Going Stealth - My Upcoming Challenge

[SunnyDaze]

This is my first post on FC. I classify myself as an "all day, every day" smoker. I'm starting grad school in September. I am 30 years old, so I didn't want to live in a "college town" crawling with, well, undergraduates. No offense folks!

I found a place about 10 minutes out of town, a nice half-duplex on a secluded street. Almost immediately after I signed the lease, I learned that the house is owned by a lady who owns and operates a Drug & Alcohol detection and testing company. The kicker, her son lives in the other half of the duplex. I have absolutely no idea if he's "cool" or not, but I'm not going to assume the former. I have spent the past week combing FC and various other forums for information on how to preserve my lifestyle as best as possible, and do so undetected. My physical appearance and daily habits would not imply that I am a pothead. Actually, coworkers and colleagues who have discovered my secret are typically in disbelief. About the only thing that'd give me away is the smell, and the fact that my chosen profession is applied mathematics.

Now, when it comes to the smell of vaping, it seems that all I'm finding are opinions that contradict one another. I realize that smoking is out of the question, as the smell from smoke tends to permeate physical barriers as well as cling on to items in the room used for smoking. It should be noted that I'm purchasing a Honeywell 50250 Air Purifier with carbon filtration for the vape room, said room is rather tiny, and it does have two windows (one of which will contain an AC unit). Also, the room only shares one common wall with the other half of the duplex, which is made of plaster and has no wall sockets.

I can't seem to find straight answers on whether or not vaporization will be for me. My questions are as follows:

1) Does the smell of vapor have a tendency permeate physical barriers and "travel" similar to the way that smoke from conventional methods does?

2) How long does the smell from herbs being vaporized linger in a room? If I dedicate this room as my vaping room, will it wreak one week later as my smoking room does?

3) Assuming that I use top-notch herbs, how pungent is the smell created by a vaporizer? I.e., is it something that one would smell immediately identify with our beloved herb?

4) Does the "vaping" process itself create an odor, or is the vapor that is exhaled what carries the herbal smell, if there is any?

5) Does anyone have any experience with the Arizer Extreme Q 4.0 in terms of how much of an odor it generates when being used?

Please, no "put a towel at the base of the door, make a sploof" type answers. I think we all realize that "amateur" methods are wishful thinking at best. I'm sure I'll have a few more questions before this is all said and done. Thanks in advance!

SD

 

[Nycdeisel]

No, vapor does not linger like smoke does. Vapor dissipates quickly. Just keep in mind that more vapor exhaled is more potential smell. The longer you hold in the vapor, the more is absorbed by your lungs, and the less is exhaled, creating less odor then if you were blowing vapor clouds.

Too many factors for anyone to say. Just consider the airflow, the layout of the room, how much you vape, how you store your raw herb, etc

Its usually a much different smell then smoke produces. The smell is more close to that of the raw herb itself.

Exhaled vapor will give off the most odor. Otherwise there is little smell produced by MOST vaporizers. Note some vapes tend to trap more of the smell.

You can try one of these if you are worried, they are great!! http://www.smokebuddy.com/
I have a video i did of using it with smoke and its simply amazing! Other haves reviewed this item as well
http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z53/WhatTheFuck_33/?action=view&current=MOV036762.mp4

Goodluck!! Another cheap, easy alternative to an air filter(though it could help with other contaminants like dust) to rid a room of smell is a good window fan, kept in the window and set to blow air outside, it sucks all stale air out of the room, and brings fresh air in from somewhere else(such as a window in another room, and dont block the door frame)

 

[crumped]

Vaporizing generates a lot less smell, but it still smells.

If you asked me to quantify it, I'd say 80% less smell than smoking. But, there are a ton of variables.

 

[SunnyDaze]

I think that exhaling vapor into the SmokeBuddy would be a great idea. Storage won't be a problem, as it'll be double-jarred.

I am going to purchase an air purifier. A Honeywell 50250, it's got carbon filtration and is recommended for a room about 4x the size of the room I'd like to vape in.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[SunnyDaze]

Vaporizing generates a lot less smell, but it still smells.

If you asked me to quantify it, I'd say 80% less smell than smoking. But, there are a ton of variables.

Which of those variables would you say can be controlled, minimized, or eliminated with the greatest ease, sans not taking herbs?

 

[aesthyrian]

I have always found that the vapor will never smell as strong as your fresh buds. An open jar of dank buds will give you away quicker than some vapor clouds IMO. An open window with a fan and even a carbon filter of some sort and you should be fine.

 

[SunnyDaze]

Yeah. Storage will be highly discreet. Jar open, herbs I'll be using out, jar closed. Jar away. Game on.

I'm trying to eliminate as many risk factors as humanly possible.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Well if your herb is not dry enough, you definitely DO NOT want to seal it right back up as it could mold!! SO make sure your herb isnt too moist before sealing it up in the jar for a while.

FYI, Vaporizers tend to prefer herb on the dry side.

An air filter plus a smokebuddy is more then enough from my experience. Even a window fan alone would suffice but in your situation one would feel a lot more at ease with said precautions you are taking.

 

[SunnyDaze]

Even a window fan alone would suffice but in your situation one would feel a lot more at ease with said precautions you are taking.

Unfortunately, I've got to worry about smell going out of my window and in to the other half of the duplex, as their windows are very near mine. Containment and control are my best bets, so it'd seem.

Oh, I'm all too familiar with mold. I also know that I'd rather deal with buying a new batch of herbs than paying a fine and receiving an eviction notice.

 

[Sour Deez]

The smell is pretty much non existent compared to smoking. I live with my sister, she doesnt care that i smoke, as long as its outside. I tried to smoke twice in the house, got busted within like 5 seconds, no joke. She has the nose of a fucking dog.

I vape all the time now in my room and she has no idea. She has gone past the cracked door more times then I can count and never once did she smell anything, or I would know.

She gets on my case about the smell when I open the stash jar, but never has it been from vaping.

 

[Nycdeisel]

Fair enough. You seem to know what you are doing
It seems like you have a good plan in mind!

You've done your research on the air filters I presume, so just go ahead and get that if you havent already. Go ahead and order a Smokebuddy or two as well(they are only about $20), they are really handy even though I myself dont need to use it very much.

On second thought:
However, I still dont think you have a clear picture on what vapor smells like. But it IS better to be safe then sorry! So continue with your procedure, it should work quite well!

 

[SunnyDaze]

...I still dont think you have a clear picture on what vapor smells like. But it IS better to be safe then sorry! So continue with your procedure, it should work quite well!

Well, if I did, I wouldn't have created this very helpful and informative thread! I'm assuming that your implication leans toward the fact that I'm being overly cautious, not toward "You're gonna get busted either way, dude!"

 

[momofthegoons]

IMO, vaping creates much less smell than smoking. I agree that bud will smell more than vapor, as a rule. But most people I know say vapor smells different than smoking; more pleasant. Using a Smokebuddy (or even a home made version out of a toilet paper tube and some dryer sheets) would certainly keep it on the safe side. Or, you could invest in a log vape which could also serve as an aromatherapy device. The essential oils supplied with these cover the smell from vaping in seconds. These are also helpful in case your landlord decides to pay a visit. They are in "disguise" when in use for aromatherapy. No one's the wiser.

 

[AGBeer]

Yes vaping is quite a bit less smelly than smoking, BUT be wise of your apparati that you vape with!!! This is what usually gets me noticed around my household (tubing, wands etc) these tend to stink

Good luck!

 

[Nycdeisel]

My apologies, I thought it was clear that I was trying to imply that I thought you were going overboard for vapor.

The fact of the matter is that smoke smells SO MUCH MORE then vapor, AND smoke also clings to everything(smoke contains a lot of particles, whereas vapor is a gas) like the walls and ceilings, your clothes, hair, and skin, and other objects around where you smoke. Smoke also lingers, it stays around for a lot longer. Vapor dissipates rather quickly, and there may be less vapor inhaled at one time then smoke(depending how you smoke), meaning you can hold the vapor in, absorbing more, exhaling less. Sometimes you cant even see vapor! As myself and others have said there are too many variables to be too specific on just how something will work in your setting.

I hope this helped you, anyway.

 

[SunnyDaze]

Well mom, thanks for the reply! (And thanks to everyone else, too!)

My mother is an interior decorator by trade. Once I get all set up, she'll come through and Martha Stewart the s#!t out of the place, including plants, dried flowers, and potpourri and oil burners. I'm hoping those will help to mask the smell of the vaporization and herb itself, especially if I constantly run one of those tart burners in the downstairs, assuming that the air travels upward in the house.

I've found that using fabric softener sheets in a cardboard tube doesn't mask much of anything, it just introduces a new smell into the mix. SmokeBuddies work because at a molecular level, carbon is like swiss cheese. It's full of holes and crevices that trap certain other molecules. Ideally, ones that make that organic "skunky" odor.

One reason I am leaning toward the Arizer Extreme Q 4.0 is because of the fact that it truly serves as a potpourri / spice burner while not getting me ripped. I don't plan on displaying it in public, but, if it is found, it's one card I can pull with the Arizer over something like a Volcano or Silver Surfer that is just blatant in purpose.

 

[SunnyDaze]

My apologies, I thought it was clear that I was trying to imply that I thought you were going overboard for vapor.

I hope this helped you, anyway.

No apology is needed!

This has helped, and I'm sure more helpful posts will come. I truly appreciate it!

 

[SunnyDaze]

Yes vaping is quite a bit less smelly than smoking, BUT be wise of your apparati that you vape with!!! This is what usually gets me noticed around my household (tubing, wands etc) these tend to stink

Good luck!

Thanks! My contraptions will be kept in an air tight container when not in use. Yes, I'm THAT paranoid. Also, I'm rather OCD with respect to cleanliness, so those types of things most likely won't have a chance to accumulate much of an odor.

 

[Nycdeisel]

The EQ is really not exactly stealthy, and like AGbeer said, whips and tubing tend to stink!! and thats what you would use on it, since bags are not stealthy(they may be more so from an odor standpoint).

I think Mom mentioned the log vapes. Those are great! They include the PD, the Zap, and the Woodeze(PD/MZ/WDZ). the PD and zaps are better then WDZ supposedly, I have one of each of those two(see my sig).
Log style vapes are also very efficient, discreet, simple, beautiful, AND they can be disguised as an aromatherapy device much easier then any other vape imo!

 

[SunnyDaze]

I hope this all works. Just sayin'. Visually stealthy is not a problem. Being stealthy about the smell certainly is. I don't plan on packing monster hits, but, I will most likely vape a little too frequently for a battery operated unit.

Well, I realize that the tubes and such are not so discreet. I'll deal with that by soaking them in isopropyl to clean them when necessary and storing them in air tight containers. I'm also quite mechanically inclined, and I may put a shorter whip on an Extreme. One of the reasons I took this rental was because the basement is large enough for me to set up my work bench and tools. I was even considering building a vaporizer from a mass air flow sensor element and a potentiometer, but, it just wouldn't be practical. I'd love to order a PD, but the back order is a definite turnoff. I've read nothing but good things about them, however, time is not on my side.

I guess I'm also worried I won't be able to get enough of an effect from the Launch Box or other smaller units. Also, having a ceramic heater element is important to me. The Launch Box doesn't allow that, at least, I don't think.

 

[momofthegoons]

The Zap can be obtained in about a week. Just saying.... And there's also the Toasty Top and Toasty Tower in the mix if you are looking for an artistic wood vape.

I tend to agree about the whips, etc. smelling more. Plus, I've found that the heating element of box vapes, etc. tend to smell a bit; maybe because they are bigger than the heat port of the log vapes? I don't know that I would clean the tubing with ISO. From vtac's thread on cleaning vape parts:

Whip tubing
Personally I don't use alcohol on whip tubing because of the porousness; it can affect the tubing causing it to smell like alcohol and there's a possibility of plasticizers leeching into the alcohol if you plan on reclaiming the resin. You can get a long screw with a head slightly larger than the inside diameter of your tubing and push it through to squeegee out the resin. Easier if you cut the tubing into smaller sections. Check out Spiral's thread on this.

Edited to add:
I would not suggest the LB for a person just changing over to vapor. I think you might miss the "big hits" from smoking. However, once you are used to the change, you can't beat an LB for portability. It's a fine little vape.

 

[SunnyDaze]

Mom, when you say the heating element of a box vape smells, are you saying it has that warm electronics smell, or it puts off the smell of herb?

I'm thinking that if I put a very short whip on an Extreme Q, I should be just fine. As far as the porous nature of plastics, 50% isopropyl rubbing alcohol should not be sufficient to degrade the integrity of medical or food grade tubing. If that is the case, then I'll upgrade to automotive grade tubing, which is designed to carry fuel.

I honestly think that by putting a shorter whip on an extreme and keeping the parts clean, I will be okay, judging by what you, Diesel, and a few others on here have said regarding the smell of the vaporization process itself.

Another thing that is important to me is temperature control. I'd much rather have the ability to tweak and change the temperature as I see fit. Who knows, maybe I'll even leave it in Celsius and force myself to do quick conversions in my head.

 

[Nycdeisel]

I would have to side with Mom here, I would never try to clean whip tubing

Its plastic, and it shouldnt be soaked in alcohol, and otherwise you cant clean it, so just buy a roll of GOOD tubing(like high temperature, food grade Silicon) from USplastics online and replace when you want it clean. Be sure to also clean new tubing before use with just a mild soap and water, and of course you know how important drying is to preventing mold so I wont go there.


The temperature readout cant be completely accurate, just something to keep in mind.

The LB would be great down the road as a portable, I believe its the best portable vape there is!

 

[SunnyDaze]

Well, I was even considering getting the MFLB with the beta power adapter.

Do you think it'd stand up to being used multiple times per day? Also, does it get you as "ripped" as a desktop model? (Wow, I sound like I'm asking questions at Best Buy!)

 

[Nycdeisel]

No, no. Go ahead and ask questions, cause theres no better place on this site to do so then in the Ask FC section

I love my MFLB, its awesome for such a little unit. I dont even have the PA and I still love the way it performs. Be aware the the MFLB has a bigger learning curve then many other vaporizers.

It can definitely stand up to all day use, you just need to have good batteries AND charger(charger does make a big difference, they give those batts the power!) or a PA of course but one should be prepared and have both ready if its going to be getting a lot of use.


I personally have found my LB to have an efficiency similar to that of the PD(not the same though). So I can get quite medicated, high, ripped, whatever, using solely my Box.