• Do NOT click on any vaporpedia.com links. The domain has been compromised and will attempt to infect your system. See https://fuckcombustion.com/threads/warning-vaporpedia-com-has-been-compromised.54960/.

Sage Advice for a Vaporization Convert

dirtyreyes

Well-Known Member
Hi all! This forum seems like the place to be for vaporizer info online, so here I am!

I just got my new Volcano Classic w/ Easy Valve set yesterday and would appreciate any tips for a beginner.

First, about me: I've been smoking for about 6 years. Mostly water bongs but a pretty good variety of combustion options. I use one of the (overpriced) delivery services available in NYC and I consider this to be high-grade stuff. I've smoked club stuff that a college friend used to bring back from CA with him and it was definitely better, but not by a whole lot. After visiting another friend and trying his Volcano, I was sold. Went out and bought one the next morning.

My primary concerns when considering vaporizing versus combustion were smell and efficiency. My wife is cool with the consumption but wasn't fond of the way the living room (or I) would smell after a bong rip or two. The Volcano has definitely helped with the smell. As for efficiency, I am not sure...

I started by taking the same amount I would normally smoke in a bowl (just one bowl from my standard water bong) to get me where I wanted to be. I normally do a good job of breaking it up by hand, but I had heard that fine grinding was key to a good vaporizer experience so I used the included plastic grinder to grind it up. I spread it as thin as I could over the screen in the Volcano chamber and it was just short of enough to get a full layer over the screen. I popped the chamber onto the base and turned on the heat with the knob at 5.

After the middle light went off, I followed the included instructions and turned the fan on for about 3-5 seconds before putting the bag on the chamber. The bag filled up nicely and it was mostly clear with some vapors. I turned off the fan just as the bag got taught and removed the bag from the chamber. I was able to get 2-3 "hits" from the bag. I would slowly inhale approximately 80% of my lung capacity then follow up with some air, hold it in for about 5-10 seconds, then slowly blow it out (as if shotgunning to someone else).

I repeated this for about 3 or 4 bags before I noticed I was starting to get high. At this point, I finished off the last bag and turned off the unit. Once the chamber cooled, I opened it and saw that the ground up goodness was mostly brown with some dark green areas. It's been years since I was a poor college student, but back in those days there were times I smoked some beasters that was a similar color. This makes me think that I may not have gotten enough out of the herbs, but I know that people use the leftovers for cooking so maybe this is the way it's supposed to be.

All in all, I was not floored by the experience and felt a little underwhelmed. I suspect that part of this is because I am so used to the sensation of filling my lungs with smoke that I've associated that sensation with being high, and as there was none of that I didn't feel too high. I was high for about half the time I am normally high with the same amount in my standard bong, but I did notice that the high was a lot less lazy and more alert, which is a definite plus.

After looking around the internet today, I stumbled upon this site which seems like a great resource for these kinds of questions. A couple of issues:
* Many people seem to recommend regrinding or stirring the herb between bags. I don't think regrinding would do much as mine was already very well ground. Do you just wait for the chamber to cool down between bags? It was hot to the touch when I used it.
* How clear should the bags be when I am "doing it right"? My bags were quite clear...
* Some posters seem to indicate that the Volcano is more of a party device, best for multiple users. Is this true? Am I better off with a different vape for a solo experience?
* Is there a minimum amount of herb I should use in the chamber? I figured I should spread it evenly over the mesh but I was not able to cover it completely with the usual amount I would smoke in a bowl.
* I have read that using something like mint to grind up with the herb can make it smell and taste even better. Should I dry the mint leaves out before I mix it in?
* I see that some people recommend putting the bag into the stem of a water bong. Why do this? The vapor feels like nothing after coming off of combustion for years... is it just to reduce the abrasiveness even further?

Any other tips or tricks for a new Volcano user would be most appreciated. I'm especially interested in ways to increase the efficiency (to achieve an equivalent/better high per the same herbs I would put in my bong) and making it smell better (to appease the wife)!

Thanks! And may your vapes be clean, yet potent!
 
dirtyreyes,

albe

Well-Known Member
dirtyreyes said:
All in all, I was not floored by the experience and felt a little underwhelmed. I suspect that part of this is because I am so used to the sensation of filling my lungs with smoke that I've associated that sensation with being high, and as there was none of that I didn't feel too high. I was high for about half the time I am normally high with the same amount in my standard bong, but I did notice that the high was a lot less lazy and more alert, which is a definite plus.
it takes a little while to adjust, the way i approached it was to quit smoking altogether for a few weeks then switch to vaping. (I had to wait a few weeks for delivery so had the time for a t-break.)

There's no doubt its a different high but as u mention its less lazy, more of a head stone. I prefer it... six months down the vaping path for me and i'd never go back.

As far as 'cano efficiency goes... without wanting to sound like a little smart arse... :p Sell the cano and get a direct draw. I had the volcano for a few months initially, but the ssv is serving me better now and its the only one i use along with my portable iolite. The bag system is good for groups, not so much for solo use.
 
albe,

lwien

Well-Known Member
albe said:
As far as 'cano efficiency goes... without wanting to sound like a little smart arse... :p Sell the cano and get a direct draw. I had the volcano for a few months initially, but the ssv is serving me better now and its the only one i use along with my portable iolite. The bag system is good for groups, not so much for solo use.
I could see someone liking a whip vape over a bag vape if they're primary concern was getting thick, rich, bong like rips, but as far as efficiency goes, do you really believe that a whip based vape is more efficient than a 'Cano?
 
lwien,

dirtyreyes

Well-Known Member
I'd actually rather buy a second vape than sell the Volcano and buy something else... money isn't an issue for me these days. Does anyone have any tips on maximizing the efficiency of my Volcano sessions? I tried putting in some mint leaves last night but it was not very minty... maybe I didn't get enough in there?
 
dirtyreyes,

Qbit

cannabanana
OK one problem you've got is the fact that the chamber in the Cano is so big. As you said, you only just covered the screen with weed, which means that you're only going to get very thin vapour. If you filled that chamber with weed you would get much thicker vapour. But of course that means a fair bit of weed. So you spread that vapour over an entire session (or more than one session) or between several people. You don't even have to fully fill a bag - you can just partially fill it and hit that.

Another thing to note is the temperature setting you're running on - different cannabinoids (the family of high-producing oils in weed, which includes THC) vapourize at different temperatures, and these various compounds produce a range of different, but related and complimentary effects. If, as you say, you've still got green in your remains, then you're running on a low temperature, so the amount of vapour will be less and the high from it will be much more 'heady' and stimulating. If you crank the temperature up you, so your weed comes out fully browned, you will get thicker vapour which will give you a deeper, body stoned effect.

Check this thread for more details:

http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=2197

But yeah I must say that if you're after lungbusting hits, you'll need a whip vape like the Da Buddha or Silver Surfer. Or possibly a Vriptech Heat Wand instead. But read up about them in their specific threads to get a real idea about them.
 
Qbit,

macbill

Oh No! Mr macbill!!
Staff member
You also can load a larger load, just don't consume it all in one session. It won't go away, unless you have a sneaky roommate. I usually start a load at 365 F for a few bags, regrind (in the palm of my hand), then I raise it up to 390 for a few bags.

Here's as tip I read somewhere: place the chamber on the unit and, before you attach the bag, allow a second or two of warm air to start to warm the material, and then attach bag. The object is to fill the bag with less vape-less air. YMMV
 
macbill,

dirtyreyes

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the info, guys. Especially Qbit, that link that you posted explains a lot about why I feel the sleepies when I vape at higher temps.

I think I will try your advice and pack the Volcano chamber with more than enough for 1 session. I'll vape at a low temp (< 360F) when I get home from work for more of a heady, euphoric high. Then I'll reuse the same chamber at night at a higher temp (> 400F) for the sleepy, euphoric high.

I'm not after lungbusting hits, I can always dust off my GonG piece for that. I'm just looking to maximize the enjoyment I get out of my Volcano Classic for both solo and group sessions.

And macbill, thanks for your advice. I actually have been doing that where I wait a few seconds (until just before vapor begins to escape) after turning the air on and before putting the bag on the chamber spout.

Any more tips are definitely welcome! Vape on!
 
dirtyreyes,

Qbit

cannabanana
dirtyreyes said:
Thanks for the info, guys. Especially Qbit, that link that you posted explains a lot about why I feel the sleepies when I vape at higher temps.
No problem. Yeah it's a good thread.

I think I will try your advice and pack the Volcano chamber with more than enough for 1 session. I'll vape at a low temp (< 360F) when I get home from work for more of a heady, euphoric high. Then I'll reuse the same chamber at night at a higher temp (> 400F) for the sleepy, euphoric high.
You may like to toss in a pinch of fresh herb with your revaping weed, as you've already 'creamed off' most of the low-temp goodies, like THC. And although THC isn't the only cannabinoid, it is the most psychoactive, and you basically need it to get a proper high. The high-temp cannabinoids by themselves seem to produce a physically relaxing effect but don't really grab your brain. So a little fresh stuff will give your high that needed focus. At least that's how it seems to work for me.
 
Qbit,
Top Bottom