The GTR

[Grass Yes]

Does anyone here have the bamboo version of the GTR or the original HI version?

I like the look of bamboo and Tiki stuff, so I was thinking about going for the bamboo version, but wanted to get feedback from anyone that has that style to see if they are happy with it, or wish they got more traditional wood.

My GTR is cherry wood, which matches one of my Heat Islands. However I do have a bamboo Heat Island that I love. No complaints about the bamboo body and it's one of the best traditional logs that I own. If you like the look of bamboo I would not hesitate.

 

[coolbreeze]

I just got my Heat Island so I'm still dialing but the bamboo shell is great, it's small, nice and light, but tough-seeming and very cool.. My GTRs are maple burl and cherry, both are gorgeous but no regrets with the bamboo HI.

Alan told me he thinks his new build and bamboo selection makes them unlikely to crack.

 

[2tiki]

@coolbreeze That looks cool to me! I wrote back Alan and told him to go for the bamboo with 18mm heater.

Not sure how long it will take to get it from this point, but I hope it's soon. It's been almost 3 years since I asked to be on the list. I knew it would be a while, but didn't expect this long. LOL

 

[coolbreeze]

@coolbreeze That looks cool to me! I wrote back Alan and told him to go for the bamboo with 18mm heater.

Not sure how long it will take to get it from this point, but I hope it's soon. It's been almost 3 years since I asked to be on the list. I knew it would be a while, but didn't expect this long. LOL

Hope it's soon! Did you get a Stainless or glass core?

 

[2tiki]

Hope it's soon! Did you get a Stainless or glass core?

I don't know. LOL

I don't remember giving him an answer on that. My gut tells me to go with glass, but I still don't really understand the differences in use. I've never used a log style vape before.

 

[SockPuppetTheatrics]

Does anyone here have the bamboo version of the GTR or the original HI version?

I like the look of bamboo and Tiki stuff, so I was thinking about going for the bamboo version, but wanted to get feedback from anyone that has that style to see if they are happy with it, or wish they got more traditional wood.

I recently got a bamboo HI. Can't compare it to a GTR (I only just got on the list), but I can take a picture later.

 

[simba]

I went for glass

 

[coolbreeze]

I don't know. LOL

I don't remember giving him an answer on that. My gut tells me to go with glass, but I still don't really understand the differences in use. I've never used a log style vape before.

The glass and steel (18mm female) are pretty different so I'd think about how you'd use it. The taper in the glass joint allows you to use paper tubes, glass adapters, and RBT-style stems, and it holds heat well. The steel heats up quickly and works really nicely with wooden bowls and stems. Its joint is deeper so you can use RBT-style glass stems with a longer taper. Both work equally well with Alan's stems. My glass one has survived a drop from the desktop, and the steel should be indestructible.

The male heaters will fit like an injector so presumably most injector bowls should fit.

 

[2tiki]

The glass and steel (18mm female) are pretty different so I'd think about how you'd use it. The taper in the glass joint allows you to use paper tubes, glass adapters, and RBT-style stems, and it holds heat well. The steel heats up quickly and works really nicely with wooden bowls and stems. Its joint is deeper so you can use RBT-style glass stems with a longer taper. Both work equally well with Alan's stems. My glass one has survived a drop from the desktop, and the steel should be indestructible.

The male heaters will fit like an injector so presumably most injector bowls should fit.

From your description, glass does sound like the right choice for the way I will likely use it. Thanks!

 

[simba]

My GTR has cleared customs hopefully my VVPS arrives before/same time as it.

 

[simba]

It arrived today and I'm very happy! Full report to follow

 

[SockPuppetTheatrics]

imgbb started working again! Couldn't get this to upload earlier (bamboo HI).

 

[2tiki]

Your glass set up looks like a science experiment gone right! I love it.

How many separate glass pieces are combined in that?

 

[2tiki]

Any tips on technique with the GTR? Mine came in a few days ago, and after some tips from Alan I feel like I'm getting the hang of how to do it without just scorching a small part of the bowl and barely cooking the rest of it. But, I'd love any more advice from people that have the GTR. Mine is an 18mm glass male type. So I've been using it like an injector.

I love the open air flow, just wish it was a bit more straightforward to get an even roast at medium brown.

I also get smoother hits off of the GTR than anything I've ever used before. The open air flow and the smooth hits are letting me know it's worth the learning curve.

 

[simba]

I've been playing about with different settings and stems/bowls. I understand the hot-spotting you're getting. I'll get that from a first hit but can even it out with following hits. Although mines a female glass one so not sure if that makes it easier?

I am setting it around 9.2 rather than the 11 Alan suggested, at that setting I'm scorching the bowl.

 

[2tiki]

I've been playing about with different settings and stems/bowls. I understand the hot-spotting you're getting. I'll get that from a first hit but can even it out with following hits. Although mines a female glass one so not sure if that makes it easier?

I am setting it around 9.2 rather than the 11 Alan suggested, at that setting I'm scorching the bowl.

What sort of stems/bowls have been working for you? About how far from the tip of the heater are your herbs sitting? I'm still trying to figure out the best distance, and bowl/stem for it.

 

[simba]

Been using the stem/WPA from Alan, I got two, I'm mainly using the one that fits an 18mm piece. The screen sits about 12/13mm into the bowl.

 

[2tiki]

I've never used a log vape before, so perhaps that's part of my learning curve issues, but I have had a hell of a time trying to get the technique down to not have a small scorch of herbs while leaving the edges green. That scorch taste is awful.

I decided to stick a couple domed screens (face to face to almost make a mesh sphere) into the tip of the glass at the end of the male 18mm heater to break up / diffuse the air flow, and it has made a world of difference. It still needs some technique and finesse to get no scorching at all, and I assume it will get easier the more I get used to it, but at least now if it scorches, it does so over a larger area of the bowl, and when I get it right, it just cooks the bowl much more evenly than before I put in the extra screens. The airflow is so open in the GTR that I don't even notice the difference with the extra screens. It's still more open than any vape I've ever used.

I'm also finding that I have better luck if I turn on the heater, set a timer for 5 min, then use it between 5-9 minutes from when I turned it on. Rather than just leaving it on all the time. It seems like if left on for more than 10 minutes, there is just too much heat built up in the heater and it makes the first couple hits really difficult not to over heat. Not sure if this is similar to anyone else's experience, but it's how its been going for me.

I haven't used a vape that had much of a learning curve in a long time, but the results (when I get it right) are totally worth it.

It's also great that I haven't had to charge a vaporizer battery for many days since I mostly vape at home, and have only used a non-GTR vape 2 times since it showed up. I used to have to charge 1-3 times a day.

 

[Shit Snacks]

I've never used a log vape before, so perhaps that's part of my learning curve issues, but I have had a hell of a time trying to get the technique down to not have a small scorch of herbs while leaving the edges green. That scorch taste is awful.

I decided to stick a couple domed screens (face to face to almost make a mesh sphere) into the tip of the glass at the end of the male 18mm heater to break up / diffuse the air flow, and it has made a world of difference. It still needs some technique and finesse to get no scorching at all, and I assume it will get easier the more I get used to it, but at least now if it scorches, it does so over a larger area of the bowl, and when I get it right, it just cooks the bowl much more evenly than before I put in the extra screens. The airflow is so open in the GTR that I don't even notice the difference with the extra screens. It's still more open than any vape I've ever used.

I'm also finding that I have better luck if I turn on the heater, set a timer for 5 min, then use it between 5-9 minutes from when I turned it on. Rather than just leaving it on all the time. It seems like if left on for more than 10 minutes, there is just too much heat built up in the heater and it makes the first couple hits really difficult not to over heat. Not sure if this is similar to anyone else's experience, but it's how its been going for me.

I haven't used a vape that had much of a learning curve in a long time, but the results (when I get it right) are totally worth it.

It's also great that I haven't had to charge a vaporizer battery for many days since I mostly vape at home, and have only used a non-GTR vape 2 times since it showed up. I used to have to charge 1-3 times a day.

For what it is worth, I do think it takes a lot of technique with this type of pure convection compared to what you are used to, much more manual and analog as well, however I personally struggled with my prototype GTR where others did not, and I did not with Heat Island... So definitely keep trying to take time with it and only it shine different things etc getting to know it, but it's also possible you may be better off with something else, and another log not necessarily a bad idea either

 

[2tiki]

So definitely keep trying to take time with it

I'm definitely getting the hang of it now that I am spreading the heat over the whole bowl with the added screens. Since I recently got in 2 oz of fairly inexpensive CBD flower, I've been experimenting a lot with that so I don't burn through the more expensive stuff. I'd say that as long as I'm very careful and focused, using the techniques I mentioned, I'm rarely getting scorching. I'm assuming another week or so and I possibly will almost never scorch.

Definitely not giving up on this vape. It's so much smoother (when not scorching) and open than any other vape I have. It's a pleasure when I get it right. I think it would be much harder to use if I wasn't using a J-Hook that allows me to see the amount of vapor coming through so I know when to pull the GTR off the bowl to keep it from over heating the herbs.

I think the only thing that could really improve it would be if it had a thermistor in it and you could set temps that it would stabilize at. So unless there is another log vape that can do that, I think I'll be sticking with the GTR for a while. Other than continuing to try and make my own vape from scratch, the only other thing I think I might like more would be a ball vape, but I won't use one unless I can make something to make sure I never burn myself or my cats with it. LOL I've already accidently bumped my hand against the GTR while reaching for something else on the desk, and while the outside bamboo was hot, it wasn't even hot enough to hurt, let alone burn me. If that had been a ball vape, I'd have burn marks on me for sure.

Based on my experience, I highly doubt there is a better choice of home based vape at this price point, and definitely compared to battery based ones.

 

[simba]

As someone with experience with logs, I've not had the same level as trouble but it's not been smooth sailing and I've scorched some bowls here and there too.

I'm still fully getting my thoughts together on this vape, but currently I think it works best with the small bowled stem that Alan provided. That's the usage pattern that has been most consistent for me. I've experienced some of the variation you've mentioned when using it with the bigger bowled stem/wpa with glass.

 

[blokenoname]

What sort of stems/bowls have been working for you? About how far from the tip of the heater are your herbs sitting? I'm still trying to figure out the best distance, and bowl/stem for it.

Mate...
sounds like you're running your GTR much too hot and with a load, that's probably too far away from the heater (so thereby creating a central hot spot, while the rest of the load keeps untouched). Additional screens in the heater shouldn't be necessary at all.

For the question re best bowls and distance of herb from the heater see below

Where's the screen positioned in that injector bowl!?

GTR-M (19mm version) is designed to utilize the tapered female joint itself for a bowl by placing a 17mm flat screen near the bottom of the taper, where it blocks securely. (Same with the 14mm version and a 1/2" screen)
The GTR injector port is shortened, so that it will only reach about 1/2 way into the female taper, leaving enough space between the screen (red dotted line in the pic) and the injector port (blue striped area in the pic) to place your herb.



If the screen is set much deeper (i.e. somewhere below the taper and within the body of the used adapter), the injector port might be too far away from the load and so needs higher voltage/wattage output for efficient roasting and might also take longer for reheating between hits.

Means, if you constructed your female 19mm bowl right, with that 17mm screen in the joint, your herb is usually only a couple of millimeters away from the male injector joint, when inserted.
I'd start with 9.5v from there and slowly turn up the voltage in 0.5v steps, till you find your temp, where it all starts vaping evenly.

Also, turn your GTR on at least 10-15 min, before you wanne use it, or best wait, till the bamboo shell is warm to the touch. It needs to reach a kind of thermal equilibrium, to work best.
Once this thermal equilibrium is reached (i.e. no more additional heat is sucked up by the log's body), you might even want turn down the voltage a bit, lest it gets too hot.
And then just leave it running. That's what's it designed for.
When I work from home, I switch it on in the morning and then leave it running and use it. Turning it off only, when I go to sleep or leave the house.

ETA: Can't say though, if it'll all work out now for you, as with the additional screens you added to the heater port there, we're now in uncharted territory. That was maybe a bit rash

ETA2: Did you get a VVPS (variable voltage power supply) from Alan with the GTR? Or are you running that thing on a continuous 12v straight!?

 

[2tiki]

ETA: Can't say though, if it'll all work out now for you, as with the additional screens you added to the heater port there, we're now in uncharted territory. That was maybe a bit rash

ETA2: Did you get a VVPS (variable voltage power supply) from Alan with the GTR? Or are you running that thing on a continuous 12v straight!?

All I did was stuck a couple screens in the open space. I don't think that is rash at all. I can take them out with in less than a second. It's not like I took the GTR apart or cut into it. Problem was to focused point of heat, so I diffused it with some screens. Now it's spread out much better.

I am using a VVPS. First I tried using a paper tube and cork combo he included with the GTR. So I can't imagine the distance was off, since Allen was the one who set it. And the voltage setting I started with was what Allan suggested. I even tried it lower by as much as 2 volts and it was still scorching. Maybe there is something different/off about my unit. I have left it on for hours without the screens, still scorched the bowl. Like I said in the other post, now with the screens as diffusers, I start vaping around 5-7 min after turning it on, and am done with the bowl by 10 min, then I turn it off or quickly have another bowl. All in less than 15 min.

Whether it's something with this specific GTR, or just me unknowingly not accurately mimicking the original prescribed techniques, I have no idea. But at least I'm figuring out a way that is mostly working well for me. Isn't that all that matters at the end of the day? Because that's all that matters to me.

 

[simba]

I am using a VVPS. First I tried using a paper tube and cork combo he included with the GTR. So I can't imagine the distance was off, since Allen was the one who set it. And the voltage setting I started with was what Allan suggested. I even tried it lower by as much as 2 volts and it was still scorching.

I'd recommend using the paper stem on a lower setting and seeing how you go. If it's still scorching I don't get why you wouldn't go lower?

 

[blokenoname]

All I did was stuck a couple screens in the open space. I don't think that is rash at all. I can take them out with in less than a second. It's not like I took the GTR apart or cut into it. Problem was to focused point of heat, so I diffused it with some screens. Now it's spread out much better.

I am using a VVPS. First I tried using a paper tube and cork combo he included with the GTR. So I can't imagine the distance was off, since Allen was the one who set it.

All good! Just assumed that you used a typical injector style glass bowl with the screen placed too low in the bowl, as that was the mistake I made, when I first tested out a GTR style male heater cover.
With one of Alan's paper bowls, the screen should indeed be in the correct place already.

As for the additional screens in the heater port... if they're easily removable, everything should be fine. Was just a bit concerned there, as it's quite easy to accidentally push down the heater cartridge/assembly, when working within the heater port, which is not such a good idea.