The Lotus Vaporizer
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Interesting, so that rules out the torch as the culprit
Maybe your cap is defective? Possibly some plate is too close to another plate. You mentioned it's cracking in the same place as the previous one?
cityslang
A taste on the tongue
let the pics clarify, the wooden part is not cracking- just the hot plate. It is only a very uneducated guess that the holes might not be aligned... I get into more detail below.
Here are a few photos.
The first is of the original hot plate that came with my Lotus, after a few weeks use.
Here the crack is starts around 10 o'clock on the dial, and extends around the dimple to approximately 3 o'clock on the top of the lotus.
This next photo was taken a week ago when I sent another letter to Mendo. This photo shows the replacement plate cracking in the same exact pattern around the dimple. In this photo, the crack starts around 12 o'clock and blends back together around 3 o'clock.
This last photo was taken today, and now shows the crack has grown substantially since the pic above. It starts at 12 o'clock, and continues all the way around the dimple to about 5 o'clock.
Regarding tension on the screws, they are not heavily tightened. In fact, they are loose enough where I could easily rotate them another 3/4 turn with very little pressure.
Is there anything else that I might have done to damage my plate? I certainly do not want Mendo coming out of pocket to repair damage I caused.
Regarding my theory of drill holes not being aligned correctly, this was just a longshot stab in the dark about what might be straining or fatiguing the metal. It is very unlikely that is the cause, it is simply the only possible answer I could think of...
I appreciate and welcome all y'alls thoughts and recommendations; I have learned so much in here!
Thanks for the scans.
Now I've seen them they certainly don't look like stress cracks from abuse. It's really weird they are pretty much the exact same cracks.
Could be a natural weak spot and you got 2 weak ones? From the pics they appear to be roughly where the plate is directly above the lip of the inner hole of the wood part.
I really can't work out how you could have managed this by using it unless a stress fault is in the plate to start with or some fault with your wooden bit only one way to find our I guess swap the wood and the plate.
Yoduh
Well-Known Member
Oh happy day! My Lotus arrived! First thoughts.... Amazing first hit soo much flavor. The next ten I dont remember much because I was playing mad scientist and practicing torch technique lol. Then suddenly I realize.... Whoa... medicated!!! 
This thing is amazing. Cant wait for my D020... 
. Anybody remember what page the videos were near... I'd like to see them again and compare notes haha 
This thing is amazing. Cant wait for my D020... . Anybody remember what page the videos were near... I'd like to see them again and compare notes haha 
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
Based on everyone else's trouble free experience with the hotplates, I do think I might have some sort of defect.
I am going to give Lotus/Mendo another few days to get caught up on emails. It turns out I thought I sent them a note last week before I left town, but it did not actually get sent until the 14th (3 days ago). It could be 3 days, but it feels like 3 million years without my Lotus & WPA....
If it does turn out to be a defect, I am hopeful Mendo will take care of it- they have provided phenomenal support so far, and I appreciate they are active on the forums and with their customers. How cool is it that input gathered here on FC is generating new accessories to improve the user experience? Friggin awesome to me!
After a few comments of dropping the WPA, they come out with a handle for it. After a few posts regarding the desire to walk with a loaded bowl, they give their consumers frisbee caps. All that, and they provide screens at the cost of postage... these guys rule!
If does turn out to be an error on my behalf, I will be buying from them again with little/no hesitation. IMO this is one of the best devices on the market and I love how it allows me to utilize my old water pipes.
@Snappo~ That looks cool, I have not seen anything like that. Is it simply a container under the bowl that is supposed to collect oil? Do you use your oil with your lotus on top of flowers, or do you then put it in a pen style vape?
Although I think I like cleaning my pieces too much to use something like that, it appears like a functional addition to reclaim some of the good stuff.
I am going to give Lotus/Mendo another few days to get caught up on emails. It turns out I thought I sent them a note last week before I left town, but it did not actually get sent until the 14th (3 days ago). It could be 3 days, but it feels like 3 million years without my Lotus & WPA....
If it does turn out to be a defect, I am hopeful Mendo will take care of it- they have provided phenomenal support so far, and I appreciate they are active on the forums and with their customers. How cool is it that input gathered here on FC is generating new accessories to improve the user experience? Friggin awesome to me!
After a few comments of dropping the WPA, they come out with a handle for it. After a few posts regarding the desire to walk with a loaded bowl, they give their consumers frisbee caps. All that, and they provide screens at the cost of postage... these guys rule!
If does turn out to be an error on my behalf, I will be buying from them again with little/no hesitation. IMO this is one of the best devices on the market and I love how it allows me to utilize my old water pipes.
@Snappo~ That looks cool, I have not seen anything like that. Is it simply a container under the bowl that is supposed to collect oil? Do you use your oil with your lotus on top of flowers, or do you then put it in a pen style vape?
Although I think I like cleaning my pieces too much to use something like that, it appears like a functional addition to reclaim some of the good stuff.
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hoyo77
Well-Known Member
oooooo this reminds me of the opium pipe....
https://www.etsy.com/listing/159798087/smoking-pipe?ref=shop_home_active_8
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
I would expect the occasional miss should be okay, and should pretty much expected when dealing with a patient population that may include persons with certain handicaps. In spite of all the heat discoloration, I typically just aim the lighter right at the center plate and pull for 3-4 seconds with the flame on- then I can continue to pull without flame and still get moderate/light vapor from the residual heat in the cap for an additional 4-6 seconds.
Baked55
Well-Known Member
So dropped the screen for my WPA last night and couldn't find it. When in my hunt for a new screen I came across the glass flower screens I have been using for my ascent and figured I'd give them a shot. The biggest of the flowers was a perfect fit and works great. Find it clogs less and less likely to fall out when I stir. Haven't tried with the al stem yet but gussing it may not work as well as it seems a few bits would get past the screen and into your mouth. But with the WPA and some cotton in the downstem it works great.
jojo0420
Cloud Chaser
Did you discuss what this was for with them?
How did you request the appropriate size bowl? Just 14.4mm?
Interested in a Gandalf version myself.
What was your discussion with him for bowl size and the overall shape? and mind if i asked how much that ran you?
Fenton Mewley
A man in search of cloudier pastures
Yes I did.
They should still have the dimensions through my emails, but if anyone is interested, here are the specifications I asked for:
Bowl width (inside dimensions) at 0.5 inch. If you want to get the top O-ring into the bowl, I'm thinking maybe 0.6 or 0.7 inches.
Bowl depth at 1.25 inch (this can be changed to your preference. The bottom of WPA to the metal "lip" is about 1 inch, I wanted it deep so that there's no way I couldn't get the WPA in).
I also talked about the stir tool's gap from the WPA to the stick. About 3/16 inch separation from the stir tool to the top O-ring, maybe 4/16 but that could be stretching it a little. With a 0.5 inch bowl width, the stir tool doesn't even get low enough to touch the wood, so this was basically a precaution. Still, I love the thin bowl as a result of the precaution.
I also asked for a good viewing angle, so the huge stem helps with that. As I said earlier, the stem is around 16 inches, but I think a good angle can be given anywhere from 8+ inches, if anyone thinks that the stem is too long for their preferences.
When I first inquired, I asked if they would be able to produce something for $35 + shipping. The guy sent me some designs to choose from, and I thought this was just an incredibly unique design, so I decided on it. After the creation, they said that they could sell it for $50, so I'm thinking they might start charging $50 for this bad boy.
![:\](/i/s/hmm.gif "Hmm :\")
hoyo77
Well-Known Member
I was at my local headshop looking for screens and they did not have any but he turned me on to some Newport butane. he said he uses it when he is making wax and that it would make my torch burn hotter and cleaner..so I bought a can. he did not have any screens so I was out of luck on that. so I loaded up my hammer with the butane and wow it was amazing. so I looked at my FF and removed the screen from it and put it in my Lotus. purged my torch real good..put it in the freezer for a few minutes, filled it up and let it settle for 10 minutes. fired the torch up, seems like it burnt better but I admit I am high. filled up the lotus and took it for a ride. nice intense hits, seams like the torch burned a little hotter I dialed it down a bit and yeah I agree with dude at LHS. I like this butane. it works well in my torch and in my hammer. very clean and hardly no smell.
http://www.newportbutane.com/
http://www.newportbutane.com/
vorrange
Vapor.wise
@FlyingLow i have to agree with what others said.
Your plate is heavily marked, well outside the center circle. I'm guessing you have your flame set too high and perhaps that could explain part of the problem.
I'm not aware of what are the implications of a wider hot area in the plate but if you already cracked two of them i'm guessing it is very likely that either your heating pattern (how wide you circle the flame) and your flame length could partially explain the repetition of the problem.
Your plate is heavily marked, well outside the center circle. I'm guessing you have your flame set too high and perhaps that could explain part of the problem.
I'm not aware of what are the implications of a wider hot area in the plate but if you already cracked two of them i'm guessing it is very likely that either your heating pattern (how wide you circle the flame) and your flame length could partially explain the repetition of the problem.
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
I appreciate the input, it is very much welcomed. I will turn down the flame further, but I find I have better control over the vape consistency if I hit it for a short period of time with hotter flame, rather than a longer pull with a shorter flame. With the hot and fast lights, I have not yet experienced combustion anymore either.
I don't mind so much to pay for a new plate, but it would have been nice to get some sort of reply from Mendo to hear their thoughts. I would not think that heat alone would crack the plates, but I really dont know the subject... Anyway, they have been great [up to this point] with communication so I can only assume my email fell through the cracks or was unintentionally deleted.
I did think they were following and might have commented on this thread though.
So how many of y'all use your Lotus with wax or oil?
Do you find it requires a different technique than with flowers?
I don't mind so much to pay for a new plate, but it would have been nice to get some sort of reply from Mendo to hear their thoughts. I would not think that heat alone would crack the plates, but I really dont know the subject... Anyway, they have been great [up to this point] with communication so I can only assume my email fell through the cracks or was unintentionally deleted.
I did think they were following and might have commented on this thread though.So how many of y'all use your Lotus with wax or oil?
Do you find it requires a different technique than with flowers?
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Based on the fact @FlyingLow broke two plates with two different torch lighters, I'm really not sure if torch control is the issue. I checked my plate when I got home yesterday and noticed the blue discoloration extends out as far as his cracked plates!
I'm really starting to suspect it's the lotus cap causing the problem. As a programmer, I try to "debug" by eliminating variables, or testing different conditions.
I see 2 possible tests to determine if the cap is at fault, or if torch control is the problem:
1) Purchase a 3rd plate and try to change your heating method with a lower torch setting if you crack the 3rd plate, the cap could be defective
2) Purchase a new fresh cap, use your same heating method used on the previous two plates, and see if your new plate/cap also cracks.
Obviously option 1 isn't the most effective test, but it's the cheaper of the two options.
vorrange
Vapor.wise
@Ratchett, i see your point but the thing is, most likely FlyingLow has used the same technique and the same flame length in both lighters so the experience will be similar despite the lighter used.
If this was a common problem i'd would be considering other options, but it is not, and the plate is stained way beyond the inner circle. I believe that is the problem, too much heat in a place where the plate is bent.
If this was a common problem i'd would be considering other options, but it is not, and the plate is stained way beyond the inner circle. I believe that is the problem, too much heat in a place where the plate is bent.
Guys!
Steven over at MT responded to my question about a custom Lotus cap with exotic wood. Here's part of his response!
Interesting, I wonder what changes there will be between the v3 and the new model!
Steven over at MT responded to my question about a custom Lotus cap with exotic wood. Here's part of his response!
Interesting, I wonder what changes there will be between the v3 and the new model!
cityslang
A taste on the tongue
420 is the 15% off code
ataxian
PALE BLUE DOT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121173846240?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649Distance of the Lotus cap & torch are perfect distance from the eye - no strain!!!
Do you have this Torch?
It works every time for me.
However I might be wrong?
I like the LOTUS ever since I got this lighter!
Game Changer.
One more thing @Snappo :
I like your water set up.
I want that!