Discontinued Splinter Z by RBT
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Monkeyhouse
Accessory Maker
@sickmanfraud Yeah that's all the kiln does, if he is annealing them it still shouldn't add that much to the cost as you just have to program the kiln and then put the glass in to anneal. It does take a few hours but he isn't actively doing anything during that time. And the COS of oxygen and fuel is not expensive either. Think of it this way, you can by a pipe from a head shops that has had significantly more work done to it, even if it's clear, for $20 or less. Now the XL8R is a niche product so it's understandable that it would cost more but not $30 dollars more.
Edit: just so everyone's aware the kiln, torch, and wet saw setup Ryan would need to do this would would cost less than $1000, maybe $1500 if he went for some nicer quality tools but with how successful his company is he could've easily just eaten the cost and not transfered it to his customers. I can't think of any other lampworker who would charge so much for the very very simple work he is doing here. I own an xl8r and once I saw what it was I couldn't believe the cost.
Edit: just so everyone's aware the kiln, torch, and wet saw setup Ryan would need to do this would would cost less than $1000, maybe $1500 if he went for some nicer quality tools but with how successful his company is he could've easily just eaten the cost and not transfered it to his customers. I can't think of any other lampworker who would charge so much for the very very simple work he is doing here. I own an xl8r and once I saw what it was I couldn't believe the cost.
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KeroZen
Chronic vapaholic
@Monkeyhouse: How successful his company is? You mean, so much successful he had to outsource to China as an ultimate hope to not have to close shop and go back to regular work after having spent all his savings in this sink hole??!
Don't just assume things please.
@abracadaver: businesses need to recoup costs indeed, and eventually make a profit if possible... You thought RBT was some kind of tea party?
Don't just assume things please.
@abracadaver: businesses need to recoup costs indeed, and eventually make a profit if possible... You thought RBT was some kind of tea party?
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Monkeyhouse
Accessory Maker
@KeroZen fair enough he has had some hard times and he does need to make the money back obviously, but for the amount of effort that is needed to make an Xl8r does not justify the cost. If they were $30 he would still be making quite the profit. I can hop on my torch and make an Xl8r in a minute easily, and cutting the joint doesn't take long either, that factored in with the fact that the glass only costs about 2-3 dollars per Xl8r and that the vast majority of the time it takes to make them is spent in a kiln that can likely fit 50-100 xl8rs at a time and the fact that I oxygen and fuel are not very expensive especially at the rate Ryan would use it to make these does not justify an over head of roughly $40 per stem for what amounts to a few minutes of work. Kilns are also rather efficient, I'm not sure how big his is but mine could fit maybe 20-30 xl8rs in it with out stacking them and only takes 8A at 120V and it doesn't draw that much for the entire duration of the annealing process. It takes about 10minutes to get to temperature, then I have it programed to hold that temp for 3 hours, if I finish all the work I wanted to do before then I have it go on to the next step. Which is to bring the kiln temperature up 100°f and hold it for an hour, then I let it come back to room temperature on it's own which is the longest part of the process and takes no energy to do so. Not to mention that an Xl8r could very easily be annealed on the torch and left to cool out in the open as the stress induced but the work done is minimal. All in all the cost of materials and labor does not justify the $50 price tag.
HerbieVonVapster
Well-Known Member
Sorry little out loop here are all the stems now produced by RBT all the 19/19 size? Also it seems like theres been a change to the screens included with the newer ones. Looks like now using a finer Mesh in screen now too?
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
I believe yes to both
HerbieVonVapster
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the quick response. I wanted make sure I'm using the stock setup well updating files.
Since I don't have any of RBT new screen. Does anyone know if they are the same mesh size as the basket style screens the stempod uses?
All I'll say is that if you wanted to start producing your own 19mm cooling mouthpieces at a more reasonable price, I'm sure you'd have plenty of buyers.
Monkeyhouse
Accessory Maker
I've been considering it... I love my splinter Z and the Xl8r works great but the cost is crazy for what it is.
cybrguy
Putin is a War Criminal
I don't have glassworking skills or equipment but I DO have a hankering for a thick glass cooling stem for my Splinters. I would have loved for the price of the XL8R to be lower, and I almost went for the thinner cheaper chinese versions to save some $$, but I decided that, high as it is, it was worth it to me to get the thicker custom one made by RBT. I didn't have to, I chose to. Y'all can make your own decisions based on whatever criteria you want to apply, but I don't think it is really up to us to set prices for vendors. We get to decide whether the price works for us. It did in this case for me.
If, after using this one for a while, I find I can't live without it and you are making them by then I will certainly keep you in mind should mine break. But right now RBT is the only game in town (that I know of) for something I want and I appreciate that it is available.
If, after using this one for a while, I find I can't live without it and you are making them by then I will certainly keep you in mind should mine break. But right now RBT is the only game in town (that I know of) for something I want and I appreciate that it is available.
Cheesequake
Free Men Don't Ask
Chinese glass version on stempod site is also 25. 25 more for ~twice as thick German or whatever glass doesn't seem too incredibly outrageous. Although if I didn't get one for free to make up for an order mishap I definitely wouldn't own one at the $50 price. It is really nice though and does an incredible job at cooling the vapor.
Hammahead
Well-Known Member
As to cleaning the (dry) cooling mouthpiece
I started mounting the mouthpiece with a few drops water left inside on my Arizer EQ at 220°C with the fan running, then after a few minutes, I lower the temp to 50°C et voilá - completely dry in just a few minutes.
That mouthpiece turned the SplinterZ into pretty much my only driver at home.
I started mounting the mouthpiece with a few drops water left inside on my Arizer EQ at 220°C with the fan running, then after a few minutes, I lower the temp to 50°C et voilá - completely dry in just a few minutes.
That mouthpiece turned the SplinterZ into pretty much my only driver at home.
HerbieVonVapster
Well-Known Member
Where you able to find settings for Arctic Fox. Had some problem loading it up on the mac. Just checking to see if you got it working.
Hammahead
Well-Known Member
Afraid not - not even sure where to look for and for what exactly. I'm a recent digital migrant from a very analog place.
Cilleire
EuroVapeSim2
I've had some luck with tc mode on articfox running on a wismec rx gen3 dual, I was using the preset ss316 tcr and the 316 tfr, both in a dropdown menu on the NFE toolkit. I also changed the P and I values (which need to be applied to each profile individually). I used values posted by @KeroZen on this thread http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/tc-box-mods-firmware-discussions-and-customizing.23742/page-9.
I've moved back to wattage mode the past week as I felt I really had to turn up the temp settings to completely finish a basket, I'm worried I'll do damage to the heater if I crank it too hard. I'm in the same boat hoping for an answer to TC woes.
I want to play around with setting my own TCR which I have had no luck with, it seems to scorch my bud no matter the number I input, I'm curious if you have experienced anything similar.
If I find success I'll make sure to post here and let you know.
Summer
Long Island, NY
Nice little video:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuDjpMEgLKo/
If you check "vapefiend" page, George has done several on the Splinters.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuDjpMEgLKo/
If you check "vapefiend" page, George has done several on the Splinters.
sickmanfraud
Well-Known Member
So, this is the picture of the XL8R stem in the cooling kit on vapefiends website. This is NOT the Chinese stem as it is too thick. Are they selling RBT's custom stems over there as the cooling kit or is this the wrong pic?
I expect to receive a package from Vapefiend this week. I will be able to answer your question then.
cybrguy
Putin is a War Criminal
My custom RBT XL8R from vgoodiez is out for delivery as we speak. It was hard for me to choose the thicker more expensive glass, but I caved. I have shown weakness lately. Hope it was the right decision. 
I notice that the Custom version is no longer on his page. Don't know if that is temporary or if it is just no longer available.
I notice that the Custom version is no longer on his page. Don't know if that is temporary or if it is just no longer available.
buddingglasshead
Well-Known Member
My custom RBT XL8R from vgoodiez is out for delivery as we speak. It was hard for me to choose the thicker more expensive glass, but I caved. I have shown weakness lately. Hope it was the right decision.
I notice that the Custom version is no longer on his page. Don't know if that is temporary or if it is just no longer available.
Still up and in stock.
Cilleire
EuroVapeSim2
So, this is the picture of the XL8R stem in the cooling kit on vapefiends website. This is NOT the Chinese stem as it is too thick. Are they selling RBT's custom stems over there as the cooling kit or is this the wrong pic?
I just received a short xl8r from vapefiend today, about to test it out now.
Straight away the glass looks much thinnner than the photo currently provided by vapefiend, the dimples also appear to be much deeper on the version I received. It was £16.99 on their website so I'm quite happy with the price.
Edit: just had a quick session with the vapefiend xl8r short stem, it is quite amazing how much cooler the vapor really is, I almost scorched a bowl.
Here is a photo of the stem I received, hope this helps.
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fluffyBollocks
Member
this might be a stupid question but here it goes:
since i read the standard size mouthpieces are 3mm too long for the new Splinter (also Z i guess) which need 19/19... wouldnt it be possible to simply cut or grind off 3mm of the glass? I thought the size refers to the top of the connection.
since i read the standard size mouthpieces are 3mm too long for the new Splinter (also Z i guess) which need 19/19... wouldnt it be possible to simply cut or grind off 3mm of the glass? I thought the size refers to the top of the connection.
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