Firewood Vaporizer

[Pasoa2020]

Just got the email and I’m in group E

Really on the fence about pulling the trigger though. I have a FW7 and TM2 (which is amazing and well worth the upgrade) but in many ways whereas the TM2 was an upgrade to the TM1, the FW8 feels like a bit of a step backwards from FW7.

For those that have both what do you think?

With all the extras you have to buy now dorbFW8 it’s not cheap. Which was also nice about FW7. Think it was $200 when I bought mine (before all the hype)

 

[moondog]

I've got both the 7 and 8.

I would say the 8 is more of a step sideways than a step backwards. But that sideways step is in a direction that doesn't suit everybody.

• The performance of the 8 is not to be denied. Once you dial in your technique, it's a monster.
• It doesn't feel as good in the hand as the 7. The 7 is simply a masterpiece in that regard.
• I'm one who loves the capsule concept, but lately I've been thinking about how I'd love it even more if the capsules had some sort of cover to prevent spillage - maybe a small screen. (Of course, that would make loading a bit more fiddly.) Tamping down material tightly will prevent 99% of any spillage but I've found that overzealous packing can affect airflow.
• I know the proprietary battery packs are polarizing. I love 'em.

I'm not sure which extras you're thinking of in terms of having to buy. Because I've suffered severe damage to my fine motor capabilities, I find the Delta 3D loading tray indispensable. But for others, it's just a convenience or not needed at all. Same with a set of tweezers for capsule removal. For most folks, neither are must haves, but they do make for an easier experience. Buying accessories for a vape is not a downside for me. I've never owned a vape for which I didn't pick up some gizmos. It's fun! But, for the FW8 at least, not necessary.

The FW8 is not cheap. But it's a finely crafted handmade device I haven't for a single second regretted spending the money.

 

[checkyourlibido]

With all the extras you have to buy now dorbFW8 it’s not cheap. Which was also nice about FW7. Think it was $200 when I bought mine (before all the hype)

That's why I'm passing.

But I can't be mad at someone who puts out quality work. Artisan work costs more for a reason. I mean, look at how much people are still spending on the plastic vapes. I'll probably wait for the FW9 for other reasons, but the increase in price is good for me because it forces patience upon me lol

 

[Shit Snacks]

I'm not sure which extras you're thinking of in terms of having to buy

Oh, I believe they were just referring to, the battery packs as an extra, the capsules as an extra, the case for the capsules too...?

 

[moondog]

Oh, I believe they were just referring to, the battery packs as an extra, the capsules as an extra, the case for the capsules too...?

Ah. I forgot those are a la carte if you don't get the early adopter's package.

Yes, it does then become a rather steeper hill to climb.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Ah. I forgot those are a la carte if you don't get the early adopter's package.

Yes, it does then become a rather steeper hill to climb.

Yeah, and the point I think is, that it feels like a requirement to just get the early adopters package, feels like a full set for the average use, and they're not exactly cheap items...

 

[Not Invented Here]

I've been using the fw8 over the 7 consistently since I got it and it continues still. I honestly can't put my finger on exactly why prefer it. I think it has to do with the bias toward convection in the 8. but sometimes I wonder if maybe it's simply that the 8 just has fresher batteries/contacts/heating elements or something. The only times I reach for the 7 is when I want the WPA but I also reach for my tinymight for WPA stuff too. As for price, I ordered my 7 on May 1st 2021 and I paid $362 for the vape, one battery, charger, the beeswax finish (this isn't optional anymore), a spare glass hula stem, and the WPA. So to me the $384 for the early adopter's FW8 vape, two batteries, charger, spare capsules feels pretty comparable. But yeah I can see how, down the line, without the early adopter's bundle discount how the price gap does widen. I'm just jealous of people who got a 7 for $200, damn!

 

[games-loaves0t]

Has anyone thought the power of the heater on the FW8 is a bit underwhelming?

I’ve also got a FW7, and I can typically clear it in 4 hits (level 2 = 390F). The first hit is just terps, without vapor, but subsequent hits are full of vapor and flavor.

With the FW8, I’m not sure if it’s the heater or the capsule system, but I’ve taken 3 hits on level 2 (390F) and gotten terps, but no vapor. Then, I push it to level 3 (410F) and start to get wispy vapor.

The FW8 is still relatively new for me, but am I hitting the FW8 wrong? Any suggestions the more experienced FW8 owners have would be greatly appreciated.

 

[moondog]

Has anyone thought the power of the heater on the FW8 is a bit underwhelming?

I’ve also got a FW7, and I can typically clear it in 4 hits (level 2 = 390F). The first hit is just terps, without vapor, but subsequent hits are full of vapor and flavor.

With the FW8, I’m not sure if it’s the heater or the capsule system, but I’ve taken 3 hits on level 2 (390F) and gotten terps, but no vapor. Then, I push it to level 3 (410F) and start to get wispy vapor.

The FW8 is still relatively new for me, but am I hitting the FW8 wrong? Any suggestions the more experienced FW8 owners have would be greatly appreciated.

Not sure what's happening there, but I'm guessing it boils down to technique.

My temp settings are:

Level 1 = 370
Level 2 = 380
Level 3 = 390

• I take my first hit at Level 1 just to get some nice flavor/terps and warm things up. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale while heating for 12 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.
• I then take 2 hits on Level 2. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 8-9 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20. The first hit yields a nice cloud and the second is even thicker.
• Finally, 2 or 3 hits on Level 3 that are massive. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 6-7 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.

If further experimentation still doesn't yield satisfactory results, I would check in with Marc and see what he says.

 

[games-loaves0t]

Not sure what's happening there, but I'm guessing it boils down to technique.

My temp settings are:

Level 1 = 370
Level 2 = 380
Level 3 = 390

• I take my first hit at Level 1 just to get some nice flavor/terps and warm things up. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale while heating for 12 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.
• I then take 2 hits on Level 2. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 8-9 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20. The first hit yields a nice cloud and the second is even thicker.
• Finally, 2 or 3 hits on Level 3 that are massive. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 6-7 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.

If further experimentation still doesn't yield satisfactory results, I would check in with Marc and see what he says.

Thanks for the suggestion! I’m going to test out this approach.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Has anyone thought the power of the heater on the FW8 is a bit underwhelming?

I’ve also got a FW7, and I can typically clear it in 4 hits (level 2 = 390F). The first hit is just terps, without vapor, but subsequent hits are full of vapor and flavor.

With the FW8, I’m not sure if it’s the heater or the capsule system, but I’ve taken 3 hits on level 2 (390F) and gotten terps, but no vapor. Then, I push it to level 3 (410F) and start to get wispy vapor.

The FW8 is still relatively new for me, but am I hitting the FW8 wrong? Any suggestions the more experienced FW8 owners have would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah I was going to say how fast and long are you drawing? I would suggest drawing slower, longer, to get more vapor on the lower settings... deep convection inhales

 

[games-loaves0t]

@Shit Snacks that’s a fair point. I guess one of the differences between the FW7 and FW8 is that you need to be more aware of your draw speed. With the FW7, I can just rip it as hard as I want because the holes are smaller than the FW8 and provide sufficient resistance.

Later tonight, I plan to focus on my draw speed more to see if that helps.

 

[Shit Snacks]

@Shit Snacks that’s a fair point. I guess one of the differences between the FW7 and FW8 is that you need to be more aware of your draw speed. With the FW7, I can just rip it as hard as I want because the holes are smaller than the FW8 and provide sufficient resistance.

Later tonight, I plan to focus on my draw speed more to see if that helps.

Yeah, I was also thinking about how, supposedly the FW7 is more predominantly conduction and the FW8 is more predominantly convection

 

[attackpoints]

Hey FW8 users, is there still an unregulated mode? Putting the 7 through water in this mode has had good production for me in the past, if you're careful.

Since the 8 is more convection based, the flavor is probably great.

 

[games-loaves0t]

Not sure what's happening there, but I'm guessing it boils down to technique.

My temp settings are:

Level 1 = 370
Level 2 = 380
Level 3 = 390

• I take my first hit at Level 1 just to get some nice flavor/terps and warm things up. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale while heating for 12 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.
• I then take 2 hits on Level 2. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 8-9 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20. The first hit yields a nice cloud and the second is even thicker.
• Finally, 2 or 3 hits on Level 3 that are massive. Once I get my buzz signifying that I'm at temp, I inhale for 6-7 seconds and then keep inhaling for a count of 20.

@moondog I tested out your suggested approach, and I had great results. I never thought of going past the buzz, signifying that I was at temp, but I got excellent flavor and clouds using your above instructions. Thanks for sharing your approach with us!

 

[moondog]

You are most welcome. Enjoy!!

 

[Falconflys]

There's a 8 for sale on discord exchange. $400 for the early adopter package. I'm surprised it's still available!

 

[gordontreeman]

There's a 8 for sale on discord exchange. $400 for the early adopter package. I'm surprised it's still available!

Not trying to be negative towards the seller or fw, but given the reception hasn’t been as enthusiastic as the 7, listing a used vape for more than msrp might be a little optimistic. It’s not quite a collectible yet as it’s still in production!

 

[someTooL]

Still check my email daily for group G update

Speaking of updates, are any of the early adopters providing feedback to Marc? Has any changes/modifications been noticed in the the later group receipts?

 

[losojos]

I got my Firewood 8 yesterday, and attempted to charge the batteries first thing. I tried 3 chargers before falling back to the included wall brick. I did check both battery pack levels with the Firewood first, got one buzz on each, so definitely in need of a charge. The charger that sits on my desk is a smart charger that will negotiate volts, amps, etc. for true USB-C devices. That one did not work (no light). I've got another charger that I use for a couple of cat toys that, despite having USB-C plugs, will not handshake with my smart charger. That one also did not work (still no light). Finally, I tried a charger on my partner's desk to no avail. So, using the included charger, I got the green light, but after charging for 12 hours, still had the green light. At least I get 4 buzzes from that battery pack now. What experience are other people having?

This thing is frustrating right out of the box.

 

[gordontreeman]

That is too bad @losojos. Have others had this experience? Its kind of a bummer if I can only use the included charger.

I just got the email for group F so I need to decide. The appeal of the 7 was the hybrid conduction/convection heater, but it sounds like that is not as present with the 8. For those with the 8 and something full convection like a TM, TM2, or P80 (or similar) still think the vape signature is different enough to justify? Otherwise I'm just sure if it would pass a reach test for me in its current incarnation. I'm not meaning to ask for a "is it better than x" kind of comparison. Just is the conduction present enough to make it a very different experience from something aiming to be full convection.

 

[games-loaves0t]

I got my Firewood 8 yesterday, and attempted to charge the batteries first thing. I tried 3 chargers before falling back to the included wall brick. I did check both battery pack levels with the Firewood first, got one buzz on each, so definitely in need of a charge. The charger that sits on my desk is a smart charger that will negotiate volts, amps, etc. for true USB-C devices. That one did not work (no light). I've got another charger that I use for a couple of cat toys that, despite having USB-C plugs, will not handshake with my smart charger. That one also did not work (still no light). Finally, I tried a charger on my partner's desk to no avail. So, using the included charger, I got the green light, but after charging for 12 hours, still had the green light. At least I get 4 buzzes from that battery pack now. What experience are other people having?

This thing is frustrating right out of the box.

When I got the FW8, I also found the initial charge takes a long time, but once they are charged, the batteries work well.

 

[moondog]

I got my Firewood 8 yesterday, and attempted to charge the batteries first thing. I tried 3 chargers before falling back to the included wall brick. I did check both battery pack levels with the Firewood first, got one buzz on each, so definitely in need of a charge. The charger that sits on my desk is a smart charger that will negotiate volts, amps, etc. for true USB-C devices. That one did not work (no light). I've got another charger that I use for a couple of cat toys that, despite having USB-C plugs, will not handshake with my smart charger. That one also did not work (still no light). Finally, I tried a charger on my partner's desk to no avail. So, using the included charger, I got the green light, but after charging for 12 hours, still had the green light. At least I get 4 buzzes from that battery pack now. What experience are other people having?

This thing is frustrating right out of the box.

Yes, the initial charge takes a very long time. Subsequent charges don't take as long. I would try plugging the pack back into the included charger and seeing what happens.

The charger Marc sent worked very well when I used it. I also used other charging bricks with no problem.

But now I charge my battery packs with a cable (not the one Marc supplied) straight from the battery pack into the USB port on one of these. Works perfectly.

 

[Shit Snacks]

That is too bad @losojos. Have others had this experience? Its kind of a bummer if I can only use the included charger.

I just got the email for group F so I need to decide. The appeal of the 7 was the hybrid conduction/convection heater, but it sounds like that is not as present with the 8. For those with the 8 and something full convection like a TM, TM2, or P80 (or similar) still think the vape signature is different enough to justify? Otherwise I'm just sure if it would pass a reach test for me in its current incarnation. I'm not meaning to ask for a "is it better than x" kind of comparison. Just is the conduction present enough to make it a very different experience from something aiming to be full convection.

Hey bud, of course I don't have the FW8 yet, but my impression is that despite the larger ratio of convection present compared to the FW7, I think you could still configure your use of the FW8 for more conduction if that is the goal...? Meaning, finer grinds, tight packs, long slow draws with extra preheat, relative temp settings etc. My plan at least!

 

[Zagala]

I got my Firewood 8 yesterday, and attempted to charge the batteries first thing. I tried 3 chargers before falling back to the included wall brick. I did check both battery pack levels with the Firewood first, got one buzz on each, so definitely in need of a charge. The charger that sits on my desk is a smart charger that will negotiate volts, amps, etc. for true USB-C devices. That one did not work (no light). I've got another charger that I use for a couple of cat toys that, despite having USB-C plugs, will not handshake with my smart charger. That one also did not work (still no light). Finally, I tried a charger on my partner's desk to no avail. So, using the included charger, I got the green light, but after charging for 12 hours, still had the green light. At least I get 4 buzzes from that battery pack now. What experience are other people having?

This thing is frustrating right out of the box.

I received my FW8 on Wednesday and I am experiencing the same thing with the green light but only with one of my batteries - the light stays green even after more than an afternoon and overnight charging, but I also get the 4 buzzes and got 6 bowls out of it. The other battery does not display that, the green light turns off after full charge. It does not look like this apparent anomaly affects the device or its performance, no excessive heat, no smell, i will monitor and may let Marc know.

By the way, without trying to be controversial I love the look of the FW8 and to me it is a piece of modern art. I will review more after further discovery over the weekend. But thanks everyone who has shared their experience and first impressions, with a special mention of @moondog, the pre-read allowed me to get right into it.