The Grasshopper

Status
Not open for further replies.

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
After looking at the video again it seems that they are not inhaling and holding in their hits, especially the girl on the right. Looks like she's just bringing the vapor into her mouth, not her lungs and then exhaling which makes her coughing seem kind of out of place. Did you guys get the same sense of what's going on here or is it just my skeptic mind playing tricks on me?
@lwien - I am basically seeing the same thing (e.g., mouth pumping, not lung pulling & holding in hits). I don't think I've ever been able to produce that much dense vapor on a single mouth pump like these gals did. The cough is no surprise, as these girls obviously are not practiced "Vape actresses" able to control their breath with precision, so an accidental minor inhale put a little choke into the script. Most vapes can be made to combust when used at their highest temps, but the video purports to show them vaping at mid-temps, where combustion should be all but improbable, and damn near impossible with mere single/double mouth pumps. If, in fact, such high temps are achievable that can scorch the load, then certainly those temps can be dialed back one way or other. In all, I can only speculate here in a vacuum void of hard facts. Again, for me, this vid raises more questions & doubt than confidence in the reporting.
 
Last edited:

RastaBuddhaTao

Well-Known Member
Manufacturer
Spinuch that is a pretty impressive battery collection that you have. I am currently looking to find a high drain IMR battery. The Orbtronic has a killer mah rating.... what is the current rating. I am running at times slightly higher than 10 Amps so I need a 15 amp and up battery. Currently using the Sony's which are amazing batteries but a but on the expensive side.

Yeh the trick with made in America using Chinese parts is the supplier quality program you put in place. With a rigorous supplier quality plan (vendor screening, process flow mapping, process failure modes and effects analysis, quality inspection plan, material certification documentation, etc.) quality parts can be made in Asia. The trick with any part is a relentless focus on defining and measuring quality. I would argue that Made in America lost much if it's credit in the 80's when Honda and Toyota introduced six sigma principles to the car industry.

Quality isn't a place but rather a mindset. Quality is second only to the customer which in turn makes it first :) Determining the "critical few" characteristics and there limits in the design phase is critical so that you can 100% inspect these in production is key along with the right in-process and functional checks during the process is key. That is why spending the time and money up front (often a step skipped to "save money") is critical to ensuring a reliable product for the customer and to keep the warranty reserve cost under 3% as a manufacture.

I worked as a supplier quality engineer/manager for 5 years in a fortune 500 company. Don't get me wrong, I still believe that American Made is still a lower total cost given time, location and language barriers. You can make a supplier in China work, it just takes a focused and continual effort and you have to put "feet on the ground" there at least quarterly to show a presence and show that you are committed. Companies are often times short saving and look only at the part cost and don't consider the cost of poor quality. One big recall and there goes all of your savings.

That's my I choose a contract manufacturer that is less than an hour away. I am still old school and feel that building face to face relationships is often forgotten about in these days. God bless America!
 
Last edited:

fonzerelli

Well-Known Member
I think I'll just passive/aggressively let this one slide. :goon:



Ok KZ. Didn't mean to add to anyone's anxiety about this. It was just a comment on the video. It just seemed very odd to me, but I'll refrain from making anymore comments.

That's pretty funny, because I was about to comment that you were being your usual passive/aggressive, nit picking, shit stirring self, again!

I haven't figured out yet if you are a serious whiner, or incredibly sarcastic. Judging by how nobody ever calls you out for your ridiculous posts, I'm leaning towards sarcasm, but it's difficult to say with confidence.

mod note: Please review the 'be nice' section of the rules. You don't get to dictate the thread content. Dissenting opinion and arguing is allowed. Being disrespectful isn't.
 

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
So still no real shipping date. The amount of trouble these people have had with a charger is just very concerning to me.
It doesn't sound to me like the internal engineering is at fault, but rather the manufacturing end of things mostly ...at least as they tell it.

Fortune Cookie: Tentatively stated end of February projection may give way to a gateway light at the end of the tunnel.
 

Shrike

Flower Potted, Maxed, & Rio'd.
lwien isn't saying anything that shouldn't be said by any of us. The video does raise some questions for those of us that are looking a bit closer at it. If you don't have a healthy skepticism in your life about something that is trying to be sold to you, then...caveat emptor...:rant: :disgust:

I know lwien doesn't have any skin in this project...but I do. I ordered during the crowd sourcing a Ti with case and extra battery. I want this Vape to work and at least live up to some of the expectations they told us we would be experiencing. If this all ends up a bust, then lesson learned. You roll them die and take your chances. :shrug:

We've all had a year plus now to hope, speculate, deride and joke about the 'Hopper. The fact that some new problem or delay keeps cropping up is disconcerting for all of us. In the end I guess we'll all have the Vape over the next few months (hopefully) and at that time we can all decide whether we've been taken for a ride or that this Vape is the next best thing since sliced bread...:tup:
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
It looks like the company was able to raise around $366,000.00 through pre orders. That would be roughly 3660 people responded if everybody gave around $100. Folks are definitely interested other than FC members.
 

Mr.tuffyino-h-i-o

Well-Known Member
stir.gif
 

OF

Well-Known Member
What's lame is the incessant and pointless whining.

I get it it's annoying for some, but I suggest it comes with the territory. You've fired up the locals, they've showed up with high hopes and there's no show. Lucky it isn't a European Soccer match or we'd have a different set of problems.

IMO we'd much rather be talking about how neat it is, but we didn't call the meeting.....

Anyway, in the absence of anything better to talk about, such speculation is to be expected. Sort of like being able to predict the Chinese New Year shutdown?

Not mutually exclusive. I am an incredibly sarcastic, nit picking, shit stirring, serious whiner and I wear that description with pride. As far as the passive/aggressive label, I only use that for very special occasions. :cool:

And we wouldn't have you any other way. Such a post would lead to widespread speculation your account had been hacked I think?

OTOH, your thoughts are popular (lots of us share them), if strongly stated sometimes. I see no foul there. OTOH from that other hand, you must be hitting the odd raw nerve?

If the PCB wasn't working properly, how can they start trickle shipping units? Am I missing something?

I assume they'll modify/rework them as they did already, or rush 'first articles' (less likely IMO). While it might be nice to finally get one, if I were in the game I'd rather wait a few weeks more and get the corrected version from a normal run?

It doesn't sound to me like the internal engineering is at fault, but rather the manufacturing end of things mostly ...at least as they tell it.

Bingo! Or very close to it IMO. But I think the problem is higher up, in the project management area. I suggest Engineering is going on right now, some might say at a frenzied pace? That should have ended two releases back. This first production run should be running on the proven design from the Pilot Run. Which should never have got here because the details were worked out in Beta Testing.

I sure hope those guys making parts in China are following exacting instructions, if they are designing PCBs, rather than making them from GH's design, I fear for the worst. That design should have been 'locked down' and proven to be easy to build by the procedures specified and reliable in service before it went to production. At least that's the way I was trained to play this game.

So I don't see it as an engineering failure.......they were never given the time/system to do their job. They're now playing catch up ball. With very high stakes. No pressure there.

Hopefully it'll get going somehow. Often, once started, it's much easier to keep them moving than it ever was to get moving?

And then we can see how it meets those claims in the real world.

OF
 

Chill Dude

Well-Known Member
I agree, this means it's bound to be a 'take a quick hit or two' deal, not a session/sharing vape. A personal vape if you will?

Why? The Grasshopper folks claim you should be able to get three to four sessions from a fully charged battery. You do not think this is possible/probable?

I am disappointed with the probability that stirring will be necessary. I see your point that due to the narrow and long nature of the chamber stirring will most likely be needed. I tend to gravitate to vapes that don't requires stirring, but I can live with it.

Let's talk about stirring the load rather than stirring the shit!!
 

Vapoholic420

-Loyal To The Oil-
Hey, everyone. Imho, I'd rather have them take as much time as they need to make this vape function properly right from the start, and not be rushed and end up bringing an inferior vape to market, instead of something that could have been way better, just bcuz we want it right now! That's basically setting them up to fail. If people would stop nagging about every little thing and rushing them for updates and what not, maybe they can actually get some work done and get it finished for us!! I understand everyone's frustration, and I too am waiting for a titanium one with an extra battery, but I really would rather they take as much time as needed to perfect it, B4 they release it, otherwise people are definitely gonna be even more pissed off when they finally get the vape and it doesn't work that well, or it stops working in a few days due to something that could have been avoided if they weren't trying to rush it to market bcuz of angry, and impatient funders. Plus if they rush it and that happens, they risk going out of business due to too many warranty claims being made at once, and then we're all gonna be shit out of luck with non-working vapes and no warranties or way of getting them fixed at all!! So to me it just makes sense to let them do whatever they need to do to make this thing live up to the hype! Plus, if we've all waited this long, I'm sure we can wait just a little bit longer so that we end up getting a better vape out of the deal! But that's just my opinion. :-) No disrespect meant to anyone.
 

RastaBuddhaTao

Well-Known Member
Manufacturer
Sorry, shit-stirring requires a special lid tool, sold separately.
Totally adding that as a feature on my vape... that's why I love FC lol

... and totally agree with Vapoholic. Manufactures need the support of their customers in times like these so they can do the do diligence and not create a vast warranty issue that ultimately kills the business. Integrity cannot be rushed :)
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
That's right, you want them to take as much time as they need. Don't make them feel rushed or they will release the unit before it's ready. Then they will have a flood of faulty units coming back. That is expensive for a company and frustrates (or pisses off) the customer.

Remember the Davinci Ascent nightmare? Relax and use one of your other units in the lineup. You could have a pool and see who comes up with the right day this little wonder will be released? The winner will win imaginary money and a congratulations with lots of likes.:2c::leaf:
 

OF

Well-Known Member
Why? The Grasshopper folks claim you should be able to get three to four sessions from a fully charged battery. You do not think this is possible/probable?

Let's talk about stirring the load rather than stirring the shit!!

Because I think 4 to 10 minutes is not what most consider a session. Let alone several. Ten times that isn't enough for a 'session vape' to many. Consider vapes like Solo.

And, no matter how you slice it, less than ten minutes is a lot less than the over 320 originally claimed. LOTS of sessions in 320 minutes. No, I don't think most will find 3 minute (or less) sessions 'on par'.

I get it you're of a mind to 'shoot the messenger' here, but IMO I'm just stating the facts as I see them. If you have a question or other facts to offer I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, I'll thank you not to accuse me of being less than honest?

TIA

That's right, you want them to take as much time as they need. Don't make them feel rushed or they will release the unit before it's ready. Then they will have a flood of faulty units coming back. That is expensive for a company and frustrates (or pisses off) the customer.

Well put Lady, once again. This is not a good time to rush, unfortunately they are way behind the schedule they laid down. I've 'been there' too many times. I used to live in dread of the fallout of 'quick release'. You're absolutely right, you can easily go broke that way with an otherwise 'can't miss' product in a proven market.

Lots of start ups get caught this way, many weather it out. Fingers crossed we're watching such a drama unfold before us? GH is still on it's feet (all 6) and seems to be moving forward......much better than some of the alternatives.

OF
 

Chill Dude

Well-Known Member
I get it you're of a mind to 'shoot the messenger' here, but IMO I'm just stating the facts as I see them. If you have a question or other facts to offer I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, I'll thank you not to accuse me of being less than honest?

My last comment wasn't directed at you LOL. It was just a comment based upon several previous posts from others. Sorry for the confusion.OF, you are a fine messenger and I would never shoot you!!

You're probably right that the Grasshopper will not be a good session vape, but I hope you're wrong. I was hoping to get at least 3 sessions on full charge. If your initial analysis is correct, many people will be very disappointed. In fact, if the battery life is that short, my Hopper will be in the classified section on day one!!
 
Last edited:

OF

Well-Known Member
My last comment wasn't directed at you LOL. It was just a comment based upon several previous posts from others. Sorry for the confusion.OF, you are a fine messenger and I would never shoot you!!

You're probably right that the Grasshopper will not be a good session vape, but I hope you're wrong. I was hoping to get at least 3 sessions on full charge. If your initial analysis is correct, many people will be very disappointed. In fact, if the battery life is that short, my Hopper will be in the classified section on day one!!

Good to know, I'm not longer as good at dodging as I once was, and no longer consider myself bulletproof......

I think it'll come down to what you consider a session to be. In 'horsepower to weight ratio' terms I suspect it'll come in above MFLB by a bit, along with Evolution (a load or two well done in good hands) and way short of Cera LL (perhaps 30 to 40 minutes of usable run time). It will get a boost over Evolution and Cera in that it's not burning battery idling between hits.

It's not going to compare well to session vapes like Solo and them guys......then again, they can mess up the hang of one's trousers when carried in a pocket unlike GH?

Life is a compromise.

OF
 

OF

Well-Known Member
3 minutes of actual vaping? If a hit takes 10 seconds, that's 18 per charge. For my purposes, that's more than enough...

I agree. It should cover many/most of those that take it hit by hit. Others will be looking for more I fear.

Potentially a good/great 'quick hit or two' vape, not a good choice for session vape I think. Four plus hours not withstanding.

As six pack is good for a week for some, a few innings for others?

OF
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom