LetsAllMeltDownTogether
Well-Known Member
Try putting everything in the fridge for a minute or two. The wood will shrink and slide right out.
OKcomputer
Kid A
Got it in the freezer now. Thanks! We'll see what happens. Anyone see anything wrong with soaking WonGs in iso alcohol?
I really don't think you should soak a wood piece with ISO. If you are just cleaning the inside of the stem or wong, it's ok to use a q-tip dipped in ISO and then squeezed out until just a bit moist. Soaking in ISO will permeate the wood quickly, then dry it out horribly as it evaporates out, all making it extremely vulnerable to cracking beyond repair. If very dirty, I guess you could clean off the wood exterior with a slightly moist ISO rag, then immediately dry it off and then quickly apply a wood butter or mineral oil, IMO. Should be good as new. DON'T SOAK WOOD IN ANYTHING - ESPECIALLY ISO!
OKcomputer
Kid A
Took it out of the freezer after 40 minutes ago and it still won't budge a bit. Tried poking through the other side of the down stem with a wooden skewer but i can't catch the lip of the wong to push it out. Any plan B?
Hold the wong firmly w/one hand while firmly holding the down stem w/the other hand. While pulling, wiggle the wong (sounds funny) from side to side, east to west, north to south, as the compass goes, etc. Keep doing that for a while ...it may come loose. Keep us posted. Good luck!
OKcomputer
Kid A
Tried that before and tried it again today. No budging whatsoever, so I tried doing the same thing with my left hand gripping the downstem, and my right hand wielding a pair of pliers. With the WonG firmly gripped in the pliers, twisting left and right resulted in a creaking sound indicating pretty strongly to me that the downstem was going to break before I got the WonG free. Before I could attempt to prove myself wrong by slowly continuing to twist the WonG back and forth, the whole operation dropped out of my hands, chipping the end of the downstem to the point where it's unusable. Now to search FC for a recommendation on a downstem replacement.
Moral of the story: Don't leave your WonG in a glass joint overnight.
Moral of the story: Don't leave your WonG in a glass joint overnight.
JJ420
chillin on the couch, sippin off a 22 ounce.
Been trying out the new (to me at least) HI these past couple of days with World of Seeds' Afghan Kush auto of all things as the tester.... Whooah... seriously, the newer core HI on VK adjustable power supply rivals the best of vapes!! And that is no shit Jack! A little hard to get dialed in and to use properly, but as Dr. Plutonius stated earlier - it's like using a PD with much thicker hits. Once you get your technique and voltage dialed in, prepare thyself to be fucking whalloped.
Also, Alan's design progression with this vape is nothing short of beautiful. I have one of the first generation models as well, and they're both awesome yet really different at the same time. I'll be hitting both throughout this weekend to compare them further.
Also, Alan's design progression with this vape is nothing short of beautiful. I have one of the first generation models as well, and they're both awesome yet really different at the same time. I'll be hitting both throughout this weekend to compare them further.
JJ420
chillin on the couch, sippin off a 22 ounce.
Not sure I understand... how so?
all about the speeds & feeds my friend.
In short, VXL's Cloud is relatively easy to get some huge hits out of it. The HI, along with most log vapes in particular, take some finesse and getting used to... at least imo.
Do you have the new glass core or the new ss? I look forward to your comparison review of the new vs older HI, and how they differ in function and performance! Thanks!all about the speeds & feeds my friend.
JJ420
chillin on the couch, sippin off a 22 ounce.
1st and 2nd (I believe) gen SS core here. Glass HI is my unicorn.
EveryDayAmnesiac
Well-Known Member
Well, I've been using my highly figured walnut with glass heater cover HI since Wednesday night, and believe it or not, the HI has yet another ecstatic customer.
I think most of you HI owners know about the "love at first sight" moment experienced when first seeing it. I've never held my breath after seeing a vaporizer before, but I have now. My fingers went all tingly just holding it. It was pretty scary to be holding it, actually - to be "responsible" for something so precious and one-of-a-kind. Yet... I didn't even want to think about putting it down. And you're damn right I was speechless.
It's not too often you get to "own" something that is pure perfection, a work so elegant and genuine and beautiful done by a master who obviously loves what they do. God knows I've watched beauty slip through my fingers time and time again, much to my relative obliteration. But this HI... it's MINE... and it is truly humbling.
It's so gorgeous that it's saddening, to think I could never create anything like this ever - something this authentic and graceful and with the potential to bring so much comfort for a lifetime. I don't even deserve to use something this beautiful... but, since it's already here, I'm going to hold onto it for dear fucking life.
As Don Draper says, "Deep beauty arouses deep emotions, because it creates a desire, because it is, unattainable, by nature. We're taught to think that function is all that matters, but we have a natural... longing, for this... other thing.
At last, something beautiful, you can truly own."
Although I'm sure Alan will somehow find a way to make perfection even more perfect. Hence... I'm putting my name back on the list. Maybe an SS cover and a GTV next time?
These pictures do it no justice. This vape has a powerful spirit to it - it is hypnotizing when you're in its presence. It's so dark and rich and mysterious and full of stories - no pattern whatsoever, so you just get completely lost in it.
For anyone still waiting for their first, I encourage you to be patient. It will be worth every second of the wait. And when you get The E-mail, continue to be patient and think carefully about each decision, and listen to any advice Alan gives you. Chances are, the HI is going to be one of, if not your only, lifetimer vapes, so you want to be sure to get it right.
And whatever you do, DO NOT rush the JedHI master.
And if you aren't on the HI waiting list yet, then I don't know what the heck is wrong with you.
I am LOVING the wine cork tubes (WCT's?). I'd have to agree they'll probably replace the basic all-glass roasting tubes. They have little chance of breaking. And the heater cover never touches the herb, even if you fuck up, so it's cleaner. They're idiot-proof. They feel good in the hands. They're also very easy to change and stir and load. It's just a goddamn genius idea.
They also might even replace the standard GonGs, for many of the same reasons. When using a 45 degree joint, it's quite easy to hold the HI and the tube with one hand. You might have to crank the voltage up a little bit, if your material slides away from the HI. When using it with a HT or PNWT, all you have to do is breathe. When using them at 90 degrees (the other way), you can adjust the cork to give a stronger (longer) glass (but not GonG) connection to the joint.
I don't know how airtight it actually is, but it works great, regardless, so it must be pretty close.
So, they're in many ways a two-fer, and I encourage anyone to try at least one. I didn't think I'd have much use for them, but Alan was so enthusiastic and convincing that I ordered two and am SERIOUSLY glad I did. They're fucking fantastic.
Also love the skewer with the little metal piece on the blunt end. Great for picking through screens to keep them clean without so many ISO drops!
...Long term gratification really is the best, isn't it?
Oh, I almost forgot. My HI was nice enough to bring along a bunch of other friends:
And here's (most of) my big happy family:
I think most of you HI owners know about the "love at first sight" moment experienced when first seeing it. I've never held my breath after seeing a vaporizer before, but I have now. My fingers went all tingly just holding it. It was pretty scary to be holding it, actually - to be "responsible" for something so precious and one-of-a-kind. Yet... I didn't even want to think about putting it down. And you're damn right I was speechless.
It's not too often you get to "own" something that is pure perfection, a work so elegant and genuine and beautiful done by a master who obviously loves what they do. God knows I've watched beauty slip through my fingers time and time again, much to my relative obliteration. But this HI... it's MINE... and it is truly humbling.
It's so gorgeous that it's saddening, to think I could never create anything like this ever - something this authentic and graceful and with the potential to bring so much comfort for a lifetime. I don't even deserve to use something this beautiful... but, since it's already here, I'm going to hold onto it for dear fucking life.
As Don Draper says, "Deep beauty arouses deep emotions, because it creates a desire, because it is, unattainable, by nature. We're taught to think that function is all that matters, but we have a natural... longing, for this... other thing.
At last, something beautiful, you can truly own."
Although I'm sure Alan will somehow find a way to make perfection even more perfect. Hence... I'm putting my name back on the list. Maybe an SS cover and a GTV next time?
These pictures do it no justice. This vape has a powerful spirit to it - it is hypnotizing when you're in its presence. It's so dark and rich and mysterious and full of stories - no pattern whatsoever, so you just get completely lost in it.
For anyone still waiting for their first, I encourage you to be patient. It will be worth every second of the wait. And when you get The E-mail, continue to be patient and think carefully about each decision, and listen to any advice Alan gives you. Chances are, the HI is going to be one of, if not your only, lifetimer vapes, so you want to be sure to get it right.
And whatever you do, DO NOT rush the JedHI master.
And if you aren't on the HI waiting list yet, then I don't know what the heck is wrong with you.
I am LOVING the wine cork tubes (WCT's?). I'd have to agree they'll probably replace the basic all-glass roasting tubes. They have little chance of breaking. And the heater cover never touches the herb, even if you fuck up, so it's cleaner. They're idiot-proof. They feel good in the hands. They're also very easy to change and stir and load. It's just a goddamn genius idea.
They also might even replace the standard GonGs, for many of the same reasons. When using a 45 degree joint, it's quite easy to hold the HI and the tube with one hand. You might have to crank the voltage up a little bit, if your material slides away from the HI. When using it with a HT or PNWT, all you have to do is breathe. When using them at 90 degrees (the other way), you can adjust the cork to give a stronger (longer) glass (but not GonG) connection to the joint.
I don't know how airtight it actually is, but it works great, regardless, so it must be pretty close.
So, they're in many ways a two-fer, and I encourage anyone to try at least one. I didn't think I'd have much use for them, but Alan was so enthusiastic and convincing that I ordered two and am SERIOUSLY glad I did. They're fucking fantastic.
Also love the skewer with the little metal piece on the blunt end. Great for picking through screens to keep them clean without so many ISO drops!
...Long term gratification really is the best, isn't it?
Oh, I almost forgot. My HI was nice enough to bring along a bunch of other friends:
And here's (most of) my big happy family:
Last edited:
Sounds like an interesting idea. There must be a 4 prong plug the size of the power socket somewhere. Wonder if the power and thermocouple wires could be run in the same cable.
@OKcomputer - Sorry to hear about your stuck WonG. They do fit the joint pretty well. Heating the female part usually expands it a little bit. Drawing hot air through the WonG will dry and shrink it also.
@JJ420 - Glad you are enjoying the new heater cover design. The new wine cork tube takes away some of the need for technique making it even easier to use.
@EveryDayAmnesiac - Thanks so much for the great review and posting the wonderful photos. Glad I was able to talk you into the WCT's. They really are the shit. Happy you are pleased with the purchase and hope it will serve you well for years to come. Fun to have the opportunity to work with such nice pieces of wood. I have you down on the list again. Will be interesting to see if I can make any more improvements. It might be hard to make it any more simple.
You are the first to receive one of the skewer tools with the wire sticking out from the end. It is essentially a one bristle wire brush. Very handy to keep your screens clean.
gardentown
For Sale by Owner
Hi
Been trying to figure out all the different stems and variations of this vape. Only been reading for a couple months and I still can't understand it all!
Sorry for the noob question, but what is a WTC?
@EveryDayAmnesiac - what are those tubes in the second to last picture? Are those wooden stems? What are the ones on the outsides? They look bigger?
Been trying to figure out all the different stems and variations of this vape. Only been reading for a couple months and I still can't understand it all!
Sorry for the noob question, but what is a WTC?
@EveryDayAmnesiac - what are those tubes in the second to last picture? Are those wooden stems? What are the ones on the outsides? They look bigger?
slowandsteady
Member
Wine Cork Tube
EveryDayAmnesiac
Well-Known Member
Hi
Been trying to figure out all the different stems and variations of this vape. Only been reading for a couple months and I still can't understand it all!
Sorry for the noob question, but what is a WTC?
@EveryDayAmnesiac - what are those tubes in the second to last picture? Are those wooden stems? What are the ones on the outsides? They look bigger?
The ones in the middle are just the plain end all wood roasting tubes in wenge, zebrawood, purpleheart, bocote, cocobolo, and osage orange. They're much smaller than I was expecting, which was nice. Aren't they just gorgeous and yet adorable?
The WCT's (Wine Cork Tubes) are indeed surrounding them, as @slowandsteady mentioned. They aren't on the Toasty Top website yet, but I thought Alan had posted a series of pics showing how they worked, but I could be wrong.
If I get a chance, I'll try to post a quick vid showing how they go together. Essentially, it's a bunch of glass tubes surrounded by 2 and 1/2 corks that ultimately pin two screens to create a bowl, and that make it impossible to spill your bowl, while the corks make it very difficult to break the overall tube. And as I said, it keeps your heater cover from getting any material on it. They're really great. So far, I like them better than the standard 14 mm GonGs.
And then they have enough of a glass tip on the ends for your HI, and then for your bong or your lips, depending on how you're using them.
Been trying out the new (to me at least) HI these past couple of days with World of Seeds' Afghan Kush auto of all things as the tester.... Whooah... seriously, the newer core HI on VK adjustable power supply rivals the best of vapes!! And that is no shit Jack! A little hard to get dialed in and to use properly, but as Dr. Plutonius stated earlier - it's like using a PD with much thicker hits. Once you get your technique and voltage dialed in, prepare thyself to be fucking whalloped.
Also, Alan's design progression with this vape is nothing short of beautiful. I have one of the first generation models as well, and they're both awesome yet really different at the same time. I'll be hitting both throughout this weekend to compare them further.
Can you give me some help on how to hit this? I've had mine for a week and while I love the design, I am unable to get really satisfying hits. I have a glass core and the newer two screen/wine cork stems.
I have a PD clone and went back to that for the time being. I was using much more material and while I was getting high, I definitely wasn't able to pull any clouds. Am I loading too much material? I tried to draw as slow as possible, faster, I'm not able to get it dialed in
I know there are suggestions in this thread but it's 185 pages long and like you said, a lot has changed in the design.
HoneyAir
Well-Known Member
DevRev,
I'm using glass stems in the same style as the PD with its poly tubes, and I've found it best to keep the pack as light as possible so that the draw is comfortable. The pack will shrink and not make full use of the size of the bowl, but I prefer that to having to struggle with anything resembling the milkshake through a straw effect.
I'm using glass stems in the same style as the PD with its poly tubes, and I've found it best to keep the pack as light as possible so that the draw is comfortable. The pack will shrink and not make full use of the size of the bowl, but I prefer that to having to struggle with anything resembling the milkshake through a straw effect.
Can you give me some help on how to hit this? I've had mine for a week and while I love the design, I am unable to get really satisfying hits. I have a glass core and the newer two screen/wine cork stems.
I have a PD clone and went back to that for the time being. I was using much more material and while I was getting high, I definitely wasn't able to pull any clouds. Am I loading too much material? I tried to draw as slow as possible, faster, I'm not able to get it dialed in
I know there are suggestions in this thread but it's 185 pages long and like you said, a lot has changed in the design.
The roasting chamber should only be filled about half way full. About even with the cork. Air flow can be limited if the grind is too fine. I use the straw method to load the tube. It sometimes quits filling before the tube is half way full because of too fine of a grind.
The design of the glass heater cover doesn't allow it to get as hot as the ss heater cover which is good for flavor but not as good for heavy clouds. Another thing to try is the wine cork tube without the 1/2 cork and glass tube installed. This will allow the heating element to get closer to the material which is how my regular roasting tubes work. Hope this helps.
Would raising the level of the VVK to even higher levels allow for more vapor production w/o combusting, of course at the expense of flavor? - or is there a recommended limit as to how high one should go with it? Thanks!
JJ420
chillin on the couch, sippin off a 22 ounce.
That pretty much sums it all up... that and a real steady draw.
My purpleheart's heater cover looks just like that. What do the drilled holes mean? Any more info??
Last edited by a moderator:
slowandsteady
Member
My understanding is that the metal comes perforated, so what your seeing would be cosmetic.
chrislangley4253
Member
Hey guys,
First post on this forum, I bought an HI off the classifieds here. At first I had a hard time with the screens in the 18mm gong adapter. You really have to hammer those suckers before they will catch the ledge.
Once I figured out the screens, I got some great performance out of the piece. However, I find myself coughing a lot more when using the HI versus my lotus. I feel like it has something to do with the temperature and how the HI stays a steady temp while the lotus gets warmed up to temp and then immediately starts cooling off.
What do you guys think?
First post on this forum, I bought an HI off the classifieds here. At first I had a hard time with the screens in the 18mm gong adapter. You really have to hammer those suckers before they will catch the ledge.
Once I figured out the screens, I got some great performance out of the piece. However, I find myself coughing a lot more when using the HI versus my lotus. I feel like it has something to do with the temperature and how the HI stays a steady temp while the lotus gets warmed up to temp and then immediately starts cooling off.
What do you guys think?