The Toad from Morwood
- Thread starter Dan Morrison
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BakedDiogenes
Well-Known Member
attackpoints
Well-Known Member
I have a tracking number 
I haven't had an unregulated device since I sold my Milaanas and I'm determined to devote some time to getting to know the Toad. I really believe this will be the microdosing portable to round out my collection.
Expect pics sometime next week!
I haven't had an unregulated device since I sold my Milaanas and I'm determined to devote some time to getting to know the Toad. I really believe this will be the microdosing portable to round out my collection.
Expect pics sometime next week!
BakedDiogenes
Well-Known Member
Ditto on the tracking, but it looks like it will take a bit longer to reach me. This will likely be the last unregulated portable I buy (until my name comes up for the Nomad).I have a tracking number
I haven't had an unregulated device since I sold my Milaanas and I'm determined to devote some time to getting to know the Toad. I really believe this will be the microdosing portable to round out my collection.
Expect pics sometime next week!
seriousTone
Well-Known Member
NICE, thanks for experimenting and taking the pics dude!
You're right, pictures always make the avb look more green than it really is, in my experience.
I like the idea that the session is extended and it sounds like it's totally doable.
Even if you have to crumble the nuggets and take a last 1 or 2 hits is cool with me - especially when you have one of these best vape accessory evers
fangorn
Well-Known Member
ok, so second attempt at the experiment... it's a success!
in conclusion, do what you want with your Toad
I fixed all problematic settings before. Glass stem without cooling system, fully charged battery, bud closer to the radiator, sour banana.
I preheated 8-9 seconds instead of 7 seconds 3-4 times...
I got 15 puffs of 5-8 seconds. I broke the bud and reloaded the stem. I got 3 new puffs.
I got several very satisfying puffs. I didn't think to rate the taste, but it didn't strike me one way or the other.
I had heavier puffs than the previous time.
I got an avb similar to what I usually get. it was slightly less uniform but honestly the difference is pretty small so I don't care.
Well, I'm going to have to continue exploring this path... I'm interested! it could change my way of vaping... watching a movie can be super cool...
honestly i thought it didn't work well... but it works just as well... i get a lot more puffs... i thought it would require more material, but once the bud is broken i find that it's similar...
I'm going to finish the weed I grinded but I think I'll test this over a longer period...
Thanks for the question @seriousTone , it led me to explore another technique!
(it is possible that the high number of puffs is distorted by the fact that I was "in the process of experimenting"... maybe in "normal" use I will significantly reduce the number of puffs...)
so I repeat my (provisional) conclusion: do what you want with your unit!!
(I would still like the opinion of other users ... maybe I myself have distorted my results in one way or another)
I sometimes spray sandwiches with kief between two coats of weed and the results are positive every time.
in conclusion, do what you want with your Toad
I fixed all problematic settings before. Glass stem without cooling system, fully charged battery, bud closer to the radiator, sour banana.
I preheated 8-9 seconds instead of 7 seconds 3-4 times...
I got 15 puffs of 5-8 seconds. I broke the bud and reloaded the stem. I got 3 new puffs.
I got several very satisfying puffs. I didn't think to rate the taste, but it didn't strike me one way or the other.
I had heavier puffs than the previous time.
I got an avb similar to what I usually get. it was slightly less uniform but honestly the difference is pretty small so I don't care.
Well, I'm going to have to continue exploring this path... I'm interested! it could change my way of vaping... watching a movie can be super cool...
honestly i thought it didn't work well... but it works just as well... i get a lot more puffs... i thought it would require more material, but once the bud is broken i find that it's similar...
I'm going to finish the weed I grinded but I think I'll test this over a longer period...
Thanks for the question @seriousTone , it led me to explore another technique!
(it is possible that the high number of puffs is distorted by the fact that I was "in the process of experimenting"... maybe in "normal" use I will significantly reduce the number of puffs...)
so I repeat my (provisional) conclusion: do what you want with your unit!!
(I would still like the opinion of other users ... maybe I myself have distorted my results in one way or another)
I sometimes spray sandwiches with kief between two coats of weed and the results are positive every time.
@fangorn Very interesting reports!
The "whole nug" technique of achieving longer sessions is essentially the exact opposite of my current vaporizing technique, so it's great to see that the Toad is versatile enough to handle different situations.
@KeroZen and I are on the same team is seems, haha.
The whole nug experience is pretty neat because it seems to give you a slow release session...where you can stretch it out over many hits. I can totally see the appeal of this.
But, If anyone is interested in playing around a bit more, there is a technique that I think gives the flavor benefits of whole nug loading, without the uneven extraction....
This is a one or two hit and done method... so it won't appeal to everyone, but here it is anyhow.
_______________
Last year I made a test rig that holds a Toad/Nomad heater and glass stem in a way that allows me to view (through the glass) the flower in the chamber as it's being vaporized in real time.
I've been playing around a lot with this setup over the last months to see if I can improve on anything, and I've definitely got some insights into what's going on with this specific heater/chamber that's in the Toad/Nomads.
I've been into the idea of targeting the heat application on the trichomes. Instead of thinking about extracting the whole plant, I have been focusing on the trichomes, leaving the plant material as untouched by heat as possible. This has been an ongoing project for a while.
Keep in mind this is all personal preference and a work in progress. I've talked about this stuff before... but I think it's evolved a bit since then, so maybe time for a refresh here...
______________________
For this technique to work, most important part is the prep work.
Lets take a look at some plant anatomy to understand why that's important.
The cannabis flower is mostly made up of a bunch of bracts covered in trichomes.
These bracts differ from strain to strain, but are generally fairly similar. Sometimes I find them to be very tightly formed, with a few layers (like an onion), and sometimes they are less dense. Sometimes they have an immature seed inside, sometimes not.
The main thing that I try to do when I'm breaking up cannabis flower is to keep the bracts intact and untouched. This helps to keep all those trichomes intact and attached to their stalks.
My theory as to why whole nug vaping usually results in better flavor is that you have the least amount of handling going on with the nug, and so the trichomes on the surface of the nug are still intact. The downside, in my view, is that you have a LOT of hidden trichomes.
In the above image, note the "Bracteoles". These are the layers of plant material that make up the bract (again, like an onion).
My goal is to end up with a chamber filled with individual bracteoles that are as intact as possible.
This requires first breaking the bracts from the stem, and then separating the bracts into bracteoles. This is obviously an issue, since it must be done by hand. I use two toothpicks to do this. Most people likely won't be interested in going this far, I totally get it, hahah.
_____________________________
As I observe the vaporization process in my testing rig, I've noticed that it seems possible to flash vaporize the trichomes if the temperature is high enough and the duration of heat application is short.
I think of it like this..... Imagine trying to vaporize the hairs on your arm. With a blowtorch you could very quickly run the flame across your arm and vaporize off all your hair without burning your skin. But if you tried to do the same with a lower temp heat gun, you would need to leave the heat on your arm for a longer time before the hairs started to vaporize, burning your skin in the process.
I imagine the trichomes are like the hairs on your arm, and your skin is the plant material.
I suspect that if you expose the bracteoles to a high enough heat, for a short amount of time, you could vaporize the surface trichomes while leaving the plant material mostly unscathed.
In practice this is much more difficult than the arm hair analogy... and that's because the trichomes and the plant material are much closer in mass compared to the the hair/arm scenario. There is a much smaller window for success.
This is why I think it all comes down to loading technique, the stage must be set perfectly. Without the perfect setup you really have no chance at all.
For a trichome to be vaporized before the plant material, it needs to be elevated from the plant surface by the stalk. Any trichomes touching the plant material directly are less likely to be vaporized.
There is also the questions of melting. If you observe the trichomes closely as they are being vaporized, you can pretty clearly see that with a low heat extraction the trichomes actually melt and wick down the stalks. But, you can also see that with high heat the trichomes seem to turn instantly into vapor, skipping the melting stage. I think this needs further looking into, but those are my observations.... who knows if there is something else going on that I can't see.
The bracteoles, being flat and roughly tortilla chip shaped, have thin edges. These thin parts of the plant structure are the first to be scorched by the heat. Careful loading can minimize this.
It seems unlikely that the plant matter won't be at least a little bit affected by the heat, I'm not expecting perfect, I just try my best.
This technique gets easier the less plant material you use. You really want to use a single layer of material in the chamber for the most perfect results.... but with a small chamber this really limits the actual size of hit you'll get. So I think this method is only suitable for microdosing or sessions where you don't mind loading the chamber more than once.
I aim to extract in one or two hits.
Fluffy pack is the way. You want as much air space around the bracteoles as possible, BUT, never so loose as to have plant material blow around the chamber due to airflow. This is a balancing act.
Anyhow, that's just some nerdy ramblings on what I'm into these days... not sure if it'll go anywhere, but maybe it'll inspire some further experiments beyond whole nug loading.
The "whole nug" technique of achieving longer sessions is essentially the exact opposite of my current vaporizing technique, so it's great to see that the Toad is versatile enough to handle different situations.
@KeroZen and I are on the same team is seems, haha.
The whole nug experience is pretty neat because it seems to give you a slow release session...where you can stretch it out over many hits. I can totally see the appeal of this.
But, If anyone is interested in playing around a bit more, there is a technique that I think gives the flavor benefits of whole nug loading, without the uneven extraction....
This is a one or two hit and done method... so it won't appeal to everyone, but here it is anyhow.
_______________
Last year I made a test rig that holds a Toad/Nomad heater and glass stem in a way that allows me to view (through the glass) the flower in the chamber as it's being vaporized in real time.
I've been playing around a lot with this setup over the last months to see if I can improve on anything, and I've definitely got some insights into what's going on with this specific heater/chamber that's in the Toad/Nomads.
I've been into the idea of targeting the heat application on the trichomes. Instead of thinking about extracting the whole plant, I have been focusing on the trichomes, leaving the plant material as untouched by heat as possible. This has been an ongoing project for a while.
Keep in mind this is all personal preference and a work in progress. I've talked about this stuff before... but I think it's evolved a bit since then, so maybe time for a refresh here...
______________________
For this technique to work, most important part is the prep work.
Lets take a look at some plant anatomy to understand why that's important.
The cannabis flower is mostly made up of a bunch of bracts covered in trichomes.
These bracts differ from strain to strain, but are generally fairly similar. Sometimes I find them to be very tightly formed, with a few layers (like an onion), and sometimes they are less dense. Sometimes they have an immature seed inside, sometimes not.
The main thing that I try to do when I'm breaking up cannabis flower is to keep the bracts intact and untouched. This helps to keep all those trichomes intact and attached to their stalks.
My theory as to why whole nug vaping usually results in better flavor is that you have the least amount of handling going on with the nug, and so the trichomes on the surface of the nug are still intact. The downside, in my view, is that you have a LOT of hidden trichomes.
In the above image, note the "Bracteoles". These are the layers of plant material that make up the bract (again, like an onion).
My goal is to end up with a chamber filled with individual bracteoles that are as intact as possible.
This requires first breaking the bracts from the stem, and then separating the bracts into bracteoles. This is obviously an issue, since it must be done by hand. I use two toothpicks to do this. Most people likely won't be interested in going this far, I totally get it, hahah.
_____________________________
As I observe the vaporization process in my testing rig, I've noticed that it seems possible to flash vaporize the trichomes if the temperature is high enough and the duration of heat application is short.
I think of it like this..... Imagine trying to vaporize the hairs on your arm. With a blowtorch you could very quickly run the flame across your arm and vaporize off all your hair without burning your skin. But if you tried to do the same with a lower temp heat gun, you would need to leave the heat on your arm for a longer time before the hairs started to vaporize, burning your skin in the process.
I imagine the trichomes are like the hairs on your arm, and your skin is the plant material.
I suspect that if you expose the bracteoles to a high enough heat, for a short amount of time, you could vaporize the surface trichomes while leaving the plant material mostly unscathed.
In practice this is much more difficult than the arm hair analogy... and that's because the trichomes and the plant material are much closer in mass compared to the the hair/arm scenario. There is a much smaller window for success.
This is why I think it all comes down to loading technique, the stage must be set perfectly. Without the perfect setup you really have no chance at all.
For a trichome to be vaporized before the plant material, it needs to be elevated from the plant surface by the stalk. Any trichomes touching the plant material directly are less likely to be vaporized.
There is also the questions of melting. If you observe the trichomes closely as they are being vaporized, you can pretty clearly see that with a low heat extraction the trichomes actually melt and wick down the stalks. But, you can also see that with high heat the trichomes seem to turn instantly into vapor, skipping the melting stage. I think this needs further looking into, but those are my observations.... who knows if there is something else going on that I can't see.
The bracteoles, being flat and roughly tortilla chip shaped, have thin edges. These thin parts of the plant structure are the first to be scorched by the heat. Careful loading can minimize this.
It seems unlikely that the plant matter won't be at least a little bit affected by the heat, I'm not expecting perfect, I just try my best.
This technique gets easier the less plant material you use. You really want to use a single layer of material in the chamber for the most perfect results.... but with a small chamber this really limits the actual size of hit you'll get. So I think this method is only suitable for microdosing or sessions where you don't mind loading the chamber more than once.
I aim to extract in one or two hits.
Fluffy pack is the way. You want as much air space around the bracteoles as possible, BUT, never so loose as to have plant material blow around the chamber due to airflow. This is a balancing act.
Anyhow, that's just some nerdy ramblings on what I'm into these days... not sure if it'll go anywhere, but maybe it'll inspire some further experiments beyond whole nug loading.
KeroZen
Chronic vapaholic
I know I probably already asked (but likely forgot and/or was not entirely convinced by the answer lol) but are we really sure there's nothing we want outside of the trichomes?
Are all terpenes and other non-cannabinoid but still active compounds exclusively in the trich heads?
Are all terpenes and other non-cannabinoid but still active compounds exclusively in the trich heads?
@KeroZen Pretty much yes, the trichomes are the tiny factories that produce/store everything we want.
But... there IS the questions of what type of trichomes we are dealing with.
Skim through this article for more, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tpj.14516
You'll see that plant maturity is going to play a role.
You want to reach full trichome maturity because pre-stalked sessile trichomes, which appear to grow close or directly on the plant surface, need to grow into their fully stalked final form.
Things get a little murkier when you consider leaves as well, which have a higher proportion of sessile trichomes compared to the flower. However, these sessile leaf trichomes don't seem to produce nearly as much stuff as the trichomes on the flower.
So, you can't really say that everything is contained only inside of the stalked trichomes, but you can pretty much say that neeaarrlly all of it is.
______
There is also the question of whether or not vaporized plant material is adding non-psychoactive things to the vapor that you actually might want to keep. You'll definitely get more dense clouds if you're extracting the plant material... so that feeling of density might be a positive for you... even if it's only water vapor, chlorophyll, etc....
But... there IS the questions of what type of trichomes we are dealing with.
Skim through this article for more, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tpj.14516
You'll see that plant maturity is going to play a role.
You want to reach full trichome maturity because pre-stalked sessile trichomes, which appear to grow close or directly on the plant surface, need to grow into their fully stalked final form.
Things get a little murkier when you consider leaves as well, which have a higher proportion of sessile trichomes compared to the flower. However, these sessile leaf trichomes don't seem to produce nearly as much stuff as the trichomes on the flower.
So, you can't really say that everything is contained only inside of the stalked trichomes, but you can pretty much say that neeaarrlly all of it is.
______
There is also the question of whether or not vaporized plant material is adding non-psychoactive things to the vapor that you actually might want to keep. You'll definitely get more dense clouds if you're extracting the plant material... so that feeling of density might be a positive for you... even if it's only water vapor, chlorophyll, etc....
fangorn
Well-Known Member
it's so complicated for me to exchange around such a long and technical message...
between the effects of thc, google trad and being on my smartphone... it's an ordeal... I'll have it for an hour
I will try anyway!
@Dan Morrison, I really understand your attention to detail, even in your ritual...
personally, I'm more looking for the best compromise rather than the most perfect extraction!
I like the basic ritual that I have been using for several years, but the whole nugget technique has the advantage of easy preparation and cleaning, a very good taste, good effects... and a long session with lots of puffs...i tried it in front of a movie and wasn't satisfied...draw traction was too restrictive and it wasn't pleasant...again that's a question out of balance... my laziness might make me keep my current technique... but I will force myself to keep experimenting from time to time because I like to get a lot of puffs with my usual dose. ..
You're talking about a test bench with a toad radiator... it's not the right thread, but for me it's what I imagined as a new device from you... a regulated desktop device which integrates your radiator... and you had refused to use electronics in your portable vaporizers to gain portability and for the infinite durability of your device... but on a desktop unit, the space saving is less important...
On the rest, I find your experimentation super interesting! it's not for me, but I'm interested in the process and the results!
it is the search for the most efficient extraction possible... perhaps not the most complete but the most efficient!
@KeroZen's question speaks to me... part of me is convinced that there are interesting compounds in the plant part... I don't know why but I associate this with the essential oil... not sure you get a lot with the trichomes... but I imagine you could get a lot more with the plant itself... but in my mind there are compounds in the essential oils...
it's not a reasoning based on science... just what my brain makes as an association...
for me to be convinced, it would be necessary to be able to vaporize only the trichomes (even if this is what you are looking for in part, the plant matter is impacted by the heating, however short it may be)... or on the contrary, vaporize plant matter...
besides, if we're talking about just vaporizing the trichomes... it's the equivalent of kief, isn't it? personally I don't vape it alone...I always mix it with flowers...but I recognize that it's full of cannabinoids and terpenes! I can recognize a variety with kief...I guess I could recognize it only with the plant material...but maybe I'm totally wrong...
It's quite an experience on paper anyway!
here is my contribution...
but so... you installed a microscope to observe the modification of the trichomes and the material during the vaporization...? honestly, i'd love to see this...i guess it takes amazing equipment to film this in good quality...but if you have that equipment...and you're bored...
cool as sharing anyway, thank you very much!
between the effects of thc, google trad and being on my smartphone... it's an ordeal... I'll have it for an hour
I will try anyway!
@Dan Morrison, I really understand your attention to detail, even in your ritual...
personally, I'm more looking for the best compromise rather than the most perfect extraction!
I like the basic ritual that I have been using for several years, but the whole nugget technique has the advantage of easy preparation and cleaning, a very good taste, good effects... and a long session with lots of puffs...i tried it in front of a movie and wasn't satisfied...draw traction was too restrictive and it wasn't pleasant...again that's a question out of balance... my laziness might make me keep my current technique... but I will force myself to keep experimenting from time to time because I like to get a lot of puffs with my usual dose. ..
You're talking about a test bench with a toad radiator... it's not the right thread, but for me it's what I imagined as a new device from you... a regulated desktop device which integrates your radiator... and you had refused to use electronics in your portable vaporizers to gain portability and for the infinite durability of your device... but on a desktop unit, the space saving is less important...
On the rest, I find your experimentation super interesting! it's not for me, but I'm interested in the process and the results!
it is the search for the most efficient extraction possible... perhaps not the most complete but the most efficient!
@KeroZen's question speaks to me... part of me is convinced that there are interesting compounds in the plant part... I don't know why but I associate this with the essential oil... not sure you get a lot with the trichomes... but I imagine you could get a lot more with the plant itself... but in my mind there are compounds in the essential oils...
it's not a reasoning based on science... just what my brain makes as an association...
for me to be convinced, it would be necessary to be able to vaporize only the trichomes (even if this is what you are looking for in part, the plant matter is impacted by the heating, however short it may be)... or on the contrary, vaporize plant matter...
besides, if we're talking about just vaporizing the trichomes... it's the equivalent of kief, isn't it? personally I don't vape it alone...I always mix it with flowers...but I recognize that it's full of cannabinoids and terpenes! I can recognize a variety with kief...I guess I could recognize it only with the plant material...but maybe I'm totally wrong...
It's quite an experience on paper anyway!
here is my contribution...
but so... you installed a microscope to observe the modification of the trichomes and the material during the vaporization...? honestly, i'd love to see this...i guess it takes amazing equipment to film this in good quality...but if you have that equipment...and you're bored...
cool as sharing anyway, thank you very much!
Photonic
Lesser-Known Lurker
I'm absolutely convinced that vaping flower (including plant material) produces different (and superior) effects when compared to concentrates. Some concentrates are better than others IMHO, but flower produces the best effects overall.
I can't put my finger exactly, but there's something to it. Many concentrates feel "hollow" to me, and I don't enjoy edibles for what I'm looking for.
I can't put my finger exactly, but there's something to it. Many concentrates feel "hollow" to me, and I don't enjoy edibles for what I'm looking for.
Shit Snacks
Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
attackpoints
Well-Known Member
My toad landed this afternoon and it's been an all around great experience. Starting with the low heater, pretty happy with the abv already. Can't wait to try some more this week as I get used to it.
NYC_Frank
"A man with no vices is a man with no virtues"
gordontreeman
Everythings coming up Milhouse!
Question for fellow toad owners/ @Dan Morrison
I know wood expands and contracts based on temp, and it seems like I’m going through something like that—my batteries are awfully tough to remove from the toad. Usually a few taps against my palm and they slide out enough to pull them out, now I can feel the friction pushing them in and it takes quite a bit of pressure to pull them out, leaving me worried I’ll tear the battery wrap.
Is there anything I can do to manage this? It’s cold where I am (Minnesota), but I thought that caused wood to contract? Maybe the contraction is causing the cylinder to contract rather than have a slightly larger diameter, though?
I know wood expands and contracts based on temp, and it seems like I’m going through something like that—my batteries are awfully tough to remove from the toad. Usually a few taps against my palm and they slide out enough to pull them out, now I can feel the friction pushing them in and it takes quite a bit of pressure to pull them out, leaving me worried I’ll tear the battery wrap.
Is there anything I can do to manage this? It’s cold where I am (Minnesota), but I thought that caused wood to contract? Maybe the contraction is causing the cylinder to contract rather than have a slightly larger diameter, though?
Vaporware
Well-Known Member
I’ve actually been meaning to e-mail Dan about the same issue, but at least in my case I think it may have more to do with changes in humidity than temperature.
The one thing I’ve found that might help you right now is both the hole and the battery seem to be very slightly off from round (possibly due to the wood expanding and contracting on the Toad side), so if I put a battery in and it doesn’t slide in easily I turn it until the resistance goes away before pushing it in.
Right now that’s working for my Sony VTC6, but the slightly thicker batteries I have (Molicel P26A) have to be forced in at the end right now which causes them to stick so I have to bang it on my palm to get them out too.
I mentioned it to Dan once before when I had a battery stuck overnight, and if it continues to be a problem we may have to lightly sand the inside of the battery hole with rolled up sandpaper (fine sandpaper I assume) to make sure they slide in and out easily.
I should also note that when I had a battery really jammed in there the button wasn’t working normally (it wanted to stay pushed in more and wouldn’t travel as far back out and I’m not sure the circuit was even being completed), but I swapped batteries and it was fine again so no real worry if anyone experiences that.
I think this is just a minor issue that will come up for some people in different climates due to the nature of wood and it should be easily corrected, so if anyone else is having this problem please don’t worry! If you can’t take care of it yourself, Dan will help you out.
The one thing I’ve found that might help you right now is both the hole and the battery seem to be very slightly off from round (possibly due to the wood expanding and contracting on the Toad side), so if I put a battery in and it doesn’t slide in easily I turn it until the resistance goes away before pushing it in.
Right now that’s working for my Sony VTC6, but the slightly thicker batteries I have (Molicel P26A) have to be forced in at the end right now which causes them to stick so I have to bang it on my palm to get them out too.
I mentioned it to Dan once before when I had a battery stuck overnight, and if it continues to be a problem we may have to lightly sand the inside of the battery hole with rolled up sandpaper (fine sandpaper I assume) to make sure they slide in and out easily.
I should also note that when I had a battery really jammed in there the button wasn’t working normally (it wanted to stay pushed in more and wouldn’t travel as far back out and I’m not sure the circuit was even being completed), but I swapped batteries and it was fine again so no real worry if anyone experiences that.
I think this is just a minor issue that will come up for some people in different climates due to the nature of wood and it should be easily corrected, so if anyone else is having this problem please don’t worry! If you can’t take care of it yourself, Dan will help you out.
Arawfish
Tree climber
Gonna just chime in and say this is an issue I haven’t had to deal with yet on my Toad in any of the 4 seasons it’s now been used in, and I also live next to a lake and we have big swings in humidity levels all year. As stated though that’s going to be different for everyone.
I did have a problem with my button getting stuck in the first couple weeks I had it, but some beeswax worked in and around the button solved that problem right quick. For reference I’ve used Molicell p26/p28, LG HG2, and the VTC5a.
I did have a problem with my button getting stuck in the first couple weeks I had it, but some beeswax worked in and around the button solved that problem right quick. For reference I’ve used Molicell p26/p28, LG HG2, and the VTC5a.
jbm
Not a Vapman “beta tester”
Spent a lovely afternoon vaping Arete’s lemon skunk (yum) and Hoku’s MM2.1 with my Toad. Took the dog for a long sunny chilly yet oddly spring-like walk and enjoyed the high. For the third bowl I used a master adapter to run it though the Prophet. Getting the hang of usage and some subtle signs of use are beginning to appear. This might be becoming my favorite portable.
gordontreeman
Everythings coming up Milhouse!
Yeah, I don’t mean to imply these is a universal problem or any kind of show-stopping issue. I still love my toad! I think it’s just the nature of a natural material like wood. I’m just wondering about options to resolve it
Vaporware
Well-Known Member
I live in a desert, so we get high humidity occasionally but it’s unusually dry here the large majority of the time and we do have a lot of temperature fluctuation.
I do think it has to do with the climate difference and maybe even specific pieces of wood, so hopefully you and other Toadies will never run into this issue!
@gordontreeman
What I've noticed is that in winter the holes get smaller, and in summer they get larger. This is true no matter what wood I use and something I've been trying to figure out for years.
It's all about humidity, but it just so happens that in winter time the indoor air is usually more dry.
Part of the very last finishing steps for the Toads is to ream out the battery holes with a piece of rolled up sandpaper. I do this until my test batteries fit with some wiggle room. Since each one is hand tuned, there is some minor variation between Toads.
I adjust the holes based on the humidity in the workshop as well.. if I'm finishing the Toad while it's been more humid, I'll make the holes slightly larger to account for shrinkage in the winter.
Sometimes further adjustments need to be made by the end user to ensure a perfect fit. This can be done with a cylinder of rolled up sandpaper, I use 400x. But anything from around 280x-400x will work fine.
I can send sandpaper to anyone who needs some.
Usually all it takes if a few twists and you'll be good to go.
@Vaporware is correct in that when the hole shrinks, it will shrink more in one direction due to the orientation of the wood grain, and so the hole will be slightly oval. By rotating the battery in the hole as you're inserting it, you might find the battery fits looser in one orientation vs another.
What I've noticed is that in winter the holes get smaller, and in summer they get larger. This is true no matter what wood I use and something I've been trying to figure out for years.
It's all about humidity, but it just so happens that in winter time the indoor air is usually more dry.
Part of the very last finishing steps for the Toads is to ream out the battery holes with a piece of rolled up sandpaper. I do this until my test batteries fit with some wiggle room. Since each one is hand tuned, there is some minor variation between Toads.
I adjust the holes based on the humidity in the workshop as well.. if I'm finishing the Toad while it's been more humid, I'll make the holes slightly larger to account for shrinkage in the winter.
Sometimes further adjustments need to be made by the end user to ensure a perfect fit. This can be done with a cylinder of rolled up sandpaper, I use 400x. But anything from around 280x-400x will work fine.
I can send sandpaper to anyone who needs some.
Usually all it takes if a few twists and you'll be good to go.
@Vaporware is correct in that when the hole shrinks, it will shrink more in one direction due to the orientation of the wood grain, and so the hole will be slightly oval. By rotating the battery in the hole as you're inserting it, you might find the battery fits looser in one orientation vs another.
gordontreeman
Everythings coming up Milhouse!
Yeah, I think the humidity is the cause in my case. Let me give the rotation a go the next time I'm inserting a battery and if that doesn't do it I can see about getting some sandpaper to give the gentle reaming a go!