The Lotus Vaporizer

[mixchu69]

Lotus vs vapman.

For concentrates?
For flowers?

 

[KidFated.]

Vapman is conduction, an it's vape sig hits hard as fuck. Never used it for concentrates.

Lotus is convection, not as discreet as vapman.

Both are amazing for flower.

 

[Levitan]

So, I don't think I'm doing anything blatantly wrong with the technique (no excessively big or angled flame, no staying on one spot for too long, no overfilled bowls, etc.), and I'm using decent butane, but the hot plate is apparently getting marked everywhere but where the flame is actually going.

I also seem to be getting some uneven heating and a bit of charring, but here's the thing: I haven't been able to try mj yet (thanks, random tests). I've been practicing with less risky dried botanicals. The vapor is usually hard to see, but I imagine that things like chamomile, green tea, and catnip don't tend to produce clouds to begin with.

I'm pretty sure that truly defective caps are rare and that I haven't killed this one. I'm getting a little paranoid, though; I guess I'll have to see what happens with some proper bud.

 

[caves]

So, I don't think I'm doing anything blatantly wrong with the technique (no excessively big or angled flame, no staying on one spot for too long, no overfilled bowls, etc.), and I'm using decent butane, but the hot plate is apparently getting marked everywhere but where the flame is actually going.

I also seem to be getting some uneven heating and a bit of charring, but here's the thing: I haven't been able to try mj yet (thanks, random tests). I've been practicing with less risky dried botanicals. The vapor is usually hard to see, but I imagine that things like chamomile, green tea, and catnip don't tend to produce clouds to begin with.

I'm pretty sure that truly defective caps are rare and that I haven't killed this one. I'm getting a little paranoid, though; I guess I'll have to see what happens with some proper bud.

A lot of those look like fingerprints. If you touch the cap with your fingers you can get oils and dirt on it, and they seem to leave residue if you torch them. It's just a cosmetic thing, but if you don't want any more make sure not to touch the thin center plate on top with your fingers.

The top shouldn't be a problem unless a crack starts developing.

 

[RUDE BOY]

I think you would know if the plate was damaged because you would be burning your catnip and tea as @caves said some of the old caps got stress cracks after a lot of use or overheating but I believe the sign of that is burning the load and not getting no vapor.

I've tried a few different herbs other then bud in vapes and never really got much visible vapor with any of 'em, just the taste mostly.

 

[Levitan]

A lot of those look like fingerprints. If you touch the cap with your fingers you can get oils and dirt on it, and they seem to leave residue if you torch them.

That seems to make some sense; maybe the plate's heat set them, even if they weren't torched directly. I haven't played with vapes before, so chances are I have unrealistic expectations with other herbs. I can definitely taste them all for the first couple of hits; damiana was strong as hell and produced some visible vapor.

I'll report back once I've tried some bud -- and the J-hook and WPA I've got coming in should definitely help.

 

[colgorkan]

Totally normal oxidation on the heated portion of the plate, keep it clean and it will more or less stay in that condition. You will crispify some herbage early on but should get the hang of it quickly.

 

[Unisonruss]

Love love love my lotus even more now that I added this glass adapter. Puts the plate at a great angle, and there's a large enough path now too where the vapor is always cool. Plus it shows vapor collect incredibly easy!

 

[HellsWindStaff]

That seems to make some sense; maybe the plate's heat set them, even if they weren't torched directly. I haven't played with vapes before, so chances are I have unrealistic expectations with other herbs. I can definitely taste them all for the first couple of hits; damiana was strong as hell and produced some visible vapor.

I'll report back once I've tried some bud -- and the J-hook and WPA I've got coming in should definitely help.

For what its worth, mine also darkened seeminly all around the center of the cap, despite me hitting the center of the cap. Then one time I swear I saw the cap "pop" down for lack of a better term as I was lighting it, and from then on out the center has been getting bluer and bluer. I think it just needs some wear first.

 

[catbird]

So, I don't think I'm doing anything blatantly wrong with the technique (no excessively big or angled flame, no staying on one spot for too long, no overfilled bowls, etc.), and I'm using decent butane, but the hot plate is apparently getting marked everywhere but where the flame is actually going.

For what its worth, mine also darkened seemingly all around the center of the cap, despite me hitting the center of the cap. Then one time I swear I saw the cap "pop" down for lack of a better term as I was lighting it, and from then on out the center has been getting bluer and bluer. I think it just needs some wear first.

I got a new cap recently after losing my old one, which was the same/newest version -- kind of a ridiculous story, but anyway my old cap was defective and had been repaired by Mendocino, and then I lost it just a few days after getting it back. My new cap immediately (first use) got rings around the center, as opposed to marks in the center where the torch is applied, as well as some indents like @HellsWindStaff describes. I was concerned about it at first, but I stopped worrying because it's working great. I actually sort of had to learn a new technique with the new, correctly functioning cap, because I guess I developed my technique initially to compensate for, what I didn't know until it stopped working, was a defective cap. The original cap gave really strong hits with little effort, but care had to be taken not to combust. With the new cap, it took me a minute to figure out how to inhale to get strong hits, but I haven't come close to combusting using the same/more heat. I always had black AVB with the old cap, but now it's a nice, even, toasty brown. But, anyway, I digress. Here's what my current cap looks like after about 6 weeks of use.

 

[ataxian]

I got a new cap recently after losing my old one, which was the same/newest version -- kind of a ridiculous story, but anyway my old cab was defective and had been repaired by Mendocino, and then I lost it just a few days after getting it back. My new cap immediately (first use) got rings around the center, as opposed to marks in the center where the torch is applied, as well as some indents like @HellsWindStaff describes. I was concerned about it at first, but I stopped worrying because it's working great. I actually sort of had to learn a new technique with the new, better functioning cap, because I guess I developed my technique initially to compensate for (what I didn't know until it stopped working) was a defective cap. The original cap gave really strong hits with little effort, but care had to be taken not to combust. With the new cap, it took me a minute to figure out how to inhale to get strong hits, but I haven't come close to combusting using the same/more heat. I always had black AVB with the old cap, but now it's a nice, even, toasty brown. But, anyway, I digress. Here's what my current cap looks like after about 6 weeks of use.

Mine is way wòrsè!
However it still kicks butt!

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

I have been using my cap almost every day as my daily driver and have not had any discoloration or movement of the thin metal on it. I never really handled the cap metal with my fingers because something told me it wasn't a good idea.

I have noticed that my heating techniques often change with my cap. A few weeks ago I was hitting it hard with the flame for the first 2-3 seconds then backing off. Now, if I give it too much cone flame, it will scorch or combust the bud. It will cycle in a few weeks to another preferred heating style. The Lotus goes through a natural cycle...like a lady

Anyhoo, I do notice a dark area that often forms in the same spot on my weed when I'm a little heavy handed with the torch, even if I keep the flame circling. Whattya gonna do

 

[cybrguy]

Funny. A million different patterns of plate burn in on mostly identical caps...

 

[catbird]

Funny. A million different patterns of plate burn in on mostly identical caps...

I would like to photograph a lot of used lotus caps together. There should be a lotus meet-up so we could do this

 

[Pipes]

Here's what my current cap looks like after about 6 weeks of use.

I think there is something very different going on here. The outer scorching around the inner dimple seems odd compared to my ware and tare.
I posted these pictures back in October. Here's a c&p of it.
"Picture 1 is new, pic 2 is around a month and the third is now around 5 months of daily use.

I've being contemplating getting another plate for back up and avoid down time if it does crack.
We beat on these guys pretty hard so I consider this a pretty normal wear situation. Who knows, my unit could go for years and to use Murphy's law to my benefit having a spare would make the initial cap last."
Here is the latest picture. It shows little change from October and is still working great.

And I agree with the mentioned point that the bumps and ridges do seem to move and change while heating.
Still waiting on the high temperature version to come out. Got to give it a try for sure.
Another 3 months and this cap will have made it past warranty. But the replacement cost isn't bad anyway.
One great vape!!!

 

[catbird]

I think there is something very different going on here. The outer scorching around the inner dimple seems odd compared to my ware and tare.

Yeah, you may be right. I thought so initially (that it was something problematic), but then a little ways back, someone described similar wear on theirs, so I was feeling like maybe I was clear. The markings are much different than on my first cap, and those showed up gradually, while these started to appear on the first use, and were pretty dramatic right from jump.

Still waiting on the high temperature version to come out. Got to give it a try for sure.

Hmmm. Maybe the combo of this cap, and my first cap is like the ideal Lotus and I am forever just short. I haven't combusted in this, I don't think it's some overheating/technique issue, but I too am eager for the high heat cap!

 

[Pipes]

Maybe it had some processing contaminant (oil?) when new. I know even finger prints can make the flame flare odd against the plate. Nevertheless, will be gone now and that's all that matters. Interesting though and worth noting.

 

[catbird]

Maybe it had some processing contaminant (oil?) when new. I know even finger prints can make the flame flare odd against the plate. Nevertheless, will be gone now and that's all that matters. Interesting though and worth noting.

Maybe it could be the oil thing. I don't see why I would have handled the metal before I used it the first time -- I don't like to touch the plate, but I guess it's possible, I don't remember. I do remember that my torch struggled with the first use, and I thought the torch could be defective, because it came new with the lotus, but then it resolved with the next use.

 

[tacospace67]

Are there any promotions going on for the lotus, like a coupon code for free shipping?

 

[David and Michael]

We now have a Grav Labs ash catcher available.

 

[voodoo_vape]

Nice update Max!!
I only received mine a week ago and I can't get enough of it!!
If I may ask plz, is it ok to put some cotton on the bottom of the bowl to heat some concentrate or you wouldn't recommend it?

 

[David and Michael]

Nice update Max!!
I only received mine a week ago and I can't get enough of it!!
If I may ask plz, is it ok to put some cotton on the bottom of the bowl to heat some concentrate or you wouldn't recommend it?

I would not advise using concentrates in the present Lotus. You will probably scorch the wood under the Lotus ring due to the higher temp needed. We will be releasing a high temp version this Spring that can be used with concentrates.

 

[mixchu69]

Can you give an eta? Like April-June, since I am waiting for the lotus to do both concentrates and flower.

 

[David and Michael]

Can you give an eta? Like April-June, since I am waiting for the lotus to do both concentrates and flower.

I wish I could but it depends on our suppliers.

 

[beware116]

I'm trying to find one of these used to be my travel buddy and companion to my E-nano. Is there any update on a 19mm WPA being available? I can get adapters, but I'd really love a glass-less travel rig.