I have a seriously wild idea...

[TommyDee]

In the MFLB discussion that has grown weeds for a while now, some serious and very helpful advice pointed me to the VapMan setup. I like it a lot and will probably buy the full kit at some point.

But it had me thinking and something troubling came to mind... also fueled by another discussion as to appropriate 'globes'.

Picture this (since I am still working on my 50-gazillion posts before posting images);

a) Take a light bulb... no internal coating, good spherical size, and a standard fitting. Key design element is 'thin glass for thermal response'. Go in through the metal end and scavenge out the innards.
b) Take a motor jig of sorts and rotate the bulb slowly. This is a critical element in this discussion... this becomes the 'regulator'.
c) Place a heater unit, similar output to a heat gun with minimal velocity but a good solid instant heat source and place it below the light bulb.
d) Now affix a mouthpiece that; 1) ...has a carburetor that extends into the bulb [for fresh air]. 2) ...is fixed to a base [not rotating]. 3) ...uses a technique to allows a decent 'vacuum' from a draw although not physically connected [ref: 2-stroke engine chamber pressure].

Okay, so the rotating joints in our venture is not simple and that is where the true development would reside but the type of unit I am describing is available for labs (evaporators).

This is mostly a consideration for herb because things get a whole lot simpler for other source matter as things don't have to spin.

Why the spin? 'roasting'... That is what I am envisioning. You set a tumble speed and a heat range and the thin glass will quickly develop vapor and also quickly cool down as it spins away from the heat source.

Of course, a lot of development could make this a really cool and sought after device. But considering I hadn't seen anything that fits this description in herb vaping, I though it a novel consideration.

What say you?

 

[Madri-Gal]

In the MFLB discussion that has grown weeds for a while now, some serious and very helpful advice pointed me to the VapMan setup. I like it a lot and will probably buy the full kit at some point.

But it had me thinking and something troubling came to mind... also fueled by another discussion as to appropriate 'globes'.

Picture this (since I am still working on my 50-gazillion posts before posting images);

a) Take a light bulb... no internal coating, good spherical size, and a standard fitting. Key design element is 'thin glass for thermal response'. Go in through the metal end and scavenge out the innards.
b) Take a motor jig of sorts and rotate the bulb slowly. This is a critical element in this discussion... this becomes the 'regulator'.
c) Place a heater unit, similar output to a heat gun with minimal velocity but a good solid instant heat source and place it below the light bulb.
d) Now affix a mouthpiece that; 1) ...has a carburetor that extends into the bulb [for fresh air]. 2) ...is fixed to a base [not rotating]. 3) ...uses a technique to allows a decent 'vacuum' from a draw although not physically connected [ref: 2-stroke engine chamber pressure].

Okay, so the rotating joints in our venture is not simple and that is where the true development would reside but the type of unit I am describing is available for labs (evaporators).

This is mostly a consideration for herb because things get a whole lot simpler for other source matter as things don't have to spin.

Why the spin? 'roasting'... That is what I am envisioning. You set a tumble speed and a heat range and the thin glass will quickly develop vapor and also quickly cool down as it spins away from the heat source.

Of course, a lot of development could make this a really cool and sought after device. But considering I hadn't seen anything that fits this description in herb vaping, I though it a novel consideration.

What say you?

Have you made one up? It would be interesting to see.

 

[TommyDee]

Only in my mind and on a sketchpad but I am using this as inspiration...
https://www.amazon.com/Value-Vacs-Electric-Rotary-Evaporator/dp/B079Q5WHRX

...and I have full confidence in the technique.

 

[Tranquility]

https://vapesterdam.com/blog/lightbulb-vaporizer-need-know/

 

[TommyDee]

Hahaha... yea, let's do better than that.

In light of blog, let's set a few parameters;

I am not suggesting a DIY vape solution. Although I have plenty of experience in 'preparing' bulbs, even frosted ones, I in no way suggest ever using frosted glass. There simply is no justification for that. I am leaning much more to those large 4" globes in principle. But as I envision this as a gaudy tabletop piece of art, components would be quality glass and components. And therefore the portable references also fall away. The DIY falls away. No need to go breaking glass. The primary reference is 'thin glass chamber' rather than a 'lightbulb vape'. Will it break? Of course it will. Will someone burn their tootsies, of course they will. Will blood be drawn? You betcha. But I will say this tongue in cheek... it will only happened once. Some people shouldn't handle wine glasses either... you know who you are!

And I also wish to clarify that I am not making an oven. The heat source would be scaled to a level where you get a hot-spot... just right for maximum vaping. Consider a heat aperture adjustment for different size loads which can then vary wildly for one individual or a large group. Being external, there really is no limit on heat practically speaking. But you will want to keep the 'globe' at a fairly cool temperature. You are not exactly 'baking' the herb as much as you are roasting it. Rotation is a means to stir up the source matter as well as managing heat buildup. This is what makes this a fairly fast tabletop vape to use.

 

[Madri-Gal]

Hahaha... yea, let's do better than that.

In light of blog, let's set a few parameters;

I am not suggesting a DIY vape solution. Although I have plenty of experience in 'preparing' bulbs, even frosted ones, I in no way suggest ever using frosted glass. There simply is no justification for that. I am leaning much more to those large 4" globes in principle. But as I envision this as a gaudy tabletop piece of art, components would be quality glass and components. And therefore the portable references also fall away. The DIY falls away. No need to go breaking glass. The primary reference is 'thin glass chamber' rather than a 'lightbulb vape'. Will it break? Of course it will. Will someone burn their tootsies, of course they will. Will blood be drawn? You betcha. But I will say this tongue in cheek... it will only happened once. Some people shouldn't handle wine glasses either... you know who you are!

And I also wish to clarify that I am not making an oven. The heat source would be scaled to a level where you get a hot-spot... just right for maximum vaping. Consider a heat aperture adjustment for different size loads which can then vary wildly for one individual or a large group. Being external, there really is no limit on heat practically speaking. But you will want to keep the 'globe' at a fairly cool temperature. You are not exactly 'baking' the herb as much as you are roasting it. Rotation is a means to stir up the source matter as well as managing heat buildup. This is what makes this a fairly fast tabletop vape to use.

Well, I will be interested to see it when you build it. That's really the best way to see if an idea works. Sounds exciting.

 

[TommyDee]

Prototyping the proof of concept will be easy enough. Taking it forward requires a lot more motivation. A proper rig like this would start closing in on 4 digits. And it has to be a 'conversation piece' in the end.

 

[Madri-Gal]

Prototyping the proof of concept will be easy enough. Taking it forward requires a lot more motivation. A proper rig like this would start closing in on 4 digits. And it has to be a 'conversation piece' in the end.

That might well be, but it does seem like the first step would be a prototype. I imagine you're looking forward to having the original. How exciting for you! It's amazing how many wonderful ideas people come up with. I'm impressed, and looking forward to seeing what it looks like.

 

[TommyDee]

Me too! LOL I'll definitely post up the proof of concept. After that is the industrial design... not that this term is representative of the end product, but a means to achieve a style within a functional concept. That 'style' part will need a lot of help as I simply didn't get my gray cells configured for that. I can recognize it... but envisioning it before hand has always been a challenge for me. One thing I can say after a lot of browsing on this forum; people like wood!

 

[Madri-Gal]

So this isn't something you are going to make? It would just be fun if someone else did? Ok, I must have been high, because I thought it was something you wanted to make. Too much Cherry Pie on my end. I think I get it now. I'm going to switch to Blueberry Muffins. Less confusion. I'm so used to people coming up with such amazing designs and mods on FC, it seems like everyone can build but me. I'm more of a dreamer as well. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[TommyDee]

Funny thing is, builders are usually lousy dreamers. And I love cherry pie no matter the consequences!

Yes, you got it right... I understand the effort that starting a venture such as this can lead to. I did one earlier this year that I already regret having started even though it has brought 'food to the table'. But alas, I have a day job most of the time.

I did post this mostly to share the brain fart that conjured up this contraption. If anyone sees a spirit of genius in it, they are more than welcome to take it on. But as to 'developing' a roto-vape in the meantime I find refinement of ideas and principles is a great pastime. And I've been dying to figure out what to do with my new little Arduino stepper motor I've been staring at for nearly 2 months now. I can break all the rules in prototyping except killing myself by being stupid.

The best vision I have for style is wood and brass. Yet brass is not condoned in principle with vapers. You also have copper that gets really nice patinas but these again may be outdated for the genre. And I am not a chrome/stainless guy. I know plastic is out and clinical has no place in my spaces. I like techy and motion and glass should all be easily understood. And the vape itself, well d'uh... glass only contact to herb, vape, and heat in the vape path or heat afflicted components. I don't care for visible o-rings or even hardware. 'Organic with a hint of steampunk' may be a worthwhile mantra on style. That rotation element really has to stand out in my way of thinking.

 

[3dfx-glide]

https://vapesterdam.com/blog/lightbulb-vaporizer-need-know/

Hm, so they just don't like what strangers on the street will think of you if they saw this, and they also really just want a portable vaporizer. The only legitimate point (maybe? Haven't tried) is the extra heat over commerial vaporizers. Not sure those are legitimate reasons. More opinions from someone who can't come up with a better design than the first thing that came to his mind when he thought of a lightbulb vaporizer.

Same mentality existed a decade ago before vaporizers became more common place. But even today, I'm sure most joint smokers think similarly to the author about vaporizers. Blogs, sigh

Better to try to think of ways to improve current designs (OP) than complain about the most basic design you could possibly think of yourself and complain about it online

 

[Tranquility]

Better to try to think of ways to improve current designs (OP) than complain about the most basic design you could possibly think of yourself and complain about it online

Hats off to the better man who determined Vitamin E would be a good addition to a mix. Ignore the complainers.

Oh, and, don't use a light bulb as a vape.

 

[TommyDee]

M'eh! I've gone nearly 60 years of putting crap into my body. Worrying about it now will probably kill me faster. Light bulb glass is perfectly safe at the temps we're discussing. The epoxies, aluminum, and brass on the other hand...

 

[Tranquility]

M'eh! I've gone nearly 60 years of putting crap into my body. Worrying about it now will probably kill me faster. Light bulb glass is perfectly safe at the temps we're discussing. The epoxies, aluminum, and brass on the other hand...

While I hear what you're saying, when I was a youth, most all the pipes used were made of brass. (That and dugouts--wood or soapstone.) The screens we used were brass too. I know we're not supposed to do that but I don't recall anyone getting fume fever.

In my introduction I talked of many things, including remembering making a pipe of aluminum foil and smoking shake clearly contaminated with rat droppings.

I don't do that any more. Your mileage may vary.

 

[TommyDee]

Yep, I do less stupid stuff every day. I must be loosing it.

 

[3dfx-glide]

Hats off to the better man who determined Vitamin E would be a good addition to a mix. Ignore the complainers.

Oh, and, don't use a light bulb as a vape.

Well, I'm thinking more along the lines of coming up with an unpopular idea and making it work.

Think the OG VapCap, it was essentially a glass crack pipe. But they used it as a starting point and kept on improving on it.

A glass crack pipe at the time isn't any more distburbing sounding in concept than a 'lightbulb vaporizer' concept that one day may be something big.

Don't shoot something down just because you don't see potential in it yourself. Where there's a will there's a way, and vaporizers keep proving this to us every year over and over

 

[Tranquility]

Well, I'm thinking more along the lines of coming up with an unpopular idea and making it work.

Think the OG VapCap, it was essentially a glass crack pipe. But they used it as a starting point and kept on improving on it.

A glass crack pipe at the time isn't any more distburbing sounding in concept than a 'lightbulb vaporizer' concept that one day may be something big.

Don't shoot something down just because you don't see potential in it yourself. Where there's a will there's a way, and vaporizers keep proving this to us every year over and over

"Making it work" would include being aware of the risks in the design, use and manufacture, right?

 

[3dfx-glide]

"Making it work" would include being aware of the risks in the design, use and manufacture, right?

Yes of course, but I know I'm not a designer, glass maker, or engineer so I really don't have experience with this but I have life experience, enough to know not to disregard a simple idea like this on face value (and I don't even have a vested interest in this. I don't care to smoke from a light bulb, I have a wonderful VapCap and don't want/need anything else and I'm not tight on money or desperate enough. But I still like to learn what's possible and the ingenuinties of human inventions and the cool things that can be made).

Do you have much experience designing a lightbulb vaporizer to absolutely be certain it won't work? Why? Care to share the ideas you've tried? Maybe OP and others can learn from your mistakes and successess?

If your only frame of reference and design idea comes from that blog post you had linked earlier, then I understand your figurative down-vote for the idea. Because that fella's idea is just a first iteration design basically. Proof of concept. He didn't spend any time in his post explaining what can be improved, why he assumes all lightbulb vaporizers would follow the same duct tape Home Depot parts design he came up with, etc but the point isn't the critisize the blog author's design that he came up with after 2 minutes and decides to write a blog post about why his design sucks and that no one should use it

It's to show support for idea-makers and passion for the hobby and craft and forgetting what's impossible, and focusing on making it possible

 

[Tranquility]

Do you have much experience designing a lightbulb vaporizer to absolutely be certain it won't work? Why? Care to share the ideas you've tried? Maybe OP and others can learn from your mistakes and successess?

If your only frame of reference and design idea comes from that blog you linked, then I understand your figurative down-vote for the idea

I am uncertain as to why you are so motivated over a post warning of the danger of doing precisely as the OP had described.

Maybe he has something. I don't think so because of many reasons I didn't post in regards to what he is trying to accomplish. (That could not be accomplished easier in another way.) I didn't mean to discourage thinking and trying, I meant to discourage dangerous experimentation.

Maybe, you can come up with a solution to the problems mentioned in the article.

 

[3dfx-glide]

I am uncertain as to why you are so motivated over a post warning of the danger of doing precisely as the OP had described.

Maybe he has something. I don't think so because of many reasons I didn't post in regards to what he is trying to accomplish. (That could not be accomplished easier in another way.) I didn't mean to discourage thinking and trying, I meant to discourage dangerous experimentation.

Maybe, you can come up with a solution to the problems mentioned in the article.

I think I may have misunderstood then because the OP to me is trying to get feedback and putting out there a fun project/idea he's working on, but your reply had simply linked to a blog poster who described something very basic as a lightbulb vaporizer and I took that as you saying "stupid idea, this blog poster had thought of everything and if he couldn't do it, you shouldn't try, and just abandon the idea all together"

My bad

 

[Tranquility]

No worries.

(Although, I wonder if you can change forums of a thread. This one might be better in the DIY section where we have some master builders.)

 

[TommyDee]

OP here... my ears were burning most of this day. Now I know why

Thanks @3dfx-glide for your insight into the reason for this post. Indeed, I want to hear why it is a bad idea and I agree that the light bulb as a portable discrete vape is a bad idea as the blog clearly harped on in gruesome and obviously uneducated ways. I've done bulb-scavenging many times and I was never so high as to draw blood. Would I put one in my pocket? Hell no! Would I pretend that it is just a funny bottle I'm drinking 'smoky cold liquid' from?... no need to even answer that! So the blog post did do one thing, point out the very fact that things need context. And yes, this is why it is in Vaporizer Discussion.

So @OldNewbie , now that I have provided a greater vision of what I am proposing, what is your primary concern with using "light bulb glass" as a heat surface for vaping herb? Should it be Borosilicate instead and why?

This project will require some interesting glass work so I am not too worried about custom glass. Again, I am aiming for defining a high end unit. I may even go to the extra expense to have it look -exactly- like an ordinary stylized light bulb. Again, the key element is the rotating glass joint. And as medical evaporators also cannot introduce contaminants, I think referencing the medical devices that do pretty much exactly what I am aiming for, except lacking any kind of style whatsoever except maybe clinical, I don't see this as either impossible of undesirable.

I could be wrong... it's happened before... once!... a long time ago into the future... in a galaxy further away.

 

[Tinkerer]

Hey, so how serious are you with this idea? I've got heating source, "controller" for heat, "lightbulb"/ round bottom flask, the base, mechanism for rotation, and stem/ airflow figured out (theoretically).

Is this something you're wanting to have as open source to the community? Business venture? Just looking for ideas/get questions answered?

I've been lurking around the community for about a month. This post intrigued me enough to sign up lol

 

[TommyDee]

Thank for signing up @Tinkerer . For me this is an idea to put out there. I have every interest in prototyping the rotating crucible concept if the stigma is to be avoided.

I do not have the desire to go into any kind of manufacturing or business venture on this. I also have little reason to hold 'title' to this idea so no, this belongs to the community at this point.

What I see as unique in this apparatus is the huge variation is load size. I might even go so far as to say a base model could manage 0.05 to 5 grams of finely ground herd with little effort. Medium ground herb will have the most flavor. Tumbling whole buds doesn't make sense in this.

Of course, this means nothing if it can't produce the vapor. So yes, I have every intention to show the proof of concept. However, if anyone beats me to it, all the better. Time is a precious commodity.