MiniVAP Vaporizer

[Smknbud]

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Any math majors out there, who remember their math / volume formulas AND also own a miniVAP and a Mighty??
I really want to compare :
- volume of the Mighty / how much space does it take up in your pocket/ backpack to
- volume of the mVAP battery piece
- volume of the mVAP electronics / heat chamber piece

Curious if taken apart into two pieces, how is the miniVAP volume vs the Mighty????

Using a handy dandy online volume calculator I come up with the Mighty being around 21.2 cubic inches and the Mini 28.2 cubic inches. The heater being about 15.2in3 and the battery about 12.5in3. So the Mini is about 25% bigger in volume.

 

[jivebuggered]

EDIT: So much for that theory lol! If used correctly, the device does indeed deliver vapor on the first hit.

I think -- and please correct me if I'm wrong, jivebuggered -- he's referring to the fact you have to take one or two "blank" hits of hot air to heat up the upper chamber before vapor is produced. This does seem to be an inherent limitation to (most) pure convection vapes. (I haven't used fan-assisted vapes like the Herbie, so I can't speak to those.)

The upside is the taste is significantly better than conduction vapes or hybrid conduction/convection. I remember, when I got my Cloud EVO, I was confused why the taste wasn't quite as robust as the canon/whip vape I'd used previously. I eventually realized that, while the EVO is primarily convection, there's still some conduction that takes place if you let it heat up beyond a certain point.

For me, the trade-off of a few "blank" hits for superior taste is worth it. But I can see how it might be problematic for someone with a sensitive throat and lungs.

Firstly thanks everyone for the feedback positive or negative (re joint LOL) not sure why your lines are crossed out but what you are saying is exactly right, it`s those first "priming" hits that annoy me and is a real turn off for any visitors especially new to vaping. Lets face it a shotgun from say the Hernalizer or even EQ is a lot easier to change to vaping then havin` to "stoke up the old billy" right? The positive side with convection is the flavour of course but then you have to deal with the warmer air that was used to vap it in the first place.
I did try letting the unit (MV) warm up completely and also used a Pinnacle water tool with it but like I said WT seem to take away the flavor. I have not tried any bubblers that have been mentioned but if did it would have to retain as much flavor as possible and be a small perc situation where I would not have to suck in large volume of air to get it firing.
Also mentioned by MinnBobber was the decarboxilation kit which makes sense, also a EQ basket to keep the load down in the basket something I have noticed when taking of the lid the load looked like it was sucked up and spread around the whole top lip of the heating chamber. BOTH of these fixes just remind me more of the hassles with the DiVinci Ascent. Had trouble distributing the heat and also had to but glass flowers and what not to keep the load down, to me just more hassles and cost. I went to Youtube that had the decarboxilation kit and that place was out of stock but the MiniVap suppliers had one that probably worked out about $50 I mean if these things really work (do they?) why the fuck have they not been installed on the unit in the first place??!! My brother can return one of the EQ baskets for me to try to keep the load down and I can ask the local metal tool shop on a cost to make a decarboxilation kit but once again this is veering away from optional accessories or even experimenting, this shit SHOULD ALREADY be part of the unit for best production yes/no??
To me now the only choices are after trying a lot of options;
Try a decarboxilation kit
Try holding the load down
Buy a good easy mini bubbler (last option for reasons mentioned)
SWAP it for a second hand Herbie and take the risk it works ok on my power
Sell local on Gumtree or on ebay

 

[stickstones]

@jivebuggered -- I think it's your expectations. There isn't a convection vape in the world that doesn't need the weed to get hot before it will start producing vapor. That requires a hit, or for the chamber to sit for a while until it heats up from indirect heat. Herbie is the same...the second hit is always more fulfilling. So was your Extreme. Somewhere along the line you got the expectation that the first hit from a vape should be mind numbing like a bong hit...and that ain't how it works. The effect takes a few minutes to set in. Even conduction vapes don't hit as hard on the first hit as the second. Your first hit draws the heat to the center of the load and makes a bigger second hit. You've also been wanting the fan assist to help you out. If it's because of weak lungs, then that makes sense. But even a fan assist unit is going to need to run for a second to heat the load.

I'm trying to help here, so I hope I'm not sounding dickish. But you have what I consider to be one of the best vapes in the world, and I have owned or do own most of the other ones you have been chasing. I think you would be best served settling into this vape and getting it working to your satisfaction...even if that means you have to change what you are looking for a little bit. Every time I get a new vape I have to find its best method for use for me...even the best ones.

We're here to help...good luck!

 

[mixchu69]

Using a handy dandy online volume calculator I come up with the Mighty being around 21.2 cubic inches and the Mini 28.2 cubic inches. The heater being about 15.2in3 and the battery about 12.5in3. So the Mini is about 25% bigger in volume.

Both seem to be top of the line portables. Smknbud: how do you compare the firefly to these two. I can see myself taking one or two draws if I want to work for the day. How do you compare the vapor quality between the three? The firefly interests me.

 

[jivebuggered]

@jivebuggered -- I think it's your expectations. There isn't a convection vape in the world that doesn't need the weed to get hot before it will start producing vapor. That requires a hit, or for the chamber to sit for a while until it heats up from indirect heat. Herbie is the same...the second hit is always more fulfilling. So was your Extreme. Somewhere along the line you got the expectation that the first hit from a vape should be mind numbing like a bong hit...and that ain't how it works. The effect takes a few minutes to set in. Even conduction vapes don't hit as hard on the first hit as the second. Your first hit draws the heat to the center of the load and makes a bigger second hit. You've also been wanting the fan assist to help you out. If it's because of weak lungs, then that makes sense. But even a fan assist unit is going to need to run for a second to heat the load.

I'm trying to help here, so I hope I'm not sounding dickish. But you have what I consider to be one of the best vapes in the world, and I have owned or do own most of the other ones you have been chasing. I think you would be best served settling into this vape and getting it working to your satisfaction...even if that means you have to change what you are looking for a little bit. Every time I get a new vape I have to find its best method for use for me...even the best ones.

We're here to help...good luck!

Thanks stickstones I have always taken your advice onboard why wouldnt I anyone can see how many vaps you have owned and tried. Having said that I have to clear up a few things and that is I am not a "newby" here, never expected to have a great hit from the start,never have, the exception being once again the Solo although you have to "prime" it a little bit but you get the flavor with little vapor yep use to all that. Probably thinking why the fuck all the time the Solo well yes it is a great portable, effecient, economical but you know what it is like you get on these forums and start drooling at the mouth with this vap and that vap .
I was always going to just stay with the Solo for travel mainly and the Herbie (dreaming) for home after reading so much about it and of course being fan assisted.
As mentioned the Herbie was my choice because of the fan assist and I do have a perception even now that the Herbie fan assist is a better, thicker compared to the fan assist off a EQ, is it stickstones?? Would love to clear that question in my head and you would be the man to know. Do you think the other fixes mentioned (decarb/basket on top) would help for a "quicker" and thicker vapor production overall or just a waste of time and money for me??
Probably best to rule out the WT stuff for the time being until I can get it or me workin` better. I will try a bit of experimenting today more and see how it goes. Your thoughts on the "fixes" are welcome.

 

[stickstones]

I haven't tried the decarb kit, although I have one. I just don't see the need for it for my uses. I'll try it out for you and see. Can anyone tell me what to do with it? I guess you just slip it into the chamber and that's it? Do I still use it with baskets as normal, or do I then load herbs directly into the heating chamber? (English instructions are still lacking on this unit)

I have tried the basket on top thing, but I did it almost immediately before I got to know the vape and haven't gone back to it since. I suggest (and this is hard for me to do sometimes) using the vape as intended until you feel you've got it down, then fuck with it.

As to Herbie vs the E...it's been so long since I've hit the E that I can't accurately compare, but I would have to say that Herbie can get thicker hits the way I use it. The Cloud was better then the E, and I consider Herbie to be on par with the Cloud, so I would have to say I prefer the Herbie hits to the E hits. But I don't prefer the Herbie hits to the MV hits. Also, remember that you can always pack more in the bowl to change the hit size, and I think the E could hold more than any vape I currently use.

 

[MinnBobber]

Using a handy dandy online volume calculator I come up with the Mighty being around 21.2 cubic inches and the Mini 28.2 cubic inches. The heater being about 15.2in3 and the battery about 12.5in3. So the Mini is about 25% bigger in volume.

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thanks,
so the Mighty volume is 21.2 cu in
the miniVAP pieces are then approx 12.7 cu in and 15.5 cu in for total of 28.2

the individual mV pieces are smaller but total volume is more

 

[MinnBobber]

.....
The positive side with convection is the flavour of course but then you have to deal with the warmer air that was used to vap it in the first place.I did try letting the unit (MV) warm up completely and also used a Pinnacle water tool with it but like I said WT seem to take away the flavor. I have not tried any bubblers that have been mentioned but if did it would have to retain as much flavor as possible and be a small perc situation where I would not have to suck in large volume of air to get it firing....

To me now the only choices are after trying a lot of options;
Try a decarboxilation kit
Try holding the load down
Buy a good easy mini bubbler (last option for reasons mentioned)
SWAP it for a second hand Herbie and take the risk it works ok on my power
Sell local on Gumtree or on ebay

To me the #1 option would be to TRY a mini bubbler before BUYING one. Any mates have one to try, a small or tiny one?
You seem to have inhale restrictions, lets call them. For some reason, I find that my Ion (small volume can) has MUCH easier draw/ inhale pressure needed than any whip or mouthpiece I use.
Do others find the same???

Maybe because of the final size of the bubbler mouthpiece. With no equipment, pucker your lips like they're on a whip tube or small mouthpiece and inhale- feels retricted. Now open your mouth to mimic a bubbler wide mouthpiece and suck in. Seems MUCH easier and easier to pull a big volume of vapor without much restriction.

With a bubbler, you can adjust water level. I just barely cover the diffuser as I want max flavor. It doesn't "stack the bubbles" to the top but I don't care---I want max flavor /minimal diffusion, not a bubble show.
On my flavor scale, thru the small bubbler tastes better than thru a 6" whip/tube.
The bubbler seems to have a ram/momentum effect---like once you get it moving, it keeps ramming that vapor effortlessly.
I strongly recommend TRYING a SMALL BUBBLER with minimal water.

How long can you inhale a medium strength pull, 1 second, 2 seconds, 4 seconds, ??

 

[Smknbud]

Both seem to be top of the line portables. Smknbud: how do you compare the firefly to these two. I can see myself taking one or two draws if I want to work for the day. How do you compare the vapor quality between the three? The firefly interests me.

Firefly interested me also, not so much anymore. Does have great taste no doubt. The battery life, or lack there of, grew tiresome for me and the necessity to constantly stir the load didn't help the cause that much either. It's just lying around idle now.

At this moment in time the MiniVap is my go to whenever and wherever practical/feasible and my Crafty fills the void. I'll use my Ascent occasionally for old times sake.

 

[Kommyknocker]

I'm with Stickstones on this.. Use it as intended until you've got it giving you what you want.. Trust me, it will
..Then arse around and tweak it with straws, tubes and whips .
The last four bits of bud I got didn't produce huge clouds, clouds for sure but not huge like in the beginning.. That's because the material just wasn't all that resinous.. It'll still give you the stone/high/hit but not whilst being accompanied by the room looking like an opium den(in the best possible way)

Edit: the ACap isn't a fix.. Just an augmentation allowing the flexicones to stay cleaner for longer.. I still maintain it makes it work a little better for vapor production but that could just be me .. Plus it means I've no need to totally fill a large basket.
Although I know one other user on here who pretty much uses this ACap method exclusively also.
With lesser grade material I found less is more.. Use the small basket and don't pack the S#it out of it. This way you have more heat hitting a smaller load.. Less material to get up to temp.. Less pull to get vaped.
My

 

[jivebuggered]

To me the #1 option would be to TRY a mini bubbler before BUYING one. Any mates have one to try, a small or tiny one?
You seem to have inhale restrictions, lets call them. For some reason, I find that my Ion (small volume can) has MUCH easier draw/ inhale pressure needed than any whip or mouthpiece I use.
Do other find the same???

Maybe because of the final size of the bubbler mouthpiece. With no equipment, pucker your lips like they're on a whip tube or small mouthpiece and inhale- feels retricted. Now open your mouth to mimic a bubbler wide mouthpiece and suck in. Seems MUCH easier and easier to pull a big volume of vapor without much restriction.

With a bubbler, you can adjust water level. I just barely cover the diffuser as I want max flavor. It doesn't "stack the bubbles" to the top but I don't care---I want max flavor /minimal diffusion, not a bubble show.
On my flavor scale, thru the small bubbler tastes better than thru a 6" whip/tube.
The bubbler seems to have a ram/momentum effect---like once you get it moving, it keeps ramming that vapor effortlessly.
I strongly recommend TRYING a SMALL BUBBLER with minimal water.

How long can you inhale a medium strength pull, 1 second, 2 seconds, 4 seconds, ??

About 20 seconds no worries. If i exceed the deep inhale (Learn`t from my meditation days NOW its medication days) I can get crook guts . I always get a good effect of it but rarely big clouds and nothing like the one someone posted earlier. One would say if your getting the effect then that is it but not really I would like a big cloud with a good hit (in my case pain reduction number one). I would like to feel the difference compared to other vaps I have, isn`t that what a lot of us are doing each time we get a new vap, just that "little bit better syndrome" LOL
I have tried various combinations today and found the best so far is a fullish large cone with a glass flower on top inserted into the small flexicone (with filter) then into the top and used the flexitube+ in reverse so i sucked on the funnel end. I let the unit heat up to red plus five minutes. I also find it cooks the herb quickly. I seem to only get a couple or three ok whispy clouds but decent effect

Modnote: Edited for fixing quotes and stuff

 

[Kommyknocker]

Vape in a shaft of direct sunlight.. You'll find it astonishing how much vapor you'll exhale.. I chase vape o'clock every chance I get.

Fullish large cone? I hope you mean basket

Most of RogerDs videos seem to utilise this method... I hope you figure this lovely device out to suit your own usage pattern.

 

[stickstones]

ok, so breathing is not the problem for @jivebuggered . I like to make my first hit a short pump kind of hit, like all I'm trying to do is pull some hot air into the system. Then wait a few seconds and go at it. Because this vape does such a great job of keeping the heat from our herbs between hits, it can take that little bit of priming the pump to get the heat in there on the first hit.

One of these days I am going to make a video of my favorite method right now. I use my glass mouthpiece and give it a good hit while holding the vape sideways so I can see the glass air path. As soon as I stop my draw a little plume of vapor shoots into the stem and does a little dance while it waits for me to draw again. It's mesmerizing once the buzz gets going!

 

[Kommyknocker]

Does a little dance..

.. I hope you slipped it a couple singles for its gyratory gesture.

 

[mixchu69]

ok, so breathing is not the problem for @jivebuggered . I like to make my first hit a short pump kind of hit, like all I'm trying to do is pull some hot air into the system. Then wait a few seconds and go at it. Because this vape does such a great job of keeping the heat from our herbs between hits, it can take that little bit of priming the pump to get the heat in there on the first hit.

One of these days I am going to make a video of my favorite method right now. I use my glass mouthpiece and give it a good hit while holding the vape sideways so I can see the glass air path. As soon as I stop my draw a little plume of vapor shoots into the stem and does a little dance while it waits for me to draw again. It's mesmerizing once the buzz gets going!

I definitely would like to watch that video. There hasn't been enough videos for newbs like me in this thread.

 

[Kommyknocker]

I definitely would like to watch that video. There hasn't been enough videos for newbs like me in this thread.

...in the last 5 pages

 

[mixchu69]

Hey kommyknocker,

I want to share my experiences with the minivap but the family came in from the holiday so won't be able to use it for a few weeks. It is still sitting in that case logic bag. I always like how you integrate this device into your life and share how the minivap is an integral part of your life experiences. I will def be picking your brain at the start of 2015.

 

[utekai]

EDIT: So much for that theory lol! If used correctly, the device does indeed deliver vapor on the first hit.

I think -- and please correct me if I'm wrong, jivebuggered -- he's referring to the fact you have to take one or two "blank" hits of hot air to heat up the upper chamber before vapor is produced. This does seem to be an inherent limitation to (most) pure convection vapes. (I haven't used fan-assisted vapes like the Herbie, so I can't speak to those.)

The upside is the taste is significantly better than conduction vapes or hybrid conduction/convection. I remember, when I got my Cloud EVO, I was confused why the taste wasn't quite as robust as the canon/whip vape I'd used previously. I eventually realized that, while the EVO is primarily convection, there's still some conduction that takes place if you let it heat up beyond a certain point.

For me, the trade-off of a few "blank" hits for superior taste is worth it. But I can see how it might be problematic for someone with a sensitive throat and lungs.

You mean in order to drive that car you're ok starting it up.

You decided the drive is well worth the time to start up the car in order to be able to enjoy the drive.

The opposite is, you refuse to drive the car if you have to start it. Which is like saying, if there's a need to prime the herb for extraction then the extraction that follows isn't worth it.

 

[mixchu69]

Wow. I guess ppl have complaints or issues with all different vaporizers and their extraction process. The gentleman who didn't like to "prime" should get a vaporizer that isn't convection style. I think it was the hype that disappointed him. I bet after a month of use, he will be changing his opinion

 

[EAG1E4]

Kind of regret getting this vaporizer.. There is definitely a technique needed to be mastered when using this dry. I need to find myself a nice bubbler that this thing can fit into.

 

[Kommyknocker]

Kind of regret getting this vaporizer.. There is definitely a technique needed to be mastered when using this dry. I need to find myself a nice bubbler that this thing can fit into.

Build a damned straw if you're really set on dry usage. Easy to do my friend.

This one is probably overly lengthy for its purpose.. But looks cool as shit imo.

 

[Mrmrmrmr]

If you are having problems with getting vapor or technique then your unit may be faulty. Heated up to any level,dry or through water ,yields clouds on clouds for me. The easiest way IMO would be to get some tubing , Herbie whip works great at cooling , and slip that on the cap. Lay MV down beside you and comfortably vape with considerably cooler vapor.
Oh and @lazylathe fingers crossed you get a good one !!
Will be nice to have you back on board

 

[Smknbud]

Kind of regret getting this vaporizer.. There is definitely a technique needed to be mastered when using this dry. I need to find myself a nice bubbler that this thing can fit into.

@stickstones covered the technique for dry vaping 6 posts above your post. Nothing more to it.....follow his advice and you have it 'mastered'. What you want to use as your 'tool' to dry vape is wide open as evidenced by the different things owners of the MV have posted that they created/improvised other than the stock items that come in the MV kit.

For me, despite trying an assortment of different things, for dry vaping I've fallen back to my oversized glass straw with a bit of whip tubing on the end that fits snuggly over the nipple of the MV cap. I'll toss the glass straw into the freezer to chill it down a bit for a little extra cooling power.

 

[OnCloud8]

Just want to chime in for brand new users who may not have discovered it: flexicone+ with plastic mouthpiece attached to the end of it is long enough for fairly cool vapor (18 cm) imo. Not like the "coolest" vapor ever or anything, but certainly a lot cooler than say MFLB, which I see a lot of the newest miniVAP owners also own. With this setup the mouthpiece never gets hot, even though the bottom of the flexione+ does get warm near the lid and a few cm up from the lid.

 

[jivebuggered]

Wow. I guess ppl have complaints or issues with all different vaporizers and their extraction process. The gentleman who didn't like to "prime" should get a vaporizer that isn't convection style. I think it was the hype that disappointed him. I bet after a month of use, he will be changing his opinion

Yep that would be me! Long story but I never intended to get another convection vap reading the hype and other factors causes me to get it. BIG main reason was I could not get a export model /undecided on a non export Herbie . Like I said long story. I am going to see how a decarb kit goes. At the moment though I could still be swayed on a swap (at the momento)