediate relief. After I have done the first round of peppermint oil and the pain has subsided, I add more peppermint and go again. There can be another round of pain to go through, as the fresh oil has a direct path into the lungs. Then I begin sinus inhalation, which is impossible in the beginning until the sinuses start to drain a bit.
You are talking some real minty power inhaling this peppermint steam into the nose! Not for faint hearted!
Anyway, this is the only way I can live with these mucus symptoms. So thats why Im so eager to find alternatives.
Vaping the essential oils with the herborizer is actually very effective. It isnt as effective as a steam, nothing will be. But it is much better than what I used to do, inhaling the oils from my palms. There is no setup and clear up time, just switch herbo on and drop oils.
And you get the whole dose of oil without losing any, no technique required. It really hurts (good sign) and a ton of mucus is cleared.
I will be thrilled about having this new option in the near future. Im a bit too tired and stoned and foggy currently to feel thrilled, but I am deep down.
Thanks for everybody's help and for caring, and huge respect!
) and this was my first time using it.
