Heat up time will be faster closer to the tip in my experience. I find that I work my way down the cap for heat cycles and for the last one I keep lighting for about a second over to get one final extraction. This method ends with the last hit being almost like smoking, bud comes out very dark. I do about 4 heat cycles.
I don't know if it matters, but I try to slow down the heat up in the first cycle by holding the torch quite a distance away. I was thinking that a slower, drawn out heat up (maybe only a few seconds longer before the click) might act like a heat soak for the herb and chamber.
I am still trying to find the sweet spot on mine. I have been heating 1-2 seconds beyond the click for the first 2 cycles and still get only whispy hits. I don't start getting much visible vapor until the 3rd hit when it starts getting a roasted flavor. Don't get me wrong though, it still gets me nice and toasted myself.
I am trying to get a good set up to put the woodie on my bubbler. I'm thinking that this might be a better method for practicing where I can heat for various lengths until I can see the vapor production in the glass bubbler.