When is a bowl "finished"?

[Caligula]

I'm sure this has been asked, and believe me I searched. Needless to say, I didnt find anything helpful.

In any case, I am aware this will get a myriad of different personal opinions... however as a first time owner/user of a flower vape I am finding it hard to determine when a bowl is "done". Does vapor production have to do with anything? Ive puffed on bowl for quite a while with moderate vapor production at the very end (when taste and harshness were the dead giveaway it was quitting time)... but Im not sure if thats at all necessary? I mean Im not looking to get every last drop out of the flower... just most of it, you know? Im in it for the flavor for the first few lung-fulls but after that, I feel like I could toss it if I knew I wasnt wasting a bunch of meds... so I'm basically wondering where that cutoff point is.

Anyway, input would be appreciated.

Oh and if it matters, Im using a Solo.

 

[nopartofme]

I think the only way to figure this out is through experience. Try stopping when the flavor is out or soon after, saving the abv, and vaping the abv another time when you aren't feeling the effects of fresh herb. This'll let you isolate the effects of what you've got left.

I learned how to vape the last out of my towers with a launch box through lots of trial and error (it's a lot easier to combust abv in a launch box).

I now vape my herb lightly and use the abv as a pseudo-indica for evening vaping, as I buy sativas and sativa dominant hybrids generally.

Basically, I think it comes down to personal preference: what you want to get out of your herb and when.

 

[Caligula]

I like your approach. Ill give the ABV test a try in order to see how potent the ABV is (or isnt) after the desired flavor is gone.

To Solo owners... how many pulls do you get before you feel you notice diminished flavor? Im using mine @ level 3 primarily and feel about 3 good pulls is all I get out of a packed bowl before Id want to toss it on flavor alone. Is this normal?

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

I like my abv a golden color, almost to where you could grind it up again and get another tasty rip. At any hint of a near popcorn hit and I abort mission immediately. I have found this is awesome abv for edibles and decent for abv qwiso too, plus you get nearly all the tasty rips out of the deal anyways.

 

[Caligula]

I like my abv a golden color, almost to where you could grind it up again and get another tasty rip. At any hint of a near popcorn hit and I abort mission immediately. I have found this is awesome abv for edibles and decent for abv qwiso too, plus you get nearly all the tasty rips out of the deal anyways.

See this is ideally what id llike to do minus keeping the ABV for future use. I'm wondering, however, how much I'd be wasting by chucking said ABV.

 

[YeeeBuddy]

I roast the shit out of mine when done it looks like ground coffee.

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

IMO if your not saving it, grind it up fine and get all you can get. When it is almost black abv like YeeeBuddy described you've gotten all but prob trace amounts of thc and the only thing imo it's good for is slight cbd extraction a salve or lotion. You can do edibles but they aren't worth it at this point and the qwiso can still give you a rapid jolt to the Endo Cannabinoid & CNS ie your heart is like wtf was that for a minute but imo it tastes like barnyard hay no matter how nice the strain.

 

[as]

A bowls done when it stops giving vapor. I cape in my solo at 7 and still save my abv for coconut oil and there is still something left as the oil puts me down for the night

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

Now we are getting in a conversation where the words tolerance and amount are great variables. To each their own is thrown around a lot, so the best advice is find what works for you and try and have some fun along the way!

 

[vorrange]

Well, there are cannabinoids that only get extracted at 230C or higher (230C is the combustion temperature for cannabis).

If you vape, there will be at least cannabinoids from +220C upwards that are still to be extracted. This has nothing to do with ABV colour.

Colour is a function of the amount of conduction in the bowl mainly, although temperature and water content play a part as well.

As SSVUN~YAH said, the finer the grind, the higher the surface exposed to the hot air and the better the extraction. Plus, if the vapour is no more, you need to rise the temperature. If you're already at the top temperature, the ABV is dark and no more vapour is coming out, plus the flavour has gone from neutral to slightly acid, then the bowl is finished.

Many people choose to stop vaping earlier, either to make edibles or just because the flavour is gone, or they prefer to leave the more sedative cannabinoids for the night sessions.
That is a personal preference, and it depends on many factors of course.

Me, since i do not grow my own, like to extract every bit of goodies out of a bowl and have been saving ABV that i'll likely use to make BHO or edibles (i don't know because like SSVUN said, mine is problably just the higher temp cannabinoids which are mainly sedative and anxiolytic).

 

[ou812?]

Well, there are cannabinoids that only get extracted at 230C or higher (230C is the combustion temperature for cannabis).

If you vape, there will be at least cannabinoids from +220C upwards that are still to be extracted. This has nothing to do with ABV colour.

Colour is a function of the amount of conduction in the bowl mainly, although temperature and water content play a part as well.

As SSVUN~YAH said, the finer the grind, the higher the surface exposed to the hot air and the better the extraction. Plus, if the vapour is no more, you need to rise the temperature. If you're already at the top temperature, the ABV is dark and no more vapour is coming out, plus the flavour as gone from neutral to slightly acid, then the bowl is finished.

Many people choose to stop vaping earlier, either to make edibles or just because the flavour is gone, or they prefer to leave the more sedative cannabinoids for the night sessions.
That is a personal preference, and it depends on many factors of course.

Me, since i do not grow my own, like to extract every bit of goodies out of a bowl and have been saving ABV that i'll likely use to make BHO or edibles (i don't know because like SSVUN said, mine is problably just the higher temp cannabinoids which are mainly sedative and anxiolytic).

Excellent post, thank you!! Im one for getting the most out of my meds too,and even though it looks like coffee grinds,I have made edibles out of it that are reserved for night time sedation and analgesic application, I'm happy,what I make truly works,I have a bad shoulder (old firefighting injury,pins galore) and when I eat them, pain is very manageable and I drift off to sleep .YMMV

 

[Oscar_Milde]

I also like mine golden brown, and also avoid the popcorn flavour like the plague!
I attempt to abort 1 hit before the popcorn taste sets in, generally takes 2-4 large bong rips.
I have saved up all my avb from the last 3 months, it's getting relatively sizeable lol, going to do an iso extraction, then use that to make edibles...

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

Iso extraction then edibles? I always seperate the two, meaning I will do a batch of Cnut oil and after strained abv straight to the compost. Then a different batch of abv ISO extract straight to compost. I always assumed don't eat the iso??? If this is ok I need to rethink my "circle of herb"!

 

[Oscar_Milde]

If it's safe to smoke and make topicals, it must be safe for oral applications? Would prefer to use food grade ethanol but it is very hard to get down here!
As far as I understand it, any trace amounts of iso in the end product, in my case very minimal, are broken down into acetone by the body. Some research indicates it can be metabolised, some foods break down into acetone, and it is not regarded as carcinogenic, mutagenic or neurotoxic. I could well be wrong.
Personally I find eating herb, vaporized or otherwise, to be mildly traumatic for my palate, so I make extracts then generally dissolve in coconut oil or butter, depending on the recipe in question. Makes for a more pleasant experience, flavour wise..

EDIT: To be clear, I'm not suggesting you make iso, and then cook with the remaining, cannabinoid-free plant matter. I'm suggesting doing an extraction on AVB and then cooking with the extract.

 

[YeeeBuddy]

I agree with the others in this thread, I think the easiest way to get full extraction is a really fine grind. I use a 15$ coffee grinder from walmart and it turns a 1/8 into dust in 10 seconds. I always finish my bowls from start to end, I dunno if its because i went from straight combustion to straight vaping but i like to get the full range of good stuff all at once. !!!

 

[Edward Hyde]

I agree with the others in this thread, I think the easiest way to get full extraction is a really fine grind. I use a 15$ coffee grinder from walmart and it turns a 1/8 into dust in 10 seconds. I always finish my bowls from start to end, I dunno if its because i went from straight combustion to straight vaping but i like to get the full range of good stuff all at once. !!!

doesnt the coffee grinder get clogged from resin?i use a normal grinder and every two weeks it needs a good ammount of cleaning...i suppose the coffee grinder will need more maintenance.i do the same as you concerning the session and i know its because i went form combustion to vaporization straight and i like the full range of my material all in one session...

 

[Caligula]

Hmmmm...

http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-CM-50-CF-Ceramic-Grinder/dp/B003S9XF7K

Ceramic is win for this application IMO.

 

[Tweek]

My bowl is done, when the duff is the colour of coffee grounds. That's my gauge anyways.

And if I have doubts, I just eat it. I am frugal that way

 

[djonkoman]

often I don't notice the popcornflavor, unless it's a leftover that I vape without having vaped anything before for a while. so I stop when the amount of vapor gets significantly less and it starts feeling tedious to try to extract more. that leaves my abv a goldenbrownish color. or black, in the case of the hash I'm vaping now(but it's already black when it's not vaped).
in the case of hash the dryness is also a sign, when there is still enough to be vaped out of it it still sticks and sticks/clumps together. when it's done it's dry powder, that will not stick together(or stick to my finger/hand)
that is both with the UD. with the DV I usually do one cycle(10 min.) on 175 degrees celsius, often at the end of the cycvle the vapor is getting less. then I turn it to 180 and do a second cycle. usually at the end of that second cycle there is less or no visible vapor, and the abv has gotten (dark) brown. there are plenty of exceptions however, some strains/batches I never take above 175 degrees, sometimes I start at 180(often that's because I want to spend less time vaping, there isn't that much energy in the battery left or I'm with friends who aren't used to vaporizing so I want a bit more visible vapor so they feel like they're inhaling something), and rarely there are also strains/batches that are still lightbrown/goldish at 180 so I turn it up to 185 at the end.

 

[Caligula]

often I don't notice the popcornflavor, unless it's a leftover that I vape without having vaped anything before for a while. so I stop when the amount of vapor gets significantly less and it starts feeling tedious to try to extract more. that leaves my abv a goldenbrownish color. or black, in the case of the hash I'm vaping now(but it's already black when it's not vaped).
in the case of hash the dryness is also a sign, when there is still enough to be vaped out of it it still sticks and sticks/clumps together. when it's done it's dry powder, that will not stick together(or stick to my finger/hand)
that is both with the UD. with the DV I usually do one cycle(10 min.) on 175 degrees celsius, often at the end of the cycvle the vapor is getting less. then I turn it to 180 and do a second cycle. usually at the end of that second cycle there is less or no visible vapor, and the abv has gotten (dark) brown. there are plenty of exceptions however, some strains/batches I never take above 175 degrees, sometimes I start at 180(often that's because I want to spend less time vaping, there isn't that much energy in the battery left or I'm with friends who aren't used to vaporizing so I want a bit more visible vapor so they feel like they're inhaling something), and rarely there are also strains/batches that are still lightbrown/goldish at 180 so I turn it up to 185 at the end.

So you basically go off of color? Do you need to do anything special to vape hash from a solo? Or do you not know?

 

[RUDE BOY]

And if I have doubts, I just eat it.

That's why she loves ya.

I also take my AVB to coffee Brown/Black. I can only judge when a bowl is finished by taste after vaping an eighth or so since to me each strains taste is different. Also I never understand why people think a vaporizer tastes bad as I like even that sour burnt popcorn taste of charred Dank better then combusting the first hit out of a clean bong.

 

[ou812?]

So you basically go off of color? Do you need to do anything special to vape hash from a solo? Or do you not know?

Hash in the Solo, I just chuck a chunk in and start at 5 and end at 7. The Solo does hash nice IMO,I poke it around a bit when Im up at 6-7 and it just keeps giving you rip after rip.I threw in a piece that allowed enough air around to circulate, I did not pack it full, Kief yes ,solid hash no,YMMV, I was told by those in the know to begin with high temps due to the solid structure,needing to penetrate thru the mass.

That's why she loves ya.

I also take my AVB to coffee Brown/Black. I can only judge when a bowl is finished by taste after vaping an eighth or so since to me each strains taste is different. Also I never understand why people think a vaporizer tastes bad as I like even that sour burnt popcorn taste of charred Dank better then combusting the first hit out of a clean bong.

+++1 exactly combustion taste like ass now a days, the higher heat spectrum tastes decent to me vs the tar and the rest of the nasties associated with combustion.I dont hit my vape without a WT,so I never taste an unpleasant note at all IMO

 

[djonkoman]

So you basically go off of color? Do you need to do anything special to vape hash from a solo? Or do you not know?

well, I mainly use the amount of vaporoutput at my usual temp/voltage(since I use an underdog with vvps), but I may alter the temp/voltage based on the color of the abv. for example if I would throw it out based on vapor output, but it's still green, I would turn up the voltage a bit. or if it gets a lot darker than usual, especially if the vapor is also more harsh, I will lower the voltage.
usually I vape at night, so using color as primary indicator is not practical(I would need to keep a LED-flashlight(because those usually have more white/blue light) within arms reach, I have done that fore a while, but now I have the experience with my vaporizer I don't bother anymore)(I also have f.lux on my computer so I can't use the light from the screen to see the real color the abv has)

I've never used a solo, but some general things that I think aply to any vaporizer that can vape hash(btw, with hash I mean real hash, not oil, pretty much all the hash I vape is imported, nepal or maroc and sometimes afghan):
put the hash in in a few chunks(the chunks I use are about a third or a half a black pepper ball/seed I guess), don't put too much in, or it will melt/stik together and block airflow. take a few hits to make the hash soft. now stir while it's soft, make sure the chunks ou started with are broken up(but don't overdo the stirring either, then it all lumps together again around the stick you stir with)
now it will start giving off good amounts of vapor.

lower grade hash works often better as higher grade, I noticed that mostly with maroc. maroc is the most common hash around here, and available under many names. one coffeeshop in my previous hometown, that has a reputation as a good place for hash(they also have weed, but no one I know buys it there), has an asortment of around 10 hashes wich are all maroc under different names, usually the prices run from 5-6 euro per gram up to 15 for the highest grades. for vaping I prefer to stay at the lower end of that(so a maroc that's around 7-8 per gram for example), since the higher grade hash you have, the more it melts. and that means that after you stir it, and take 1 hit, it's all melted into one chunk/puddle again. it also gets into the screen more, and so it has happened to me that I had to dump out a load of hash long before it was finished since the entire screen was clogged, replace the screen(wasting all the hash stuck into/onto the screen) and finishing it. (also the 7-8 euro maroc has that problem somewhat, but with the 9-10 euro maroc it's so bad I can never get a satisfactory cloud of vapor out of it)
if I do get a higher grade, I only use a little of it combined with another lower grade hash.

(also, I use a clean screen everytime I load a new bowl of hash)