I thought I would just cut and past this from the other thread. Much like a lot of us have built relationships with the Purple Days dynamic duo, I have had conversations with Mark from VRIPtech. I don't claim to be an expert on the technical issues but the explanation of the internal components of the Steinel heat gun put my concerns at to rest. The heating element and heat path is separated from the electronics, it is ceramic encapsulated, and uses an advanced method to regulate it's temp. I like to see myself as vendor agnostic, and to this day, the VRIP was my first set up and still cannot be beat on taste. I think the Herbo comes the closest (but mine doesn't have the dimmer switch) so I rank the VRIP ahead of it because I can control the type of vapor I get with the heat setting.
If anyone read the thread that I posted on the heat regulator on the Vaporfection and SSV, I made an observation that my SSV doesn't maintain it's heat as well when you are hitting it super hard. With the Steinel heat guns, it doesn't matter how fast or slow you hit it, it gives the most CONSISTENT vapor IMO because of the low fluctuation in temperature. Unfortunately, the heat gun is also the hardest tool to use and does take some coordination. One last thing about the safety of the heat gun and Steinel's official statement. I don't think any company of that size will ever come out and say that their tool can be used for phyto-inhalation due to legal issue, but Mark did mention to me that they were working together on a smaller gun that had the same internals....but then he moved on to another type of heating element, I think he's releasing it in a few weeks.
I am trying to get a pic from Mark with the newest heating tool. It has a ceramic heating element that looks very similar to the one in the SSV. Actually, the best way I can describe it is, think of the SSV heating element with the heater cover, except there is no 90 degree bend. Take away the SSV housing, and make it to the size where you can hold it in one hand, like the thickness of 5 pens together. So theoretically, you could hold that in front of your whip and take hits that way, or put it in the VRIP bowl and take hits through a bong. EXTREMELY versatile IMO. It can be hands free if you put it on a stand, and with the VRIP bowl, you can pretty much use any of your existing glassware from your smoking days. I would recommend a thorough cleaning tho to get rid of the taste.
One last thing, the gotvape heatgun bowl and the VRIP bowl are very different. I owned one of the Gotvape bowl's as well, and due to the shape of it's design, your herb tends to fly out unless you are taking a big draw as you put the heat gun to the bowl. I dunno if that makes any sense, but what happens is, the fan assisted air tends to blow around your vaping material. THe VRIP bowl is designed so that you can pack your material into the bowl so it won't move around when you put the gun to the bowl. With VRIP's new heat tool, it's a moot point tho.
I for one, LOVE THE STEINEL heat gun, I trust that Mark has done his due dilligence on the gun. I have no opinion of the other brands, but I am always safety first, so it made sense to spend a little more on the gun.
This is an email from Mark McCoy to VTAC
The Steinel heat guns are not "intended" for phyto-inhalation; however they
have been used for over 20 years and are used in clean room applications for
medical device and semi conductor manufacturing. The materials around the
heated air flow are medical grade: Ceramic encapsulated nichrome element
inside a stainless steel nozzle. Could it be better sure? I'd love to see
the boards all silicon dipped as is standard practice for electronic medical
devices and I'd love to see the be changed to a different material but at
the end of the day the greatest risk you're looking at pragmatically
speaking is a carbon ion coming off of the fan motor and maybe getting into
the air flow. This should be filtered off if you're running through water
anyway and to put it into relative terms all the carbon ions that would ever
come off the fan motor on that heat gun during its entire lifespan would be
significantly less than the carbon found in ONE SINGLE INHALATION OF SMOKE.
There has been a lot of demonizing of the heat guns by Storz and Bickel who
ironically, first went to Steinel in Germany when developing the Volcano for
possible manufacturing solutions. Also a bit ironic: they chose to go with
an Aluminum element!!! Cheap yes....clean? I hope so!!! Also dry hot
vapor and with most medicinal herbs its actually the heat and dryness that
does the majority of the damage whether your talking smoke or vapor.
But that said, we are about to release a Vaporization Heat Wand that
utilizes an all glass heating surface and nozzle so there is nothing
touching the air you're inhaling except hot glass!!! It's smaller, silent,
only 60W, and less expensive too. It will take a little longer to heat up
(a couple of minutes after plugged in) and when you're taking inhalations
you'll have to take a pull or two to get it going (no fan)....BUT, for most
people concerned about purity and vapor quality it will be the best way to
get a true clean and aromatic vapor extraction and inhalation. And because
it is part of our modular "tools" approach you'll benefit sequential venturi
extraction efficiency (the broadest spectrum vapor in the world bar none)
and water/ice moisture conditioning and cooling. The heat gun, especially
the new HG2510 is still the elephant gun of vapor...ridiculously accurate
and ridiculously huge inhalation potential, but the wand has some really
nice perks and is my choice of tools if I'm not in a huge hurry.
needed!
I dunno mate. Looks the shit but hard to say how healthy it is.
From what i have heard you get great taste
