Discontinued The Okin by D.M. Pipes
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- charcoal powered okin portable
Haha, I knew it would make you happy.
Some new photos,
I tested some different stems, but this one came out the coolest. The two halves are connected with a tenon wrapped in waxed thread. The waxed thread is wound around the tenon, making an airtight joint that is both secure and long lasting. If the joint ever loosens, just re-wind it with thread. This is the same joint used in wooden flutes, so it's a proven design.
I am scraping the case idea I had, I did some testing with a mock-up and it wasn't working the way I had hoped. I think that a simple case might be better anyhow.
So, this is pretty much what the production model will look like, save for a couple very tiny modifications. I'd like to price for this along with a case to be around $200.
Some new photos,
I tested some different stems, but this one came out the coolest. The two halves are connected with a tenon wrapped in waxed thread. The waxed thread is wound around the tenon, making an airtight joint that is both secure and long lasting. If the joint ever loosens, just re-wind it with thread. This is the same joint used in wooden flutes, so it's a proven design.
I am scraping the case idea I had, I did some testing with a mock-up and it wasn't working the way I had hoped. I think that a simple case might be better anyhow.
So, this is pretty much what the production model will look like, save for a couple very tiny modifications. I'd like to price for this along with a case to be around $200.
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natural farmer
Well-Known Member
Looks amazing Dan!
I have a couple questions for you if you don't mind.
First, how much will the charcoals cost and how easy will it be to make our own? I've got something like this in my grey water system… The stems seem a good size for charcoals.
Also, you said that the pipe will change it's taste over time, being unique for everyone depending on what they vape in it, but you need to consider that as resin accumulates inside the pipe the airflow will eventually suffer. How much will a new stem cost I wonder and if there will be a way to kind of clean the pipe a bit…
I have a couple questions for you if you don't mind.
First, how much will the charcoals cost and how easy will it be to make our own? I've got something like this in my grey water system… The stems seem a good size for charcoals.
Also, you said that the pipe will change it's taste over time, being unique for everyone depending on what they vape in it, but you need to consider that as resin accumulates inside the pipe the airflow will eventually suffer. How much will a new stem cost I wonder and if there will be a way to kind of clean the pipe a bit…
Not sure about Charcoal cost yet... that's sort of the last piece of the puzzle. I was aiming for 500 pieces for $25 or something like that...
Making it yourself is very easy, all you need to do is fill a metal canister with bamboo, seal it with a tinfoil lid, and then bake it on a fire or in a hot bbq. On a hot fire it'll convert to clean charcoal in about 10-20 minutes or so.
A 6 foot pole can make roughly 115 pieces of charcoal, and i usually see 6 foot poles in the .49cent - .99cent range. You'll need pieces in the 10-13mm range so it fits smoothly into the prongs. They bamboo shrinks a tad when it converts in charcoal
Cutting the bamboo pieces to length before converting to charcoal is best, so, you would need a fine tooth handsaw for this... I could see that being a tedious job.
One charcoal piece is good for one chamber load.
As for the taste, well, It may change slightly, but it all depends on how often you clean it. You should be able to clean it indefinitely with a pipecleaner, you can clean the metal tip with alcohol as well.
natural farmer
Well-Known Member
That's good info right there! Thanks Dan! 
The bamboo is more easily cut into pieces with a pruning shears from my experience. Will a longer charcoal last for more loads?
Can't wait for the release!
EDIT: And how is Ōkin pronounced?
The bamboo is more easily cut into pieces with a pruning shears from my experience. Will a longer charcoal last for more loads?
Can't wait for the release!
EDIT: And how is Ōkin pronounced?
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Ohhh, well, cutting green bamboo would be different, and much easier! I was talking about dried cane, which is very hard. The process of converting it to charcoal may be different for fresh cane... I am not sure if the rapid drying would crack the cane or not.. But, usually at high temperatures the sugars within the cane are liquid enough so that cracking doesn't occur.. only testing will flush out the true answer..
And, a longer piece could last for more loads, yes, but too long and the ember will be too far away for you to reach the desired temperatures. I'll have to see exactly how long you can go!
Ōkin is pronounced like, oh-kin.
And, a longer piece could last for more loads, yes, but too long and the ember will be too far away for you to reach the desired temperatures. I'll have to see exactly how long you can go!
Ōkin is pronounced like, oh-kin.
natural farmer
Well-Known Member
I tried it with dried bamboo (the one pictured above) and it's cut like butter… Maybe it's a different bamboo species? I have nice Felco shears though and they cut great…
I will try making some charcoals to see how it goes next time I light a fire! 
I hope my bamboo is suitable for this application…
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Oh damn. hmmm. Well the bamboo I use must be different! If it's reasonably woody, like..if it feels like a hardwood dowel, it should be fine!
YetAnotherUsername
Youngster vaporist
Can one make charcoal from hemp fibre?
I think the fibers would need to be compressed, could work, maybe.. probably not worth the effort.
General question... is there a green herb, legal, that i can use in photographs to show this thing in use, and document the colour changes in the chamber loads? Something that would react in a similar way...
stickstones
Vapor concierge
Chamomile and mint are two i have seen used like that. I don't know which is best or if there is a better one.
Noted!
I've been using tobacco now and then for testing, and it works wonderfully, but tobacco doesn't show the colour gradient of green-brownish. I feel like that's an important visual.
I've been using tobacco now and then for testing, and it works wonderfully, but tobacco doesn't show the colour gradient of green-brownish. I feel like that's an important visual.
natural farmer
Well-Known Member
Chamomile does change color but not big clouds… And then you try vaping the illegal stuff and they have chamomile taste! 
Dan, is the temp regulated by how deep you place the charcoal between the prongs? In the pics that you posted there seems to be a big gap around the charcoal and it looks like fresh air is coming that way...
Dan, is the temp regulated by how deep you place the charcoal between the prongs? In the pics that you posted there seems to be a big gap around the charcoal and it looks like fresh air is coming that way...
Temperature can be regulated that way, yes, but it is even better to control it with the rate of inhalation. A steady draw, like how you would puff on a cigarette seems to be a good zone. This lets you regulate the temperature on the fly.
The photograph does indeed show an air gap, but that is more to do with the fact that I was focused on taking the photograph, rather than the position of the charcoal.
I think I like it when the charcoal is seated more onto the tip, I have a feeling that everyone will have a difference preference.
The photograph does indeed show an air gap, but that is more to do with the fact that I was focused on taking the photograph, rather than the position of the charcoal.
I think I like it when the charcoal is seated more onto the tip, I have a feeling that everyone will have a difference preference.
btka
Well-Known Member
maybe hop
industrial hemp
by the way can you tell us how this thing works... i don t understand it... do you inhale the smoke of charcoal (or is the airpath isolated from the charcoal)...
looks realy classy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
videos would be very nice... (where you explain how this vape works and so on)
thank you
industrial hemp
by the way can you tell us how this thing works... i don t understand it... do you inhale the smoke of charcoal (or is the airpath isolated from the charcoal)...
looks realy classy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
videos would be very nice... (where you explain how this vape works and so on)
thank you
Here's a little update about the internals.
You place your metal screen into the tip at the desired distance from the charcoal. I find that depending on the ambient temperature, size of charcoal, smoking material, and personal preference, you may want to adjust this screen position, obviously the closer it is the charcoal the hotter it will be. Once this screen is fitted, you probably won't want to move it until you switch smoking material or want to clean it.
The bamboo stem slides into the metal tip, there is an O-ring, shown here in dull green, made from waxed sewing thread, you can change the thread colour to whatever you want. This blackwood tip has a metal screen at the very end of it. If you want to pack a small load into the chamber, you push the stem down until it touches the smoking material. This combination gives you a lot of flexibility.
You may find that if you are smoking very fine material, a tightly packed puck positioned just away from the tip is perfect, but if you switch to loose leaf with a large grain size, you may want to open the chamber up a bit, and pack it loose.
You could even start with the screen further away from the tip, for a lower temperature, and then slowly push the stem down into the metal tip as you are vaporizing. It acts sort of like a push-pop, pushing the material and the screen closer to the charcoal and raising the temperatures. You can really sneak up on the maximum before combustion so you can get the most out of your herbs.
As a side note, the sheer size of the chamber, with an outside diameter of 11mm, gives this device a fairly small capacity when compared to larger portables. That said, you can easily repack while the charcoal is still burning on the tip. The bronze prongs seem to act like a really good heat sink, so you're able to handle the tip in the middle of a session.
In the future, I envision a sort of feather-like screen that is springy and opens like flower petals to allow herb particles to pass through it when pressure is applied. It could allow you to pack a very long chamber load, and as the herbs near the tip become spent, you can push the herb out of the tip with the stem plunger...thus revealing fresh herbs to the heat of the ember, You could have a packed tube as long as would be comfortable to draw through, say, as long as a joint perhaps. Could be interesting....
I was thinking about putting little tiny grooves into the blackwood tip, to denote "stops" at standard intervals. So that you can achieve some level of consistency. You could tell people that you mostly vape on the 3rd interval or something... I could fill the grooves with any colour you wanted, Or a gradient of colours..flag colours..whatever. I could even do glow-in-the-dark resin.. Could be neat? Thoughts on that? I think it gives the piece a nice hint of colour... and would give the buyer a simple way to customize their piece, I always enjoy little personal touches like that.
I've been doing some testing with peppermint tea... and, I never would have thought how awesome vaporizing tea could taste! hahah. It's like brushing your teeth with vapor....
EDIT: As a final note, I've found that you can slowly rotate the Ōkin between your thumb and finger while you're inhaling. If you've adjusted the chamber correctly, finely ground dry material will "tumble" within the chamber. This achieves very even vaporization. I would compare it to a tumble laundry dryer, haha. This is something you can't do with vaporizers that have oval shaped mouthpieces (you can't spin it while it's between your teeth or lips) or that are too large to hold between two fingers.
You place your metal screen into the tip at the desired distance from the charcoal. I find that depending on the ambient temperature, size of charcoal, smoking material, and personal preference, you may want to adjust this screen position, obviously the closer it is the charcoal the hotter it will be. Once this screen is fitted, you probably won't want to move it until you switch smoking material or want to clean it.
The bamboo stem slides into the metal tip, there is an O-ring, shown here in dull green, made from waxed sewing thread, you can change the thread colour to whatever you want. This blackwood tip has a metal screen at the very end of it. If you want to pack a small load into the chamber, you push the stem down until it touches the smoking material. This combination gives you a lot of flexibility.
You may find that if you are smoking very fine material, a tightly packed puck positioned just away from the tip is perfect, but if you switch to loose leaf with a large grain size, you may want to open the chamber up a bit, and pack it loose.
You could even start with the screen further away from the tip, for a lower temperature, and then slowly push the stem down into the metal tip as you are vaporizing. It acts sort of like a push-pop, pushing the material and the screen closer to the charcoal and raising the temperatures. You can really sneak up on the maximum before combustion so you can get the most out of your herbs.
As a side note, the sheer size of the chamber, with an outside diameter of 11mm, gives this device a fairly small capacity when compared to larger portables. That said, you can easily repack while the charcoal is still burning on the tip. The bronze prongs seem to act like a really good heat sink, so you're able to handle the tip in the middle of a session.
In the future, I envision a sort of feather-like screen that is springy and opens like flower petals to allow herb particles to pass through it when pressure is applied. It could allow you to pack a very long chamber load, and as the herbs near the tip become spent, you can push the herb out of the tip with the stem plunger...thus revealing fresh herbs to the heat of the ember, You could have a packed tube as long as would be comfortable to draw through, say, as long as a joint perhaps. Could be interesting....
I was thinking about putting little tiny grooves into the blackwood tip, to denote "stops" at standard intervals. So that you can achieve some level of consistency. You could tell people that you mostly vape on the 3rd interval or something... I could fill the grooves with any colour you wanted, Or a gradient of colours..flag colours..whatever. I could even do glow-in-the-dark resin.. Could be neat? Thoughts on that? I think it gives the piece a nice hint of colour... and would give the buyer a simple way to customize their piece, I always enjoy little personal touches like that.
I've been doing some testing with peppermint tea... and, I never would have thought how awesome vaporizing tea could taste! hahah. It's like brushing your teeth with vapor....
EDIT: As a final note, I've found that you can slowly rotate the Ōkin between your thumb and finger while you're inhaling. If you've adjusted the chamber correctly, finely ground dry material will "tumble" within the chamber. This achieves very even vaporization. I would compare it to a tumble laundry dryer, haha. This is something you can't do with vaporizers that have oval shaped mouthpieces (you can't spin it while it's between your teeth or lips) or that are too large to hold between two fingers.
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Breathemetal
Well-Known Member
Has using wax/oil been discussed yet?
Perhaps in a cotton ball?
Perhaps in a cotton ball?
So long as you have a suitable substrate to put the concentrate onto I don't see why it would be a problem. Though, I feel like something like a fine mesh metal or ceramic screen would be best, opposed to a cotton ball. You want the concentrate to stick to the substrate like dew on a spiders web so that you have unobstructed airflow and maximum surface area for the heat to work its magic.
°k
The sound of vapor
Seems like you're going to be comfortably without one, then.
Well from one point of view, this is fine craftsmanship and from another one this is just 3 or 4 small metal and wood tubes with a couple of screens and 4 prongs... (and no electronic whatsoever).
I too think $200 is quite on the high end of a "reasonable" price, mind you the case might be a killer one. At the same time, once this will be proven to be a working way to vaporize healthily I wonder for how much we'll be able to get some factory versions of it.