Make a head for ball vape style the brain

babunja

Member

@babunja

Mrs Gorilla says always let your hot balls cool off before handling them. And to stop touching them all the time.
Of course, I never listen,sooo....
I made this awhile ago to see if a glass pathway tasted any different/less harsh on my throat with prolonged use compared to a ceroma and a herborizer ti.
The adaptor im using has thinner glass than the QShop ones(cheaper too incase it goes wrong), I believe this helps it not shatter over time as the coil fits a little better, less pressure from the coil on the glass, and possibly thinner glass may have less internal stresses through repeated heating cycles,Dont know.
It does offer a cost effective glass path, HOWEVER -
Unless you already have a PID Controller,heater coil and Ruby/Glass or other Balls (I do not suggest You use the fleshy kind) , it will only save the cost of the injector body. Minus the price of a cheap ali ex. glass screened injector bowl.
The coil is not tight on the glass, snug enough to transfere heat, it grips on the nubbin left by the glass handle. The heater coil can get RED HOT while its getting up to temperature. Scary to watch, but the temp change isnt too fast for the glass so far but ..........It could explode sending glass and rubies everywhere,but I think its more likely to just crack. I hope. I believe some luck with the individual bowl you get having no internal stress or defect is also needed.
That said....

img_4284.webp
img_4305.webp

img_4316.webp



I have used it for over 6 months,with almost 1000 hours running at between 425f and 455f. Tastes as good as the Qaroma. Works/handles more like the Herborizer . Just as heavy hitting as either. Downsides (apart from possible exploding hot glass balls) it can have slightly bigger temperature fluctuations. It has a smaller hot spot than the qaroma, so needs a little more stirring and attention to breath/airflow control. Or just piling your green in the centre of the screen leaving a gap round the outside. Works best with sub 0.1 doses.
Will work with crumbs.
I turn it on and it stays on for the day, I have left it running for over 24 hours, have dropped it on my desk, a had a water pipe tip over with it in (It and the pipe were fine,the injector bowl it was in broke ) No signs of the glass cracking, yet.
Even the built in glass screen still has NO cracks between the holes. I do use it over a desk tho'.... dont think i would sit back in a sofa with it. Just incase. But thats true of any of my other heavy hitters.
I used to heat it in 2 stages for the first month, to 200f first, then to 425f, but just run it straight up to temp now.

You can wreck the coil and/or the glass while fitting the coil. Be patient. Have 2 sets of pliers on hand. Dont stetch the coil till you need to. Go slow. I fed it over the bulge from the bottom and kind of screwed it on. Be very careful if you need to 'open' the coil wider to increase internal diameter.
Be aware that stretching it out will reduce the internal diameter slightly.

Do you have a problem with your balls dropping?
Do your balls keep slipping out while handling them?
Hold on to Your Balls ! With the Ruby Restraining Titanium Terp Pearl Top Trap Wire Clip. Thingy.
The titanium wire clip thingy takes a while to make and get tensioned right. You have to work harden it after you form it.
Stainless Steel will work but is not Ideal, Titanium has more springback, is 40% stonger and is generaly considered hypoallergenic.
aND Looks Prettier when you anodise it. like me, its pretty basic.
img_4352.webp
img_4274.webp

The next iteration is a little different.
If you try to make your own, REMEMBER TO THOUROUGHLY CHECK YOUR BALLS. WONT FALL OUT WHILST IN USE.
Investigate lavender oil for minor burns. Works well after cold running water for at least 5 minutes depending on severity. You have to stop the fat cooking under your skin........ Dont take my word for it. Look it up. And dont use butter on burns.
I know this from other experiences. My hot balls have yet to fall. Dropped many,many cold ones tho'.
Also remember, picking lots of small balls up off the floor everyday is good excercise for knees, hips, fingers and for learning patience with oneself in the face of repeating our own futile behaviours..... Unless you got arthritis. Then its a pain in the balls.And everywhere else.
Must. Make. Paper funnels...paper funnels..paner funpels...faper punnels...paper funnels...
I actually found this method posted on vaporents https://imgur.io/a/GMRNPXH i think is good

Edit: does somebody have a link for cheap glass boro/quartz 3mm balls? I found them only at 18€ from AliExpress
 
Last edited:

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
I actually found this method posted on vaporents https://imgur.io/a/GMRNPXH i think is good

Edit: does somebody have a link for cheap glass boro/quartz 3mm balls? I found them only at 18€ from AliExpress
If you can, go for rubies(corundum), due to its thermal properties it really does work better and tastes better. In my experience.

The glass adaptor,rubies and piece of titanium wire cost me less than £23 total. Not only is it low cost but its almost pure glass pathway.
 

babunja

Member
If you can, go for rubies(corundum), due to its thermal properties it really does work better and tastes better. In my experience.

The glass adaptor,rubies and piece of titanium wire cost me less than £23 total. Not only is it low cost but its almost pure glass pathway.
The reason why borosilicate is due to the fact that ruby doesn't convince me I don't think it's safe, but if you have the links please send them
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
The reason why borosilicate is due to the fact that ruby doesn't convince me I don't think it's safe, but if you have the links please send them
If you dont think ruby is safe, id stay away from the pinky(its also made from aluminium oxide,as are artificial rubies), and stainless steel contains nickel which 70% ish of people are sensitive too. it can also release hexavalent chromium at high temperatures.(above what you would normaly find in a vape head)
 

babunja

Member
If you dont think ruby is safe, id stay away from the pinky(its also made from aluminium oxide,as are artificial rubies), and stainless steel contains nickel which 70% ish of people are sensitive too. it can also release hexavalent chromium at high temperatures.(above what you would normaly find in a vape head)
who said i'm building a pinky?
The link I sent was referring to the method...
 
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LesPlenty

Well-Known Member
Company Rep
who said i'm building a pinky?
I thought you may have been considering the Pinky also after your link to it.:tup:
I am not a fan of aluminium for bowls or heaters, but corundum (synthetic ruby etc) sounds safe and is very hard...the opposite to aluminium. I am a fan of dabbing off Ruby and many swear by it.
I would just make sure you clean whatever balls you get in iso, then water...in an ultrasonic cleaner if you have one as there could be anything on them.
I also ran my coil at 750f for about 30 minutes to help kill any problems before using it.
 

babunja

Member
I thought you may have been considering the Pinky also after your link to it.:tup:
I am not a fan of aluminium for bowls or heaters, but corundum (synthetic ruby etc) sounds safe and is very hard...the opposite to aluminium. I am a fan of dabbing off Ruby and many swear by it.
I would just make sure you clean whatever balls you get in iso, then water...in an ultrasonic cleaner if you have one as there could be anything on them.
I also ran my coil at 750f for about 30 minutes to help kill any problems before using it.
I was referring to curious gorilla, I appreciate your advice thanks
 

babunja

Member
What makes you think rubies aren't safe?
I don't trust what's inside too much since I'm not informed
If you dont think ruby is safe, id stay away from the pinky(its also made from aluminium oxide,as are artificial rubies), and stainless steel contains nickel which 70% ish of people are sensitive too. it can also release hexavalent chromium at high temperatures.(above what you would normaly find in a vape head)
Hi, i have done some research and im more convinced about the safety of ruby balls, but i never thought to build the pinky, which I don't care. And as you said, VI chromium is released only at higher temperature in SS. I don't understand why, when someone is trying to understand what material can cause cancer And which ones aren't, there will always be someone who doesn't want to talk about it as if the topic were unimportant or bothering them. Btw sorry for my eng
 

Grass Yes

Yes
Staff member
I don't trust what's inside too much since I'm not informed
It seems odd to me to assume it is harmful by default. It just seems random to me to pick ruby as a possible carcinogen. But I have heard people afraid of stranger stuff on this forum.
 
Grass Yes,
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babunja

Member
It seems odd to me to assume it is harmful by default. It just seems random to me to pick ruby as a possible carcinogen. But I have heard people afraid of stranger stuff on this forum.
no no I wrote below that I then found out better, however since I didn't know what they were made of, I was hesitant, I wanted glass because it is I'm sure that when you buy it you recognize it, even if it comes from China, while with ruby balls I have no experience and I have to go on trust with aliexpress, thanks anyway to everyone for these ideas
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
I don't trust what's inside too much since I'm not informed

Hi, i have done some research and im more convinced about the safety of ruby balls, but i never thought to build the pinky, which I don't care. And as you said, VI chromium is released only at higher temperature in SS. I don't understand why, when someone is trying to understand what material can cause cancer And which ones aren't, there will always be someone who doesn't want to talk about it as if the topic were unimportant or bothering them. Btw sorry for my eng
apologies not repl;ying before, had a tooth pulled week ago, been very busy feeling sorry for myself reinforcing my belief that taking breaks from vaping is not helpful in the slightest.
Aluminium is unsafe on a few levels, but Aluminium Oxide is one of the hardest substances on the planet. Many ceramics consist of a high percentage of aluminium oxide including ceramics used in medical implants. And the Ceroma, i believe.
There are some vapes with aluminium heater cores that I personaly wouldnt use, as these can get oxide forming on the surface under the wrong conditions, which can then be breathed in, and could abraid the lungs. To my knowledge.
I would still use the ceroma if glass didnt taste better and hit just as hard. With Rubies in. i'd consider making a Pinky if needed, but i think id prefere the Brain....
Stainless steel has different grades, but only ones we should see in vapes is food grade or medical grade, some people can react more stongly than others to the nickel in Stainless. (me amongst others). I am still getting a tinymight2 if i can ever get the cash together (doubtfull for a very long while).
Interestingly, mild and high carbon steel (ones that rust) are non toxic, make good cooking pans and knives(if high carbon steel).
Steel that rusts has a "taste" tho, and i suspect it would impart it to vapour (blood tastes of iron, because its got iron in it....its the heme in hemoglobin)

To check if your rubies are Rubies, put them under an ultra violet light in a dark room, they should fluoresce/glow.

Felvapes design looks like it would be more efficient, at lower heat, as it allows the heat to be closer to the herb, and the adaptors can be got for less than half the cost of the one i used,(found some, in the UK , for similar money from china).
This is a link to the adaptor bowl with glass screen i used if its useful. Its only benefit over the other is it can be all glass path.
Not great quality as an injector bowl but that is why its thinner and fits the 20mm heater coil better. CAUTION. Borosilicate glass cannot withstand the same temperatures as quartz glass, but you shouldnt need to run your heater coil PID temps too high. Also remember, its a cheap piece of glass. Heat it in steps till your confident it wont just shatter, and take precautions to prevent hot balls on your sweaty ones.
 

felvapes

Well-Known Member
apologies not repl;ying before, had a tooth pulled week ago, been very busy feeling sorry for myself reinforcing my belief that taking breaks from vaping is not helpful in the slightest.
Aluminium is unsafe on a few levels, but Aluminium Oxide is one of the hardest substances on the planet. Many ceramics consist of a high percentage of aluminium oxide including ceramics used in medical implants. And the Ceroma, i believe.
There are some vapes with aluminium heater cores that I personaly wouldnt use, as these can get oxide forming on the surface under the wrong conditions, which can then be breathed in, and could abraid the lungs. To my knowledge.
I would still use the ceroma if glass didnt taste better and hit just as hard. With Rubies in. i'd consider making a Pinky if needed, but i think id prefere the Brain....
Stainless steel has different grades, but only ones we should see in vapes is food grade or medical grade, some people can react more stongly than others to the nickel in Stainless. (me amongst others). I am still getting a tinymight2 if i can ever get the cash together (doubtfull for a very long while).
Interestingly, mild and high carbon steel (ones that rust) are non toxic, make good cooking pans and knives(if high carbon steel).
Steel that rusts has a "taste" tho, and i suspect it would impart it to vapour (blood tastes of iron, because its got iron in it....its the heme in hemoglobin)

To check if your rubies are Rubies, put them under an ultra violet light in a dark room, they should fluoresce/glow.

Felvapes design looks like it would be more efficient, at lower heat, as it allows the heat to be closer to the herb, and the adaptors can be got for less than half the cost of the one i used,(found some, in the UK , for similar money from china).
This is a link to the adaptor bowl with glass screen i used if its useful. Its only benefit over the other is it can be all glass path.
Not great quality as an injector bowl but that is why its thinner and fits the 20mm heater coil better. CAUTION. Borosilicate glass cannot withstand the same temperatures as quartz glass, but you shouldnt need to run your heater coil PID temps too high. Also remember, its a cheap piece of glass. Heat it in steps till your confident it wont just shatter, and take precautions to prevent hot balls on your sweaty ones.
My F/F glass diy is the one I am most cautious of breaking as it is just a gog
Been fine so far
I try to hold over the table in use just in case as a lap full of hot balls doesn't sound fun at all

My injector diy glass one is made of lab glass so hopefully should handle the thermal shock and be less likely to crack
 

RichardsBag

Well-Known Member

@babunja

Mrs Gorilla says always let your hot balls cool off before handling them. And to stop touching them all the time.
Of course, I never listen,sooo....
I made this awhile ago to see if a glass pathway tasted any different/less harsh on my throat with prolonged use compared to a ceroma and a herborizer ti.
The adaptor im using has thinner glass than the QShop ones(cheaper too incase it goes wrong), I believe this helps it not shatter over time as the coil fits a little better, less pressure from the coil on the glass, and possibly thinner glass may have less internal stresses through repeated heating cycles,Dont know.
It does offer a cost effective glass path, HOWEVER -
Unless you already have a PID Controller,heater coil and Ruby/Glass or other Balls (I do not suggest You use the fleshy kind) , it will only save the cost of the injector body. Minus the price of a cheap ali ex. glass screened injector bowl.
The coil is not tight on the glass, snug enough to transfere heat, it grips on the nubbin left by the glass handle. The heater coil can get RED HOT while its getting up to temperature. Scary to watch, but the temp change isnt too fast for the glass so far but ..........It could explode sending glass and rubies everywhere,but I think its more likely to just crack. I hope. I believe some luck with the individual bowl you get having no internal stress or defect is also needed.
That said....

img_4284.webp
img_4305.webp

img_4316.webp



I have used it for over 6 months,with almost 1000 hours running at between 425f and 455f. Tastes as good as the Qaroma. Works/handles more like the Herborizer . Just as heavy hitting as either. Downsides (apart from possible exploding hot glass balls) it can have slightly bigger temperature fluctuations. It has a smaller hot spot than the qaroma, so needs a little more stirring and attention to breath/airflow control. Or just piling your green in the centre of the screen leaving a gap round the outside. Works best with sub 0.1 doses.
Will work with crumbs.
I turn it on and it stays on for the day, I have left it running for over 24 hours, have dropped it on my desk, a had a water pipe tip over with it in (It and the pipe were fine,the injector bowl it was in broke ) No signs of the glass cracking, yet.
Even the built in glass screen still has NO cracks between the holes. I do use it over a desk tho'.... dont think i would sit back in a sofa with it. Just incase. But thats true of any of my other heavy hitters.
I used to heat it in 2 stages for the first month, to 200f first, then to 425f, but just run it straight up to temp now.

You can wreck the coil and/or the glass while fitting the coil. Be patient. Have 2 sets of pliers on hand. Dont stetch the coil till you need to. Go slow. I fed it over the bulge from the bottom and kind of screwed it on. Be very careful if you need to 'open' the coil wider to increase internal diameter.
Be aware that stretching it out will reduce the internal diameter slightly.

Do you have a problem with your balls dropping?
Do your balls keep slipping out while handling them?
Hold on to Your Balls ! With the Ruby Restraining Titanium Terp Pearl Top Trap Wire Clip. Thingy.
The titanium wire clip thingy takes a while to make and get tensioned right. You have to work harden it after you form it.
Stainless Steel will work but is not Ideal, Titanium has more springback, is 40% stonger and is generaly considered hypoallergenic.
aND Looks Prettier when you anodise it. like me, its pretty basic.
img_4352.webp
img_4274.webp

The next iteration is a little different.
If you try to make your own, REMEMBER TO THOUROUGHLY CHECK YOUR BALLS. WONT FALL OUT WHILST IN USE.
Investigate lavender oil for minor burns. Works well after cold running water for at least 5 minutes depending on severity. You have to stop the fat cooking under your skin........ Dont take my word for it. Look it up. And dont use butter on burns.
I know this from other experiences. My hot balls have yet to fall. Dropped many,many cold ones tho'.
Also remember, picking lots of small balls up off the floor everyday is good excercise for knees, hips, fingers and for learning patience with oneself in the face of repeating our own futile behaviours..... Unless you got arthritis. Then its a pain in the balls.And everywhere else.
Must. Make. Paper funnels...paper funnels..paner funpels...faper punnels...paper funnels...
Hahah thank. This is so a helpful and also had a good laugh. Thank you for weighing in. So the bottom line is with a glass injector bowl of sufficient quality and dimensions, the all glass baller/Brain does provide improved flavor and does not explode (so far) despite some increased fiddlyness?
 

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
Hahah thank. This is so a helpful and also had a good laugh. Thank you for weighing in. So the bottom line is with a glass injector bowl of sufficient quality and dimensions, the all glass baller/Brain does provide improved flavor and does not explode (so far) despite some increased fiddlyness?
I dont have a titanium baller injector head, but as well as my diy Glass Balls Up, i have a Ceroma(ceramic) and a qaroma(quartz).I hate tooth pain.
Got a Herborizer Ti but right now the less said about that the better.
The Ceroma is hard hitting and tastes good, i imagine its similar to the pinky(both aluminium oxide ceramics ?I hate tooth pain).
The Qaroma is just as hard hitting, beautiful to look at, tastes fantastic, it seems overpriced compared to indestructible titanium Teromas and flowerpots ect, but, if i broke it, I would get another one. When i had the money. Hopefully never happen.I hate tooth pain.
My DIY one tastes just as good as the Qaroma, subtley different,but is a little harder to handle, more touchy with ambient temperature,needs a closer eye on PID controller and more adjustment, the qaroma lasts longer till needing to recover.
I hate tooth pain.
I think these issues may be partly all open coil designs vs covered, although the covered style means more energy(higher temps )for the same temp at the bowl/herb.
Felvapes version should have less hot spot issues because of the design.But as he says (I hate tooth pain)
I try to hold over the table in use just in case as a lap full of hot balls doesn't sound fun at all
Told mrs Gorilla i should try this with her. nOW my hot balls hurt as well as my tooth....
Keep a glass of water on hand,also, possibly invest in a silicone baking sheet for your desktop. And wear a cricket box, for the truly paranoid. just incase of hot balls,( or Mrs Gorilla)
I hate tooth pain.
If You want glass path taste, and i think its delicious, DIY is a good way to go if you can handle basic tools. It can taste as good as the best you can buy. I think DIY builds can go up against any other injector head for taste,how hard they can hit and how well it can micro dose.
You just have to live with the possibility of shattering glass and hot Ruby Balls everywhere. And not being able to blame someone else for it.
The Fear Only Adds to the flavour............
 

tinctorus

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
I actually found this method posted on vaporents https://imgur.io/a/GMRNPXH i think is good

Edit: does somebody have a link for cheap glass boro/quartz 3mm balls? I found them only at 18€ from AliExpress
If you want cheap just go with boiling stones
Adamas-Beta Solid Round Clear Glass Boiling Stones Beads, 3mm Diameter, Approx 1000 Beads https://a.co/d/gFam96E


However I've been experimenting with different materials and I've found that by far the best is Zirconia, Sin/Si3N4 and Sic/ssic
Sic
SI3N4
Zirconia

I've run am 3 in my ball vape heads, right now I have the Si3N4 in my tiodw head and I have the Zirconia in my ceroma head, I've got a zeal on the way and will be filling that with Zirconia as well

I've found that the Zirconia and other ceramics dump their heat energy really fast which gives you a really snappy vape
I was able to drop my Temps 100deg from ruby as well btw
 
Last edited:

Curious Gorilla

Sounds like something smells purple.
If you want cheap just go with boiling stones
Adamas-Beta Solid Round Clear Glass Boiling Stones Beads, 3mm Diameter, Approx 1000 Beads https://a.co/d/gFam96E


However I've been experimenting with different materials and I've found that by far the best is Zirconia, Sin/Si3N4 and Sic/ssic
Sic
SI3N4
Zirconia

I've run am 3 in my ball vape heads, right now I have the Si3N4 in my tiodw head and I have the Zirconia in my ceroma head, I've got a zeal on the way and will be filling that with Zirconia as well

I've found that the Zirconia and other ceramics dump their heat energy really fast which gives you a really snappy vape
I was able to drop my Temps 100deg from ruby as well btw
I've done hot swaps of 3mm, 4 and 6mm glass, 3mm glass vs 3mm rubies, 4mm glass vs 4mm rubies, 3mm vs 4mm rubies, and some big arse 10 mm cabochons (I used to make jewelery, they are half spheres, very high rate of airflow, good thermal reservoir. ). Hav'nt had a chance to try Zirconia, Sin/Si3N4 or Sic/ssic.
I did make some grade 2 Titanium terp pills, and compared them with corundum/ruby terp pills on top of 3mm and 4mm rubies. Titanium was a little more ,peppery(?) vs the Ruby terp pill, they semed to work well in my diy injector, but im not brave enough to put them in the Qaroma(and its coil stays put). Need to make more, smaller Titanium ones to try and fill the Ceroma with when i finaly get another coil.
FUCKcombustion AND tOOTHACHE.
Glass works fine but compared to Ruby seems to taste slightly harsher, it could be bias on my part (rubies look so pretty) but i really wanted the glass to work and taste better. Its easier and cheaper to find.
The different heat resistance and other metrics means glass is slower to store and impart heat , I have even tried using them on top of Rubies as a 'blanket' to see if the thermal properties made a difference. Pure Rubies tasted better and works better (better recovery rate 'imo').
Curious to try SiliconCarbide ceramic balls. But as i doubt i'll ever have the money for that and im happy with the rubies i got.
It seemed bigger Rubies or other terp objects (this worked with Glass and Titanium too, although a marble didnt work so well,too much mass) on top of 3 mm balls seems to work well. Maybe improved recovery rate. Different sizes change the airflow and recovery rate, which also alters with how hard you pull.
Maybe im talking complete balls..... i mean nonsense.....
I really do think Rubies taste better than glass.
This is all only to my senses, experience and limited knowledge, @felvapes and @LesPlenty and anyone else who has played with other Balls (again, not the fleshy kind) What is your favourite material for Balls as a thermal reservoir? .....And should one shave ones BallSack to reduce temps?
@tinctorus how do you find Rubies 'taste' compared to Zirconia, and both to SiliconCarbide (Sic)? On paper (not always the same in the real world) Ruby should heat faster and cool faster than zirconium, it has higher heat capacity and higher thermal conductivity?
 

LesPlenty

Well-Known Member
Company Rep

tinctorus

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
I am using 2.778mm SiC balls at the moment and find the taste similar to ruby but I seem to get more vapor more quickly with the SiC. Not sure if it is the size or the material...or both at work here.
I got from here,
I've been trying to tell people about how great Zirconia/sic and those type ceramics are, I does my Temps 100deg switching to zirc so I've got no doubt you saw better vapor
I would go with atleast a 3-3.5mm though fwiw, as you start to get really small you start to actually block the airflow since they move like water when tiny

Oh and FWIW those are NOT Sic, those are Sin/Si3N4, I use those in my tiodw and the Zirconia in the ceroma

The si3n4 is considerably cheaper than sic though
 

RichardsBag

Well-Known Member
I've been trying to tell people about how great Zirconia/sic and those type ceramics are, I does my Temps 100deg switching to zirc so I've got no doubt you saw better vapor
I would go with atleast a 3-3.5mm though fwiw, as you start to get really small you start to actually block the airflow since they move like water when tiny

Oh and FWIW those are NOT Sic, those are Sin/Si3N4, I use those in my tiodw and the Zirconia in the ceroma

The si3n4 is considerably cheaper than sic though
Your posts have really helped explain the different heat styles of all my ballers. I am particularly pleased to better understand how the couch log achieves its signature’zip’ and have a slightly better sense of it all.

Any YouTube videos or resources you suggest for learning more about the stuff? I have several designs that I can’t develop much more without better understanding radiant heat transfer across various materials (particularly ceramics and the metals mentioned above) amongst many other concepts/skills I’d need to build them.

I have a few other questions that are too specific to get a helpful answer for on google.


Is their an active thread to just discuss thermal properties, use and prices of various materials for DIY/ballers?
 
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