The Nomad From Morwood
- Thread starter Dan Morrison
- Start date
marduk
daydreamer
Do you know if the PotV One capsules will fit without sticking out the front? From the second pic in the IG link it looks like the bowl section might not be deep enough.
flammy
Well-Known Member
Guys, I'm sorry. I should have mentioned this but I believe that the stem has a fixed glass screen as standard. It's certainly very possible that one can be created without a fixed glass screen but I don't want to speak out of turn. I've ordered from @mistvaporizer several times now and he is super easy to work with. I would suggest reaching out and asking or perhaps he can chime in on this as well.
MonkeyTime
Well-Known Member
If you took your metal screen out and put the capsule in using the glass screen as a stop, would it protrude?
Either way love it and need to order two!.... maybe with a request for a custom depth of glass screen?
Copacetic
Somewhere North of The Wall
When @mistvaporizer first posted his stems on IG, I asked if either of the POTV or Healthy rips capsules would fit and sadly they won't.
I don't know if the issue is depth or diameter or both.
I also asked about the 'screen', and it's a reduction of the inside diameter of the tube, rather than a disc with holes in it (just FYI, not saying one design is better than the other).
I don't feel much of a need for the beads myself (maybe good with high heater?) but can see how a screen which can't be dislodged might be helpful (not that it's much of an issue anyway).
If @mistvaporizer were to amend the design to accept the POTV capsules then I think they'd be fantastic for out and about use.
After lots of experimenting with stems (principally making various types of wooden stems for my Milaana's, but also the Woodscents, and Dynavap) and capsules myself, I've have come to the conclusion that 'hot spotting' could potentially be eliminated as a problem if hot air was drawn in through the entire load rather than simply through one end and out the other.
Air-flow always occurs more down the centre of a tube than the sides which is why we vapers must regulate our heat and draw speed (especially in a manual vape) to reduce/eliminate 'tunneling' which in the case of a fast, hot draw can lead to an overcooked/burned 'hot-spot' near the centre of our load, and green unfinished edges nearer the tube.
Dan's heater for the Nomad, and the design of the stem seems to allow for slightly faster/hotter draws without scorching (than Milaana for instance), but I wondered if this performance could be improved even further.
I thought I'd experiment with a Flowermate capsule I have, since it is well made, has a screw lid, and most crucially, has perforated sides.
It's Narrower than the POTV capsules (I think, I don't have any of them), and longer, and holds about the same as a Vapcap.
I wanted to centre the capsule in the stem, with some room around it to allow hot air to enter from all around to ensure the entire load gets cooked at the same rate no matter how high the draw speed.
I also had to stop any of the hot air from simply rushing through the gap between the capsule and stem, bypassing the load.
To maximise the gap between the capsule and stem I needed a stem with a thin wall, so I decided to use the stainless stem that @KeroZen kindly gave me (I'd also be a lot less likely to break it while force fitting stuff!).
So I machined a little cradle to carry the capsule, keep it centred in the stem, and allow hot air access to the holes in the side of the capsule.
It also had to force ALL the heated air through the load without passing by the capsule.
Here is the stem, FM capsule and cradle:

Here (hopefully the pic's show up) is the capsule in the cradle:
[/url][/IMG]
Sorry for the back to back posts mod's, but I'm having trouble reliably posting pic's
mod note: fixed
Here's another attempt at posting the capsule in the cradle:
The cradle/capsule partially inserted into the stem (you can see the gaps to allow the passage of air here):
[/url][/IMG]
The whole assembly fully inserted into the stem, again you can see the small gap all around the capsule:
[/url][/IMG]
Sadly the effect of ducting the hot air around the capsule means it is in contact with the stainless stem longer than normal, and the conductive properties of the SS means that although the capsule works vey well in the sense that the contents are very evenly baked at even very high draw rates with the high heater, sadly the stem soaks up a lot of the heat, making this particular set-up inefficient (stem gets too hot, requires looong draws with even high heater, batteries under more stress and last for less loads, probably, haven't measured).
I plan to try somethimg similar in a wood stem next.
The glass stem might be the best option for purity of flavour, but the thicker glass walls means that there just isn't room between the capsule and the stem for me to fit any sort of cradle.
I wish I had hot glass equipment, then I'd make a glass tube with a 'barely there' version of the choke-point @mistvaporizer stems have, and add 3 or 4 longitudinal ridges (or even just bumps might be enough) to centre the capsule in the stem and allow for passage of the hot air in through the sides of the load.
I might pursue this if the wood stem seems to be any more efficient.
Quickly and easily swappable capsules might even not need all this palaver, perhaps all that's needed is a glass stem with a tiny ridge to prevent the POTV cap's dropping in too deep, but I'm intruiged by the possibility of a really even bake from very hot and fast draws so I thought I'd give it a go.
I don't know if the issue is depth or diameter or both.
I also asked about the 'screen', and it's a reduction of the inside diameter of the tube, rather than a disc with holes in it (just FYI, not saying one design is better than the other).
I don't feel much of a need for the beads myself (maybe good with high heater?) but can see how a screen which can't be dislodged might be helpful (not that it's much of an issue anyway).
If @mistvaporizer were to amend the design to accept the POTV capsules then I think they'd be fantastic for out and about use.
After lots of experimenting with stems (principally making various types of wooden stems for my Milaana's, but also the Woodscents, and Dynavap) and capsules myself, I've have come to the conclusion that 'hot spotting' could potentially be eliminated as a problem if hot air was drawn in through the entire load rather than simply through one end and out the other.
Air-flow always occurs more down the centre of a tube than the sides which is why we vapers must regulate our heat and draw speed (especially in a manual vape) to reduce/eliminate 'tunneling' which in the case of a fast, hot draw can lead to an overcooked/burned 'hot-spot' near the centre of our load, and green unfinished edges nearer the tube.
Dan's heater for the Nomad, and the design of the stem seems to allow for slightly faster/hotter draws without scorching (than Milaana for instance), but I wondered if this performance could be improved even further.
I thought I'd experiment with a Flowermate capsule I have, since it is well made, has a screw lid, and most crucially, has perforated sides.
It's Narrower than the POTV capsules (I think, I don't have any of them), and longer, and holds about the same as a Vapcap.
I wanted to centre the capsule in the stem, with some room around it to allow hot air to enter from all around to ensure the entire load gets cooked at the same rate no matter how high the draw speed.
I also had to stop any of the hot air from simply rushing through the gap between the capsule and stem, bypassing the load.
To maximise the gap between the capsule and stem I needed a stem with a thin wall, so I decided to use the stainless stem that @KeroZen kindly gave me (I'd also be a lot less likely to break it while force fitting stuff!).
So I machined a little cradle to carry the capsule, keep it centred in the stem, and allow hot air access to the holes in the side of the capsule.
It also had to force ALL the heated air through the load without passing by the capsule.
Here is the stem, FM capsule and cradle:

Here (hopefully the pic's show up) is the capsule in the cradle:
Sorry for the back to back posts mod's, but I'm having trouble reliably posting pic's
mod note: fixed
Here's another attempt at posting the capsule in the cradle:
The cradle/capsule partially inserted into the stem (you can see the gaps to allow the passage of air here):
The whole assembly fully inserted into the stem, again you can see the small gap all around the capsule:
Sadly the effect of ducting the hot air around the capsule means it is in contact with the stainless stem longer than normal, and the conductive properties of the SS means that although the capsule works vey well in the sense that the contents are very evenly baked at even very high draw rates with the high heater, sadly the stem soaks up a lot of the heat, making this particular set-up inefficient (stem gets too hot, requires looong draws with even high heater, batteries under more stress and last for less loads, probably, haven't measured).
I plan to try somethimg similar in a wood stem next.
The glass stem might be the best option for purity of flavour, but the thicker glass walls means that there just isn't room between the capsule and the stem for me to fit any sort of cradle.
I wish I had hot glass equipment, then I'd make a glass tube with a 'barely there' version of the choke-point @mistvaporizer stems have, and add 3 or 4 longitudinal ridges (or even just bumps might be enough) to centre the capsule in the stem and allow for passage of the hot air in through the sides of the load.
I might pursue this if the wood stem seems to be any more efficient.
Quickly and easily swappable capsules might even not need all this palaver, perhaps all that's needed is a glass stem with a tiny ridge to prevent the POTV cap's dropping in too deep, but I'm intruiged by the possibility of a really even bake from very hot and fast draws so I thought I'd give it a go.
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Vaporware
Well-Known Member
@Copacetic That looks great! Being another lucky recipient of a @KeroZen stainless stem, I’m sad to hear it doesn’t work as well as you’d hoped. 
I’ve thought for a while that this type of setup where you hit as much of the load as possible directly should help get better extraction, so if you do more experiments along these lines please let us know!
I do wonder though, is it really the stem stealing most of the heat, or is it more the capsule with a lot of metal mass between the holes (and maybe not enough holes in the end), and even the capsule holder?
If the capsule was almost all made out of just thin metal woven into a screen, that might make a real difference, and reducing the mass of the holder could help too if you continue experimenting with this.
I’ve thought for a while that this type of setup where you hit as much of the load as possible directly should help get better extraction, so if you do more experiments along these lines please let us know!
I do wonder though, is it really the stem stealing most of the heat, or is it more the capsule with a lot of metal mass between the holes (and maybe not enough holes in the end), and even the capsule holder?
If the capsule was almost all made out of just thin metal woven into a screen, that might make a real difference, and reducing the mass of the holder could help too if you continue experimenting with this.
@Copacetic i found my capsules are pretty even as far as load baking. As you say have side air flow is a great improvement.
flammy
Well-Known Member
So I don't use capsules with my Nomad. I have a small basket screen on one end that I load and lightly tamp down. The only downside that I found is that every once in a while some material will fall onto the heater which is easily fixed.
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KeroZen
Chronic vapaholic
I think SS is dual-edged here (for stems that is). It helps cool the vapor downstream (i.e. between the load and mouth) but it also robs heat from the upstream hot air (i.e. before it hits the load)
So we can expect somewhat cooler vapor but at the expense of degraded efficiency / battery life. On the other end of the spectrum we have wooden stems, which cool the vapor even less than glass, so it's quite hot with little condensation, but are the most efficient battery-wise (they introduce other potential problems though, as highlighted recently by @phattpiggie in another thread)
So we can expect somewhat cooler vapor but at the expense of degraded efficiency / battery life. On the other end of the spectrum we have wooden stems, which cool the vapor even less than glass, so it's quite hot with little condensation, but are the most efficient battery-wise (they introduce other potential problems though, as highlighted recently by @phattpiggie in another thread)
@Copacetic That's freakin' awesome man!
It's funny, everytime I make coffee in the morning I look at that cone-shaped coffee filter and think about how I could use the sample principle with the Nomad chamber... The idea of more surface area in contact with the air is very intriguing, and seems like it would do wonders to improve the extraction. But, such a tiny cone would be a little awkward to load and work with.
Your proposal of a "finger" shaped capsule seems much better int his application. It reminds me of a finger condenser in a distillation setup.
And I really enjoy your observations on the heat-stealing effect of the SS chamber/stem combo. I had similar thoughts about this when I was looking at different capsule ideas. This is part of the reason of why I landed on wooden capsules.
Anyhow, your post has given me a couple ideas I'm going to try out.
Will post some sketches soon and get your thoughts. Thanks!
It's funny, everytime I make coffee in the morning I look at that cone-shaped coffee filter and think about how I could use the sample principle with the Nomad chamber... The idea of more surface area in contact with the air is very intriguing, and seems like it would do wonders to improve the extraction. But, such a tiny cone would be a little awkward to load and work with.
Your proposal of a "finger" shaped capsule seems much better int his application. It reminds me of a finger condenser in a distillation setup.
And I really enjoy your observations on the heat-stealing effect of the SS chamber/stem combo. I had similar thoughts about this when I was looking at different capsule ideas. This is part of the reason of why I landed on wooden capsules.
Anyhow, your post has given me a couple ideas I'm going to try out.
Will post some sketches soon and get your thoughts. Thanks!
I tried out my above idea. Didn't work. Heh.
It was essentially a wooden finger with many very tiny holes drilled into the front face and sides. Like a wooden deep basket screen. Exactly like how @Copacetic had made his SS version... but made from wood. Same gap between the capsule walls and the inner walls of the glass stem.
It also had a groove for o-ring positioned further up the stem for sealing it off and keeping it in place.
I boiled the wood in acetone to remove all of the oils in the wood to try to make a more neutral tasting material.
Anyhow, results were not promising. Load always seemed to vaporize unevenly, with the tip of the finger achieving a dark colour before the base of the finger was finished. Taste and density was not good.
I think that my finger was too long.
Also, the finger should be made from metal, maybe perforated SS sheet, welded seams. Keep the thickness extremely thin for the least amount of heat holding capacity.
I thought about the idea of a hole size gradient. Smaller holes near the tip of the finger, larger holes near the base. To encourage more even airflow throughout. But I actually think that a bigger issue at the tip of the finger is conduction heating. The airflow hits that finger tip dead on, then flows around it.
Three ideas come to mind:
1. No holes at the tip of the finger, only holes running down the sides of the finger to the base.
2. Smaller holes AND thicker SS material at the tip to block and trap excess heat.
3. Cone shaped tip. I did do a slightly cone-shaped tip on mine, but perhaps a pointier tip would help more.
The last issue is tamp weight. When tamping down material in a longer tube, you have the issue of uneven tamping, where some areas might be packed tight and others looser. So this will have an effect on airflow which could counter-act any air hole sizing trickery you've done to help evenly spread said flow of air.
So... I just don't know, but I think it's worth looking into more.
I think that my next experiment will be for a very short "nub" of a finger, made from mesh. Like an inverted dome screen. It should have the effect of slightly larger surface area, without as much of the airflow distribution issue. And maybe these mesh nubs could be pre-loaded capsules as well.
It was essentially a wooden finger with many very tiny holes drilled into the front face and sides. Like a wooden deep basket screen. Exactly like how @Copacetic had made his SS version... but made from wood. Same gap between the capsule walls and the inner walls of the glass stem.
It also had a groove for o-ring positioned further up the stem for sealing it off and keeping it in place.
I boiled the wood in acetone to remove all of the oils in the wood to try to make a more neutral tasting material.
Anyhow, results were not promising. Load always seemed to vaporize unevenly, with the tip of the finger achieving a dark colour before the base of the finger was finished. Taste and density was not good.
I think that my finger was too long.
Also, the finger should be made from metal, maybe perforated SS sheet, welded seams. Keep the thickness extremely thin for the least amount of heat holding capacity.
I thought about the idea of a hole size gradient. Smaller holes near the tip of the finger, larger holes near the base. To encourage more even airflow throughout. But I actually think that a bigger issue at the tip of the finger is conduction heating. The airflow hits that finger tip dead on, then flows around it.
Three ideas come to mind:
1. No holes at the tip of the finger, only holes running down the sides of the finger to the base.
2. Smaller holes AND thicker SS material at the tip to block and trap excess heat.
3. Cone shaped tip. I did do a slightly cone-shaped tip on mine, but perhaps a pointier tip would help more.
The last issue is tamp weight. When tamping down material in a longer tube, you have the issue of uneven tamping, where some areas might be packed tight and others looser. So this will have an effect on airflow which could counter-act any air hole sizing trickery you've done to help evenly spread said flow of air.
So... I just don't know, but I think it's worth looking into more.
I think that my next experiment will be for a very short "nub" of a finger, made from mesh. Like an inverted dome screen. It should have the effect of slightly larger surface area, without as much of the airflow distribution issue. And maybe these mesh nubs could be pre-loaded capsules as well.
Vaporware
Well-Known Member
@Dan Morrison I *think* the next idea you’re going to try is something like what I suggested earlier in the thread to the tobacco users who were having trouble with undercooked material around the edges.
I’m not sure I said anything particularly helpful there, and it was all based on thought experiments rather than experimentation, but here are the posts I dug up in case they help at all as you think this stuff through:
I know the current screen design already works well, but it’s always fun to mess with different ideas and see if we can make things even better. Thanks for continuing to innovate!
I’m not sure I said anything particularly helpful there, and it was all based on thought experiments rather than experimentation, but here are the posts I dug up in case they help at all as you think this stuff through:
I know the current screen design already works well, but it’s always fun to mess with different ideas and see if we can make things even better. Thanks for continuing to innovate!
P.A.M.
Vapo Rising
Surely @phattpiggie meant that for some specific wood species more then others. Wood Tobacco pipe have been used for ages , unless you or @phattpiggie have scientific proof wood is sooo problematic and bad for you , please stop trying to spook every one in threads across the board utilizing ohatpiggies take on Blackwood or paddock just to spread your hate on wood and on certain vape builders like you are doing here and in the Firewood thread. We know you don’t like wood, or maybe you do at times , who knows. Point is, let people who enjoy wood enjoy it .
The Vape Sheriff .
KeroZen
Chronic vapaholic
What part of "potential problems" don't you understand?
And no, it's not just a couple species, it's much more. See for reference >> https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
Plus it gives a taste and it's nearly impossible to clean/reclaim properly, meaning it stinks and that's a no when you live under strong prohibition like me.
I like wood, just not in my vapor path. YMMV.
And no, it's not just a couple species, it's much more. See for reference >> https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/
Plus it gives a taste and it's nearly impossible to clean/reclaim properly, meaning it stinks and that's a no when you live under strong prohibition like me.
I like wood, just not in my vapor path. YMMV.
This post is out of line and off topic. We are trying hard to keep this thread (a favorite of mine) on topic, and free from this type of BS. If you want to discuss the merits of wood stems, feel free to make a thread about it, but any further member provocation or off topic posts in this thread will get you another warning point.
A Real Vape Sheriff
Big news!
I'm dropping the new Nomad II in 2020.
Order emails have gone out to those who are next in line on the wait list. I only sent out about 25 emails, as always, the Nomads are crafted in small batches.
I see this as a continuation in the Nomad saga, not a replacement of the Nomad I, but a compliment. The Nomad II heaters are backwards compatible with the Nomad I, so any future design improvements can be used by Nomad I owners.
The Nomad I, like the Okin, will be a limited run vaporizer. I'm going to cease production after this batch goes out. While I'd love to keep making the Nomad I, I can only focus on one at a time.
__
The Nomad II is all about the wood, and I'll have plenty of custom species to pick from for a huge array of looks.
Here's some photos!
The bottom plate is now magnetic. Large rare earth magnets are squeezed into the design for a very hardy click and super secure hold. The magnets and matching steel pins are mechanically held into their holes, no adhesives here.
The inset bottom perfectly fits the bottom plate so there's no play between the parts.
The connector between the heater module pin and the battery terminal is inset into the wooden bottom plate, and automatically adjusts to varying battery heights. It's spring loaded.
To lock the device, all that's needed is to take the bottom plate off, turn it 180 degrees, and click it back into place. Super quick and easy.
Side pulls for easy bottom plate removal. Even with thick Canadian mitts on!
The battery is fully enclosed in wood, no way for the shell to ever touch metal.
Size comparison.
So there you have it.
I've got a soft case design that will also be available. The soft case will be small pocket friendly for added protection on the go.
And, as always, I'll be continuing development of new/better heater modules to go along with the Nomad lineup. I've got some things in the pipe.
I'm dropping the new Nomad II in 2020.
Order emails have gone out to those who are next in line on the wait list. I only sent out about 25 emails, as always, the Nomads are crafted in small batches.
I see this as a continuation in the Nomad saga, not a replacement of the Nomad I, but a compliment. The Nomad II heaters are backwards compatible with the Nomad I, so any future design improvements can be used by Nomad I owners.
The Nomad I, like the Okin, will be a limited run vaporizer. I'm going to cease production after this batch goes out. While I'd love to keep making the Nomad I, I can only focus on one at a time.
__
The Nomad II is all about the wood, and I'll have plenty of custom species to pick from for a huge array of looks.
Here's some photos!
The bottom plate is now magnetic. Large rare earth magnets are squeezed into the design for a very hardy click and super secure hold. The magnets and matching steel pins are mechanically held into their holes, no adhesives here.
The inset bottom perfectly fits the bottom plate so there's no play between the parts.
The connector between the heater module pin and the battery terminal is inset into the wooden bottom plate, and automatically adjusts to varying battery heights. It's spring loaded.
To lock the device, all that's needed is to take the bottom plate off, turn it 180 degrees, and click it back into place. Super quick and easy.
Side pulls for easy bottom plate removal. Even with thick Canadian mitts on!
The battery is fully enclosed in wood, no way for the shell to ever touch metal.
Size comparison.
So there you have it.
I've got a soft case design that will also be available. The soft case will be small pocket friendly for added protection on the go.
And, as always, I'll be continuing development of new/better heater modules to go along with the Nomad lineup. I've got some things in the pipe.
MonkeyTime
Well-Known Member
Big news!
I'm dropping the new Nomad II in 2020.
Order emails have gone out to those who are next in line on the wait list. I only sent out about 25 emails, as always, the Nomads are crafted in small batches.
I see this as a continuation in the Nomad saga, not a replacement of the Nomad I, but a compliment. The Nomad II heaters are backwards compatible with the Nomad I, so any future design improvements can be used by Nomad I owners.
The Nomad I, like the Okin, will be a limited run vaporizer. I'm going to cease production after this batch goes out. While I'd love to keep making the Nomad I, I can only focus on one at a time.
__
The Nomad II is all about the wood, and I'll have plenty of custom species to pick from for a huge array of looks.
Here's some photos!
The bottom plate is now magnetic. Large rare earth magnets are squeezed into the design for a very hardy click and super secure hold. The magnets and matching steel pins are mechanically held into their holes, no adhesives here.
The inset bottom perfectly fits the bottom plate so there's no play between the parts.
The connector between the heater module pin and the battery terminal is inset into the wooden bottom plate, and automatically adjusts to varying battery heights. It's spring loaded.
To lock the device, all that's needed is to take the bottom plate off, turn it 180 degrees, and click it back into place. Super quick and easy.
Side pulls for easy bottom plate removal. Even with thick Canadian mitts on!
The battery is fully enclosed in wood, no way for the shell to ever touch metal.
Size comparison.
So there you have it.
I've got a soft case design that will also be available. The soft case will be small pocket friendly for added protection on the go.
And, as always, I'll be continuing development of new/better heater modules to go along with the Nomad lineup. I've got some things in the pipe.
Dan, I really love my Nomad, but that is absolutely breathtaking! I'll be PM'n you shortly to get on the list again.
lieutenantlemons
Well-Known Member
Interesting stuff! This new design definitely feels more like the early Nomad concepts and gives me much more of a futuristic Star Wars type of vibe as opposed to the more J.R.R. Tolkien-feeling Nomad 1 imo. I imagine the lack of sleeve and all the changes will mean this will be easier to produce?
Anyway, it's a beautiful design but I'm a bigger fan of the original, so I'm glad I got in while I did. Great work, Dan!
Anyway, it's a beautiful design but I'm a bigger fan of the original, so I'm glad I got in while I did. Great work, Dan!
@lieutenantlemons , I'll always love the original as well, but I've made some choices here to help keep my sanity. This year has been a SOLID grind in the workshop. The Nomad proved to be very demanding due to the mixed media aspect of the design. I was spreading my skills between wood working, machining, metal smithing, paper craft, lapidary, whatever you would call a lichen preserver person, and painting. The whole thing really pushed me to grow as an artist and I'm SO happy with how the Nomads came out.
But I feel like now it's time to narrow my focus and see what I'm capable of achieving in the mediums that I'm most proficient in. In woodworking I can really fly, and that's where I'll be able to reduce wait times and at the same time reclaim my weekends! haha.
I've made a number of little changes that will really help streamline the whole process without sacrificing quality. I think that learning how to make something good is one thing...learning how to make it quickly is another...but good, quick, and affordable is the real challenge that I've been trying to tackle!
And to those wondering, the Nomads in the shop are still top priority. Many new custom painted beauties to be leaving the shop over the next little while!
But I feel like now it's time to narrow my focus and see what I'm capable of achieving in the mediums that I'm most proficient in. In woodworking I can really fly, and that's where I'll be able to reduce wait times and at the same time reclaim my weekends! haha.
I've made a number of little changes that will really help streamline the whole process without sacrificing quality. I think that learning how to make something good is one thing...learning how to make it quickly is another...but good, quick, and affordable is the real challenge that I've been trying to tackle!
And to those wondering, the Nomads in the shop are still top priority. Many new custom painted beauties to be leaving the shop over the next little while!
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All of this sounds wise.