Discontinued The Firefly Vaporizer

[Adobewan]

OK, finally took the dive with my Firefly while grilling on Sunday, and nearly posted from the barbecue I was so psyched about using it.
Followed @Mynameismud's advice and was finding vapor at draws 2 and 3, and feeling pretty fantastic.
I daresay it helped my grilling technique because the steaks turned out the best ever(thought it might have been my state of mind but wife and kids agreed!) Absolutely loved it!

Unfortunately, I may have been a little ambitious with the button today and gotten a bit of combustion.
Patience and modest technique pay of with these beauties. Will try again tonight with an educated trigger finger.

Also unfortunate, I seem to have one of the loose battery covers. Have I read that that is an easy "replace battery cover" fix?
Fingers crossed.
I officially love this beautifully designed device!

 

[vapin baby boomer]

Kay, so I've had my silver beauty for four days now. Very satisfied. I was happy getting a light to moderate vape, but on my last try, I employed a technique mentioned several pages ago and it knocked my socks off. I put my lips very loosely around the mouthpiece and sucked in air from the outside as well as from the middle of the Firefly. Then I took 3 or four pulsating hits and held them. The result: thick satisfying vapor clouds. The tricks you can do with this thing are amazing.

 

[1_gr8_underdog]

My FF setup. The extra battery was certainly needed. I may even need a third if I will be away from power for a full day.

 

[fernand]

I suspect that small particles of material are coming in contact with something that is VERY HOT (coil?), which results in an ember that can travel, during the users draw, into the load, sparking further combustion.

I think you hit it on the nail, or is it the head? I agree, it's the particles that carry the fire. And who the hell knows what exactly in the heater guts makes the Firefly (otherwise) vary in temp.

{BEGIN LOVESONG}
That switch is a real irritating piece of crap too. I'm never sure if it's glowing, I have to check, the switch has taken to only working when it feels like it, unless you press on the very tip towards the bowl. I feel like asking the couple at the table next to mine to keep an eye on it and tell me if it stops glowing under fire.

But for all the oddities, there's something about this device that's lovely. I just had to choose again, it's always an ordeal, I'm standing there with my little grinder carrying a sample, and debating: "Solo or Firefly?"

Hell, today I even went further. I pulled out the "wood shop project", the MFLB, that chunky monkey, known the world over as Southern Cal hippie "appropriate technology". They should have them built in the jungle (what is left of it) as a environmentally sound, renewable resource Bono project. We'll sell 'em the wood, the little pieces of mesh and nails and so on, and the natives (who hadn't seen men with iPhones until last year) will cobble them into Organic Launch Boxes.

Anyway, I had an intimate session with my Launch Box. I made all manner of effort to avoid burning the micro load, and try to simulate a Firefly or a Solo on 3. It's almost doable. I guess. I think my grinder's not quite up to the task. (Even) the Solo will perfectly brown an uneven load of bud chunks, and of course the Firefly couldn't be happier convectin' in chunk city. Squashing the developing ABV into finer matter is a natural in the Firefly, unnecessary on the Solo, but a nervous proposition on the MFLB because they tell you not to push on the screen, it's fragile and not repairable and all that. Moral of the story. It takes more chops than yours truly can muster. Either grow some chops, or buy another $40 wood shop project entitled "finishing grinder". Whew. But in truth the MFLB is truly the most economical, it can vape truly milligram loads. You can run tests like "What happens if i add a bit o' Harlequin (a high CBD strain) right after a bit of pain-melting Sour Diesel?". And it CAN be mastered, someday. So?

So the evening come, pain relief experiments continue, the hell I'm going to bareback on the Launch Box again. Give me a Firefly or a Solo. And since the 2nd tier hot fractions on this Sour Diesel are, like most of them, duh sleepy stuff I don't want, just go Firefly and don't push it. Tiny loads require a little practice, but I'm there. Oh my lovely Firefly. Yes, she limps a little, and goes through 'lectricity like a 50 watt incandescent light bulb, but she's lovely, she's toasty, and she delivers that tasty top shelf vapor without having to think about it. {/END OF LOVESONG}

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

To be honest you don't need the Finishing Grinder to get a fine consistency (something that all conduction vaporizers benefit from). And the Solo is a mixture of conduction (heat from the stem) and convection (hot air through the holes of the SS crucible) so it covers the bases for pretty much every scenario. The LB relies a lot on user-input due to its construction (conduction and some IR) but is a lot smaller/stealthier than the FF. Not that it's in the same league, but it provides a different vape signature than my Solo, which at times can be a very nice change.

I've had some CannaQuin (Cannatonic x Harlequin) and Sour D back to back and mixed, was a very interesting experience. The CannaQuin didn't give me any real high but was excellent for pain, and the SD was the perfect sativa addition to it. Really nice uplifting high with analgesia but no grogginess from a strong indica

 

[vapin baby boomer]

Wow you got ALL the accessories now. Now you need a dark gray and a silver cover and you be stylin.

 

[Mynameismud]

OK, finally took the dive with my Firefly while grilling on Sunday, and nearly posted from the barbecue I was so psyched about using it.
Followed @Mynameismud's advice and was finding vapor at draws 2 and 3, and feeling pretty fantastic.
I daresay it helped my grilling technique because the steaks turned out the best ever(thought it might have been my state of mind but wife and kids agreed!) Absolutely loved it!

Unfortunately, I may have been a little ambitious with the button today and gotten a bit of combustion.
Patience and modest technique pay of with these beauties. Will try again tonight with an educated trigger finger.

Also unfortunate, I seem to have one of the loose battery covers. Have I read that that is an easy "replace battery cover" fix?
Fingers crossed.
I officially love this beautifully designed device!

Hope you had a good birthday!

I find the battery door to be a little loose on every firefly ive had. It snags on, but it comes off very easily. I think that may just be how its designed unless they changed something. I thought mines loose also but if you dont play with it it shouldnt be an issue. I havent had mine come off in My pocket or anything... Or while using unless i play with it. I believe yours was the same as mine, i only checked it when i put it on the charger and only had it for a day though so cant say for sure.

By combustion, do you mean you saw a flame and/or ash or just dark brown/black abv? How many hits are you taking per bowl. I find when i try and max out the load or hit it really slow with long pre heats i get the darker abv in spots. Ive stopped counting while using it and just look for the glow now. As soon as it starts glowing fully i begin to hit it. I usually hit it slow (so you cant even hear the air coming in) but the slower you hit the more chance you have of getting that dark brown/black abv.

I prefer to grind my material, not into a powder but still ground, fill it to the top of the bowl and shake off any excess (like when your filling a measuring cup with flour) dont pack it down and you shouldnt get any combustion.

What works for me may not work for you so play around with grind, load, and inhale and see what works best. Once you get a few more uses in you should see more even abv and shouldnt see any dark spots.

 

[Adobewan]

Hope you had a good birthday!

I find the battery door to be a little loose on every firefly ive had. It snags on, but it comes off very easily. I think that may just be how its designed unless they changed something. I thought mines loose also but if you dont play with it it shouldnt be an issue. I havent had mine come off in My pocket or anything... Or while using unless i play with it. I believe yours was the same as mine, i only checked it when i put it on the charger and only had it for a day though so cant say for sure.

By combustion, do you mean you saw a flame and/or ash or just dark brown/black abv? How many hits are you taking per bowl. I find when i try and max out the load or hit it really slow with long pre heats i get the darker abv in spots. Ive stopped counting while using it and just look for the glow now. As soon as it starts glowing fully i begin to hit it. I usually hit it slow (so you cant even hear the air coming in) but the slower you hit the more chance you have of getting that dark brown/black abv.

I prefer to grind my material, not into a powder but still ground, fill it to the top of the bowl and shake off any excess (like when your filling a measuring cup with flour) dont pack it down and you shouldnt get any combustion.

What works for me may not work for you so play around with grind, load, and inhale and see what works best. Once you get a few more uses in you should see more even abv and shouldnt see any dark spots.

Thanks for the B-Day wishes Mud!
Sounds like I may have a normal battery door from your description, thanks for that as well.
By combustion I mean taste, and a bit of smoke. Checked the load and there was some black bits. Cleaned the Firefly and screen with a Q-tip damp, not wet, with ISO and coconut oil(upside down when dealing with the screen to avoid infiltrating the unit) and smells and tastes like new again. Was successful in not combusting last evening, so getting my technique down, again thanks for your guidance there.

 

[mitchgo61]

Thanks for the B-Day wishes Mud!
Sounds like I may have a normal battery door from your description, thanks for that as well.
By combustion I mean taste, and a bit of smoke. Checked the load and there was some black bits. Cleaned the Firefly and screen with a Q-tip damp, not wet, with ISO and coconut oil(upside down when dealing with the screen to avoid infiltrating the unit) and smells and tastes like new again. Was successful in not combusting last evening, so getting my technique down, again thanks for your guidance there.

The good news is I don't think that's what a lot of us would characterize as real "combustion"...more like occasional charred bits (which, yes, taste slightly of burned material). I think that's mostly normal for FFs if the grind and pack are just right (fine, and somewhat compacted) and you get a little aggressive with the heat button.

Real combustion in the FF (at least from what I've experienced), the kind that makes you question the device's operation and maybe send it back for replacement, is significantly more dramatic: mouth filled with smoke, serious burning smell rooms away, visible flash and spark in the chamber, a nasty taste in the device you need time and iso to remove. You may be getting just to the edge of that, but you can probably avoid it via technique, which it sounds like you are already doing.

 

[Adobewan]

The good news is I don't think that's what a lot of us would characterize as real "combustion"...more like occasional charred bits (which, yes, taste slightly of burned material). I think that's mostly normal for FFs if the grind and pack are just right (fine, and somewhat compacted) and you get a little aggressive with the heat button.

Real combustion in the FF (at least from what I've experienced), the kind that makes you question the device's operation and maybe send it back for replacement, is significantly more dramatic: mouth filled with smoke, serious burning smell rooms away, visible flash and spark in the chamber, a nasty taste in the device you need time and iso to remove. You may be getting just to the edge of that, but you can probably avoid it via technique, which it sounds like you are already doing.

You're right @mitchgo61 my experience was very slight compared to what you've described.
Certainly didn't question the operation of the Firefly, chalked it up to my own inexperience, a user error for sure.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[fernand]

To be honest you don't need the Finishing Grinder to get a fine consistency (something that all conduction vaporizers benefit from).
I've had some CannaQuin (Cannatonic x Harlequin) and Sour D back to back and mixed, was a very interesting experience.

So, what are you able to use to get that fine powdery grind?

Chiesel (IMHO) pretty much does what you were aiming for by itself.
And there are still a few branches off the old Diesel tree to
explore: Ogiesel, Lemon Diesel etc ..

 

[fogbank]

You're right @mitchgo61 my experience was very slight compared to what you've described.
Certainly didn't question the operation of the Firefly, chalked it up to my own inexperience, a user error for sure.

Agreed, that does not sound like combustion to me. I had that happen a lot (still do on occasion) when learning the optimal button press times for different strains.

But as mitchgo61 said, actual combustion in the FF is unmistakable (IME). I had a steady stream of smoke pouring out of the mouthpiece. It feels very much like the Thermovape T1 when it combusts.

The good news is that it is possible to "contain the damage" somewhat if this happens. Immediately put your tongue in the mouthpiece hole, wrap your hand around the vents/grills, and hold the position until the combustion has stopped. Then rapidly inhale through the mouthpiece, clearing the smoke from the unit.

Here's hoping folks never have to do this!

 

[vapin baby boomer]

OK, finally took the dive with my Firefly while grilling on
Also unfortunate, I seem to have one of the loose battery covers. Have I read that that is an easy "replace battery cover" fix?
Fingers crossed.
I officially love this beautifully designed device!

The battery cover on my brand new silver is nice and tight. I wonder if that problem has been solved going forward?

 

[Mynameismud]

The battery cover on my brand new silver is nice and tight. I wonder if that problem has been solved going forward?

Like you have to force it off now? Mine feels nice and tight when i snap it on but it takes little effort to get it off. I havent had any issues with it coming off unless i slide it though so i just assumed thats how its designed

 

[vapin baby boomer]

Like you have to force it off now? Mine feels nice and tight when i snap it on but it takes little effort to get it off. I havent had any issues with it coming off unless i slide it though so i just assumed thats how its designed

Same here. You have to apply a pretty good amount of pressure to get it off.

 

[mitchgo61]

The battery cover on my brand new silver is nice and tight. I wonder if that problem has been solved going forward?

Thinking the same thing.....both of my FFs have seriously snug covers. And my new silver has a very authoritative heat button. I'm wondering if we are already seeing some quality control improvements in the midst of FF gen 1.

 

[Tickdickler]

Thinking the same thing.....both of my FFs have seriously snug covers. And my new silver has a very authoritative heat button. I'm wondering if we are already seeing some quality control improvements in the midst of FF gen 1.

I have a loose battery cover and the heat button wiggles loosely side to side. Is this normal with the older generation?

 

[2 Paces]

my new silver has a very authoritative heat button.

That's good to hear. I don't like the button they chose at all, but the first one I had was better than my replacement. The one I have now sometimes doesn't even click when it turns on, and sometimes won't engage without serious attention to exactly where I am pressing.

In general I think the button is awful. Even my first one that worked better was never what I would call good. It just never gave a satisfying click to me, and only had a certain area that activated it. And that one worked better than the one I have now.

I love the Firefly, but I wish it had a different heat button.

 

[biojuggernaut]

Has anyone tried those tobacco chambers yet? Additionally, does any ones vapexhale/evo mesh caps fit into the firefly. It would make the 14gong joint I use for the Waterpipe much less variable, not having to use head shop screens jammed into the glassmale joint.

Additionally, Gnome makes a glass 14mm stem that would be a perfect ALLGLASS vaporpath from the FF.

 

[mitchgo61]

I have a loose battery cover and the heat button wiggles loosely side to side. Is this normal with the older generation?

Yes, both of those issues have been reported by users here. My first silver FF had a cover that I wouldn't describe as loose, but it was definitely less snug than the newer ones. The heat button also had a little side-to-side play. You might give FF a call and see if they will send you a replacement cover.

The one I have now sometimes doesn't even click when it turns on, and sometimes won't engage without serious attention to exactly where I am pressing.

In general I think the button is awful. Even my first one that worked better was never what I would call good. It just never gave a satisfying click to me, and only had a certain area that activated it. And that one worked better than the one I have now.

My Red FF had this exact issue...I described the button as "mushy". I was concerned that it would degrade, but, oddly, it has resolved itself and now clicks unambiguously. Very weird.

The new Silver seems to have everything right...solid cover, great button, super strong magnet lid, and a perfect temperature profile. Hopefully this is a sign of better QC, but it's still very new, so I'm not declaring victory just yet.

 

[Adobewan]

As I mentioned, mine has the less than snug fitting battery cover, but it also has a wiggly heat button(thought that was how it was designed till reading these recent posts), but otherwise it works wonderfully.
With that in mind, I'm thinking I could wait until they actually present a problem or is that sort of patience going to bite me in the ass in the long run?

 

[vapin baby boomer]

As I mentioned, mine has the less than snug fitting battery cover, but it also has a wiggly heat button(thought that was how it was designed till reading these recent posts), but otherwise it works wonderfully.
With that in mind, I'm thinking I could wait until they actually present a problem or is that sort of patience going to bite me in the ass in the long run?

I say if it's working wonderfully, don't ditch it. If it messes up before the warranty runs out, it sounds like Firefly will replace it, so no need to give her up yet.

 

[fernand]

With that in mind, I'm thinking I could wait until they actually present a problem or is that sort of patience going to bite me in the ass in the long run?

If it bites BOTH of us, we can be sure it won't be half-assed ;-) But yes, I'm thinking the same thing. I'm not happy at all with it at this point in its birth->death journey. It requires attention, and that "sucks".

 

[NYC5IKH5jabi]

Does anyone know what size the torque key would be to remove the screws to expose the heater? My FF has died it seems. Gets warm but not hot, orange glow is also not as bright as it should be.

 

[WildChild]

Does anyone know what size the torque key would be to remove the screws to expose the heater? My FF has died it seems. Gets warm but not hot, orange glow is also not as bright as it should be.

A Torx 5 or 6 works very well. I use the 6.

As others have mentioned, please consider the risk of voiding your warrantee if you attempt repairs yourself.

The best of luck.