Discontinued Purple-Days Vaporizer

[stickstones]

Thanks Jeff!

I hadn't thought about the lack of a temp control. I've found that different strains work better at different temps (although all within 20C of each other) on my Extreme. But it doesn't sound like you feel this limits the PD's use. Any thoughts?

Hey Purple Days, what temp is it set to work at?

 

[Purple-Days]

Sorry to get back so slow, been fighting Windows Vista lately.

Wow, thanks so much, jeffp. Customer satisfaction is it, for us.

You are right, it's not a group vaporizer. More private. For quiet times. One or two folks.

jeffp says, "i assume that the unit will last for a long time... "

That sure was the idea. The pilot light is rated at over 10 years - 24/7 duty. The rest is so heavy duty... well, I really want to hear about it if a unit ever fails. Three year warranty, but I don't expect much action in that department.

Just a tip jeffp, most times we only put an inch of alcohol in the bottle to cover the vapor tip and soak the screen and tip. I'm frugal (cheapskate), and it's more eco-friendly, I suppose. Yep, a stuffy vapor tube is no good, (in any vaporizer) that's why we supply three and a neat-o cleaning bottle.

mookow69, I'm glad you dig the healthy aspects. I was doing metalwork the last few days and when I was washing those stainless parts in hot soapy water yesterday I was smiling. Table ready.

It's more like 7-1/2 watts. So it all depends on your battery source. A Car/Boat/RV battery might have 50-100 spare amps before you might worry about it cranking the engine. Quite a few hours there.

With max's help we are looking into a small, portable, rechargeable battery pack like the Vapolution has. We will see how that works out. I think it will have to maintain temperature for at least 120 minutes to meet our demands. We will see, Pammy plans some extensive testing, haha.

vapor_cloud I'm looking into a wall transformer that would work for international folks but because of EU tariffs I've kinda put it on the back burner. Anybody that can provide 12VDC can run a Purple-Days. I'll get back on that universal 12V wall unit soon. Lots going on in my life lately...

stickstones, it's hard to answer your temperature question, due to a lack of any measurement standards. We seem to produce a thick full vapor, that was the goal. I didn't want a weak ass, did I get anything, stream of vapor. When I designed the heat exchanger I kept this in mind. Didn't want it too hot either... not a problem.

With dry, ground herbs . . . well, folks seem pretty happy. Fuzzy answer? Yeah, I know... sorry. But how do you compare?

Thanks to everybody for your interest an input.
Tom

 

[max]

Tom, you beat me to it, as far as the questions, but I'm gonna leave my post as it is, since most of it is just opinion and user experience. Thanks again for creating such a great product at a bargain price.

Some comments on Jeff's review and updates from my own use (6 weeks now):

it's a work of art, it works flawlessly, it's inexpensive, it feels good and it makes you feel good.
seems to allow you to draw out the essence completely, just like the old hair gel commercial, "a little dab will do you." the thing is so efficient my dealer is wondering why he hasn't heard from me in weeks....

Amen. It has a ton of time and effort put into it. Compared to 'asembly line', 'slapped together with cheap wood' box vapes, the Purple-Days is the steal of the century. It has the hand crafting and build quality of a Rolls Royce combined with the durability and ruggedness of an Abrams Battle Tank. I can see people passing this vape down to their grandkids, still working like new. And efficient it is-always cooks your herb but never burns it.

very easy to get the hang of.

I was surprised how well the vapor tube holds onto the loaded bowl. Every now and again you get a few grains down the hole but they shake out easily. I've gotten as much in the shell of my SSV through blow back. Hit it easy-hit it hard-doesn't matter. If the bowl is kinda packed and you want a smooth, easy draw, just part your lips a little (use your mouth as a carb). As much as I like my SSV for big hits, I find myself using the PD a lot for pure ease of use. And it's surprising how big a hit it will deliver. I love filling it about 3/4 full and adding a little kief on top. After a good first hit even the kief stays in place like it's glued on. A bowl packed like that will provide a good many hits.

after a few sessions, it's best to let the suck tube sit in alcohol overnight

I actually used two tubes for about a month before I saw any signs that they needed cleaning. Vapor condenses much more easily on glass and the typical whip tubing than on the PD vapor tubes. I cleaned one tube with ISO in the provided container, just shaking it up, then immediately removing (sticking a cotton swab down into the tube allows easy removal from the cleaning bottle). The other tube I let soak overnight. But I didn't see any difference in the two as far as the overnight soaker being cleaner. Definitely one of the easiest vapes on the market to clean. In fact, no cleaning at all as far as the vape itself.

the material doesn't fall out of the tube. it's not a concern at all.

Like he said, surprising but true. I found I don't even have to hold it level. Now if you set it down with the tube in like it's a bottle of beer, expect some leakage. But if you take it easy it stays put.

it's great for one person, it's not a group vaporizer.

But with 3 vapor tubes it certainly can be. Like some other vapes it's not the best for people used to 'bong rips', but you don't buy this to sit around and see how much vapor you can blow out without choking.

i like the fact that you don't have to fuss with the heater dial - it sets itself at the perfect vape temperature after 45 minutes, and remains consistent. the heat up time is not an issue to me.

It does a great job of staying in the vaping range. It quickly recovers from a hit and is ready again when you are. Unlike the Vapolution, which easily burns your herb if you're not careful, this beauty is hands free with no worries about overcooking.

i love the fact that it is designed to be left on all the time. i assume that the unit will last for a long time - i hope so. this aspect seems unique to me, and special.

Like the Vapolution (or any 12v unit), it doesn't suck power. It doesn't get hotter if left on either. In fact, it gets its hottest during use. When in idle mode it's barely warm. I plug mine into a cheap mechanical timer. It cuts on an hour before I get home from work and is ready to go. I set it to turn off about 2:30-3 AM. Or like Jeff says, just leave it on. With a heavy duty resistor (which is designed to deal with heat) providing the heat for the stainless steel heat exchanger, this vape probably has a longer life span than anything on the market. And no heat control to fail. The temp control (rheostat) on my Vapolution is getting gritty-I pretty much leave it at 11-12 o'clock. I know the Vapo guys have had to replace some temp controls.

the purple days has great stealth appeal, it's an elegant, small, aroma therapy diffuser is all.
i never feel the need to hide it. when i'm by myself it is a far simpler affair, you just load up the tube a few times and that's it. the silver surfer on the other hand - it looks like a mutated futuristic one tube radio - how do you explain that, left exposed, to people you don't want to have to explain this to.

Agree completely. I have the aroma top for the Surfer, but even with that in place it doesn't look like a simple diffuser.

SO with it being a DC input does that mean the output voltage doesn't matter? 240v down under

This should work just fine with 240v. 50Hz is an issue right now, but in that the Vapolution AC adapter works fine at 50 Hz as well as 60, Tom just needs to get some confirmation from a 50 Hz user. He's sent out an adapter to a customer in Europe, but hasn't gotten confirmation yet. Hopefully, no news is good news.

Since the PD uses 6 watts would it be possible to have it run off of a battery for extended periods of time? Say about 10-12 hours? That may be too optimistic however.
Any ideas? Possibly even plans to make a power pack of some sorts?

The Vapolution battery pack works fine with the PD. I've tested it. Haven't timed it, but it runs the Vapo for 2 hours. Forget about 10-12 hrs. The BP would have to be too big (and expensive). I sent my charger and BP to Tom last week so he can give it a look. Hopefully he'll decide to provide a BP as an option. I think there'll be enough demand for it to make it worthwhile. With a BP it'll be even more portable friendly than the Vapo is. The Vapo electrical connections are slightly smaller, so my Vapo battery is slightly loose in the PD, but it functions fine and Tom can easily change to his size connector.

Hey Purple Days, what temp is it set to work at?

I used to say I'd never buy a vape without a temp control, but Hot Box users never complain, and I've found the PD to be very efficient at fully cooking with no burning. After owning my Vapo for 2 years I still sometimes overcook or load a piece that's too big and the far end doesn't get done. I usually save the half cooked bits and finish them in the SSV.

All things considered, if I could only have one vaporizer the PD would be it, hands down, no contest. It's not the best in all catagories, but it scores so high in nearly every aspect, it has to be the overall winner for me. If I've got a good supply of herb on hand I'll load up the SSV and enjoy the big hits, but when I'm in conservation mode and getting low, the surfer gets put in the cabinet and I'm perfectly satisfied with Tom's PD. Even when I'm using the SSV, I often just pick up the PD, load a tube and in about 10 sec. I'm vaping away. It's so convenient. It's a great vape guys.

 

[vaporcloud]

Again ... sweet info guys! Hey Tom, easy as to get 12v DC-240v wall warts at any electronic here downunder. You culd do a 'downunder' deal and ship with only the car unit for a few less $ and the new owner can get there own DC unit. Around $35 from an electronics chain store with multiple plug ends.

As I said I now have the DB and PD on my wish list *sigh*

 

[jeffp]

It's interesting how for some weird reason the discussion of the PD often has something to do with the Silver Surfer - not a comparison. Quite honestly these are both excellent vapes. There's no "versus." I know what you mean about the deeper SSV hits but I think that this is just perception. The PD hits are more narrow and hotter but I see no difference in effect between the two vapes. In fact it's possible that I may get a little more of an effect from two hits from the PD - one load - since it's so efficient. I'm not sure about this though.

Also it's kinda nice not to have to deal with the pokey stick with the PD, when it's done, it's done.
That said, an intrinsic part of using the SSV is the pokey stick between hits. When I use the SSV i find that sort of satisfying - the jabbing and the stirring - on a tactile level.

I don't know what I would say to people like landlords, etc,. if they saw the SSV and I had to explain what it was - maybe a bizarre, over manufactured hand warmer? A one tube short wave radio without a tuner?

One thing I like about the SSV is that I feel like Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet with the mask thing on his face....

My sarcastic friends look at the SSV as "Jeff's new contraption." It definitely looks like a contraption.
Whereas the PD is more like a soda pop can if they were hand designed with wood.

Enough jokes for now....

 

[jeffp]

I'm replying to my own post -
If I had to come up with a fast answer, I would say that my SSV is my new "negative ion generator" - to clean the air of positive particles. It's plausible, right?

 

[spyder]

I'm not sure replying to your own post is allowed...

 

[Purple-Days]

Thanks for the confirmation of what jeffp was saying, max. I know you own more than a few vapes, that's awsome that you would pick us... You guys make me feel good. Great as a matter of fact. I sure didn't want to 'just' copy what someone else was doing. Never even occurred to me.

Neat that you would mention Rolls, they have 40 wooden pieces in each car and they work them all by hand. Ferrari is another brand I look up to. Not for the masses. Amen.

jeffp, I dig the landlord scenario, or Mom, or plumber or even State Trooper. Oh, yeah ! "it looks like a mutated futuristic one tube radio", was what we didn't want.

vapor_cloud, it's great to be on your wish list, the original 'international' business model was 'car adapter only', user provides wall power. Just as you suggest. And yes, I would have to work out a fair price, but this isn't the place to do that.

The power plug is 2.1mm x 5.5mm Type M DC power plug. Center positive. Pretty standard stuff. You need a 1000mA output. That's pretty easy too.

I think the comparison to the SSV comes partly from users here who own both. And partly because the SSV makes both health and durability advertising points, huge points of interest to us, and our buyers too, it seems. It's one of the few vapes out there that makes any mention of either. You folks have me convinced, if I ever wanted another whip vape, SSV would be the one.

Excellent to hear you are using a timer, max. Personal choice of course, anything we can do to save the planet... even a few Watts at a time. Just came from bicycling to the grocery with a fiber bag. Not much, (the bicycling) but it's something. Beats $4 gas...

 

[stickstones]

So, do you have no idea what the temp is? It never occurred to me that you could build a vape, especially one so efficient and consistent, without knowing what the temp is inside.

 

[Purple-Days]

I think you might not see what I mean, maybe.

I have a friend who has measured the temp at the screen with pretty sophisticated stuff. but the temp is different at the front of the load vs. the back, by a bit. And with no load produces a different figure. Where, and how, would you suggest I produce a scientifically valid temperature figure? Not trying to be a smarty... It's just... there is no standard. No Octane to go by.

Good vapor? Efficient usage? I get that. Numbers might be better suited to a digital vape. We aren't for everybody. Just want what works for us, and our friends. We think of every customer that way.

 

[max]

Thanks for the confirmation of what jeffp was saying, max. I know you own more than a few vapes, that's awsome that you would pick us...

I've already told you, but I'll tell it to the board. I'm a big vapor advocate and I especially love to pull for the little guy who's making a safe, affordable, quality vape. I like it even better when the product looks great, vapes great and suits me well enough to give it a rave review.

I think the comparison to the SSV comes partly from users here who own both. And partly because the SSV makes both health and durability advertising points, huge points of interest to us, and our buyers too, it seems. It's one of the few vapes out there that makes any mention of either. You folks have me convinced, if I ever wanted another whip vape, SSV would be the one.

Yeah, it's a coincidence that jeff and I both own the Surfer. I really only compare them on the basis of quality and safety. I don't look at them as competing models. They're too dissimilar. I'll admit I enjoy the vapor experience more with the SSV, due to the big volume (but smooth) hits it can provide, but stealth and portability are important to me too, so if I can only have one , I'd have to go with the more versatile PD. Those little bowls can come in handy too, as far as stretching your supply. I tend to load up the SSV bowl and go at it like it a buffet-all you can eat. After 2-3 PD bowls with some good herb, I often think about loading another and end up saying 'WTF for?'.

I've tested the remains from the PD in the extremely efficient herbalAire, and have harvested about as much vapor (very little) at my usual setting as I did when testing the SSV the same way. That's good enough for me.

As for using a timer, I'm just trying to give the little guy some rest during the week. I usually keep him up all weekend.

 

[vaporcloud]

So, do you have no idea what the temp is? It never occurred to me that you could build a vape, especially one so efficient and consistent, without knowing what the temp is inside.

I think we can get a bit hungup on the temp thing. I know you have an extreme slickstones and you can set it to the temp via the digital readout but is that the temp of the air as it hits your bowl? In the end IMO its about the quality of the vapor and the colour of the spent herb than indicates if I'm vapping at the right temp.

After all ... you have a VG and there is no way to tell if your vaporising in the right temp zone except the taste and colour of the used herb.

 

[stickstones]

True.

I just had this vision in my head of Tom designing and testing the thing and tweaking it until it was just right (sort of how I tweak the lighter every time I use the genie). It had never occurred to me that he could do this without aiming for a measured temp in the design phase.

Don't get me wrong...this is not a criticism. I am thoroughly impressed with the thing and am convinced it will be my next vape purchase (whenever that is...I'm not a collector yet). I just got to thinking about vaping without control of the temp and how I've never done that before and thought I'd ask what the temp was.

Does the temp change somehow with different herbs? Maybe a sticky sample would restrict flow and the temp lowers to compensate? I have no idea. Is there some simple but effective mechanism that slightly changes the temp as necessary as I do manually on my Extreme? Given I have only been vaping for six months, the thought of not controlling the temp somehow is foreign to me. These are just thoughts and questions I am having for the first time.

 

[Purple-Days]

One of the reasons a P-D is so durable is because it's so simple. There is no sensor or adjustment. Just a small load that gets totally exposed to the heated air stream.

We spent the big bucks for a digital whip vape. We ended up setting it to the same temp every day. :/ Till all that expensive digital stuff pooped out. Not knocking adjustable temps, just that it's not needed with this design.

The basic formula we started from is 30 years old. No need to re-invent the wheel. But, it did need updating. No brass, no lead. And a much better heat exchanger, same mass but with a whole lot more surface area for more efficient heat transfer.

 

[stickstones]

Have we talked at all about how it can be used as an aromatherapy device? Can it make the room fragrant? What's buzz-butter?

(Can you tell I just looked at your site?)

 

[vtac]

...I think we can get a bit hungup on the temp thing...

Agreed. Even being a big fan of techy gadgets, I haven't ever wished there was a digital temp readout on my SSV. Once you find the sweet spot on the dial you can set it instantly. I love digital in general, but kind of see it as more of a novelty/failure point on vapes, but that's just my worthless opinion.

As for the Purple-Days not having any user temp control-- doesn't seem to be an issue for the people who've used it here. Do you guys ever change draw speed to make little temp adjustments? Maybe the narrow bowl helps keep the temp requirement more consistent as well.

I especially love to pull for the little guy who's making a safe, affordable, quality vape. I like it even better when the product looks great, vapes great and suits me well enough to give it a rave review.

I just hope Tom doesn't have to up the price before I get around to ordering one.

What's buzz-butter?

All natural wood finish. http://purple-days.com/Buzz_Butter.html

 

[Purple-Days]

Aromatherapy, sure. Keeping with the 'purple' theme we send along a sample of Violet Blossom fragrance oil (EDIT: due to postal regulations we no longer send fragrance oils). There is a solid copper diffuser cup that sits on top of the heat exchanger. A few drops of fragrance oil in the cup and you have an aromatherapy device. Remove the cup and you have a vape, ready to go. Another approach is stripping the outer layer off an incense stick, a little of that in the cup goes a long way, without the unpleasant incense smoke.

My wife is visiting a relative and is using the 'Aromatherapy Device' in her bedroom. A bathroom or kitchen are other places a 'device' might be appropriate.

Nice part is, it can pass as an aromatherapy device. Doesn't look like it belongs in a Sci-Fi movie.

What is Buzz Butter ?

It's our all natural furniture finish. Works great on outdoor leather too.

But, what is it? Just 3 ingredients, A: Chemical free bee's wax from the Tahuya River Apiaries in Washington State, B: Organic / Pharmaceutical Grade Flax Oil and C: Rosemary Oleoresin Extract . We blend these at just above the melting point of the wax so we don't loose any of that sweet fragrance of wildflowers and honey. I really like the smell. The Rosemary extract is used in very small quantities, it doesn't effect the odor, and is an anti-oxidant and preservative (it is used a lot in hand made soaps) .

But, why? Well, if you go as far as we did, to get rid of the toxins ... how can you finish it with an industrial-petro-chemical finish? I couldn't. So I developed this stuff, based on an old shop class formula, but all natural.

Of course we include a sample of Buzz Butter in a nice re-usable tin. It will help keep the wood in top shape, and the leather bottom too. Works great as a top wax over other furniture finishes too.

$150 is such a nice round figure, unless UPS goes crazy (fuel costs), I'll hold that price as long as possible. But, I imagine, like everything else my raw materials costs are gonna increase someday. Fortunately I laid in a good supply of most every item. You can't buy most of this stuff one vape at a time. I've got 3-1/2 cows worth of leather, so no worries for a whlie in that department.

vtac says, "Maybe the narrow bowl helps keep the temp requirement more consistent as well."

That's it. Small load = efficiently heated.

With the whip vape (SuperVapezilla), I found myself stirring or shaking the load around between draws. Chasing a bit of ever diminishing vapor. Yeah, the first one or two whip draws were awesome , but there's lots more tasteless-half-strength vapor left in that big glass cigar.

 

[max]

Of course we include a sample of Buzz Butter in a nice re-usable tin.

It goes a long way too. First time I recoated mine I didn't make a dent in the BB supply.

With the whip vape (SuperVapezilla), I found myself stirring or shaking the load around between draws. Chasing a bit of ever diminishing vapor. Yeah, the first one or two whip draws were awesome, but there's lots more tasteless-half-strength vapor left in that big glass cigar.

True for pretty much any whip/direct draw vape. The more you load, the more you have to stir and repeatedly hit 'already cooked herb'. I've taken the 'hat pin' stir tool provided for the SSV, and stirred (more like a few stabs really) the PD bowl contents to make sure I got it all. I found it wasn't necessary. You get it all vaped thoroughly without stirring or poking. And with a small bowl like this that you can't really stir, that's a big plus.

vtac:

As for the Purple-Days not having any user temp control-- doesn't seem to be an issue for the people who've used it here. Do you guys ever change draw speed to make little temp adjustments? Maybe the narrow bowl helps keep the temp requirement more consistent as well.

When I hit it harder I get more air of course, but also seem to get bigger hits. It seems to be pretty much 'screw-up proof'. Unlike the similar Vapolution, it has little to no learning curve.

 

[Purple-Days]

max says, "When I hit it harder I get more air of course, but also seem to get bigger hits."

Max, that's due to the heat exchanger design. Our 'Role Models' had a pretty simple geometry. Not much surface area. Once that smaller surface area had given up it's heat... it was too cool. Keeping the mass the same and increasing surface area provided a longer (or faster) draw time and flatter temperatures.

Did I wing it, stickstones? Sure...Sorta...But... I had a goal... I'm a carpenter, among other things. Winging it doesn't mean sloppy. I wanted better. I was certain of what I wanted and almost failed.

By now (I hope), some folks are aware of vaporizer health issues, also. We breathe this air every day, for the rest of our lives...

Thanks for this forum and the opportunity to get 'real' info across.

Tom and Pam
The Purple-Days Team

BTW, blame Pammy for the Buzz Butter name too. (Artistic?) I think it's kinda neat. Looks like butter, feels like chilled butter... Gotta love her...

 

[vaporcloud]

The heat exchanger thing is an interesting concept because I see the supreme vap talks about their heating block being a heat exchanger that gives 1.5 feet of heat rather than a few inches. I personally can't picture the design (of the PD) heat exchanger but now have a better idea of what they do. Interesting the supreme vapes heating block/ exchanger is made of Aluminium (I think) ... is this safe ... would that give off fumes?

Certainly the more I read of Toms ideas and craftmanship the more I would like a PD. Like Slickstones I am not a collector of vaporisers. I have 2 surfboards and 4 guitars and a set of golf clubs ... and my 2 vapes so I don't tend to collect things and usually replace only broken things or sell and repalce when bored.

 

[stickstones]

Did I wing it, stickstones? Sure...Sorta...But... I had a goal... I'm a carpenter, among other things. Winging it doesn't mean sloppy. I wanted better. I was certain of what I wanted and almost failed.

As someone who has very little handi-man skills, I am jealous of what you have done. I am always amazed at what truly creative people can 'just do', while I read the directions to operate an electric drill and still screw up!

 

[Purple-Days]

As far as I have been able to read, vapor_cloud, aluminum is safe. There was a scare about aluminum cookware and Alzheimers way, way back, but that was just media hype. No worries about aluminum.

It's the hidden lead, in electronic components, brass and solder that had me concerned. Other toxins like flux residues (we don't use it) and petro-chem finishes get me wondering too?

Some manufacturers seem to make such a big deal out of how healthy vapor is. But, don't seem concerned about the health and safety of the device they are selling. If they were, wouldn't they be writing copy about it? If they were %100 lead free wouldn't they make some milage out of it?

I just wonder why I'm one of the very few who is really making a point about device health and safety.

 

[max]

It's the hidden lead, in electronic components, brass and solder that had me concerned. Other toxins like flux residues (we don't use it) and petro-chem finishes get me wondering too?

Some manufacturers seem to make such a big deal out of how healthy vapor is. But, don't seem concerned about the health and safety of the device they are selling. If they were, wouldn't they be writing copy about it? If they were %100 lead free wouldn't they make some milage out of it?

In the future I think a lot of vapes with a vapor path that goes through 'hidden guts' will be questioned. I would venture to say that all the 'made in China' vapes contain lead in the components. If they're willing to ship millions of toys with lead paint into the US, you can bet they're using it in an underground product like a vaporizer.

-----------
vtac edit: Just realized I edited this post instead of making a new one.

I think the above post was the original, grabbed it from a database snapshot. Sorry.

 

[vtac]

It would be interesting to email all the health touting vape manufacturers and ask them whether they're 100% lead free. As you said, vaporizers are somewhat of an underground product so it's up to the consumer to do all the homework.

Again, kudos to Tom for "blazing the trail" here.

 

[max]

It would be interesting to email all the health touting vape manufacturers and ask them whether they're 100% lead free. As you said, vaporizers are somewhat of an underground product so it's up to the consumer to do all the homework.

Again, kudos to Tom for "blazing the trail" here.

Good idea. Some are going to say it doesn't matter because the electronics aren't in the vapor path. For some that'll be true. Obviously the SSV's path is clean. Others, like the Vapezilla, as we saw in Tom's photo, are less than airtight in their isolation. And do we even know what temps are required to leach lead? I haven't found any good info. But lead is a soft metal, easily absorbed by the body, with a low melting point. So it's definitely gonna be a factor for me from now on.