GoldenBud
Well-Known Member
you will get it sooner then, i don't mind waiting another month
The GTR
- Thread starter Alan
- Start date
-
- Tags
- 12v 18mm heavy-hitter wood
coolbreeze
Well-Known Member
I'm good with the wait. I've been waiting to see if any have been showing up partially to gauge the wait but mostly just to join the fun of an awesome new release. Glad to see people getting them, now let's see the fun!
I was fortunate that @Alan agreed kindly to sell me a few weeks ago a 14mm male end iteration of the GTR. I will share pics and first impressions when I receive it. Should be shipped this week due to other things I needed from @Alan when I contacted him. Really thrilled to be maybe the first owner of this version! And also the potential for glass and wooden bowls/tubes to be shared with my UD Alfa and my CL!
I’m just realizing how much $ I’ve got invested in glass/tubes/stems for different units. I’ve got another $50 of stuff in my cart right now to try and get my TM2 to a better place for me. So when my name comes up soonish I’m going to get the GTR to take the same size stems as the iHeat. And in addition to new roasting tubes for them, I’ll ask Alan about adding a paper roasting tube that’ll fit the TM2…..
I have adopted the paper tubes for the Heat Island and the UD SC3s. If you make them properly and clean the screen regularly until you make another one and do them a full cleaning you will really enjoy them! I have a couple for the UD Alfa coming with my order and corks and silicone sleeves to make paper tubes for my devices they can work with and I have lot of hemp paper. I will experiment more but I do recommend, and best of all they are easy to make and you can make your own - a way to save some $$$.
sickmanfraud
Well-Known Member
My GTR just arrived. It is gorgeous. Like you I asked Alan about paper Tubes including one for the TM. The tinymight seals the Tube by use of the red o-ring. I had an issue with inserting the Tube in a way that the tube could get past the red o-ring.
I have not contacted Alan about the issue. I did get a beautiful walnut stem to match my TM.
Zillacon
🤠🤠🤠🤠
Recently received a male and female GTR...and they are beautifully crafted (as expected from Alan). I am still messing around with it. Anyone using an RBT wpa try and stem pack w/ the female gtr? I am feeling like it may be a bit too far away from the heater.
Anywho, imgur is being a pain but I did get to upload 1 pic of the male.
Anywho, imgur is being a pain but I did get to upload 1 pic of the male.
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
Gorgeous, you should be able to upload more photos into the same imgur album so you just have to press arrows to scroll through and see them all...
Also I find loading into the joint is perfect with the GTR f, you want to have enough room because it builds up heat when it's left sitting on heat soaking, lets you run higher settings more forgiving for that top scorch, if I use basket screens close to the tip, I have to take extremely short quick rips so I just do shallow one hitters that way) and yeah the RBT WPA are 19/19 which also can be a bit more forgiving since my GTR-F is 19/26 (I got a bunch of new ones with handles on them from good vibes boro so they are perfect for GTR)
Zillacon
🤠🤠🤠🤠
Apparently there is an issue with Android and uploading. I actually had to go in and adjust the file size of that one photo for it to just upload. Advice on a better image hosting service?
I am excited to go home and give it a try. What voltage are you setting it to on the ATM for you GTR-F and stem packing?
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
Oh, for my phone, I always use the mobile browser, imgur you need to select desktop view though, then I can upload as many images, and paste the top URL here to display a full album... Otherwise for single photos I use imgbb in the mobile browser, just upload and then paste the full bbcode here (only what is in the IMG brackets not what is in the URL brackets)
I think around 10v but I haven't tried with some of these new stems again yet, I think I posted what settings I was using here? I always have to look in a thread, for my last post, when I haven't used a vape in a while like this, to see what settings I was at lol
attackpoints
Well-Known Member
The worming around the input is so cool.
yeswecann
Well-Known Member
Yeah! And…that piece is crazy.I'll try to get a video up soon. It can chuck clouds with the best of them, thats for sure.
EDIT: Alright, here is a rather "prodigious" (pun intended) hit with the GTR. Really shows you how powerful it is that it can milk up a piece this big that quicklyThis hit is on 10.2 volts
My thoughts exactly. I've been looking at ball vapes but then got back into reading about logs. Here I am.
My thoughts exactly. I've been looking at ball vapes but then got back into reading about logs. Here I am.
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Have been so busy lately, that I haven’t a chance to post any updates.
The design of the female GTR has changed a bit. No more metal ring at the top, just wood now, as you can see from some of the recent posts people have made. Thanks @Zillacon
There is stainless steel foil lining the body on both the male and female versions, to help keep the wood temperature lower and reflect some of the heat back to the glass.
Tried making a 14mm male version of the GTR using a standard 14mm fitting, but the hole in the taper section was too small to allow the heater fins. Instead, I ground a 14mm taper onto a plain 16mm glass tube. This allows the heater and screen fins to fit at the very end of the glass tube. The air flow is also better with the larger ID. Here is how it looks.
Since that worked well, thought I would try cutting a 19mm taper onto a 3/4” ss tube to use as a GTR heater cover. It worked quite well. Here is how it looks. I call it the GTR-SS.
It uses Heat Island Technology to prevent the heat from conducting down to the wood base. The air flow is even better, since the inlet slots are longer due to the larger tube size. It has screen fins attached to the heater, just like with the glass GTR’s. SS foil is not necessary for the wood, since the ss heater cover shields the radiant heat. It only uses about as much heat as a Heat Island or glass GTR (6.5 to 7 watts), so it can easily be contained within a wood body for safety.
Plan to also make a 14mm female glass version of the GTR. Will need to get some 14mm ss tubing to make a 14mm ss male version.
The design of the female GTR has changed a bit. No more metal ring at the top, just wood now, as you can see from some of the recent posts people have made. Thanks @Zillacon
There is stainless steel foil lining the body on both the male and female versions, to help keep the wood temperature lower and reflect some of the heat back to the glass.
Tried making a 14mm male version of the GTR using a standard 14mm fitting, but the hole in the taper section was too small to allow the heater fins. Instead, I ground a 14mm taper onto a plain 16mm glass tube. This allows the heater and screen fins to fit at the very end of the glass tube. The air flow is also better with the larger ID. Here is how it looks.
Since that worked well, thought I would try cutting a 19mm taper onto a 3/4” ss tube to use as a GTR heater cover. It worked quite well. Here is how it looks. I call it the GTR-SS.
It uses Heat Island Technology to prevent the heat from conducting down to the wood base. The air flow is even better, since the inlet slots are longer due to the larger tube size. It has screen fins attached to the heater, just like with the glass GTR’s. SS foil is not necessary for the wood, since the ss heater cover shields the radiant heat. It only uses about as much heat as a Heat Island or glass GTR (6.5 to 7 watts), so it can easily be contained within a wood body for safety.
Plan to also make a 14mm female glass version of the GTR. Will need to get some 14mm ss tubing to make a 14mm ss male version.
And I have been fortunate to become the owner of the 14mm Male GTR. I thanked @Alan i don’t know how many times for that but again thank you @Alan. This GTR has become my daily driver and I cannot see that changing soon unless I get to try those new GTR-SSHave been so busy lately, that I haven’t a chance to post any updates.
The design of the female GTR has changed a bit. No more metal ring at the top, just wood now, as you can see from some of the recent posts people have made. Thanks @Zillacon
There is stainless steel foil lining the body on both the male and female versions, to help keep the wood temperature lower and reflect some of the heat back to the glass.
Tried making a 14mm male version of the GTR using a standard 14mm fitting, but the hole in the taper section was too small to allow the heater fins. Instead, I ground a 14mm taper onto a plain 16mm glass tube. This allows the heater and screen fins to fit at the very end of the glass tube. The air flow is also better with the larger ID. Here is how it looks.
Since that worked well, thought I would try cutting a 19mm taper onto a 3/4” ss tube to use as a GTR heater cover. It worked quite well. Here is how it looks. I call it the GTR-SS.
It uses Heat Island Technology to prevent the heat from conducting down to the wood base. The air flow is even better, since the inlet slots are longer due to the larger tube size. It has screen fins attached to the heater, just like with the glass GTR’s. SS foil is not necessary for the wood, since the ss heater cover shields the radiant heat. It only uses about as much heat as a Heat Island or glass GTR (6.5 to 7 watts), so it can easily be contained within a wood body for safety.
Plan to also make a 14mm female glass version of the GTR. Will need to get some 14mm ss tubing to make a 14mm ss male version.
. The 14mm GTR is all flavour, I have been liking it for 1 or two fluffy tasty hits in the pipes that @Alan made for it - will post pics when I do a more detailed review. It has been with me for about a couple of months now and I am still discovering it. It worked well so far at low and higher level of the vvps dial. At a lower level of the dial, under 10v, I found needed a larger load closer to the heater and prefer using it between 10.5v and 11v. I really like it and one nice thing is I can share some roasting tubes and bowls with the 14mm Couchlog and the UD Alfa. Will share more when I get some time over the holidays and put some order in my notes.
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
blokenoname
DIY Log Dabbler 😁🪵💪💨💨💨
That looks greatHave been so busy lately, that I haven’t a chance to post any updates.
The design of the female GTR has changed a bit. No more metal ring at the top, just wood now, as you can see from some of the recent posts people have made. Thanks @Zillacon
There is stainless steel foil lining the body on both the male and female versions, to help keep the wood temperature lower and reflect some of the heat back to the glass.
Tried making a 14mm male version of the GTR using a standard 14mm fitting, but the hole in the taper section was too small to allow the heater fins. Instead, I ground a 14mm taper onto a plain 16mm glass tube. This allows the heater and screen fins to fit at the very end of the glass tube. The air flow is also better with the larger ID. Here is how it looks.
Since that worked well, thought I would try cutting a 19mm taper onto a 3/4” ss tube to use as a GTR heater cover. It worked quite well. Here is how it looks. I call it the GTR-SS.
It uses Heat Island Technology to prevent the heat from conducting down to the wood base. The air flow is even better, since the inlet slots are longer due to the larger tube size. It has screen fins attached to the heater, just like with the glass GTR’s. SS foil is not necessary for the wood, since the ss heater cover shields the radiant heat. It only uses about as much heat as a Heat Island or glass GTR (6.5 to 7 watts), so it can easily be contained within a wood body for safety.
Plan to also make a 14mm female glass version of the GTR. Will need to get some 14mm ss tubing to make a 14mm ss male version.
Regarding the heater cartridge... there's a larger/longer variant of the small heater cartridge with more surface area, the 24V/80W version of which will give you a nice 20W max output, with only 12V applied at about 1,5A.
I used these in the few injector type DIYs, I experimented with and they turned out to be real beasts
I occasionally added an additional glass or ss tube around it, when the GonG adapters I utilized for a body turned out to be a bit too wide/large.
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yeswecann
Well-Known Member
Amazing developments! Does that mean there will be eight different GTR options:Have been so busy lately, that I haven’t a chance to post any updates.
The design of the female GTR has changed a bit. No more metal ring at the top, just wood now, as you can see from some of the recent posts people have made. Thanks @Zillacon
There is stainless steel foil lining the body on both the male and female versions, to help keep the wood temperature lower and reflect some of the heat back to the glass.
Tried making a 14mm male version of the GTR using a standard 14mm fitting, but the hole in the taper section was too small to allow the heater fins. Instead, I ground a 14mm taper onto a plain 16mm glass tube. This allows the heater and screen fins to fit at the very end of the glass tube. The air flow is also better with the larger ID. Here is how it looks.
Since that worked well, thought I would try cutting a 19mm taper onto a 3/4” ss tube to use as a GTR heater cover. It worked quite well. Here is how it looks. I call it the GTR-SS.
It uses Heat Island Technology to prevent the heat from conducting down to the wood base. The air flow is even better, since the inlet slots are longer due to the larger tube size. It has screen fins attached to the heater, just like with the glass GTR’s. SS foil is not necessary for the wood, since the ss heater cover shields the radiant heat. It only uses about as much heat as a Heat Island or glass GTR (6.5 to 7 watts), so it can easily be contained within a wood body for safety.
Plan to also make a 14mm female glass version of the GTR. Will need to get some 14mm ss tubing to make a 14mm ss male version.
- GTR-Glass Male 14 mm
- GTR-Glass Female 14 mm
- GTR-Glass Male 18 mm
- GTR-Glass Female 18 mm
- GTR-SS Male 14 mm
- GTR-SS Female 14 mm
- GTR-SS Male 18 mm
- GTR-SS Female 18 mm
That's a powerful heater. @Alan What do you think would happen if you put copper balls around the heater instead of SS fins?That looks great
Regarding the heater cartridge... there's a larger/longer variant of the small heater cartridge with more surface area, the 24V/80W version of which will give you a nice 20W max output, with only 12V applied at about 1,5A.
I used these in the few injector type DIYs, I experimented with and they turned out to be real beasts
I occasionally added an additional glass or ss tube around it, when the GonG adapters I utilized for a body turned out to be a bit too wide/large.
@blokenoname - That longer cartridge heater looks great. Similar in size to 110v version I used in the old GTV. It would allow for twice as many screen fins, which would really increase the surface area and decrease the power needed. The shorter cartridge heaters allow me to position the heater farther away from the power plug, so there is minimal heat migration. The ss heater wires limit how much heat can be conducted, which is nice. Still just using bare wires, so there is no fiberglass or silicone wire insulation in the air path.
Thanks @yeswecann That does mean there can be eight different GTR options. Just need to get the right size ss tubing for the 18mm female and 14mm male/female versions. Those in addition to the eight different Heat Island heater cover options makes sixteen possible heater covers total that I can make.
9. HI - Glass open end 10mm
10. HI - Glass slit end 10mm
11. HI - Glass open end 12mm
12. HI - Glass slit end 12mm
13. HI - SS 3/8”
14. HI - SS short 3/8”
15. HI - SS 7/16”
16. HI - SS short 7/16”
Copper balls around the heater is certainly possible, but keeping them away from the heater wires, where they would short out, might be a challenge. The air flow won’t be as good as with the screen fins and the wattage will need to be higher. 24k gold beads might be a better option, since they are hollow and have more surface area. Still the challenge of preventing shorts on the heater wires. Gold is inert, so there will be no added taste. Surprised nobody sells a 24k gold banger / insert.
Thanks @yeswecann That does mean there can be eight different GTR options. Just need to get the right size ss tubing for the 18mm female and 14mm male/female versions. Those in addition to the eight different Heat Island heater cover options makes sixteen possible heater covers total that I can make.
9. HI - Glass open end 10mm
10. HI - Glass slit end 10mm
11. HI - Glass open end 12mm
12. HI - Glass slit end 12mm
13. HI - SS 3/8”
14. HI - SS short 3/8”
15. HI - SS 7/16”
16. HI - SS short 7/16”
Copper balls around the heater is certainly possible, but keeping them away from the heater wires, where they would short out, might be a challenge. The air flow won’t be as good as with the screen fins and the wattage will need to be higher. 24k gold beads might be a better option, since they are hollow and have more surface area. Still the challenge of preventing shorts on the heater wires. Gold is inert, so there will be no added taste. Surprised nobody sells a 24k gold banger / insert.
blokenoname
DIY Log Dabbler 😁🪵💪💨💨💨
I really like your idea of getting more heat out of less wattage there, by simply expanding the surface area of the smaller cartridge
As I have nearly all the parts ready, I'll experiment
a bit with that concept for myself in one of my Misty Log bodies tonight, to see, if I can make such a fat lady of a glass heater cover sing 
with the small 7.5W cartridge only. Only thing missing right now... are enough screens, to form the fins from (just two 20mm screens left right now -sigh- 
). I'll try with some rolled up fine mesh around the heater for now, till I get a new pack of screens.Edit/Update: Oh Hell
! Now I've created a monster vape! 
That DOES indeed work out perfectly, with just the small cartridge plus the heater surface expansion!
That's pure genius there with your GTR, @Alan
Probably the most lightweight Injection Type vape that runs on a mere 6-7W!
Have some pics on my own DIY/Misty thread soon... but for now, I'm just floored!
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yeswecann
Well-Known Member
This noob confesses to being more confused given the HI cover options! I think I'd choose SS so it's unbreakable. As to the dimensions, most powerful would be non-short 7/16"? Does the 3/8 map to 14 mm and 7/16 map to 18 mm? I'll leave the materials engineering to you! Do each affect the body size available? Are the "short"s for the mini units?
Awesome Sauce! I love the practicality and finesse you and Alan brings to the log and electronics space.I really like your idea of getting more heat out of less wattage there, by simply expanding the surface area of the smaller cartridge
As I have nearly all the parts ready, I'll experiment
Edit/Update: Oh Hell
That DOES indeed work out perfectly, with just the small cartridge plus the heater surface expansion!
That's pure genius there with your GTR, @Alan
Probably the most lightweight Injection Type vape that runs on a mere 6-7W!
Have some pics on my own DIY/Misty thread soon... but for now, I'm just floored!
Happy New Year everyone on FC, Mods, member users and member device and accessories makers/manufacturers and thank you all for what FC has helped me in the last couple of years improve significantly the way I medicate or just get high using vaporizers.
I edited several time this post but decided now that I am not reading and editing again, so I am going to just share my last version from last week, and the GTR has been with me now for 6 weeks, not two months!
First Impressions
This creation of @Alan’s is a friendly beast that is capable of stellar performance! I am really impressed by what he has achieved with this GTR in terms of airflow and performance! We all know about his craftsmanship and enjoy the creativity in his clever designs but the Maple Burl goes well with the lightness of its natural beauty that I like to just look at. It has not been with me for long and i have still much to learn and discover…
The first few things that ran in my mind after the first couple of bowls were flavour, airflow, and ‘I need a back up!’. But the most outstanding thing for me is how effortless it can be to get incredibly thick tasty hits and satisfying and intense effects that seem to be long lasting. The ease of use and the ability to deliver top performance also so easily would make it the Tinymight of my log vapes!
Overall and inspired by what @GrassYess said of his Couchlog and I own one, I would say that this GTR too is versatile and extracts efficiently. It works well with small and larger loads, accommodates, and well, slow draws as well as faster draws, and it seems to also handle well low and more heat to deliver incredibly tasty one hits, or more ‘session’ like up to 3-4 hits in my experience so far with still some lingering taste in the last hit, if there is still any vapour to inhale! It has become a daily driver with a preeminent position lately and I love it indeed.
Heater - Extraction - No looking for a ‘Sweet Spot’ for me
I tend to use my vapes on the lower end of their power, so at first I didn’t see myself running the GTR higher than 5.5W. After using it exclusively for a week during its third week with me and playing with different power settings and roasting tubes and bowls things seem to have changed a bit in my vaping patterns. I must say that for the first time I am enjoying a device at a bit higher than usual power level around 6W. A smaller load - rapid straw draw - in one of the wooden pipes or glass lined wooden tubes at 6w, and a long slow draw - but not too long - and I get a thick in the mouth terpy tasty one hit extraction. At 5.5W I use glass tubes/bowls and can get up to 3-4 hits.
Extraction is generally very clean, and I get a nice evenly roasted goldish – (sunflower looking under bright light) avb, even when there is no more left to extract. I prefer to use Watt as a reference (read from my watt meters coupled with @Alan’s voltage controllers or from the ATM) because vvps display some variations but I set the dial between 10.5v and 11v for Tinymight worry free like use, sometime letting myself wander at 11.5v-11.7v – still testing tough at this level. I also find in my use that this vape performs better when there is a gap between the load and heater at higher temp.
The GTR heats up fast, no surprise it being an offspring of the Heat Island Technology, and after it is heat soaked and depending on your draw speed you can have a few quick back to back bowls – I have had up to 4 so far – without loosing heat to affect performance, but you can’t do the Couchlog unplugged thing. I usually turn off the power on my logs when I go to bed and turn them on when I wake up in the morning letting them get heat soaked for at least an hour, generally more because I am getting ready for my day going through my morning routines, and I will have my first bowl when I sit down and start my computer for work.
The GTR is so efficient and versatile that I have stopped looking for a ‘sweet spot’, as I can obtain optimal performance easily anywhere between 5W and 6W. Even higher the dial you can do long slow draw without combusting as long the proper technique is applied and you are mindful that you are holding a powerful beast in you hand! I don’t use often the GTR at 11.5v or higher on the vvvps dial, but I have obtained some nice warm hits, dry or with j-hooks or the IDB CC Prophet dry rig at that level too. The “hockey puck” load that Alan recommends has allowed me to use the GTR at higher heat with confidence and take advantage of the versatility at either low or high heat an$ like both experience although it really shines for me starting now at 6W and aiming at 6.5W, but I combusted a few times before liking the results and I am still experimenting. Very tiny load (screen covered or filled), the “hockey puck” and far from the heater work well with the wooden tubes with glass mouthpiece/insert and the pipes.
I like the flavour better when using the GTR dry, so water won’t be often in the recipe for this device for me, but it was cool and pleasant each time I used water.
Airflow
I noted earlier the exceptional airflow of this hard hitter. As @Alan explains in his post – a couple of posts before this one, the incredible air flow is a result of the changes he made to the initial design of the glass heater cover and where the heater is placed in the tube. Yes, the air flow is so wide open that it can be treacherous and I combusted badly twice using a glass piece with water at just 5W, the GTR was just going and I was pumping heat not paying attention so much I felt really no restriction, and I don’t have very strong lungs! I was thinking that the 14mm Male GTR ranks high among my other vapes with very open airflow, but it looks like the GTR-SS that @Alan introduced earlier may beat it on the airflow and ease of inhaling side of things. I have not really used water cooling much and enjoy the GTR better native, and I can use the glass and wooden tubes only without any need for additional cooling, but I find using with my curved and right angle j-hooks or just a small dry glass piece is a very cool experience in all the meanings of cool
See a couple or so posts before this one @Alan’s post where he explained how he accomplished the wide open airflow.
Tubes and Bowls
I am also testing how it performs with the roasting tubes that came along and the ones I had at home for the CL and for the UD Alfa. I have used it so far mostly natively so much I like the pure clean tasty explosion of each strain’s terpenoids. I also enjoy it with j-hooks or with the IDB CC Prophet dry rig or other glass rigs also dry with or without ashcatcher/drop down attachments. I like long slow pull at low temp or a bit higher temp with the glass tubes and I found some ways to add mouthpieces to circumvent the larger opening but I don’t mind using them without an added mouthpiece. But the stars of the roasting tubes are the pipes and the wooden tubes, they provide me with the most pleasant experience so far, one or two hits per bowl with the botanical far from the heater.
Final thoughts
While I don’t have a favourite between my log vapes or I don’t like to have a favourite, as they each have their unique signature and all have something different to offer, I can say that I really love this GTR after about five weeks of daily use including one week where it was the only device I used. I use it every day, mornings and evenings but I give their turn to the other logs as well during the day, so I get to use them all and they don’t find themselves on a shelf. I don’t decide in advance every day which ones I will use along with the GTR, that happens naturally as my day goes. I even noticed that my stash has not cried for refilling in the last few weeks since I am not using a lot of flower to get properly and deeply medicated for long periods of time during the day and the evening!. My portables and my vapes dedicated to extracts have not found much use for me in the last four to five weeks, even the most recent acquisitions of TM2 and FW8 have been quite idle without feeling I miss them – I have had some Saturday or Sunday RBT-TM-FW jams so they too get used and enjoyed as they deserve. I am grateful for all my logs. And as I am almost getting in my seventies soon I happen to think sometime that log style vapes that I approached late could have been the only devices I ever used if I got interested early. But manipulating a vvps was not something I ever considered in the past when I could just figure out the right TCR with Arctic Fox or Tubo software installed on a mod or just plain wattage. Things change, and I am glad I am open to change as my younger me had been, maybe that’s what brought me in this forum!
And as the year comes to its end, I want to take the opportunity to thank @Alan and the other device and accessories makers that we support, the FC mods and staff and all FC members for the valuable knowledge they share or make the sharing happen, with a special highlight and appreciation of @shitsnacks for his generous dedication and availability – no offence to my other fellow members who may well share this view. 2022 has taken to another improved and better state the way I use herbs to help soothing some of my old age pains and just get high when that’s what I am into! Happy holidays to all and your loved ones hoping 2023 will bring a lot of joy in your hearts.
I edited several time this post but decided now that I am not reading and editing again, so I am going to just share my last version from last week, and the GTR has been with me now for 6 weeks, not two months!
First Impressions
This creation of @Alan’s is a friendly beast that is capable of stellar performance! I am really impressed by what he has achieved with this GTR in terms of airflow and performance! We all know about his craftsmanship and enjoy the creativity in his clever designs but the Maple Burl goes well with the lightness of its natural beauty that I like to just look at. It has not been with me for long and i have still much to learn and discover…
The first few things that ran in my mind after the first couple of bowls were flavour, airflow, and ‘I need a back up!’. But the most outstanding thing for me is how effortless it can be to get incredibly thick tasty hits and satisfying and intense effects that seem to be long lasting. The ease of use and the ability to deliver top performance also so easily would make it the Tinymight of my log vapes!
Overall and inspired by what @GrassYess said of his Couchlog and I own one, I would say that this GTR too is versatile and extracts efficiently. It works well with small and larger loads, accommodates, and well, slow draws as well as faster draws, and it seems to also handle well low and more heat to deliver incredibly tasty one hits, or more ‘session’ like up to 3-4 hits in my experience so far with still some lingering taste in the last hit, if there is still any vapour to inhale! It has become a daily driver with a preeminent position lately and I love it indeed.
Heater - Extraction - No looking for a ‘Sweet Spot’ for me
I tend to use my vapes on the lower end of their power, so at first I didn’t see myself running the GTR higher than 5.5W. After using it exclusively for a week during its third week with me and playing with different power settings and roasting tubes and bowls things seem to have changed a bit in my vaping patterns. I must say that for the first time I am enjoying a device at a bit higher than usual power level around 6W. A smaller load - rapid straw draw - in one of the wooden pipes or glass lined wooden tubes at 6w, and a long slow draw - but not too long - and I get a thick in the mouth terpy tasty one hit extraction. At 5.5W I use glass tubes/bowls and can get up to 3-4 hits.
Extraction is generally very clean, and I get a nice evenly roasted goldish – (sunflower looking under bright light) avb, even when there is no more left to extract. I prefer to use Watt as a reference (read from my watt meters coupled with @Alan’s voltage controllers or from the ATM) because vvps display some variations but I set the dial between 10.5v and 11v for Tinymight worry free like use, sometime letting myself wander at 11.5v-11.7v – still testing tough at this level. I also find in my use that this vape performs better when there is a gap between the load and heater at higher temp.
The GTR heats up fast, no surprise it being an offspring of the Heat Island Technology, and after it is heat soaked and depending on your draw speed you can have a few quick back to back bowls – I have had up to 4 so far – without loosing heat to affect performance, but you can’t do the Couchlog unplugged thing. I usually turn off the power on my logs when I go to bed and turn them on when I wake up in the morning letting them get heat soaked for at least an hour, generally more because I am getting ready for my day going through my morning routines, and I will have my first bowl when I sit down and start my computer for work.
The GTR is so efficient and versatile that I have stopped looking for a ‘sweet spot’, as I can obtain optimal performance easily anywhere between 5W and 6W. Even higher the dial you can do long slow draw without combusting as long the proper technique is applied and you are mindful that you are holding a powerful beast in you hand! I don’t use often the GTR at 11.5v or higher on the vvvps dial, but I have obtained some nice warm hits, dry or with j-hooks or the IDB CC Prophet dry rig at that level too. The “hockey puck” load that Alan recommends has allowed me to use the GTR at higher heat with confidence and take advantage of the versatility at either low or high heat an$ like both experience although it really shines for me starting now at 6W and aiming at 6.5W, but I combusted a few times before liking the results and I am still experimenting. Very tiny load (screen covered or filled), the “hockey puck” and far from the heater work well with the wooden tubes with glass mouthpiece/insert and the pipes.
I like the flavour better when using the GTR dry, so water won’t be often in the recipe for this device for me, but it was cool and pleasant each time I used water.
Airflow
I noted earlier the exceptional airflow of this hard hitter. As @Alan explains in his post – a couple of posts before this one, the incredible air flow is a result of the changes he made to the initial design of the glass heater cover and where the heater is placed in the tube. Yes, the air flow is so wide open that it can be treacherous and I combusted badly twice using a glass piece with water at just 5W, the GTR was just going and I was pumping heat not paying attention so much I felt really no restriction, and I don’t have very strong lungs! I was thinking that the 14mm Male GTR ranks high among my other vapes with very open airflow, but it looks like the GTR-SS that @Alan introduced earlier may beat it on the airflow and ease of inhaling side of things. I have not really used water cooling much and enjoy the GTR better native, and I can use the glass and wooden tubes only without any need for additional cooling, but I find using with my curved and right angle j-hooks or just a small dry glass piece is a very cool experience in all the meanings of cool
See a couple or so posts before this one @Alan’s post where he explained how he accomplished the wide open airflow.
Tubes and Bowls
I am also testing how it performs with the roasting tubes that came along and the ones I had at home for the CL and for the UD Alfa. I have used it so far mostly natively so much I like the pure clean tasty explosion of each strain’s terpenoids. I also enjoy it with j-hooks or with the IDB CC Prophet dry rig or other glass rigs also dry with or without ashcatcher/drop down attachments. I like long slow pull at low temp or a bit higher temp with the glass tubes and I found some ways to add mouthpieces to circumvent the larger opening but I don’t mind using them without an added mouthpiece. But the stars of the roasting tubes are the pipes and the wooden tubes, they provide me with the most pleasant experience so far, one or two hits per bowl with the botanical far from the heater.
Final thoughts
While I don’t have a favourite between my log vapes or I don’t like to have a favourite, as they each have their unique signature and all have something different to offer, I can say that I really love this GTR after about five weeks of daily use including one week where it was the only device I used. I use it every day, mornings and evenings but I give their turn to the other logs as well during the day, so I get to use them all and they don’t find themselves on a shelf. I don’t decide in advance every day which ones I will use along with the GTR, that happens naturally as my day goes. I even noticed that my stash has not cried for refilling in the last few weeks since I am not using a lot of flower to get properly and deeply medicated for long periods of time during the day and the evening!. My portables and my vapes dedicated to extracts have not found much use for me in the last four to five weeks, even the most recent acquisitions of TM2 and FW8 have been quite idle without feeling I miss them – I have had some Saturday or Sunday RBT-TM-FW jams so they too get used and enjoyed as they deserve. I am grateful for all my logs. And as I am almost getting in my seventies soon I happen to think sometime that log style vapes that I approached late could have been the only devices I ever used if I got interested early. But manipulating a vvps was not something I ever considered in the past when I could just figure out the right TCR with Arctic Fox or Tubo software installed on a mod or just plain wattage. Things change, and I am glad I am open to change as my younger me had been, maybe that’s what brought me in this forum!
And as the year comes to its end, I want to take the opportunity to thank @Alan and the other device and accessories makers that we support, the FC mods and staff and all FC members for the valuable knowledge they share or make the sharing happen, with a special highlight and appreciation of @shitsnacks for his generous dedication and availability – no offence to my other fellow members who may well share this view. 2022 has taken to another improved and better state the way I use herbs to help soothing some of my old age pains and just get high when that’s what I am into! Happy holidays to all and your loved ones hoping 2023 will bring a lot of joy in your hearts.
Apologies for the double post but the character limits did not allow me to include the review of the tubes and that part missing in my previous post some may find it useful if they approach @Alan for a 14mm GTR and some roasting tubes. So here it is, with apologies again for back to back post.
- The 14mm design works out well for me for glass tools as here north of the border the 14mm standard is more popular. And another beauty of this design is that a 1/2" screen jammed into a 14mm female joint works as a roasting bowl, and that means you have very affordable options for all glass (except the screen) roasting – I had plenty of 14mm Female to 18mm Male glass adapters and I have been making use of them with j-hooks and other glass as bowls.
- It also works with 19/13mm glass roasting tubes, which are working perfectly with the GTR and I was really surprised to be able to get up to 4 hits with a load as small as just half of the tube’s bowl! On one of the couple I got I added the Ditanium Ti mouthpiece with silicone for a seal. They work also for one hit extraction. A 1/2" x 3/4" silicone sleeve can be stretched over the mouthpiece end for using 10mm or 12mm slit end glass tubes. 13mm basket screen can be used in the 16mm mouthpiece end for use in the Tinymight the way an RBT glass stem can work as a WPA for Tinymight. So many easy and affordable options with@Alan! The end of the 14mm male heater cover makes a seal when held to the end of the 19/13mm glass tubes, which also work with the Couchlog.
- The paper roasting tubes that @Alan makes for the UD Alfa also works with the 14mm GTR and with the CL. A 14mm hole through a cork or wood sleeve allows the paper tube to be the right size. The paper roasting tubes for the 3/8" ss heater cover Heat Island also work with the GTR. So easy to make these tubes, I think I mentioned in one of my post that paper roasting tubes have become part of my arsenal. So enjoyable.
- The wooden maple pipes made for the GTR have been the stars for me. They have a 14mm tapered hole for the 14mm GTR that also work with the 18mm female GTR since the OD is 19mm according to @Alan. Mine have purple heart and bloodwood mouthpiece tubes. A 1/2" round screen is wedged into the bottom of the tapered hole of the Maple part. Alan said “It is tiny, but effective” and it is indeed, especially for a one hit extraction, what I use them for.. May not be able to load as much material with the CL if it extends too far into the taper. Other 14mm adapters can be used with too. I have tried them with my RBT Splinters and they work well too with them.
- @Alan made for me cherry and walnut wood tubes w/ the 14mm female taper, which can also be used with the milaana and female GTR per @Alan – I don’t have a female GTR yet. There’s some sort of ‘magic’ in @Alan’s roasting tubes and I am most impressed by the wooden ones with a slit end glass tube as a mouthpiece. The slit end (noticed only quite late!) glass tubes as mouthpiece for the wooden and glass bowls work well for cooling, allowing longer draws effortlessly. I understand now why I like these bowls with all my devices over all this ball craze - Will need some more of these tubes for backup and possible other use with my other devices. I was thinking the slit end was positioned at the upper end of the tube going into the mouth although it didn’t make sense to me, and I could only see a round opening! And I was wondering what I was missing but thinking about how smooth it is with the wooden bowls and having had a close look at some of the slit end tubes uninstalled I had my late eureka moment!
- One can also play with the hole size - a 1/2" flat screen wedged into the hole can be pushed down until it stops to make a change in the hole size. I use these tubes for direct draw and also I take advantage of the 14mm female tapper to use them as WonG WPA bowls injector style. This latter use has inspired me to remove the Couchlog stock metal chamber from the mouthpiece and put a screen at the end of the bowl, so now it can be used with GTR, the CL and the UD Alfa.
- I enjoy the two 14mm female glass tubes which use 1/2" flat screen wedged at the bottom of the taper. A 5/8" x 3/8" silicone sleeve installed into the taper makes a perfect air seal for use with the UD Alfa. 12mm slit end glass tube is used as mouthpiece to handle the big diameter that can be a challenge in the mouth to some, but not to me at all – I am used to the UD Alfa glass direct draw tube which also has a bigger OD. Long slow pull at low temp with these glass tubes is my preferred use.
- And finally I have a got another wood tube that @Alan gifted to me to try. It has a straight 1/2" hole for the roasting bowl rather than 14mm taper. It works better with the UD Alfa and CL but I like the performance with the GTR too. There is a 10mm slit end glass tube for a mouthpiece. Per @Alan the thin wood will take less heat away from the roast and I followed his advice for using the tube w/ the 1/2" hole rather than the tapered one w/ the UD Alfa heater cover.
- The 14mm design works out well for me for glass tools as here north of the border the 14mm standard is more popular. And another beauty of this design is that a 1/2" screen jammed into a 14mm female joint works as a roasting bowl, and that means you have very affordable options for all glass (except the screen) roasting – I had plenty of 14mm Female to 18mm Male glass adapters and I have been making use of them with j-hooks and other glass as bowls.
- It also works with 19/13mm glass roasting tubes, which are working perfectly with the GTR and I was really surprised to be able to get up to 4 hits with a load as small as just half of the tube’s bowl! On one of the couple I got I added the Ditanium Ti mouthpiece with silicone for a seal. They work also for one hit extraction. A 1/2" x 3/4" silicone sleeve can be stretched over the mouthpiece end for using 10mm or 12mm slit end glass tubes. 13mm basket screen can be used in the 16mm mouthpiece end for use in the Tinymight the way an RBT glass stem can work as a WPA for Tinymight. So many easy and affordable options with@Alan! The end of the 14mm male heater cover makes a seal when held to the end of the 19/13mm glass tubes, which also work with the Couchlog.
- The paper roasting tubes that @Alan makes for the UD Alfa also works with the 14mm GTR and with the CL. A 14mm hole through a cork or wood sleeve allows the paper tube to be the right size. The paper roasting tubes for the 3/8" ss heater cover Heat Island also work with the GTR. So easy to make these tubes, I think I mentioned in one of my post that paper roasting tubes have become part of my arsenal. So enjoyable.
- The wooden maple pipes made for the GTR have been the stars for me. They have a 14mm tapered hole for the 14mm GTR that also work with the 18mm female GTR since the OD is 19mm according to @Alan. Mine have purple heart and bloodwood mouthpiece tubes. A 1/2" round screen is wedged into the bottom of the tapered hole of the Maple part. Alan said “It is tiny, but effective” and it is indeed, especially for a one hit extraction, what I use them for.. May not be able to load as much material with the CL if it extends too far into the taper. Other 14mm adapters can be used with too. I have tried them with my RBT Splinters and they work well too with them.
- @Alan made for me cherry and walnut wood tubes w/ the 14mm female taper, which can also be used with the milaana and female GTR per @Alan – I don’t have a female GTR yet. There’s some sort of ‘magic’ in @Alan’s roasting tubes and I am most impressed by the wooden ones with a slit end glass tube as a mouthpiece. The slit end (noticed only quite late!) glass tubes as mouthpiece for the wooden and glass bowls work well for cooling, allowing longer draws effortlessly. I understand now why I like these bowls with all my devices over all this ball craze - Will need some more of these tubes for backup and possible other use with my other devices. I was thinking the slit end was positioned at the upper end of the tube going into the mouth although it didn’t make sense to me, and I could only see a round opening! And I was wondering what I was missing but thinking about how smooth it is with the wooden bowls and having had a close look at some of the slit end tubes uninstalled I had my late eureka moment!
- One can also play with the hole size - a 1/2" flat screen wedged into the hole can be pushed down until it stops to make a change in the hole size. I use these tubes for direct draw and also I take advantage of the 14mm female tapper to use them as WonG WPA bowls injector style. This latter use has inspired me to remove the Couchlog stock metal chamber from the mouthpiece and put a screen at the end of the bowl, so now it can be used with GTR, the CL and the UD Alfa.
- I enjoy the two 14mm female glass tubes which use 1/2" flat screen wedged at the bottom of the taper. A 5/8" x 3/8" silicone sleeve installed into the taper makes a perfect air seal for use with the UD Alfa. 12mm slit end glass tube is used as mouthpiece to handle the big diameter that can be a challenge in the mouth to some, but not to me at all – I am used to the UD Alfa glass direct draw tube which also has a bigger OD. Long slow pull at low temp with these glass tubes is my preferred use.
- And finally I have a got another wood tube that @Alan gifted to me to try. It has a straight 1/2" hole for the roasting bowl rather than 14mm taper. It works better with the UD Alfa and CL but I like the performance with the GTR too. There is a 10mm slit end glass tube for a mouthpiece. Per @Alan the thin wood will take less heat away from the roast and I followed his advice for using the tube w/ the 1/2" hole rather than the tapered one w/ the UD Alfa heater cover.
Last edited:
darkstar72
Well-Known Member
@blokenoname - Glad to hear you are having success wrapping the ss wire mesh around the cartridge heater so you can run in the 6 to 7 watt range. Nice that it can fit within the wood body and not get too hot.
@yeswecann - The regular length 7/16” ss is probably the most powerful HI heater cover. The short HI heater covers are for the mini, cone shaped, and top shaped units.
Thanks for the great review @Zagala. Probably the most comprehensive one I’ve seen. Glad you are enjoying the GTR and all the different roasting tubes/pipes. So many different ways to roast.
@yeswecann - The regular length 7/16” ss is probably the most powerful HI heater cover. The short HI heater covers are for the mini, cone shaped, and top shaped units.
Thanks for the great review @Zagala. Probably the most comprehensive one I’ve seen. Glad you are enjoying the GTR and all the different roasting tubes/pipes. So many different ways to roast.