The Lotus Vaporizer

[stonemonkey55]

Max Jitter - Welcome to the forum! Seems like a very solid vaporizer you are making! I look forward to seeing reviews on the site.

As a fellow vape manufacturer, I'd like to chime in on the whole price thing. Stinkmeaner hit the nail on the head, we are creating niche products and many, if not all of us, are working day jobs to support our business. Because of this situation, we do not have the benefit of economies of scale to get components at cheaper prices. On top of that, many vendors don't want to work with you because of the nature of the device so you are not always dealing with the cream of the crop or the supplier that can supply you with cheaper components.

Once the market matures, I definitely see the price of these units coming down but for now (and I'm speaking from the POV as a vapor enthusiast, not a manufacturer) I think we should be appreciative of all the hard work and sacrifices Max Jitter and every other vape manufacturer before us has made in order to bring one of these products to market. I'm not saying that that we are all altruistic in our motivations but I can think of a lot of other things I could be make who's market size is far larger than vaporizers.

 

[stinkmeaner]

One thing I wanted to add is that someone just starting out usually doesn't have the money for big batches because most don't have their own factory like the Volcano does, most are just vaporists like us which had a product idea on paper but then have to find someone to build it for them to their specs, this can be extremely expensive especially per unit when in smaller runs and most do smaller runs so they can test the market to see if the item even sells.

I am not trying to defend this company because I don't know their situation but I did want to shed some light on why prices seem so high for an item that is very simple.

 

[Beezleb]

Welcome and I look forward to the reviews of the vape.

Love the customer service!

 

[JeffK1893]

I personally think you should hop right onto that bong attachment idea- It feel it would be a huge hit. Just an idea. This looks like a very cool vape, and i may need to acquire one

 

[Guest]

It would be fantastic if we could see one in action.

 

[ShadowLink12]

I personally think you should hop right onto that bong attachment idea- It feel it would be a huge hit. Just an idea. This looks like a very cool vape, and i may need to acquire one

I concur, a quick vape option for the bong would be great. My EQ and my bong are a match made in heaven, but it is not quick to setup. My MFLB and my PD are just not that great with the bong, this would be a magical setup if it works well. Can't wait for a video.

 

[Ash]

You could make an adapter, but my guess is that for the ergonomics of it you'd have to replace the entire stem The stem makes a right angle to the bowl. For a waterpipe connection you'd want it in line with the bowl. That said, I'd love to try one of these. I like the length of the stem. Looks very comfortable to hold and you won't feel like you're burning off your face. The long stem will cool the vapors, too. It doesn't look hugely stealthy, but really, what lighter-based vape is?

I agree it seems a bit expensive, but that would depend on how it works more than how its made or what it's made of. The value of a tool is what it contributes to the task and the value of good aesthetics is how it makes us feel. So if works better than its competitors (vaporgenie, etc.) and it looks better (I think the aesthetics are great), then it could be a great value at that price.

Jitter, are you selling these mainly on-line or in shops? This might be a product that would sell well where people could pick it up and handle it.

 

[pakalolo]

The long stem will cool the vapors, too

True, I was thinking about that because cooling means condensation means eventually you'll need to clean out the honey. Max, how do you clean the Lotus? Does the stem collect a lot of honey?

 

[stinkmeaner]

It is going to collect honey just like any other stem, whip, or bag and you would clean it the same way you clean most anything else vapor related 'isopropyl alcohol'

 

[pakalolo]

It is going to collect honey just like any other stem, whip, or bag and you would clean it the same way you clean most anything else vapor related 'isopropyl alcohol'

The stem is made of maple. I try to keep ISO well away from the wood of my LB. I let a little get through the screen once and it had a nasty taste for a while. ISO dries out wood too.

In the old combustion days I cleaned my pipes with pipe cleaners. Of course I wasn't trying to harvest that stuff, but some of us don't harvest honey anyway, we just want to get rid of it. I have no idea whether pipe cleaners are practical with the Lotus, that's why I asked. Is the air path diameter too large? Can I remove the bowl or screen and pass a cleaner all the way through? How quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?

Sooner or later it will start to affect the taste and you have to do something.

 

[blackbur]

i thought the stem was acrylic..just like the cover?

 

[David and Michael]

Jitter, are you selling these mainly on-line or in shops? This might be a product that would sell well where people could pick it up and handle it.

Right now we are going to sell on-line only. We haven't made a decision about what we are going to do going forward; wholesale to shops or on-line only. I suspect we will wholesale to shops as well as sell on-line.

Everyone that's tested the Lotus likes the feel of the it. The stem weighs about 3 oz, the weight of a roll of pennies.

It looks like there's a lot of interest, at least on this forum, for a bong adapter, so I'll probably look at that sooner rather than later. It would probably be a new bowl with a downstem.

The stem/bowl is really easy to clean. Just dump them in alcohol, as stinkmeaner said.

I'm not sure why, but people feel that it works better than whip type vapes, that the effect is more immediate.

The flavor is definitely right there.

 

[stinkmeaner]

It is going to collect honey just like any other stem, whip, or bag and you would clean it the same way you clean most anything else vapor related 'isopropyl alcohol'

The stem is made of maple. I try to keep ISO well away from the wood of my LB. I let a little get through the screen once and it had a nasty taste for a while. ISO dries out wood too.
How quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?

Yeah I know Iso would dry out wood, that is why I said 'Most', but that doesn't mean you can't dip a pipe cleaner in Iso and then clean a wood pipe or vaporizer.

Also you asked "how quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?" That is like asking Chevy how fast break dust builds up in the wheels.

It looks like there's a lot of interest, at least on this forum, for a bong adapter, so I'll probably look at that sooner rather than later. It would probably be a new bowl with a downstem.

Hey Max, if you do make a bong adapter it would be nice to use Ground Glass Joint Fittings to use as the connector. I had a couple ideas floating around and I thought I would share them.

You could take a male ground glass joint and at the opposite end form a cup or bowl to fit your existing stainless bowl inside, to hold it in place use a silicone shim/grommet, this way you can remove and clean it. Technically the silicone would just be in between the glass and the bowl so it would not be in the airpath.

I see what looks to be the magnet on the side of the bowl, embedded in the aluminum so if that is the case you might have to keep some of the aluminum around the bowl.

 

[SSS]

what connects the stem to the bowl? just curious.

 

[pakalolo]

Also you asked "how quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?" That is like asking Chevy how fast break dust builds up in the wheels.

You know, I've used a fair number of devices over the last 40 years, and if you asked me how quickly any of them clogged, I could answer you in a heartbeat. My first little waterpipe collected gunk quite quickly, for example. Mostly it depends on the diameter of the air path, but bends and twists complicate things a bit. All I expected was a general "not very quickly" or "probably needs cleaning after a week of daily use" or something like that from Max, not sarcasm from you. Thanks for playing.

 

[stinkmeaner]

Also you asked "how quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?" That is like asking Chevy how fast break dust builds up in the wheels.

You know, I've used a fair number of devices over the last 40 years, and if you asked me how quickly any of them clogged, I could answer you in a heartbeat. My first little waterpipe collected gunk quite quickly, for example. Mostly it depends on the diameter of the air path, but bends and twists complicate things a bit. All I expected was a general "not very quickly" or "probably needs cleaning after a week of daily use" or something like that from Max, not sarcasm from you. Thanks for playing.

Kick it out of high gear pakalolo, that is why I put a little emoticon and I didn't insult you personally. I was just trying to have a little laugh at a question I thought you would also think was silly when you looked at it again later.

The question again can not accurately be answered by anyone but the end user because it depend on so many variables and do you think for one minuite that the manufacturer is going to come on here and tell you anything different than "not very quickly" or "Average".

Besides if it clogged too easily then the maker would obviously found out in their trials and adjusted accordingly by boring out the stem a little more before the prototype was ready for final manufacturing.

 

[pakalolo]

The question again can not accurately be answered by anyone but the end user because it depend on so many variables and do you think for one minuite that the manufacturer is going to come on here and tell you anything different than "not very quickly" or "Average".

That's all I wanted. Of course I didn't expect a specific answer like 23.76912 days between cleanings. It might be that it's as simple as not needing to clean it at all until it starts tasting bad. I suspect that is the answer, but I don't know, that's why I asked. I still don't think it's a silly question. Obviously YMMV.

 

[vtac]

The Vapor Gods smiled down upon me and through miracle timing I'm able to share some first impressions. Happy Turkey day to all my Canadian brothers and sisters!

Nice weight to it. Body - 74g, top - 20g. Good fit and finish, must be that good ol' American labour.

Following the directions I got a big hit right off the bat and a lot faster than I expected. In fact there was a very small amount of scorching, top center. That was all it took though, smooth cooking from there on. Sometimes you have to take a flame powered vape to the brink to get a feel, anyway. I don't want to give the impression that this is difficult to hit either, just REALLY fast. If you can hit a Vaporgenie, this thing is a cakewalk.

The design is smart and provides great wind resistance, an area some similar flame-powered-portables flatline. Fucking magnets, how do they work? Very well, much faster and easier than a screw on top. Thumbs up on that. Along with having a nice heft, the aluminum body cools the vapor more than a wooden body would. Being able to soak in iso is nice, too.

Seems easier to get an even cook with smaller bowls and yes, it does work well with small amounts-- don't even need to fully cover the screen. A full bowl works fine, too, just need to stir it more often to get an even cook. Seems like almost 100% convection.

So far I'm really digging this thing and think I'll be be reaching for it as my portable for a while. It's not as stealthy as say a Launchbox but it hits harder and, can you believe it, faster. Better yet, I'll bring both. It's also fun to use and feels as close to smoking a pipe as any vape I've used. I think that anyone who's used a direct draw vape will get the hang of draw speed and heat application and develop their own technique with this quickly. Cold start to clouds in 2 seconds. I like that.

For the manufacturer:

1. Can you expand on how the heat exchanger/air path works? Are there unseen fins, etc., or does the air simply travel in through 6 holes in the wood and hit the other side of the nickel plate being torched before being redirected through the 13 small holes and through the herb.
2. What type of paint (and sealer for the unpainted) are you using?
3. Thank you for having lab tests done, can you post them for all the budding scientists?
4. Thanks for making a great portable!

How quickly does the stuff build up in the Lotus?

I didn't rip out the screen but the hole under the screen looks to be about 5mm in diamater and continue throughout the body. and the draw is very easy without the top on. Probably take a couple ounces vaped before airflow was significantly reduced.



[URL='http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/best-of-the-lotus-vaporizer-thread.16733/'] [/URL]

 

[momofthegoons]

Thank you vtac for this detailed review. I especially appreciated the pic with the Lotus next to the LB for comparison. It really put the size into perspective.

This looks to be a very interesting portable.

 

[Qbit]

Nice one Vtac. Great to hear of another solid portable. The fact that (as I understand it) you're not inhaling fumes as well as that it's fully cleanable is very impressive.

Well done Max Jitter & Co.

 

[pakalolo]

Thanks for the review and the air path info, vtac. The excellent pictures are really helpful. I gather you took them before taking it for a test drive, since I can't see any evidence of use. Max mentioned a permanent color change in the heat exchanger, and I don't see it there. Any possibility of an "after" shot?

 

[Jacopone]

Hi Vtac,
Do you think you could vaporize hash or other concentrates with the Lotus?

 

[stonemonkey55]

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends up north. I too was blessed with receiving my Lotus before the weekend.

I've used this thing about 5 times since I got it and am surprised at how little of a learning curve there is. The main thing you want to keep in mind is heating the heat exchanger to the point where there is a small red dot in the middle. This seems to be optimal temperature zone.

Overall, I am satisfied with the unit. It heats up quickly and will fill the void that my Vapir No2 left behind. I have been using my Supreme for portable use but I think the Lotus will take some playing time away from the Supreme. The Supreme still gives you larger hits and holds it temperature longer but is more difficult to use. The Lotus allows you to get your few hits in and move on, much like a regular pipe. Whereas lighting and using the Supreme is far from convenient.

All in all, I feel confident recommending this vape to anyone looking for an easy to use portable.

Here is a picture of the discoloration

 

[stinkmeaner]

Thanks Vtac & Stonemonkey for the close up pictures & reviews of this product. I had a feeling from the get go that it was going to be a decent product and since the Supreme is my only portable I was thinking this would be nice for 'On the Go' because the SV is more of a home vape to use with a tube for me.

Stonemonkey or Vtac, maybe you could try something for us?? It was mentioned that you couldn't hit like a regular pipe and the draw had to be slower but now that I see these somewhat large holes in the bottom of the wood ring I was wondering if you blocked off 2-3 of them or even took some tape and partially covered some/all so that you might get more drag that would equate to longer heat retention and/or more even cooking with larger loads without stirring.

 

[David and Michael]

For the manufacturer:

1. Can you expand on how the heat exchanger/air path works? Are there unseen fins, etc., or does the air simply travel in through 6 holes in the wood and hit the other side of the nickel plate being torched before being redirected through the 13 small holes and through the herb.[/*]
2. What type of paint (and sealer for the unpainted) are you using?[/*]
3. Thank you for having lab tests done, can you post them for all the budding scientists?[/*]
4. Thanks for making a great portable! [/*]

1)

2) Presently I am using alkyd paint (standard oil based paint) for the colors and Miniwax Polycrylic for the clear.
3) The lab test results and the test protocol will be published on the website soon.
4) You're welcome. Glad you're enjoying it.

[URL='http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/best-of-the-lotus-vaporizer-thread.16733/'] [/URL]