Underdog Log Vapes

[NimChimpsky]

I’m still struggling a bit with AVB consistency myself, probably my only real nitpick with the alpha that I still haven’t quite figured out if there’s a work around. I’m not sure if it’s the cartridge heater below or what, but I do tend to get a central hotspot. Thought maybe it was the stem sitting inside the heater, but I still get a hot spot with the direct draw nong where the heater sits outside the stem as well.

Same. I've tried the tips posted here by UD and others and it's better, but still pretty consistently inconsistent AVB in all 5 stems. I realize the herb on the edges will always be a little lighter, but hoping I can improve my technique to minimize this as much as possible. Only 3 days in for me so def need to keep experimenting.

 

[Atomic11]

Same. I've tried the tips posted here by UD and others and it's better, but still pretty consistently inconsistent AVB in all 5 stems. I realize the herb on the edges will always be a little lighter, but hoping I can improve my technique to minimize this asuch as possible. Only 3 days in for me so def need to keep experimenting.

definitely not as efficient as i was expecting.

 

[Ripstar]

Hey dogs.....been loving this stem for the alpha.....had this custom kgwoodcrafts stem made for my Z, never loved it with that vape. Figured out a few weeks ago that the hybrid NonG ss fits perfectly (with a couple o-rings) in the stem and it vapes so cool and wide open. Curious why others haven't had wood stems spun for the Nongs and gongs...really enhances the look too. Have a great Friday!

https://imgur.com/a/qCdCooZ

yo! I need that stem plate! That's awesome, you make that yourself?

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

I don't know if he made that but it would be easy TO make. Just take a plank of any kind of wood, even say a 2x8 or 2x6, but a hardwood would be better like oak. Something like an Oak stair tread would do well for something like this, or an old cutting board. I would want it to be at least an inch and a half thick (all 2x dimensional lumber is actually smaller than the nominal measurement so all 2x lumber is actually only an inch and a half thick, there are tables online that tell you what the actual measurements are for dimensional lumber).

Then drill holes the size of whatever stems you want to stand them up in. Use Forstner bits for flat bottomed holes that don't go all the way through, use any drill bit if you're drilling through 1" thick (actual dimension) stock - you can screw-and-glue a piece of plywood or some 1x stock for the bottom if you have a really nice piece of wood that's too thin to do the flat bottomed holes. Then you get the nice looks of the good wood but the utility of a thicker wood that would cost you a lot more. Set the bottom piece a half inch or so inside the dimensions of the top and the change in wood won't even be visible.

I would put rubber bumper footies on the bottom so it doesn't slide around and to protect the surface wherever you end up setting it down.

Just don't use anything that says "engineered" in the description. Its not solid wood. It has a particle board or similar center.

 

[Ripstar]

I don't know if he made that but it would be easy TO make. Just take a plank of any kind of wood, even say a 2x8 or 2x6, but a hardwood would be better like oak. Something like an Oak stair tread would do well for something like this, or an old cutting board. I would want it to be at least an inch and a half thick (all 2x dimensional lumber is actually smaller than the nominal measurement so all 2x lumber is actually only an inch and a half thick, there are tables online that tell you what the actual measurements are for dimensional lumber).

Then drill holes the size of whatever stems you want to stand them up in. Use Forstner bits for flat bottomed holes that don't go all the way through, use any drill bit if you're drilling through 1" thick (actual dimension) stock - you can screw-and-glue a piece of plywood or some 1x stock for the bottom if you have a really nice piece of wood that's too thin to do the flat bottomed holes. Then you get the nice looks of the good wood but the utility of a thicker wood that would cost you a lot more. Set the bottom piece a half inch or so inside the dimensions of the top and the change in wood won't even be visible.

I would put rubber bumper footies on the bottom so it doesn't slide around and to protect the surface wherever you end up setting it down.

Just don't use anything that says "engineered" in the description. Its not solid wood. It has a particle board or similar center.

I know it would be simple, was wondering if he had found one online or had a sketch for outlines. Always looking for a new way to store stems!

 

[ProfessionalHandJob]

Hey Dogs, next refresh should be this coming Friday

How convenient, that's after the stimulus check hits my account.

 

[arb]

How convenient, that's after the stimulus check hits my account.

Gonna stimulate another Alpha your way?

 

[ProfessionalHandJob]

Gonna stimulate another Alpha your way?

I believe so. I want an Alpha for my bedroom.

 

[underdog]

So, hey, Dogs.. I just spent a couple days back and forth talking to a user (new to Underdogs and Logs in general) who wasn't getting good hits beyond the first one only to discover that their problem was that they were cashing the stem out almost completely on the first hit so there just wasn't much left to vape out on subsequent hits.

Just a heads up for other people who might run into a similar scenario.

We design these things (especially the Alpha) to extract as hard and fast as possible without combusting. We expect the small tipped stems like NonGs to be primarily used as one-hitters and the larger stems that fit around the core instead of inside it to be one to three hit stems.. one large hit, a second considerably weaker hit and then a wispy hit (for most users and most material). We basically expect our vapes and stems to extract 75% of the goodies in a bowl on the first big hit.

Haven’t noticed much lag between hits, seems fine to me as long as the vape has properly preheated, if I just turned it on and it hasn’t really heat soaked it can have a delayed response.

I’m still struggling a bit with AVB consistency myself, probably my only real nitpick with the alpha that I still haven’t quite figured out if there’s a work around. I’m not sure if it’s the cartridge heater below or what, but I do tend to get a central hotspot. Thought maybe it was the stem sitting inside the heater, but I still get a hot spot with the direct draw nong where the heater sits outside the stem as well. That’s what makes me think perhaps it’s coming from below. @arb posted an alpha nong with a wider bore in the nylon section which I’m wondering if that one pulls air through more evenly?

The hot spot thing is a physics issue.. the heated air comes out of the core tube in a cone shape like the flame of a torch so can't be easily avoided in Log style cores (ie small, efficient cores). It can be reduced by rotating the vape or stem slowly during the hit and/or wobbling the vape side to side as you're rotating. The spot will also get smaller or bigger depending on the airflow rate and how far the material is from the tip of the core tube.

TLDR - a hot spot is part of the nature of the design and can't easily be eliminated but it can be reduced with some slowly learned next-level technique.

Hi guys!

Three questions about my first dog (an alpha)

One.) Does anyone notice the vape cooling down after a really great hit, and yeildng a baby hit next?
2.) Can I soak the nylon stems in 99% iso? is that safe? thanks.
3.) how many of you are using different stems or orings? the included stems seem to be very inconsistent with avb production, save the nongs and the included ss silicone thingy.

Gong is the only one where I am having to wait, good to know I have to wait 30 seconds in between hits. anyone know why they dont ship with longer cores?

1> The heat loss and recovery time (15-30 seconds) after a powerful/long hit isn't out of spec for a low wattage vape like a Log and can't effectively be designed out without causing other issues. Log Vapes are a super simple idea but the execution requires a lot of balance and compromise between competing design goals. A good example is heat up times: you can make them shorter by lowering mass or increasing input power but the first causes much higher heat loss during a hit and the later a combustion risk on smaller stems and wear on the vape.

2> Yes you can use ISO, it's what we recommend and doesn't hurt nylon. Acetone will melt the nylon though so don't use that or any other solvents or acids.

3> In our testing of the SC3 and new Alpha cores an o-ring installed on the core tube lowered performance in almost every way so we stopped using them after the first couple batches we made. NonGs and stems that have a smaller diameter than the core tube will have less hotspotting and more even ABV because the heat cone is potentially larger than the diameter of the bowl. Larger stems will require a mix of technique to reduce the hotspot or stirring to mix things up after the first hit.

I know it would be simple, was wondering if he had found one online or had a sketch for outlines. Always looking for a new way to store stems!

We used to make them (called them Stem Caddies) and hope to start again soon as I really enjoy making them but we just haven't had the shop time yet.. some day soon though hopefully!

 

[underdogette]

I know it would be simple, was wondering if he had found one online or had a sketch for outlines. Always looking for a new way to store stems!

It's on my to do list! I just got my new workspace set up for doing flat-type woodworking, so I've been thinking about making some more stem caddies.

Is anyone else interested? I could move it up the priority chain...

 

[arb]

It's on my to do list! I just got my new workspace set up for doing flat-type woodworking, so I've been thinking about making some more stem caddies.

Is anyone else interested? I could move it up the priority chain...

Make it sexy!

 

[underdog]

Make it sexy!

Oh I'm sure she will.. that's how she do.

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

So since @Atomic11 posted about 30 secs between hits today I've spent most of the last 6+ hours trying to see how long it takes me to complete just ONE hit, let alone be ready for the next.

After forgetting to pay attention to the second hand and then forgetting to take another hit at all for an hour or two, several times, I finally managed to time my hit-taking.

It is 40 to 45 seconds to finish the hit. That's the original draw, topped off with fresh air, hold, release, rebreathe several times until I just let it all out.

Why? Cuz I'm uber cheap and I still believe ol' timey pothead mythology about holding it in and rebreathing, LOL!

Anyway, that's just to finish ONE hit. I guess that's why I've never noticed it losing power between hits, its already heated back up and then some by the time I finish the first one.

 

[arb]

So since @Atomic11 posted about 30 secs between hits today I've spent most of the last 6+ hours trying to see how long it takes me to complete just ONE hit, let alone be ready for the next.

After forgetting to pay attention to the second hand and then forgetting to take another hit at all for an hour or two, several times, I finally managed to time my hit-taking.

It is 40 to 45 seconds to finish the hit. That's the original draw, topped off with fresh air, hold, release, rebreathe several times until I just let it all out.

Why? Cuz I'm uber cheap and I still believe ol' timey pothead mythology about holding it in and rebreathing, LOL!

Anyway, that's just to finish ONE hit. I guess that's why I've never noticed it losing power between hits, its already heated back up and then some by the time I finish the first one.

I just sit there derping out long enough to not notice either.

 

[Sour Dream]

MINE, MINE, ALL MINE, BWA HA HA HA HA!!!! (if someone knows how to make a linked image SMALLER for dog's sake, tell me how!!!!)

whats the name of this one, i really like it?

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

whats the name of this one, i really like it?

I am currently referring to her as "Atma". She is a Big Leaf Maple Burl Alpha Dog. The more I look at her, the more I see a goldfish in a snowy pond. Or a leaf blown about by the winds. Or a bird's eye view from amongst the clouds of a surfacing whale ... I expect she has yet more to reveal to me.

She should be arriving here by Tuesday evening, along with her pack mate, Agni, who is a Hawaiian Koa SC3+.

I should be ready to report on both by Wed evening, but who knows if I'll actually be in shape to do so until perhaps a bit after that ...

 

[Sour Dream]

I am currently referring to her as "Atma". She is a Big Leaf Maple Burl Alpha Dog. The more I look at her, the more I see a goldfish in a snowy pond. Or a leaf blown about by the winds. Or a bird's eye view from amongst the clouds of a surfacing whale ... I expect she has yet more to reveal to me.

She should be arriving here by Tuesday evening, along with her pack mate, Agni, who is a Hawaiian Koa SC3+.

I should be ready to report on both by Wed evening, but who knows if I'll actually be in shape to do so until perhaps a bit after that ...

Both of those look really good, I hope you enjoy them, I do like the look of the Burl kinds. I Feel like I could feel confident leaving that out somewhere almost as a mini art piece. My flowerpot just doesn't have the same elegance lol

I guess i might have to go custom since i don't know how frequently they drop

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

Both of those look really good, I hope you enjoy them, I do like the look of the Burl kinds. I Feel like I could feel confident leaving that out somewhere almost as a mini art piece. My flowerpot just doesn't have the same elegance lol

I guess i might have to go custom since i don't know how frequently they drop

There is a drop this coming Friday, and I think this last drop was a week ago last Friday? There was an absolutely beautiful Madrone burl that went right away in the last drop.

Check with Underdog/Underdogette to be sure, but you're probably more likely to catch something in a drop for now than trying to go custom. They're very iffy on specific wood availability due to Covid making everything worse for everybody in every single way. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

+

+ =

+ =


=

= =

 

[Sour Dream]

There is a drop this coming Friday, and I think this last drop was a week ago last Friday? There was an absolutely beautiful Madrone burl that went right away in the last drop.

Check with Underdog/Underdogette to be sure, but you're probably more likely to catch something in a drop for now than trying to go custom. They're very iffy on specific wood availability due to Covid making everything worse for everybody in every single way. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Thanks for the info, I honestly had no idea on how frequently they dropped. I just decided earlier that I intended on getting one.
Can’t wait

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

Thanks for the info, I honestly had no idea on how frequently they dropped. I just decided earlier that I intended on getting one.
Can’t wait

Honestly its by guess and by golly. UD and UDette have had a lot to overcome of late. Whatever didn't burn down in the Paradise Camp Fire, burned up. They had to move out of state and replace nearly everything, tools, supplies, just lots of stuff. So they've been a little less regular with the drops than in the past, but it looks from this side like they are getting close to being geared up and ready to roll again.

Hope that's true.

 

[Sour Dream]

Honestly its by guess and by golly. UD and UDette have had a lot to overcome of late. Whatever didn't burn down in the Paradise Camp Fire, burned up. They had to move out of state and replace nearly everything, tools, supplies, just lots of stuff. So they've been a little less regular with the drops than in the past, but it looks from this side like they are getting close to being geared up and ready to roll again.

Hope that's true.

Yea I was just reading about that, very messed up what happened to them. Honestly I commend them for starting over again with the business, couldn’t have been easy

 

[tom battleboar]

Can you just soak the screen in iso?

 

[CurryLeafTreehugger]

Can you just soak the screen in iso?

yup, I got a couple of plastic container thingies with snap lids with my first Underdog vapes. I know where one of them is - its in a mason jar with other general vaping detritus, half full of 91% isopropyl alcohol and all my remaining screens other than the one currently in my sole remaining stem. I leave my spare screens in iso until I need one, then I fish it out, rinse it off, and drop the dirty one in to soak.

Soon I shall have new screens - too many to leave soaking all the time. So now I have to find that OTHER plastic container thingy with the snap lid because that's where I had been keeping my spare screens when I still had some LOL! (Or I can just use one of the empty medicine bottles laying around)

But since I'm down to 2 or 3 screens total I've just been leaving them in the iso. They've been in there for months by now. I do change it once in awhile because (a) it gets dirty because I am cleaning old screens in it, after all, and (b) the snap lid isn't that air tight and the iso concentration reduces over time anyway.

 

[GraniteState420]

00

yo! I need that stem plate! That's awesome, you make that yourself?

Haha....yes, I've made a few to keep things neat - I blame my OCD, but they work nicely

I don't know if he made that but it would be easy TO make. Just take a plank of any kind of wood, even say a 2x8 or 2x6, but a hardwood would be better like oak. Something like an Oak stair tread would do well for something like this, or an old cutting board. I would want it to be at least an inch and a half thick (all 2x dimensional lumber is actually smaller than the nominal measurement so all 2x lumber is actually only an inch and a half thick, there are tables online that tell you what the actual measurements are for dimensional lumber).

Then drill holes the size of whatever stems you want to stand them up in. Use Forstner bits for flat bottomed holes that don't go all the way through, use any drill bit if you're drilling through 1" thick (actual dimension) stock - you can screw-and-glue a piece of plywood or some 1x stock for the bottom if you have a really nice piece of wood that's too thin to do the flat bottomed holes. Then you get the nice looks of the good wood but the utility of a thicker wood that would cost you a lot more. Set the bottom piece a half inch or so inside the dimensions of the top and the change in wood won't even be visible.

I would put rubber bumper footies on the bottom so it doesn't slide around and to protect the surface wherever you end up setting it down.

Just don't use anything that says "engineered" in the description. Its not solid wood. It has a particle board or similar center.

Exactly....but I use Canary just cuz....

 

[underdog]

Thanks for the info, I honestly had no idea on how frequently they dropped. I just decided earlier that I intended on getting one.
Can’t wait

The fire, then the move and then 2020 all kind of knocked us off of any regular schedule but I think we're finally finding our new rhythm with refreshes and are hoping to drop new pieces every other Friday evening.. should have a dozen new ones up this week.