Silver Surfer Vaporizer

[VapePerson]

I've been using Alumina Ceramic balls in my SSV43 for awhile now, ordered them from AliExpress and they seem to hold more heat than borosilicate balls, they have similar thermal properties to SiC for a significantly cheaper price. I've checked them after a month of everyday use and they're still in perfect condition.

Here's where I bought them, I got 200 and had a few to spare. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1941197528.html?spm=2114.12010612.8148356.32.2d9b1fd05Pvrib

This seller also sells 3mm SiC balls but you have to buy at least 500 and that comes out to $125 vs $35 for 200 Alumina Ceramic balls.

125.0US $ |3mm Silicon Carbide Ceramic Ball 3mm SiC Ceramic balls G16 500pcs/Lot 3mm SiC balls ceramic balls|Bearings| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

Why did you pick Alimina ceramic? The properties look very nice, especially with anti-wear and being used in plumbing applications:


"Al2O3 ball is anti-wear, heat-resistant, anti-oxidant, and corrosion resistant, in salt solution
and other chemicals. One feature of Al2O3 ball is its size remains unchanged up to 1100degC.
Al2O3 ball is mainly used for pump, valve and flow-meter

Note:
1. Al2O3 content is 99.5%
2. Non-standard size could be supplied
3. Fracture toughness is relatively lower
4. Al2O3 ball is not suitable for application in HCI acid, HF acid and strong alkali"

Sounds perfec. A the temperatures we're using, we probably won't be experiencing any dust, we're well below the meltiing point, it's size won't even change, but 2000 knoop (what I can find as a rating for alumina ceramic), that's ~9 or corunom on the mohs hardness scale. That's not what concerns me. What concerns me is

"Alumina is produced by firing a tightly packed powder form of Al2O3 which includes some binder material. Commercially available grades range from 90% up to 99.95% with the higher purity generating somewhat higher hardness."

What is that binder material as well? We're .45 off of max purity, can that binder change? Call me overanxious if you want, but I don't trust a seller with so few sales and I'd like to know what that binder is. The MSDS for alumina looks very nice, no known health hazards, and this is the toxicology report:

"In general, aluminas are efficiently eliminated from the lung and are considered to be nuisance dusts; their role in fibrogenic lung disease remains unclear. High aluminium levels (between 400 and 1080 mg/kg of wet pulmonary tissue) have been found in the lungs of subjects exposed during 10 to 37 years to alumina dust.Animal experiments indicate that prolonged inhalation of alumina involves a rise in the concentration of aluminium in the brain. A review of the literature (1957), on the pulmonary toxicity aluminium carried out in the USA concluded that aluminium, aluminium oxide and aluminium hydroxyde Al(OH)3 do not cause pulmonary effects; the lesions reported by some authors would result from the presence of other substances."

Only negative I can think of is a study re. inhalation of alumina dust, but again, resistance to wear and these aren't really moving since they aren't changing size.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

Why did you pick Alimina ceramic? The properties look very nice, especially with anti-wear and being used in plumbing applications:


"Al2O3 ball is anti-wear, heat-resistant, anti-oxidant, and corrosion resistant, in salt solution
and other chemicals. One feature of Al2O3 ball is its size remains unchanged up to 1100degC.
Al2O3 ball is mainly used for pump, valve and flow-meter

Note:
1. Al2O3 content is 99.5%
2. Non-standard size could be supplied
3. Fracture toughness is relatively lower
4. Al2O3 ball is not suitable for application in HCI acid, HF acid and strong alkali"

Sounds perfec. A the temperatures we're using, we probably won't be experiencing any dust, we're well below the meltiing point, it's size won't even change, but 2000 knoop (what I can find as a rating for alumina ceramic), that's ~9 or corunom on the mohs hardness scale. That's not what concerns me. What concerns me is

"Alumina is produced by firing a tightly packed powder form of Al2O3 which includes some binder material. Commercially available grades range from 90% up to 99.95% with the higher purity generating somewhat higher hardness."

What is that binder material as well? We're .45 off of max purity, can that binder change? Call me overanxious if you want, but I don't trust a seller with so few sales and I'd like to know what that binder is. The MSDS for alumina looks very nice, no known health hazards, and this is the toxicology report:

"In general, aluminas are efficiently eliminated from the lung and are considered to be nuisance dusts; their role in fibrogenic lung disease remains unclear. High aluminium levels (between 400 and 1080 mg/kg of wet pulmonary tissue) have been found in the lungs of subjects exposed during 10 to 37 years to alumina dust.Animal experiments indicate that prolonged inhalation of alumina involves a rise in the concentration of aluminium in the brain. A review of the literature (1957), on the pulmonary toxicity aluminium carried out in the USA concluded that aluminium, aluminium oxide and aluminium hydroxyde Al(OH)3 do not cause pulmonary effects; the lesions reported by some authors would result from the presence of other substances."

Only negative I can think of is a study re. inhalation of alumina dust, but again, resistance to wear and these aren't really moving since they aren't changing size.

Alumina ceramic is what a few vapes use in the heating element construction including the SSV.

 

[stickstones]

Yo Sticks, I only just read this post because currently, since FC's little re-vamping, most new posts I see, when I click on them, direct me to page 1 of the thread, not the actual newest post as did always used to happen.

Probably related to my tablet's software and FC upgrades or something, and it doesn't happen every time, just most times.

So I landed on page 1 here today, hence me reading your post here. I almost rubbed my eyes lol, like day 1 at school lol!

We all start somewhere, some time I guess, and we definitely take that for granted as time goes on.

That looks like an old post! Yeah man... Most of my journey is documented on this site, from noob to now

 

[Alexis]

That looks like an old post! Yeah man... Most of my journey is documented on this site, from noob to now

Yeah I concluded so. I only made that comment, because it was both initially startling to me, to see how green bananaed even somebody I regard here as the most humbly but highly educated and experienced vaporists...

To see YOU , a mortal vaporist after all haha! Actually being so new to it once.

I got my first vaporizer in 1999 myself at 19, crappy old conduction Master Blaster.

But I think by at least 2006 the concept of different actives and effect profile are acheivable at different temps, had started to become a stronger part of my awareness.

I just always have seen you as being so wise and knowledgable about all aspects of cannabis vaporisation, including one of the widest range of top and all different vapes.

You put so much into the paster year, developing vape thteads i.e VHW and LSV, many more and still equally to this day still full credit.


So...it just made me laught to read that, not SOOOO long ago.
It put something into perspective for me. Sorry, too high right now to figute that out lol!

Anyway, do hope you are coping well brother and thanks for answering.

I always appreciate your sounding board inputs.

 

[VapePerson]

Alumina ceramic is what a few vapes use in the heating element construction including the SSV.

Know what the binder(s) are?

 

[SquirrelMaster]

Know what the binder(s) are?

I'm not sure what manufacture they use so I'm not too sure.

 

[stickstones]

Yeah I concluded so. I only made that comment, because it was both initially startling to me, to see how green bananaed even somebody I regard here as the most humbly but highly educated and experienced vaporists...

To see YOU , a mortal vaporist after all haha! Actually being so new to it once.

I got my first vaporizer in 1999 myself at 19, crappy old conduction Master Blaster.

But I think by at least 2006 the concept of different actives and effect profile are acheivable at different temps, had started to become a stronger part of my awareness.

I just always have seen you as being so wise and knowledgable about all aspects of cannabis vaporisation, including one of the widest range of top and all different vapes.

You put so much into the paster year, developing vape thteads i.e VHW and LSV, many more and still equally to this day still full credit.


So...it just made me laught to read that, not SOOOO long ago.
It put something into perspective for me. Sorry, too high right now to figute that out lol!

Anyway, do hope you are coping well brother and thanks for answering.

I always appreciate your sounding board inputs.

You're too kind!

 

[Alexis]

You're too kind!

Just purely honest always mate in thought and feeling.

I will gladly accept the label of kind, because yes I guess I am kind.

Most people probably just don't understand how to be kind enough, and we really need a kinder world with fuller acceptance of, support for, and kindnesd towards each other, IMO.

So I guess I just naturally try to lead by example.

 

[arb]

Just purely honest always mate in thought and feeling.

I will gladly accept the label of kind, because yes I guess I am kind.

Most people probably just don't understand how to be kind enough, and we really need a kinder world with fuller acceptance of, support for, and kindnesd towards each other, IMO.

So I guess I just naturally try to lead by example.

You indeed make me post in a kinder and gentler manner,thank you.

 

[Alexis]

You indeed make me post in a kinder and gentler manner,thank you.

Thank YOU my friend!

And lol, I can pretty "cutting" when I feel like it too!
Maybe a kind knife stays sharper? Is more powerful when it comes to slicing through turkey haha.

What a provoking analogy.

So I'm all for speaking mind and being critical, when it is justified and serves a purpose. But I still try to be the bright lantern in the face of wrong or evil, at such times.

 

[Cervical CBD]

Got a replacement wand and I keep sucking in ABV. Maybe it’s my Shredder...it’s tough for me to not grind it too fine.

 

[arb]

Got a replacement wand and I keep sucking in ABV. Maybe it’s my Shredder...it’s tough for me to not grind it too fine.

Is the glass where the screen lays flat?
They sent me a couple wands where the joint was made unevenly resulting in duff falling through no matter what.
I sent them a pic and had a new one in a couple days,that was a couple years ago.

 

[Cervical CBD]

Is the glass where the screen lays flat?
They sent me a couple wands where the joint was made unevenly resulting in duff falling through no matter what.
I sent them a pic and had a new one in a couple days,that was a couple years ago.

No the screens always sit above and you can see duff get underneath it.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

No the screens always sit above and you can see duff get underneath it.

@arb was asking if the glass surface that the screen rests on is flat. It sounds like your wand is not flat in that area? My screen moves around easily and I stir constantly but I'm also running through water most of the time so I haven't noticed any bits in my mouth.

 

[shredder]

Maybe it’s my Shredder

Hey!!!

 

[arb]

@arb was asking if the glass surface that the screen rests on is flat. It sounds like your wand is not flat in that area? My screen moves around easily and I stir constantly but I'm also running through water most of the time so I haven't noticed any bits in my mouth.

Yes the frit was all uneven creating a gap.
I have a box full of wands different heater covers and the quality is great mostly but some have flaws.
Hand production pieces will have wider variations?

 

[Cervical CBD]

Yes the frit was all uneven creating a gap.
I have a box full of wands different heater covers and the quality is great mostly but some have flaws.
Hand production pieces will have wider variations?

I sent them an email and they asked for pictures which I sent. The screen curves up and I’ve tried several screens...

 

[Cervical CBD]

I sent them an email and they asked for pictures which I sent. The screen curves up and I’ve tried several screens...

Anyone know the size screens to buy on Amazon?

 

[howie105]

Here you go.

Replacement Screens

Building Americas best dry herb vaporizer since 2004 in Colorado. Also specializing in custom glass, cremation keepsakes with the best customer service one can provide

www.elev8glassgallery.com

 

[Cervical CBD]

Here you go.

Replacement Screens

Building Americas best dry herb vaporizer since 2004 in Colorado. Also specializing in custom glass, cremation keepsakes with the best customer service one can provide

www.elev8glassgallery.com

20.8mm is 0.8 inches so the 0.75 on Amazon would probably work I think. That’s 19mm...

 

[howie105]

20.8mm is 0.8 inches so the 0.75 on Amazon would probably work I think. That’s 19mm...

To be honest I used all kinds of screen sizes with my 7th Floor vapes but my preference runs to larger screens rather than smaller ones because they stay in place better when I stir.

 

[Ramahs]

I just buy screens at my local head shop. If they are a bit big then I just trim them down with scissors.

 

[blackstone]

I had great fun with my SSV for the weekend, I was reminded of that cool Jack o Lantern SSV they have it's so attractive using orange, purple design and a cool skeleton knob!
Well I had a good time trying glass balls overall,
I used the simple 3mm glass balls on Ebay sold as catapult ammo, it was only about 3 bucks from China.
Maybe I should explain more my situation, my SSV is 220 volt and these units have been said to run a little hotter in relation to knob setting.
Now I belonged in the camp that the SSV was already a strong beast for me, and I could even vape slowly on the lowest setting.
So, when I filled my cover completely with the balls and fitted two screens, it was cooking way too hot on minimum.
I had to tune the amount of balls needed (saw somebody else did this here too) which took quite a while, and I had to leave out the top screen to use some more balls as I found the screens were upping the temperature transfer also!
So I was limited how hard I could draw on the vape, because too hard and I'd pull the hot glass balls up and out of the cover, but it works great.
The balls seems to lower the drawspeed a little, or gives something to pull against anyway, even using screens.
It does seem to even out the cooking and appears to have more lasting heat to put to the load, along with using lower settings another thing it might do is filter out dust?
I ended up with 81 balls inside there and they come to just before the bend in a previous gen spherical cover with wand using the 15.8mm screens, my element still glows a little at the top. I saw no cracking or sticking to the element, but maybe some balls turned translucent and appear very slightly pitted in some areas although I can't say if this was already present.

Today I went back to no balls inside and that's fun too, first thing I noticed is that I can draw as hard as I like so it requires a little bit of thought or adjustment to get back to my old way!
I always felt from opinions on here that the SSV, and the LSV were already held in very high regard all over USA and beyond, but it's great that this mod gets more people interested as people seek finely tuned levels of power and heat transfer in a vape.
Rock on SSV and Elev8, and Troy, Bud, and whoever else for the mod, and balls ideas!

Know what the binder(s) are?

I'm not sure what manufacture they use so I'm not too sure.

I remember reading good things about the quality of the element used, not sure but I thought I remember Japan mentioned as the source. Here is some info I just found from a search:

"The heating element itself is the highest quality
engineered ceramic heater on the planet. The element is 100%
encased in ceramic to prevent the oxidation of the heating
element. This material has the same crystalline structure as a
ruby"

"The ceramic part of the heater is what sets this unit apart from all the competitors out there. The SSV's ceramic heater is top of the line quality. No expense has been taken in effort to provide the customer with the best product on the market. A ceramic heating element is great because ceramic gives off no toxins at all. Ceramic possess the same quality as glass as it doesn't emit any toxins when heated to very high temperatures unlike metal."

 

[androponic]

@blackstone i would keep an eye on those glass balls closest to the ceramic element. those are soda lime glass and not borosilicate being sold as slingshot ammo. they cannot handle heat shock as well and their melting point is much lower.

 

[Cervical CBD]

I love my SSV but I can’t take much more of this rotating of 3 screens every few bowls. I can’t wait until my new wand is here...sick of eating duff.