Salutations Ronp,
Your "preferred configuration" is very similar to the bronze sherlock.
Very???
Euh... Obviously you need to take a better look!!
Please check again using this selection of pictures instead:
Now lets zoom in...
Hummm... What do you see?...
...or more precicely what did you fail to notice at 1st glance?!...
I'm not sure if i can justify paying $90 for it.
Well i don't understand i guess. There are multiple evident differences when i compare my modding to a genuine
VaporGenie Bronze Sherlock VG Vaporizer - not to mention i never even touched one, in case i didn't mention!...
So, how did you go from point A to point B to point C, in a manner of speaking??
If your configuration hits much better, I will assume the VG bronze sherlock does also. I don't want to get the VG Bronze Shelock if it simply looks nicer than the classic.
IMHO you need to ask yourself about the convective, conductive and radiative heat components in a VG Bronze Sherlock because if you feel curious about my modding and that made you like the bronze model then i'd simply advise this may call for more focussed reading... Because, you see, although i never held VG's bronze pipe in my hands i can foresee... Ha! Ha! ...that mapple wood and bronze have radically different thermal properties.
In other words, generally speaking i like it too but i realize it would require some impossible rework if someday i must "upgrade" my modded Classic VG with a bronze base: mine works best when pre-heated, in case you missed such a determining detail too... Now, can you imagine yourelf "pre-heating" a bronze until the bowl reaches its sweet spot?!... It may prove being a significant change of perspective to consider function before appearance in such particular example i'm afraid, which implies the modding would require some serious bowl revision as it turns out that heat accumulates inside the main internal assembly of my sphere and this heat currently flows towards my Classic bowl (they connect directly!)...
So far i figure way too much heat would sink into this massive bronze body, defeating the purpose of that specific upgrade...
As a result it seems there are some misconceptions remaining to be cleared as these considerations may happen to be aspects which i suspect could make quite a significant difference, provided you could experience both my pipe and theirs, of course. Too bad i don't have anything to sell as you only have the bronze option left - which i don't really view as a bad thing actually.
In any case i see very little need for justifications considering this is a relatively affordable purchase, so why not simply buy it if you like it!
Face it, it's not garanteed everyone finds the ultimate match without having to try again anyway.
Why not vote in favor of more convection if you've got the lungs? Go for it!! Its esthetics alone may justify an expense and this feature alone will never fade.