is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade?

[kanazky]

Is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade? because I have some FDA Non Toxic PVC clear vinyl tubing from home depot, and you guys say if its food grade its safe, but is FDA non-toxic the same deal?

 

[aero18]

Is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade? because I have some FDA Non Toxic PVC clear vinyl tubing from home depot, and you guys say if its food grade its safe, but is FDA non-toxic the same deal?

I think the best would be medical grade? Not sure...

 

[nicelytoasted]

Is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade? because I have some FDA Non Toxic PVC clear vinyl tubing from home depot, and you guys say if its food grade its safe, but is FDA non-toxic the same deal?

I believe that this is the type of tubing that you are referring to (the Beverage, Food, and Dairy Clear Tygon PVC Tubing):

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/100/=5c4v41

If so, the upper temp limit is stated at only 165F (continuous, I assume).

You may find this will get tacky and degrade over time as it's really not meant for the temps we vape at. It may also degas as well, and since it contains chlorine, I'd pass myself.

You may consider silicone tubing thats meant for higher temps, such as:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/121/=5c5gjw (I use 1/16" wall)

I've been using the soft and NSF51 soft types and like em both. They're quite flexible, take high temps (390F), do not degrade, and are easily removed from glass parts. You can even soak them in iso AFAIK.

My

 

[kanazky]

problem is I live in white rock, BC there is no way for me to get silicone tubing to this address, unless I buy online however I don't have a credit card, so im hooped for online purchases. I have a home depot, and a rona near by and need to make du with that

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Look for a medical supply place in your area and ask for silicon tubing. Make sure you know the exact inner diameter you are looking for.

 

[AGBeer]

Then get it from your local homerew shop. I heard someone say that the 1/2"id works.

We pump boiling wort through it and it comes into contact with my beer more than once.
I trust it

 

[aero18]

Then get it from your local homerew shop. I heard someone say that the 1/2"id works.

We pump boiling wort through it and it comes into contact with my beer more than once.
I trust it

Just make sure that it is medical grade and can withstand high temperatures. I'd assume that the homebrew shop would sell tubing that is suitable for foodstuffs. Not exactly medical grade.

 

[AGBeer]

Then get it from your local homerew shop. I heard someone say that the 1/2"id works.

We pump boiling wort through it and it comes into contact with my beer more than once.
I trust it

Just make sure that it is medical grade and can withstand high temperatures. I'd assume that the homebrew shop would sell tubing that is suitable for foodstuffs. Not exactly medical grade.

http://www.appliedsilicone.com/article.html

1. "Food Grade" which is defined under CFR 177.2710. This calls out a list of approved generic ingredients and additives and some test methods to evaluate candidate materials. "Food Grade", while it has in the past given a level of security in the medical products business is currently not widely used or accepted to assess silicones for medical application.

Medical grade is good (maybe the 'safest' for our application?) But I post this because I believe food grade would do just as well (and have the same effects health wise) Plus it would be cheaper to the general public as well as be more readily available to us as well.

 

[max]

Is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade? because I have some FDA Non Toxic PVC clear vinyl tubing from home depot, and you guys say if its food grade its safe, but is FDA non-toxic the same deal?

I think the best would be medical grade? Not sure...

You don't need medical grade tubing. I've heard that Home Depot's tubing is food grade. That's all you need for whip use.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Is the FDA Non-Toxic the same deal as food grade? because I have some FDA Non Toxic PVC clear vinyl tubing from home depot, and you guys say if its food grade its safe, but is FDA non-toxic the same deal?

To answer your question (though not authoritatively) yes, I believe FDA non-toxic is as good as or the same as food grade. But don't quote me on that. Personally, I am wary of vinyl even though food grade. I've heard too many bad things about regular vinyl to be comfortable with daily contact with even food grade vinyl.

But here's my solution: (I posted this in the MZ thread but am repeating it here because non-Zappers may look for this info. Remember the sizes given here are for the MZ stems but the company sells various sizes)

mcmaster.com has this blue semi-transparent tubing for only $1.82 a foot and it's FDA approved. I don't see anything wrong with this one, do you? It says it can handle temps up to 392 degrees so that should cover it.

So anyway, at mcmaster.com they only charge $5 for shipping and you can order as little as 2 feet or 10 feet of tubing for the same shipping price, and that's east coast or west coast according to the woman I spoke with on the phone because they can ship via CA or NJ. So unless you're out in the middle of the country, it should be the same $5 shipping. May be the same everywhere. Call to make sure; as it does not appear on their web site until you fill out your credit card info. (Other sites charge up to $9 for shipping a couple feet of tubing!)

So the mcmaster price for this blue tubing would be : $1.82/foot for High-Temperature Silicone Rubber Tubing Firm, 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD, 1/16" Wall Blue. So 2 feet would cost $3.64 + $5 shipping = $8.64. So this looks like the best deal, though note it is only 1/16" thick (which should be plenty, I think).

Also, it's BLUE to compliment the light on the Zap! And you can order 1 foot or 10 feet for the same shipping charge. I like this deal because I'd rather buy 4 feet and cut it in half to have an extra one for when I'm cleaning the other one.

By the way, they do have the 1/8" thick as well, for $3.41/foot. My thinking is that the thicker tubing is not needed and will only make the tube less flexible. Any difference of opinion on this? I think the thicker tube is just added expense without benefit for use with vapor, no?

The blue 1/8" wall tubing would then cost $6.82 for 2 feet plus $5 shipping = $11.82 - if you want the thicker walled tubing.

Here's the link to the 1/16" wall blue silicon tubing:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#51135k38/=5dhy8u
Choose BLUE in the drop down menu and choose "Specifications" down below that, to see the picture and read the specs.

Last edited by MoeOnTheMoon (Today 1:

 

[Durden]

Just stumbled on this thread because I'm about to buy some tubing for a friend and this came up on the search.

Moe the link in your post is to 70A (aka firm tubing) I've used the 50A before with success, I think it may even be a little cheaper.

After checking out everything it seems that you can buy 5ft of the 70A tubing, but have to purchase 10ft of the equivalent 50A tubing, so it may be a better choice to get the thicker tubing depending on what you're looking for. I ended up going for 5236K931 which will be my first section of blue colored tube but I don't think you can go very wrong with any silicone tubing that has a decent temperature rating.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Just stumbled on this thread because I'm about to buy some tubing for a friend and this came up on the search.

Moe the link in your post is to 70A (aka firm tubing) I've used the 50A before with success, I think it may even be a little cheaper.

After checking out everything it seems that you can buy 5ft of the 70A tubing, but have to purchase 10ft of the equivalent 50A tubing, so it may be a better choice to get the thicker tubing depending on what you're looking for. I ended up going for 5236K931 which will be my first section of blue colored tube but I don't think you can go very wrong with any silicone tubing that has a decent temperature rating.

Hi, thanks for the feedback re this tubing. I just ordered from mcmaster-carr before reading this:
51135K381
High-Temperature Silicone Rubber Tubing Firm, 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD, 1/16" Wall, Blue (Same as 51135K38)
4 feet for $7.28. Interesting that they don't tell you the shipping charge upon ordering, they just say they'll add it. But since I talked to them on the phone yesterday I am confident it will be a $5 charge.

I did not realize there was a 50A and a 70A, I probably would have ordered the 50A had I known, just to be more flexible, but who knows?

Not sure what you mean about having to order 5 feet or 10 feet. If you're talking about McMaster-Carr, they seem to have no restrictions, you can buy only 1 foot if you want. No?

Did you intend to order the 3/8" inner diameter? I ordered the 1/2" Inner diameter, for the MZ stem.

p.s. Pretty sure I've seen this blue tubing in doctor's offices. Can't be sure it's the same, but I think it might be as it's the only blue silicon I ran into on the net.

 

[Durden]

I just assumed I needed to buy the increments it was labeled at, the box did allow me to put a variable number in it but I didn't try to order less. Either way it doesn't matter so much because I'll use it eventually, probably make a couple backups so I can rotate them faster.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

I just assumed I needed to buy the increments it was labeled at, the box did allow me to put a variable number in it but I didn't try to order less. Either way it doesn't matter so much because I'll use it eventually, probably make a couple backups so I can rotate them faster.

I did intend to get the 3/8 ID because the tubing stretches and you can fit the 3/8 over the larger diameter if used for stems. Most of this will be used with a hotbox, SSV, and Extreme, with a little ingenuity this size tubing is very versatile for vaping.

Ah, okay, I was just afraid you may have inadvertently ordered the wrong size. Good.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Just stumbled on this thread because I'm about to buy some tubing for a friend and this came up on the search.

Moe the link in your post is to 70A (aka firm tubing) I've used the 50A before with success, I think it may even be a little cheaper.

After checking out everything it seems that you can buy 5ft of the 70A tubing, but have to purchase 10ft of the equivalent 50A tubing, so it may be a better choice to get the thicker tubing depending on what you're looking for. I ended up going for 5236K931 which will be my first section of blue colored tube but I don't think you can go very wrong with any silicone tubing that has a decent temperature rating.

Hi, thanks for the feedback re this tubing. I just ordered from mcmaster-carr before reading this:
51135K381
High-Temperature Silicone Rubber Tubing Firm, 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD, 1/16" Wall, Blue (Same as 51135K38)
4 feet for $7.28. Interesting that they don't tell you the shipping charge upon ordering, they just say they'll add it. But since I talked to them on the phone yesterday I am confident it will be a $5 charge.

I did not realize there was a 50A and a 70A, I probably would have ordered the 50A had I known, just to be more flexible, but who knows?

Not sure what you mean about having to order 5 feet or 10 feet. If you're talking about McMaster-Carr, they seem to have no restrictions, you can buy only 1 foot if you want. No?

Did you intend to order the 3/8" inner diameter? I ordered the 1/2" Inner diameter, for the MZ stem.

p.s. Pretty sure I've seen this blue tubing in doctor's offices. Can't be sure it's the same, but I think it might be as it's the only blue silicon I ran into on the net.

I am responding to my own post to say that I totally ordered the wrong type of tubing. Durden was totally right, I should not have ordered the "Firm" version of this tubing. I can't say if the other blue tubing (50A) would be soft enough to work for me, but I can say that this firm 70A tubing is NOT what you want!

It is so firm it does not remain pliable so it's like a cheap garden hose - it creases and cuts off the flow. It's also so firm/ stiff that it will cause you to knock over your vaporizer or bong. Totally the wrong kind of tubing! Sh*t! If I'd read Durden's post just a little earlier I'd have been able to change my order.

So now I have to decide to order the same thing in the 50A or should I order another type of Silicon altogether? What I want is the kind that will NOT crease, the most rubbery and pliable that is available.

So Durden, is the 50A what I want, or is there another that is even more soft and pliable/ won't crease?

 

[kanazky]

Wait now im confused, what do I order from that website?

 

[Durden]

Hey Moe, sorry to hear it didn't work out!

 

[nicelytoasted]

Is there another that is even more soft and pliable/ won't crease?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/121/=5c5gjw

Suggest the soft or NSF soft with 1/16" wall.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Is there another that is even more soft and pliable/ won't crease?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/115/121/=5c5gjw

Suggest the soft or NSF soft with 1/16" wall.

Nicelytoasted, you sound confident that this is the right stuff, so I'll order some of that stuff this time.

Durden, thanks much for the offer, but OC is a bit far to drive. I'll try some of this stuff that nicelytoasted recommends. I will say that mcmaster sent me just what I ordered, and got it here in just 3 or so days, very quick and for only $4.50 shipping charge. (They charge depending on cost, not a flat fee, so yours may be higher.) They did charge me tax as they shipped from Santa Fe Springs, CA.) Seem like a good company.

 

[nicelytoasted]

Moe:

You may want to call in the order anyway and talk to them about your general application.

They will steer you right and it never hurts to double check for advice.