Friends,
I've got a few more details from testing for those interested.
First to the topic of heat. I'm currently using the hotter of the two cores I have (14 Watts as I measure it) and 'going for clouds'. To that end, I'm preheating a full minute, I find this gets to heavy vapor a bit faster, at least the way I'm using it. Then it's serious hits for the next few minutes followed by shutdown like a guy trying to get a few hits in a hurry might do. From a cold start at the one minute point (start of tokes) the area above the switch plate (where the four screws below the vent holes and above the safety switch are) is the only area feeling at all warm, and it only just a bit. At two minutes in (one with hitting) it's now noticeably warm but the cap is cold, buy 3 minutes the cap is feeling warm but holding it casually where it seems natural to me (right above the hot part) is still OK. Over the next several minutes I moved my hand down past the switch to the top of the area of reduced diameter (the waist). It's still OK to grab the hotter areas, but not my first choice. From experience this heat will continue to grow until it's too hot to be grabbing and I'm holding it further and further down until at the 15 or 20 minute mark it's time to let it cool.
So I stopped at six minutes. IMO a typical 'worst case' bowl time for most folks, far past what most would do in a 'fast as you can run'. That's a lot of vaping, I'm doing OK since I'm using a largely spent bowl and ignoring the popcorn taste. My trusty pyrometer (IR remote thermometer) says the hottest spot is 138F, not at all pleasant to hold onto but not a serious burn hazard IMO. Not yet.
I continue to find that lots of heat, fine grind, dry bud, and heavy packing (up to a quarter gram twice now) will produce vapor thicker than I really want with ease by the 2:30 mark. No doubt others will demand more, some will be satisified by nothing less, some still not satisfied. But I think those looking for 'a few quick, fat rips' have something to work with here. I still don't think it's a the answer to cloud chaser's prayers but it has potential. Hopefully Slightly Medicated can pick up that part when he gets his Beta unit.
With all the good news about the oil cart, I'm glad I got this part done (just in time). I still have time for a couple more runs before getting the oil cart and 'changing gears'. After that I've got to back off this testing some, my tolerance is taking a beating. And while I'm sleeping much more soundly than normal, waking up and quickly getting going is not as easy as it once was...no, make that 'has always been'. Not exactly true, but a lot closer that way.
These are exciting times, Cera is a 'powerful tool for good', but also a bit of two edged sword as well IMO.
Holy crap, looking forward to getting these into hands Down Under :-)
Er, ah, any particular hands you had in mind?
OF