Hi Guys,
I wrote Todd regarding my questions above and thought I'd share his answers with you (even though you guys seem to on top of it all):
a) The copper cup is, like Devo said above, for aromatherapy oils
b) waxing the wood is not only an aesthetic thing but also functional-- it helps keep the wood moisturized, which in turn keeps the wood from getting too dry and minimizes the risk of the wood cracking
Does anybody here keep their Woodeez 24/7? Cuz that is what I am planning to do.
Just used the Woodeez for my first vaping time ever, some random thoughts about the wdz and vapor in general:
a) I let the wdz warm up for a few hours (I think 2-3), filled the bowl and let the stem sit warming for 2 minutes. My first draw was extremely tasty and visible vapor (but not huge clouds). After that the vapor and flavor vanish-- well, flavor does, i got very tiny clouds of vapor in a few subsequent hits (i hit the thing for about 25 minutes-- though I think I cld've stopped 5 minutes ago) but only when i left the bowl in warming up a bit between draws. So yeah, not much flavor or vapor. However, and this is important, I am baked.
b) the high: yes, there is less couch lock but, man, the way folks were saying 'oh vaping is a whole different high man'-- not true for me. its a head hit but the high is definitely and beautifully familiar-- thank god for that
c) burnt popcorny taste: I always wondered what folks meant with this and I get it now. It isn't necessarily unpleasant but it is definitely odd. I wish there was a way to get rid of it, but if there isn't, that's fine- I could learn to live with it.
d) the bowl is a loose fit in the heating chamber. this means the stem wiggles around a little bit (but never falls off or spills or any stupid thing like that) and if you are going to pass the vapor thru water like I am going to do later, it can be kind of a pain in the ass. I dunno if there are functional reasons for not tightening the fit up more, if not perhaps Todd should think about it.
e) i wish the stems were made of borosil glass instead of this weird plasticky thing (what the heck is it anyway?). Why? I dunno, i just prefer glass and i keep thinking that part of the popcorny taste might be the stuff the stem's made of.. Todd, if you are reading- is it possible for me to order glass stems?
f) some folks might have a problem with the fact that the wdz does not come with a led light to indicate it is on. It does not bother me at all.
g) It was difficult for me to gauge when the bowl was toast. with no vapor and that porpcorny taste emenating with every draw irrespective of whether the herb was done or not, i really did not know when to stop drawing.
OK, I know i had a couple of more points but I am kinda baked so excuse me
Bottom line: the wdz does what it should do and i have no regrets with my purchase. I think the wdz was a very good introduction for me to the vaping world,so thanks a tonne Todd!
Regarding vaping vs combusting: well, i see no real difference between the highs. so, that is a plus for vaping, since it eliminates smoking hazards. However, there is one thing i miss: flavor, smell, taste. When I smoke, it's a wholesome experience for me because I can taste/smell the herb- I like that. With vaping that sensory aspect of the experience is lost. My first hit though was very satisfying-- but after that it kind of went downhill as far as flavor goes. If anybody has thoughts/ideas regarding this, please feel free to post.
Thanks!