the way ive been working the bat is with a candle flame (its actually an old jet light that lost its jet...but its a nice hot blue flame) i hold it so the hole is at a 45 degree angle facing downwards, that way it catches the heat of the flame... i hold the flame right at the holes opening... i suck at a medium draw...that is a little stronger than of what i would if i was just breathing normally, with the flame hole, it make a little rush noise... i draw for approx 5-8 seconds...then pull away the lighter and keep drawing plain air for a second or two.... in that time, i can usually start feeling the temperature of my draw increasing, i keep alternating the heat until i finish my inhale... with that method, im getting at least 6 big hits, i mean hits that you think you are combusting, but it isnt....(its also extreme quality herb from a dispensary) i also stir the herb every couple of hits and gently tap it down...(just enough for it to "set" and not move up against the ceramic heating disk...but enough to allow for the air to go thru easily) oh, i also fill the bowls approximately 3/4 full and its ground fine and put it in loose....(again, barely tapped down so it wont fall against the disc when im hitting it) ive experimented with different style lighters... so far i found that a hot lazy blue flame works best, (1" flame length) followed by a bic flame... i find the regular yellow style candle flame takes longer for it to heat up, and definitely more work... jet flames do work, but not very well...they seem to heat up the outside and arent extremely efficient at heating the disc, very difficult to control and it got the bat too hot too quick... problem holding it in my hand then... on the draws i go until i get to a point that i am applying a lot of heat but not getting any more vapor, the herb is usually med to dark brown by that point....again, usually great 6-10 hits... but what a great vaporizer for the price... once you get it down... magic!