Firewood Vaporizer

[PossumMD]

Depending on battery pack cost, I could be interested. Still, I'm kinda not that excited about those details...

 

[Grass Yes]

Hey All, On Vaporents (Reddit) someone posted some details on the FW8. I am surprised this hasn't appeared here. Check it out.

https://www.reddit.com/r/vaporents/comments/un8bi9

Yeah, I'm not excited about the return to capsules for the FW line. Some folks love them, but I've am not usually a fan. The battery thing is also a drag, but maybe it can be made to work with typical 18650s. I suspect that will still be a fantastic device. Since it is Reddit's favorite device, I might not get to find out for a while anyway. :-)

 

[florduh]

Bummer about the integrated battery. Looking forward to seeing this oven capsule system though. That ceramic oven gets hot as fuck though, so I don't know how swapping it out will work.

 

[PossumMD]

Bummer about the integrated battery. Looking forward to seeing this oven capsule system though. That ceramic oven gets hot as fuck though, so I don't know how swapping it out will work.

The capsules on the four got hot, but they never roasted me the couple of times I used my mates.

Edit to add: we know nothing about these capsules so this is all speculation on my part.

 

[florduh]

The capsules on the four got hot, but they never roasted me the couple of times I used my mates.

That was a convection device though. On the 7 the ceramic part IS the oven. I'm sure Marc has thought about it though.

 

[pudgewack]

I am probably in the minority, but I do not have a problem with an integrated battery. Even better with a USBC port for charging.....I am curious about the capsule system though. Those can be awesome, but they can also ruin a device if not done "correctly".

 

[PossumMD]

That was a convection device though. On the 7 the ceramic part IS the oven. I'm sure Marc has thought about it though.

Fair. It is hybrid heating, after all.

 

[hippogriff]

I am probably in the minority, but I do not have a problem with an integrated battery. Even better with a USBC port for charging.....I am curious about the capsule system though. Those can be awesome, but they can also ruin a device if not done "correctly".

Suits my use, too, tho I can see it being a minor hassle for people who run through more than a battery a day. Had all my edc stuff standardized around loose 18650s, but it’s all moving to usb-c, anyway, and usb-c charging is fast and easy.

FW5 was my favorite before FW7s heater - Marc really likes playing w capsule/tray/pre-loading solutions, looking forward to what he’s come up w this time. Hope everything is contained in one device for maximum pocketability.

 

[Texus]

I am probably in the minority, but I do not have a problem with an integrated battery. Even better with a USBC port for charging.....I am curious about the capsule system though. Those can be awesome, but they can also ruin a device if not done "correctly".

In addition to more hassle when battery inevitably dies, I do like being able to swap in a charged battery instead of having to wait for FW7 to charge.

 

[Corvoed]

Woah, is that an update from marc? But I was told he would be isolated from his family if he made a general update!

 

[acstorfer]

That removable oven is a big thing, but a funny thing happened recently I popped the screen out by mistake. Of course this bothered me until I actually got the screen in. It is so easy. A vapcap fits quite perfectly. I just push down until I feel it kinda lock. It stays in perfectly well while using it and emptying the bowl. Comes out when I clean, and I can just scrub the heck out of it, including the screen.

The capsules would have been a big deal for me when I got it, but when I take it out it's just to walk my dog, so I don't have to refill it. Cool new feature though.

I'm glad about the battery pack. I dislike it so much I'm not tempted to spend hundreds of dollars. I would say if I didn't have the 7 this wouldn't be a deal breaker. I love my firewood 7. The 8 I'm sure would still be worth it.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Yes very interesting, logical battery thing, have to compromise though, nice to get the battery away from the oven and not tearing cell wrappings, but we can't even use our cells now lol there is something nice about having a unit you can just plug in to charge, although being forced to is not necessarily so ideal... And yeah the capsules just sound like removable ovens, removable chambers, designed smaller so they can be treated more like capsules? I think this would be more like the dotleaf in a sense but without the electronics in it so should work much better, nice to be able to fully clean an oven chamber, but I agree if using them out and about they're going to be way too hot to actually remove and swap? Waiting for it to cool off, but it's also so hard to empty the chamber when it's cool, I just don't know why or when I would ever really use those as a feature in a practical setting like on the go...

 

[checkyourlibido]

Yeah, I'm not excited about the return to capsules for the FW line. Some folks love them, but I've am not usually a fan. The battery thing is also a drag, but maybe it can be made to work with typical 18650s. I suspect that will still be a fantastic device. Since it is Reddit's favorite device, I might not get to find out for a while anyway. :-)

Reddit’s favorite device is the Mighty. Even today

 

[hippogriff]

In addition to more hassle when battery inevitably dies, I do like being able to swap in a charged battery instead of having to wait for FW7 to charge.

Agreed, I’ve been lazy about replacing batteries and running the same set of HG2s for >600 cycles, so swapping every bowl or two is necessary. But getting onboard charging and usb-c speeds is a bonus, and I'm curious how an enclosed battery frees up the overall design.

Yes very interesting, logical battery thing, have to compromise though, nice to get the battery away from the oven and not tearing cell wrappings, but we can't even use our cells now lol there is something nice about having a unit you can just plug in to charge, although being forced to is not necessarily so ideal... And yeah the capsules just sound like removable ovens, removable chambers, designed smaller so they can be treated more like capsules? I think this would be more like the dotleaf in a sense but without the electronics in it so should work much better, nice to be able to fully clean an oven chamber, but I agree if using them out and about they're going to be way too hot to actually remove and swap? Waiting for it to cool off, but it's also so hard to empty the chamber when it's cool, I just don't know why or when I would ever really use those as a feature in a practical setting like on the go...

I really liked the FW5's loading tray, I would just load both ends, and the length of the tray made cleaning and hot swapping easy. A two-bowl cassette that housed inside the unit could be sweet... too easy to speculate, looking forward to pictures.

 

[Vaporware]

Since it says the battery enclosure is reusable, maybe with the right tool anyone will be able to swap them? Less convenient than the bare batteries, but I get why he would go in that direction…

I’m a little concerned about the practicality of the oven/capsule too, but I’m guessing he expects people to wait a few mins for them to cool down before swapping. That would almost always be fine for me, although people who want back to back bowls might be a bit annoyed.

Not quite the changes I expected, but if they’re done right to could actually work out very well!

 

[Shit Snacks]

Yeah it could be FW8 is the ultimate portable really, while FW7 will stay at home with WPA, but time will tell, definitely look forward to seeing the new design, certainly a lot of strong benefits despite potential drawbacks!

 

[Grass Yes]

Since it says the battery enclosure is reusable, maybe with the right tool anyone will be able to swap them?

Looks like Marc commented on the reddit post.

It will be pretty easy to take the pack apart and any hobbyist who can weld battery tabs and do basic soldering should be able to replace the battery.

I get where he is coming from, but I am not excited about it. I would think Xmax and the like are under more scrutiny than a one man operation, but I suppose they have lawyers in staff, etc.

Anyway I will wait and see. Can't help speculating now though

 

[checkyourlibido]

Looks like Marc commented on the reddit post.

Thanks for pointing that out! For those that don't Reddit:

I think I owe everybody a little info on the battery change. This change has been a long time coming, even before the CPSC recommendation linked above.

18650 cells were never designed for use outside of a battery pack. Check this out. Those words are etched into the metal so that it cannot be removed. Is everybody aware that this is under their battery wraps? (I can't say it is on every 18650, this is a Murata) Why do the CPSC and the battery companies tell us not to use 18650 cells outside of a battery pack? The CPSC lists the dangers of an accidental short during transportation and overcharging as two risks. I don't know this for sure, but my theory on why the manufacturers don't want 18650 cells to be used alone is due to contact resistance/heating issues. 18650 cells provide MUCH more current than the AAA/AA/C/D batteries that we are used to seeing as standalone cells. This is why they start fires in people pockets. It also means that a poor contact at one of the battery terminals can cause a lot of heat. In the best case this just causes the device to operate inefficiently since a lot of the power is lost sending heat where it isn't needed. In the worst case it causes the battery to fail catastrophically. This is why the standard method for making electrical contact to the cell is using welded nickel tabs. In a battery pack these nickel tabs will connect to dedicated, properly engineered electrical contacts and even if they get too hot, at least they aren't right on the battery, where they could cause the battery to fail.

People mentioned lobbying by big tobacco, and that may be happening, but I don't think that's the full story. Regardless of whether big tobacco is using this issue to their advantage it is still a problem.

The pack I am designing uses gold plated pogo pin contacts that have a very low contact resistance and are meant for high current applications. Internally the 18650 cells will have nickel tabs welded to each terminal to connect to the circuit board where the charger circuit and contact pads that connect to the main unit are located. It will be pretty easy to take the pack apart and any hobbyist who can weld battery tabs and do basic soldering should be able to replace the battery. I'll also offer battery replacement as a service for a few dollars more than the price of a new single cell.

In terms of usage I think the USBc charging will make it much easier to use. I personally will love to not have to deal with a standalone charger, and always having to take extra precautions with single 18650 cells.

 

[Joie de Vivre]

If I understood correctly, a wooden battery pack is rechargeable, pocketable and swappable? If that's right it could be cool. A range of 18650 products could be designed around it.

 

[checkyourlibido]

If I understood correctly, a wooden battery pack is rechargeable, pocketable and swappable? If that's right it could be cool. A range of 18650 products could be designed around it.

21700 is newer and much better capacity(than the 18650).
It's in a similar sized package, just a smidge bigger.
I would love to see more vapes use the 21700.

 

[Joie de Vivre]

I agree (but early adoption means our stuff is a little less cross-compatible). Either way, and I might just be betraying ignorance of the electronics, I have had dreams of mods that offer an intelligent ie regulating 510 unit, or a range of products, to fit on (I presume) a mech-mod that is basically just battery insulation. Maybe the battery section of the vape is the bit I most resent paying for more than once (lol?). NB A swappable battery pack might actually offer a piecemeal resolution. Nice thing about modules.

 

[moondog]

I see both these new features (battery pack and removable oven) as positives.

I have been growing more wary of the loose 18650s for some time now and will welcome the added safety of the battery pack. But then, I'm old (turned 64 today!) and we old folks tend to be more cautious, right?

I really like the idea of being able to remove the oven chamber for loading and cleaning. I loved the capsule-centric FW4. I'll almost certainly buy a second chamber, assuming Marc offers them. My most common usage scenario is I want to have a bowl of sativa for evening activities but then want a nice CBD flower/indica cocktail for bedtime but at the end of the evening I'm so tired that it's a chore to load that second bowl. If I can load both at the start of the evening and just swap in the second one at bedtime, that's great.

And I am confident that Marc has elegant solutions for whatever shortcomings we might have concerns about in these new features.

So color me quite excited and anxiously awaiting my notification email.

 

[games-loaves0t]

Color me excited for the FW8 also. I’m glad Marc isn’t not resting on your laurels and just putting out a minor update to the FW7. I know the battery update frustrates some people. Still, I don’t see many people talking about using older versions of the Firewood as their daily driver, which makes me think that most people probably won’t daily drive with their Firewood for more than a year anyway. Also, I do think it could make it easier to use and more portable, as you could plug it in on the go.

As you can see, I’m with @moondog, and I’m still fired up to get my hands on the new Firewood.

 

[Arawfish]

Color me excited for the FW8 also. I’m glad Marc isn’t not resting on your laurels and just putting out a minor update to the FW7. I know the battery update frustrates some people. Still, I don’t see many people talking about using older versions of the Firewood as their daily driver, which makes me think that most people probably won’t daily drive with their Firewood for more than a year anyway. Also, I do think it could make it easier to use and more portable, as you could plug it in on the go.

As you can see, I’m with @moondog, and I’m still fired up to get my hands on the new Firewood.

The thing about previous iterations is they never hit it big like the 7 did. The 7 is (in my opinion) one of the best portables to ever hit the market. It’ll continue to be the daily driver for a lot of people for a long time. It’s been my daily for over a year and a half now. I almost never use mine at home though, it’s my work / travel vape and is perfectly suited to that role.

These changes we have coming to the 8 make it look like the 7 will continue to be my daily until it dies. I can go through several batteries in a day and frequently go camping with like 8 extras ready to go, so this whole new battery situation has me very curious to say the least. From the way I understand it, it’s mostly not meant to be removed until the cell is getting old and needs to be replaced. It doesn’t really seem like hot-swapping batteries is going to be all that easy or quick but I won’t knock it until I try it.

Also gotta say I’m not a fan of removable ovens either but again I’m not gonna knock it too hard before I at least see it in action.

My 7 goes everywhere in any type of weather, anytime of year and it’s never let me down. Will the 8 truly be able to compete?

 

[Pasoa2020]

The thing about previous iterations is they never hit it big like the 7 did. The 7 is (in my opinion) one of the best portables to ever hit the market. It’ll continue to be the daily driver for a lot of people for a long time. It’s been my daily for over a year and a half now. I almost never use mine at home though, it’s my work / travel vape and is perfectly suited to that role.

These changes we have coming to the 8 make it look like the 7 will continue to be my daily until it dies. I can go through several batteries in a day and frequently go camping with like 8 extras ready to go, so this whole new battery situation has me very curious to say the least. From the way I understand it, it’s mostly not meant to be removed until the cell is getting old and needs to be replaced. It doesn’t really seem like hot-swapping batteries is going to be all that easy or quick but I won’t knock it until I try it.

Also gotta say I’m not a fan of removable ovens either but again I’m not gonna knock it too hard before I at least see it in action.

My 7 goes everywhere in any type of weather, anytime of year and it’s never let me down. Will the 8 truly be able to compete?

Doesn’t sound like it. Time will tell. Not the changes I was personally hoping for.