Vapman

[M0J0]

When and who exactly invented vaporizing, I don't know but back in the year 2000 (I bought my first vaporizer in December 1999), I came across some pioneers of the vaporizing scene. That was at the first hemp fair (Cannatrade) in Bern, Switzerland. I will never forget the guy with the huge heat gun blowing
an unbelievable amount of vapor into a massive glass dome, over a meter large. He asked everybody passing by to suck on the tube hanging from the dome but there was so much vapor, you would have to see it to believe it. This guy actually sold that set up with heat gun and dome to visitors at the exhibition. Of course he did not sell many, who needs a vaporizer big enough to "feed" a whole army?

Anyway, the Dutch guy with the big heat gun happens to be the man who made the "Verdamper" a few years later and is making them still today. Even the "Verdamper" is probably still one of the fattest vaporizer on the market, it is a little toy compared to what he had installed back then at the fair.
Markus Storz and Jürgen Bickel were also there with their first "Volcano" prototype, showing to visitors what they will bring on to the market soon. I am not 100% sure but I think Storz and Bickel got their idea of using a heat gun (hot air) from the "Verdamper" guy from Holland. When I visited Markus and Jürgen a few years ago, they told me that they actually went to a company in Switzerland with the request for a special heat gun. They soon decided to make their own heat gun, the famous Volcano vaporizer.

The second pioneer I met was Eagle Bill, an American Vietnam veteran who allegedly invented vaporizing by heating a glass bowl with herbs.
In 2003 I participated for the first time at the hemp fair in Bern, I had a booth and Eagle Bill came to test my product. He liked it and proposed to me, that I could name it "Eagle Bill" which was a great compliment for a newbie and green horn like me. After all, I did not use his name and I moved on to my next project, the human powered vaporizer. A few years later, I heard that Eagle Bill died in Holland.

Your mention of the heat gun brought all the memories back, thank you!

vapman

It's so cool to hear these stories man.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[vapman]

Thank you for this brief vape history lesson René!



Now I'm curious: what was your first one?

It was an Aromed from Germany.

 

[OF]

I am not 100% sure but I think Storz and Bickel got their idea of using a heat gun (hot air) from the "Verdamper" guy from Holland.

Seems entirely reasonable to me. Then again, you could say the 'hot air guy' got the idea from the folks that made/sold hot air popcorn poppers?

I bet you could make a pretty impressive vape modifying a hot air popcorn popper......... You'd need a big old bag to fill, do they make oven roasting bags for Ostriches?

As I understand the Patent Law, at least here (although I understand the basics are common in Western legal systems?) the key idea is using the hot air, how the hot air is made (using a heat gun) is not the key to the claim. IIRC the thing turns on an idea 'not readily apparent to someone schooled in the art'. That is ask some experts on how to make hot air, several unrelated ones will come up with the idea of a heat gun.

Vaporizing herb itself is probably not patentable I suspect since such extractions are widely done in other areas (like perfume making) ? The idea is now, of course 'public domain' and we are now protecting 'Intellectual Property' based on details, the 'Prior Art' being commonplace?

Instead my hat is off to the Pioneers like our very own VM his own self, who took the big risks to bring useful products to market for us to pick from. They ride the fine line between 'a useless waste of time' and 'so cool 'they' steal the product away'. He, and those like him, deserve all the rewards from their efforts. In a large part they made the market we love. Risk and Reward, what drives Capitalism in the end.

OF

 

[birdbraineater]

It's so cool to hear these stories man.

Thanks for sharing!

My first vape was the 'mason jar over the heat pedestal type'.

Seems entirely reasonable to me. Then again, you could say the 'hot air guy' got the idea from the folks that made/sold hot air popcorn poppers?

I bet you could make a pretty impressive vape modifying a hot air popcorn popper......... You'd need a big old bag to fill, do they make oven roasting bags for Ostriches?

As I understand the Patent Law, at least here (although I understand the basics are common in Western legal systems?) the key idea is using the hot air, how the hot air is made (using a heat gun) is not the key to the claim. IIRC the thing turns on an idea 'not readily apparent to someone schooled in the art'. That is ask some experts on how to make hot air, several unrelated ones will come up with the idea of a heat gun.

Vaporizing herb itself is probably not patentable I suspect since such extractions are widely done in other areas (like perfume making) ? The idea is now, of course 'public domain' and we are now protecting 'Intellectual Property' based on details, the 'Prior Art' being commonplace?

Instead my hat is off to the Pioneers like our very own VM his own self, who took the big risks to bring useful products to market for us to pick from. They ride the fine line between 'a useless waste of time' and 'so cool 'they' steal the product away'. He, and those like him, deserve all the rewards from their efforts. In a large part they made the market we love. Risk and Reward, what drives Capitalism in the end.

OF

Unless you pan on marketing, patents are no problem.

 

[OF]

Unless you pan on marketing, patents are no problem.

Generally, yes, but that was not my point. I was trying to show how society looks at 'who invented this?'. What constitutes an invention (significant step, innovation).

In practice a patent really means little, it's an aid in defense of your rights. You still have to sue to get relief. OTOH you can also challenge the patent of others in court? I'm just using Patent Law as an example of how the law (and therefore society it is assumed) views such stuff.

OF

 

[nondarb]

I moved on to my next project, the human powered vaporizer.

What predated the friction vape, do you mind sharing?

Very cool story!!

 

[Stu]

What predated the friction vape, do you mind sharing?

Very cool story!!

It was an Aromed from Germany.

 

[nondarb]

I bought my first vaporizer in December 1999

In 2003 I participated for the first time at the hemp fair in Bern, I had a booth and Eagle Bill came to test my product.

I moved on to my next project

I bolded the parts that have me intrigued, I'm aware his first vaporizer was an aromed but it sounds like he had an original design that predated the friction vape.

I've often wondered what some of René's other ideas were while using my precious vapman. The human powered vape and vapman are just wildly different it makes you wonder what could of possibly come before, or between?

 

[vapman]

Dear FC community, thank you for the birthday wishes!

Thank you for your interest in my personal stories regarding the evolution of vapman.

Before vapman I made two completely different vaporizers. After the purchase of my very first vaporizer I was thrilled by the idea of being smoke free, I loved my Aromed and told everybody about it. I must also mention that Frank Fuchs, the inventor and maker of Aromed is one of the very early pioneers in that business. I think he met Eagle Bill sometime in the 90's and took his idea of vaporizing to make an electric device to use at home. Unfortunately, the Aromed was at that early stage not reliable and broke down on me several times in three months. As ecstatically I was about vaporizing then, I was in the same amount upset when my beloved vaporizer did not work when I came back from work. After studying the principles of vaporizing I soon decided to make my own and ever lasting vaporizer. I adopted the principles of Aromed,
cut out the complicated electronics and replaced teflon with wood and mica. The first one I made worked like a charm and still works like on the first day. That was the beginning of my journey and I am still on that never ending trip.

Here is a picture of that desk top model, I still make them today.

After the desktop model came the human powered pocket vaporizer. With this vaporizer I learned that conduction works as well as convection, it is all a question of material (copper) and shape and not religion.Back then, it was too early for this one but I have the intention to revise and relaunch that special vaporizer in the future again.

This all led to the final creation, our beloved vapman.

Love you all,


vapman

 

[The Beagle]

That's really interesting stuff, didn't know you make a desktop unit. Just a couple of questions: when did you start selling the Vapman? Did you change something during the years or is it identical to the first units you made?

 

[Philreal187]

@The Beagle Here is a post from a few months back with the evolution of the great Vapman!!


Vapman

 

[Gourmet]

That's really interesting stuff, didn't know you make a desktop unit. Just a couple of questions: when did you start selling the Vapman? Did you change something during the years or is it identical to the first units you made?

Yes, René has changed the engraving from "element" to "vapman".

A few month ago, I vistied his atelier, he was on the way to give a little maintenance to an older "element"-Vapman. About 10 years old was this little fellow and will now live for 10 more.

 

[Bizkat]

When and who exactly invented vaporizing, I don't know but back in the year 2000 (I bought my first vaporizer in December 1999), I came across some pioneers of the vaporizing scene. That was at the first hemp fair (Cannatrade) in Bern, Switzerland. I will never forget the guy with the huge heat gun blowing...
an unbelievable amount of vapor into a massive glass dome, over a meter large. He asked everybody passing by to suck on the tube hanging from the dome but there was so much vapor, you would have to see it to believe it. This guy actually sold that

Anyway, the Dutch guy with the big heat gun happens to be the man who made the "Verdamper" a few years later and is making them still today. Even the "Verdamper" is probably still one of the fattest vaporizer on the market, it is a little toy compared to what he had installed back then at the fair.
Markus Storz and Jürgen Bickel were also there with their first "Volcano" prototype, showing to visitors what they will bring on to the market soon. I am not 100% sure but I think Storz and Bickel got their idea of using a heat gun (hot air) from the "Verdamper" guy from Holland. When I visited Markus and Jürgen a few years ago, they told me that they actually went to a company in Switzerland with the request for a special heat gun. They soon decided to make their own heat gun, the famous Volcano vaporizer.

The second pioneer I met was Eagle Bill, an American Vietnam veteran who allegedly invented vaporizing by heating a glass bowl with herbs.
In 2003 I participated for the first time at the hemp fair in Bern, I had a booth and Eagle Bill came to test my product....

Your mention of the heat gun brought all the memories back, thank you!


vapman

Dear FC community, thank you for the birthday wishes!

Thank you for your interest in my personal stories regarding the evolution of vapman.

Before vapman I made two completely different vaporizers. After the purchase of my very first vaporizer I was thrilled by the idea of being smoke free, I loved my Aromed and told everybody about it. I must also mention that Frank Fuchs, the inventor and maker of Aromed is one of the very early pioneers in that business. I think he met Eagle Bill sometime in the 90's and took his idea of vaporizing to make an electric device to use at home. Unfortunately, the Aromed was at that early stage not reliable and broke down on me several times in three months. As ecstatically I was about vaporizing then, I was in the same amount upset when my beloved vaporizer did not work when I came back from work. After studying the principles of vaporizing I soon decided to make my own and ever lasting vaporizer. I adopted the principles of Aromed,
cut out the complicated electronics and replaced teflon with wood and mica. The first one I made worked like a charm and still works like on the first day. That was the beginning of my journey and I am still on that never ending trip.

Here is a picture of that desk top model, I still make them today.

After the desktop model came the human powered pocket vaporizer. With this vaporizer I learned that conduction works as well as convection, it is all a question of material (copper) and shape and not religion.Back then, it was too early for this one but I have the intention to revise and relaunch that special vaporizer in the future again.

This all led to the final creation, our beloved vapman.

Love you all,


vapman

Rene, you should write a book. Seriously.

 

[The Beagle]

@The Beagle Here is a post from a few months back with the evolution of the great Vapman!!


Vapman

Thank you, I was pretty sure there were that infos somewhere but 220+ pages are too much to browse!

Yes, René has changed the engraving from "element" to "vapman".

A few month ago, I vistied his atelier, he was on the way to give a little maintenance to an older "element"-Vapman. About 10 years old was this little fellow and will now live for 10 more.

Would really like to see in person where and how Vapman is made, and also I've never been to Switzerland...

 

[vapman]

In practice a patent really means little, it's an aid in defense of your rights. You still have to sue to get relief. OTOH you can also challenge the patent of others in court? I'm just using Patent Law as an example of how the law (and therefore society it is assumed) views such stuff.

OF

This is exactly how it is. A patent only gives you the right to prosecute persons and companies using your idea. It does not stop anyone doing it nor does it pay your lawyers, plane tickets, hotels and time you need to chase a company down somewhere far away in the sticks. I have not mentioned that each patent has a yearly fee for each country it is valid, around USD 500.--/ country.

Besides this, it is is quite tricky with patents as only solutions and designs can be patent but not principles.
I know S&B have a patent on the bag with valve system, they could not patent "blowing vapor into a bag" but they got a patent on a bag with valve system. After Volcano was released, a lot of brands took over the idea of storing vapor in a bag but none of them have a valve system.

When I asked Markus how it came about the idea of the bag, he told me that he and a friend were getting stoned by heating weed with a hot air gun and that after a while he mentioned something like: "shit we are wasting all the vapor, this is all too much to handle", his friend casually responded with:" why don't you blow it in a bag"? Markus instantly new that this is THE idea and asked his friend to help him developing a vaporizer with a hot air gun and a bag system. Not knowing that Volcano will be a huge success, the guy who actually had the idea with the bag, did not believe in that venture and refused to participate!!
This was around 1997.

After this, Markus went to a factory in Switzerland on the search for a custom made hot air gun. He could not get what he was looking for and decided to make a vaporizer from scratch.
Unbelievable but true, the guy who had the idea with the bag was not the last one missing out on the million dollar business, volcano became in the years to follow.

Not long after, Markus found two partners, they got together and borrowed quite a bit of money from the bank and started with the aide of an engeneering workshop the development of Volcano. Short before completion, the two partners got cold feet, pulled out and Markus took the whole risk on his own. At that time he met Jürgen Bickel, an old school friend who got back from a job in South America. They together launched Volcano, and the rest is history.


To have an idea is one thing, to follow an idea through thick and thin is something else.

@Bizkat Thank you, I take it as a compliment! I never ever thought about writing a book in any way but now I realize that telling stories is a nice way to write history for the people to come.

@The Beagle You are welcome to visit me in the work shop any time you like. To your question: Vapman was launched at the end of 2005 and nothing has changed since, it is still vapman.0.

Vapman

 

[RUDE BOY]

Happy Birthday to ya Rene, Enjoy your day.

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

 

[vorrange]

René, thank you so much for sharing these interesting stories.

I was familiar with some of the "characters" in it and with some of your own history regarding the desktop and the friction vape but it is quite nice to hear how things were when vaporization was in its infancy, and when even the internet was starting and it was much more difficult to share information and knowledge.

It was a different time and a different way to do things.

And, Happy Birthday!!

 

[nondarb]

Would really like to see in person where and how Vapman is made

There are some videos of just that on YouTube, its linked here too somewhere. Check it out, its neat. May as well admire the human powered vape while you're there.

I'm really digging story time with René! Always look toward to your posts, thanks for the history lesson.

 

[Bizkat]

There are some videos of just that on YouTube, its linked here too somewhere. Check it out, its neat.

Here:

 

[Alex03]

Hello fellow vapers and vapman lovers.
I hope you are all having a great time.

Well I have a question for all vapman owners.
Especially the ones that go through 20+ pans of herb a day.
Do you recognise quite a buildup of residue in your middle section?
How oft do you clean your vapman, change middle section.

I myself go through that much pans a Day. Not every day but on average. And if I dont clean the Middle section like every other day especially the wooden tip of the mouthpiece, I will get residue ( quite a potent one, like in the arizer glas stems) dripping out.

Thats why I got in a habbit to change Vapmans every other Day like a pipe smoker.

So folks how do you do it?

Happy monday to you all.

And thank Renè for your awesome divices.

Modnote: Back to back posts merged.

By changeing Vapmans i mean i rotate bettween different units/models. In order to give them some time to evaporate the moisture and residue that builds up in the wood.

 

[The Beagle]

Here:

Thank you!

So folks how do you do it?

I leave my empty Vapman sitting without the plastic mouthpiece on the station from time to time to let the oils evaporate from the midsection. I also clean the buildup under the metal screen like once every month and torch the screen.

 

[nondarb]

So folks how do you do it?

I keep a piece of folded up paper towel in my egg to wipe the screen and pan out while its still warm. I didn't at first and noticed my screen clogging up and residue near the "post"(?) In the pan. This keeps it clean without having to put er' away or use any iso/magic erasers.

It doesn't help with the oils creeping up the middle section though. The oils creeping up the middle section bothers me.. I may buy another middle section (before another complete back up unit) to alternate with.

How long does it usually take for the middle section to dry out? Does the crept up oil evaporate and not stain the wood??

 

[OF]

I keep a piece of folded up paper towel in my egg to wipe the screen and pan out while its still warm. I didn't at first and noticed my screen clogging up and residue near the "post"(?) In the pan.

The oils creeping up the middle section bothers me.

How long does it usually take for the middle section to dry out? Does the crept up oil evaporate and not stain the wood??

Isn't the correct procedure to wipe the screen off on your Levi's? If not I'm in trouble it's probably too late to break that habit.......

The oil/fouling will take a very long time drying out. I find keeping the load dry to start (keeping condensed water out of the works) goes long way to limit fouling (both in VM and other vapes), I have no trouble keeping it under control with wipes with a folded in half pipe cleaner from above (pull the MP first). No need to pull the screen if you keep after it.

IIRC Renê suggested using Acetone (which seems kind of drastic to me) for cleaning deposits from a neglected center section. I suggest searching this thread for posts from him with "Acetone".

OF

 

[nondarb]

Isn't the correct procedure to wipe the screen off on your Levi's? If not I'm in trouble it's probably too late to break that habit.......

The oil/fouling will take a very long time drying out. I find keeping the load dry to start (keeping condensed water out of the works) goes long way to limit fouling (both in VM and other vapes), I have no trouble keeping it under control with wipes with a folded in half pipe cleaner from above (pull the MP first). No need to pull the screen if you keep after it.

IIRC Renê suggested using Acetone (which seems kind of drastic to me) for cleaning deposits from a neglected center section. I suggest searching this thread for posts from him with "Acetone".

OF

The paper towels original purpose was to keep the funnel from rattling around. I'd hardly call it neglected, I use it everyday!!

Ive been throwing around the idea of stripping it and using espresso to stain it darker before sealing it with some blo. For now i'll add some pipe cleaners to the regimen, I'm not keen on using acetone or other chemical means to clean it atleast not just yet. Thanks for the tip.