Glassblowersdirect.com - Affordable quality glass

[c76man]

I have one, pictures linked somewhere here. I haven't even seen the two you mentioned so no comparison.
The tube is perfect for the solo. I prefer a little more conditioning than it provides on the EVO.
It works perfectly as shown in one of my links as a mouthpiece for a custom GBD honey comb.

Thank you. I was having problems finding any pics beyond those on GBD website. Looks like it is pretty hard to spill water out of it. I have mixed feelings about my PNWT, and this looks to be a potential step up.

 

[Scrimshaw]

Has anyone tried the Assasin Necktie? Impressions? Comparison to a PNWT or an f-bomb? I'm looking to add a 18 mm hydro tube to my collection, and the Necktie looks unique and reasonably priced. Thanks.

I've got one, and I like it a lot! I don't have another hydratube to compare, but it takes very little water and has no splashback. Overall, the piece feels very solid and well made. It sits very comfortably on my herbie!

Anyone try that fritted hydratube?

 

[ataxian]

Thank you. I was having problems finding any pics beyond those on GBD website. Looks like it is pretty hard to spill water out of it. I have mixed feelings about my PNWT, and this looks to be a potential step up.

I would think that the GBD device is 100000000x better than a PNWT?

 

[Scrimshaw]

I just posted this pic in the herbie thread, and I thought I'd share it here too!

 

[ataxian]

I just posted this pic in the herbie thread, and I thought I'd share it here too!

HYDRO TUBES are fun!

 

[c76man]

I tried out my Assassin Necktie for the first time with my Evo last night. Nice compact water tool. Much better than the PNWT, IMO. The Necktie is not nearly as finicky on water level and IME provides much better diffusion. I am a fan.

 

[Deadhead101]

I want to warn people about ordering frits from this company. Another member bought a fritted disc HT from me which I had gotten from another FC member. The piece was less than a year old with normal usage and the frit collapsed. Both myself and the other FC member contacted GBD. I never got a response and the other FC member got a response saying basically there's nothing they are going to do to reimburse him or fix the product.

That's pretty lame to me. When was the last time you had a piece break from simply using it, not dropping it or something that's the user's fault. Buyers beware.

 

[onigiri1692]

I want to warn people about ordering frits from this company. Another member bought a fritted disc HT from me which I had gotten from another FC member. The piece was less than a year old with normal usage and the frit collapsed. Both myself and the other FC member contacted GBD. I never got a response and the other FC member got a response saying basically there's nothing they are going to do to reimburse him or fix the product.

That's pretty lame to me. When was the last time you had a piece break from simply using it, not dropping it or something that's the user's fault. Buyers beware.

Not necessarily GBD's fault...from the Wikipedia page on fritted glass:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritted_glass

As frits are made up of particles of glass that are bonded together by small contact areas, it is wise to avoid using them in strongly alkaline conditions, as these can dissolve the glass to some extent. This is not normally a problem, as the amount dissolved is usually minute, but the equally minute bonds in a frit can be rotted away, causing the frit to fall apart over time. As such, consideration should be given to using frits in such solutions and they should be rapidly and thoroughly rinsed when cleaning the glass with bases like potassium hydroxide (KOH).

Based on this, having the frit collapse like you described is a known problem with fritted glass. Remember ash is a base and bases create alkaline solutions. Depending on how often the piece was cleaned, what was used to clean it etc, who knows what actually happened, especially considering the piece was on its third owner.

 

[photobooth]

There is no way that anything in cannabis vapor or smoke would be able to dissolve glass! I believe that is specific to using frits in chemical reactions/extremely strong chemicals. That is terrible customer service that they cannot stand behind their frits holding up to a year of standard use. If they didn't have faith in the durability of their frits, they shouldn't have offered them in the first place. Very disappointing to see.
Edit: Additionally, this suggests that they did not fuse the fritted grains together properly/long enough, which further worries me about customer accidentally ingesting a glass particle if they can disintegrate so easily.

 

[onigiri1692]

There is no way that anything in cannabis vapor or smoke would be able to dissolve glass! I believe that is specific to using frits in chemical reactions/extremely strong chemicals. That is terrible customer service that they cannot stand behind their frits holding up to a year of standard use. If they didn't have faith in the durability of their frits, they shouldn't have offered them in the first place. Very disappointing to see.

What glass blower offers 1 year warrenties on their pieces? Just sayin.

Besides just think about it...even if you had a slightly alkaline solution, if the solution just sits and sits with the frit submerged in it the the small bonds between the glass pieces can potentially be slowly weaken. I am no chemist, but I am just speculating based on my limited knowledge.

Did any of the owners use PBW or anyother alkaline cleaner to clean the frit? PBW is a highly alkaline cleaner and I know a lot of members on this board use it to clean their pieces.

All I am saying is this is a known problem with fritted glass and it isn't necessarily a quality issue. There are too many unknowns to just blame GBD without question.

While I have never owned a fritted piece from GBD, I do own some of their pieces and have experienced nothing but quality and good customer service from them.

 

[Deadhead101]

It may not be completely GBD's fault. Nonetheless I think it's ridiculous to have a piece break, not from glass breaking, but the actual perc. imploding. How many David Goldsteins frit's break? I doubt many...if any. Granted this isn't Goldstein quality glass, and you get what you pay for.

 

[Tweak]

I never got a response and the other FC member got a response saying basically there's nothing they are going to do to reimburse him or fix the product.

That's pretty lame to me. When was the last time you had a piece break from simply using it, not dropping it or something that's the user's fault. Buyers beware.

My GBD piece broke while sitting on my desk, not even being used, 3 months old. Same response, wasn't their fault.

Sucks, I really like the looks of there bubblers,

 

[photobooth]

I loved their work, I was seriously considering one of their frit tubes but this certainly doesn't inspire confidence. Frits are merely crushed glass fused together in a kiln. I have honestly never heard of borosilicate glass being dissolved by anything stronger than insane acids/bases used in chemical labs. Not to say it isn't possible, but seems very strange that something like PBW, which you can get on your skin, would dissolve something as durable and inert as borosilicate glass, which is pretty much the standard for lab equipment.

 

[Scrimshaw]

I used some spare parts to devise a holder for my Assassin Necktie—better than a hydrafoot IMO because any moisture on the GonG will have a chance to dry.

I think it ended up looking kind of steampunkish!

 

[Dr. Plutonious]

Has anyone bought a double chandelier yet? That one looks awesome! Plus at $150 that's a deal.

 

[tempins]

Anybody buying any of the clearance pieces or have any recommendations? looking for a new piece and a few are already sold out

 

[Ripstar]

Has anyone bought a double chandelier yet? That one looks awesome! Plus at $150 that's a deal.

I am very tempted as well. Anyone?

 

[turdhole]

Has anyone bought a double chandelier yet? That one looks awesome! Plus at $150 that's a deal.

it just looks like a toro/mobius mix knock off from dhgate.com, check there

 

[Higher than a Pterodactyl]

I bought some downstems from these guys and they sent the wrong items. On top of that what was sent was so janky I wouldn't have used it if it was correct. I sent them back, but all communication from them stopped at that point. Once I sent tracking they stopped talking at all.

No refund, no communication. I would avoid this site like the plague.

Going to escalate my PayPal dispute. These dude are complete thieves IMHO.

 

[z9]

I bought some downstems from these guys and they sent the wrong items. On top of that what was sent was so janky I wouldn't have used it if it was correct. I sent them back, but all communication from them stopped at that point. Once I sent tracking they stopped talking at all.

No refund, no communication. I would avoid this site like the plague.

Going to escalate my PayPal dispute. These dude are complete thieves IMHO.

Other members have reported some dodgy business practices as well, some that make me want to stay away from this company. Disintegrating frits and the likes, GBD seemed quick to deny any fault.

On the contrary, my experiences with GBD have been nothing but positive.

 

[Higher than a Pterodactyl]

A company that sends glass the quality of what they sent, then breaks contact when you return it, is a joke.

If you want to buy sub par glass, and get jerked around doing it....these are your guys.

I'm glad your experience was positive, but even a positive experience doesn't make up for the shittiest glass I have EVER seen lol.

Seriously I wish I'd of taken pics...

 

[Silver420Surfer]

Well...I now hate this thread.
Just happened to be browsing and thought, "I'll chime in with how happy I have been with my GBD Fritted sidecar bubbler".

But before posting I figured I'd clean it first(yes you all know where this is headed), I like to clean and change water daily. So...long story short, yes, it's all over the kitchen floor right now. FUCK!!!!!!!@!!!!!!

It wasn't the best, but the can height and volume was just perfect for my usage, and it was really nicely made.
I traded for it about 2-2 1/2 years ago, I think with @VaPeD&CoNfUsEd.

Sucks to hear you guys problems, but I loved my GBD Fritted sidecar bubbler so damn much and couldn't say a negative thing about it.

 

[NinjaMindTriks]

Damn. I was thinking about ordering an assassin's tie. Maybe I should hold off.

 

[VaPeD&CoNfUsEd]

Well...I now hate this thread.
Just happened to be browsing and thought, "I'll chime in with how happy I have been with my GBD Fritted sidecar bubbler".

But before posting I figured I'd clean it first(yes you all know where this is headed), I like to clean and change water daily. So...long story short, yes, it's all over the kitchen floor right now. FUCK!!!!!!!@!!!!!!

It wasn't the best, but the can height and volume was just perfect for my usage, and it was really nicely made.
I traded for it about 2-2 1/2 years ago, I think with @VaPeD&CoNfUsEd.

Sucks to hear you guys problems, but I loved my GBD Fritted sidecar bubbler so damn much and couldn't say a negative thing about it.

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

I was hoping to get that back somehow someday.

 

[Silver420Surfer]

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

I was hoping to get that back somehow someday.

I feel like I lost a good friend. He was there for me thru the flowers and the concentrates. RIP.

With all the crazy, nice work of yours I have been seeing around here, that defintely could of been a trade scenario lol.

This is the 1st piece I ever broke, outside of a glass bowl or old school downstem. And it feels shitty.
Replacement gonna have to get put on hold as we are relocating from east coast to Colo.