DIY: Alternative to Smoking with Butane Lighters, No cash for a vaporizer? This might

[NiteTiger]

With all due respect - the twine covered with wax does add an extra taste that I do not notice with a bic lighter and find unpleasant. We don't smoke hemp - we smoke kind buds, and I can tell when something else is in the mix.

Good for anyone who can't taste it, but it seems a little rash to dismiss mine and others opinion on a subjective topic.

Also, for those of us who smoke personal bong loads or small hits, so we get greens every time among other reasons, that means using the burning string every time you take a hit, not just once per session as you indicate is the case. If you pack a big bowl and keep it lit, sure, but that is not how everyone smokes.

I certainly didn't dismiss anyone's opinion on anything. I apologize if it came across that way, it was not my intention. Quite the opposite actually, I value the input of folks who've tried it, since I haven't had the opportunity.

I do want to point out, you most certainly ARE smoking hemp, we're just smoking the version that has the psychoactive properties. It's the same plant, just one with a different 'coating'.

I am curious though why you're having to put it out and relight it if you're taking single hits? You could still let it burn while you packed your next hit, right? If not, why can't you?

I'll admit, I've looked at the sparks shooting out of my lighter, the little pieces of steel and flint that are being thrown into the bowl. The butane may burn off cleanly (not as clean as some are claiming), but what happens to those particulates? Also, especially for you one hitters, what about when you clear the bowl so fast it puts out the flame? Your finger is still on the button, even if just momentarily, and that's still releasing butane gas directly into your inhalation stream. That's not burned at all, and certainly can't be good for you.

As far as taste, I'm certain there's a different taste, but like I said, I haven't tried it. What product were you using, and what kind of flavor did it add? Was it an actual flavor, or was it just a harshness?

Also, if you're getting untreated uncoated hemp twine or string, it's absolutely no different from when you have a bit of stem in your bowl. Or hemp papers for that matter.

Oooo, there's a thought! Try making some twine out of the stalk of our plants. Like making rolling papers at home, 'cept easier. That'd be fun to try. But I'm always messing around with my leftovers, trying to find a way to make use of the entire plant. It'd be labor intensive, so I doubt it would appeal to many.

Once again, my apologies if it came out like I was dismissing your opinion

 

[NiteTiger]

Uh yeah sorry this doesn't compare to a hakko at all.

I actually tried bee line and fucking hate it. so annoying to put of the flame each time shaking while hitting a $400 bubbler.


hakko's are $29.95.

What is this Hakko you're referring to? When I ran a search, all I found was Hakko soldering irons.

 

[free radical]

What is this Hakko you're referring to? When I ran a search, all I found was Hakko soldering irons.

Yes, thats what you want sir. I forgot the model # but you want the one with the ceramic heating element. You basically take the tip off the iron and inside is a ceramic "stick". You plug it in and use the stick to light your bowl. No extra taste added.

 

[free radical]

Hakko 456-16 60W Soldering Iron

Thats what you want. Unscrew the silver ring at the base and the tip slides off, burn away.

 

[NiteTiger]

Ah, okay, it's got a ceramic in there. I was looking at those tips, and kinda yarked in my mouth a bit

May have to give that one a try too. If you don't actually touch the bud, would it create enough heat as you drew through the bowl to have a similar effect as a vaporizer?

 

[free radical]

Ah, okay, it's got a ceramic in there. I was looking at those tips, and kinda yarked in my mouth a bit

May have to give that one a try too. If you don't actually touch the bud, would it create enough heat as you drew through the bowl to have a similar effect as a vaporizer?

I don't think it would quite work, I just tried it with no luck but maybe operator error. Regardless I don't mind my buds touching the ceramic, it taste great and I never have to buy/lose anymore lighters.

 

[NiteTiger]

Oh, yeah, no doubt it's be better than a lighter as we're talking about, I was just curious, since there are no vapes in my state

 

[Deft]

I light an oil lamp and use long matchsticks (like a foot long) and relight them and put them out and get many dozens of bong lights out of just one match.

I have to agree that butane is a much smaller simpler oxidation reaction and harder to get half burnt junk than with natural wax and twine. The reaction goes 2 C4H10 + 13 O2 > 8 CO2 + 10 H2O when its a lean burn, if there is too much fuel and not enough oxygen you just get micro carbon deposits which won't hurt out, its like molecular level carbon dust, you also get CO but not in any harmful amount.

I'll stick with butane and matches.

 

[NiteTiger]

I light an oil lamp and use long matchsticks (like a foot long) and relight them and put them out and get many dozens of bong lights out of just one match.

I have to agree that butane is a much smaller simpler oxidation reaction and harder to get half burnt junk than with natural wax and twine. The reaction goes 2 C4H10 + 13 O2 > 8 CO2 + 10 H2O when its a lean burn, if there is too much fuel and not enough oxygen you just get micro carbon deposits which won't hurt out, its like molecular level carbon dust, you also get CO but not in any harmful amount.

I'll stick with butane and matches.

How do the little bits of steel and flint figure into that burn equation? Wouldn't that effect the quality of the burn?

 

[GrüneErd]

great write-up man! very clear, very DIY.
when my nephew from maui told me about bee lines a while back, i thought it was such an awesome idea.
then realized it's just another way to 'fix something that isn't broken' in regards to smoking pot IMO.
i get the concept, the cleaner burn, but a lighter has never really been that dirty to me, not nearly as dirty as hittin some reg lol jk.
but for real, to each his own. im just sayin, keep it simple, keep it smokin, keep it in rotation above all else!
peace

 

[NiteTiger]

not nearly as dirty as hittin some reg

Isn't that the damn truth

 

[panopticist]

Or you could vape and skip the hassle...

 

[NiteTiger]

Or you could vape and skip the hassle...

Unless there are no vapes available in your state

 

[Cascadia]

I use a candle to light my bowls when possible, works great!

 

[doubledotdank]

uh...i read that the parafin in candle wax is terrible for your health...might wanna check up on that..

 

[Mr. Bongjangles]

I certainly didn't dismiss anyone's opinion on anything. I apologize if it came across that way, it was not my intention. Quite the opposite actually, I value the input of folks who've tried it, since I haven't had the opportunity.

I do want to point out, you most certainly ARE smoking hemp, we're just smoking the version that has the psychoactive properties. It's the same plant, just one with a different 'coating'.

I am curious though why you're having to put it out and relight it if you're taking single hits? You could still let it burn while you packed your next hit, right? If not, why can't you?

I'll admit, I've looked at the sparks shooting out of my lighter, the little pieces of steel and flint that are being thrown into the bowl. The butane may burn off cleanly (not as clean as some are claiming), but what happens to those particulates? Also, especially for you one hitters, what about when you clear the bowl so fast it puts out the flame? Your finger is still on the button, even if just momentarily, and that's still releasing butane gas directly into your inhalation stream. That's not burned at all, and certainly can't be good for you.

As far as taste, I'm certain there's a different taste, but like I said, I haven't tried it. What product were you using, and what kind of flavor did it add? Was it an actual flavor, or was it just a harshness?

Also, if you're getting untreated uncoated hemp twine or string, it's absolutely no different from when you have a bit of stem in your bowl. Or hemp papers for that matter.

Oooo, there's a thought! Try making some twine out of the stalk of our plants. Like making rolling papers at home, 'cept easier. That'd be fun to try. But I'm always messing around with my leftovers, trying to find a way to make use of the entire plant. It'd be labor intensive, so I doubt it would appeal to many.

Once again, my apologies if it came out like I was dismissing your opinion

Cool man, maybe I read your comments wrong, been in a funny mood today.

Yeah I suppose it is hemp in that sense, but that is kinda like saying any herb mixed in with your kind bud wouldn't be noticeable because its all hemp. I think we'd both be like wtf mate if someone threw some schwag on our bowl hehe. Same for stems, I can always tell when I've let a bit of one get into the bowl because the taste is distinct. I try to grind my herb so that the stems are left in big enough pieces to remove.

Yea I'm that guy who takes 5 minutes to pack the bowl, but I get it right

I see what you mean about lighter flint.. That stuff prolly isn't good, but I personally strike the lighter off to the side first and then bring the flame to the bowl, so that stuff isn't getting into my smoke.

My comments are based on Bee Line. I just used some to spark a bong load, and its faint, but there is an extra taste, kinda earthy, kinda reminds me of using a match after the sulfur has burned off.

It does take a little longer with the bee line to get the bowl chalked up than with a bic lighter, so I suspect that is providing the chance to let some taste of the burning wax and string into the rip. Imagine using a bic lighter when its on its last legs, how they make a tiny flame and you have to keep it there longer.. Same deal with the Bee Line even though the flame doesn't appear that much smaller than a bic.

The herb does not taste like it has been vaporized that is for sure.. Tastes just like it does when I get the bowl lit with a bic lighter, plus the slight, but noticeable taste of the Bee Line.

About keeping it lit.. I can only speak for myself, but I like to chill out a moment between tokes, little lung recovery time or whatever. The amount of the string I could safely leave dangling just wouldn't be enough to make it to the next toke, and would be making a bunch of extra ash in the meantime. Its not that big a deal to put it out though. I could live with it if I liked the taste or thought it were actually beneficial, but for me, neither of those are the case.

Hey man about making your own papers from trim or plant matter.. Check out this really neat post:

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=577200&postcount=22

There were pics as I recall, but they seem to have gone away with dude's account or I could just be remembering things wrong, anyways neat tutorial there. Whew that took a while to track down but I knew it was out there hehe.

Anyways, sorry if I was harsh in my response, seems that way reading it over now, you're certainly someone who deserves the benefit of the doubt around here and it doesn't seem like i gave it to you. Respect to you man, I appreciate your contributions.

 

[CaptainStoner]

mr bongjangles, if you were talking about paraffin wax as used in most candles, I would agree with you, that shit is nasty but beeswax when burnt only really produces a tiny amount of carbon dioxide, water, and soot.. it is possible that a small amount of wax ester would be dragged into the bong but the water within it would solidify and hold this.

butane being produced from crude oil contains all sorts of nasties which are released upon combustion, nitric oxide,nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide,carbon monoxide, dioxins, formaldehyde, soot, sulphur dioxide etc. it is after all a hydrocarbon fuel. A good test of how pure your butane is is to spray some on something dark. If it leaves a white residue that smells unpleasant, these are the impurities in it.

i'll post more on this some other time as its 4am right now..

edit: some of the information i got on the combustion of butane came from The EPA's documentation on it, easily viewable with a quick google. emission factor documentation for AP42, section 1.5

 

[Jahbrenz]

Hakko 456-16 60W Soldering Iron

Thats what you want. Unscrew the silver ring at the base and the tip slides off, burn away.

While I also appreciate all the effort that went into this thread, the reality is that the Hakko ceramic soldering iron is the ONLY way to go.
However, Free Radical, the model number is very important otherwise the iron burns too hot and you don't get the best taste. I have seen the other one with a thicker tip and it is not as good as the n-454 25watt, with 25 watt being the key. Get the Hakko n454 25 watt and you will be smoking bong hits that have the taste of a vape. It's really awesome

 

[NiteTiger]

That's the thread Mr.B!

And wow, you have way more patience than I do

 

[panopticist]

Unless there are no vapes available in your state

Order one online?
That's what I did.