Vaping flower? Preferred devices? How do I...

[OlderNOTwiser]

With the damned Covid not going anywhere I'm questioning the wisdom of smoking...well...anything at this point. So I thought about a vape pen. Of course all I know on the subject comes from this site and the news a while back about poisonings and such. I'm not interested in pre-packaged cartridges or anything like that so I'm not likely to get poisoned. I have enough bud to grind up and use. I also have a couple high CBD plants going now and I'm hoping I can get that in here somehow. (Looking into tinctures next) I did do a forum search and I've been reading as many posts as I can (somehow the phallic pipe showed up) but there are a few questions still to answer before I send my money flyin' out the door. If you guys 'n gals have a site or resource to check that breaks it down a little better please post.

I'm looking at the Firefly, Pax and Arizer lines based on search results here but I still have no clue how to use these things. They talk about ovens and phone apps and all of the whizz bang stuff but I need the basics. A primer of sorts if you will. Basics such as how fine to grind, how much do they hold, easy to draw from, taste, what options are must haves, etc.

As you can probably tell, I'm pretty clueless. I like the idea of smoke free, lower temps coming into the lungs, getting more from less.

TIA

[SoOrbudgal]

Well i used one for alittle while. I was into it at first, cleaned it every other load could only draw maybe 3 puffs. Yes it was nice vapor but 3draws and had to clean it with alcohol Qtip frequently. I had also a whip type with long flexible tube & mouthpiece that was a better one but i gave it away took up to much space and just cumbersome. That firefly or pax even the arizer all got great reviews but it's just what works for you, like ford or chevy. Too bad you don't know someone who could let you try theres? My sister in law had the pax 2 it seemed ok. I don't own any right now.

[OlderNOTwiser]

Unfortunately, in a non-legal state, I don't know many other users so a taste drive isn't possible. I've been poking about here: https://thevape.guide/ and reading up as much as I can. I'm sure the wife would support reducing smoking but not sure on the expense of these things. On the other hand I didn't have a tent, lights, fans, etc. a year ago either so maybe...

[hairyman]

OlderNotwiser: I have a G-Pro herbal vaporizer. It works but the effects are diminished and the vapour is hard on the throat. Very dry. Also it tastes like crap. It doesn't matter what I put into it. It all tastes the same. It's an o.k alternative to smoking but not great. Any info I needed I got from a Google search for the model and from the local seller. Do you have "Head Shops" where you live? It cost me about $150.00 CDN. I don't use it much. Smoking small amounts in the bong doesn't hurt my throat nor do I feel it in my lungs so I stay with that. There is always homemade edibles too. Friends have the same complaints for herbal vaporizers in general. I am 64 so it might be different for a younger person. That's my 2cents worth. Good Luck.

[OlderNOTwiser]

There are a few "smoke shops" around and I'll start checking them out tomorrow. I still feel creeped out going in them after 30 years away. In the 70's we were paranoid for good reason. Now I hope it is just an old guy thing.

[Canuck147]

I'd like to answer you OlderNOTwiser - but I'm in the same boat. Only time I was offered vaporizer I got really fucking stoned - cuz we were vaping an oil - smooth as shit - hit me like a ton of bricks when I went back into the bar to shoot pool - used to be in a league and my pool play was average at best that night.

[quirk]

Solo Arizer for personal use. I use the #6 heat settings and it delivers smooth, flavorful, sweet hits that makes you appreciate strain differences.

Herbalizer for Wednesday night poker. Everyone has their own whip or balloon, plus you can load essential oils between sessions.

Nest Errly Bird, the best for concentrates, in my never to be humble opinion.

[Floopydoop]

I'm about 3 weeks into use of the Dynavap M 2020. Has a learning curve, but I couldn't afford the expensive battery powered ones.

This comes with a little butane torch. Tiny bowl, fill it loosely. Put the cap on and heat the cap until it clicks.

Kinda like an old school bat or one hitter. Get around 3-4 hits per bowl...and it's a really tiny one. Best part is, you can cook with the vaped buds.

Can get reliable hits now without scorching or burning the bowl. Took a couple weeks and was really starting to get frustrated with it....but once you "feel" it....it works great!

Here's their site, but I got it cheaper from a reseller having a sale.

https://www.dynavap.com/dynashop/kit...-starter-pack/

Edit: REALLY tasty hits by the way. And get the DynaCoil with it if you plan to use concentrates. Otherwise it's fresh flower with a loose grind.

[D.A.A.S.69]

We can't afford one of them high dollar ones, but got one called Flowermatev2 5.0, from some one on here, that said they worked ok, and it works just fine for the 2years we had it, it think it was like a100bucks or so it think, to be honest I like them big sticky joints, but that vaporizer works fine, we messed up an made some brownies, out of that abv, and it was so damn strong ,it was like tripping on purplemicrodot, from back in the sixties, not kidn either.

[alltatup]

OlderNOTwiser I have a Pax, a Firefly 2 and an Arizer Solo II--actually 2 of the latter, which is by far my favorite: it's so damn easy, no bells and whistles, cleans up in a jiffy, and no expensive batteries to buy. It is the best vaporizer I've ever used, and I've been through quite a few in the last 15 years.

The Firefly is ok, but nothing special, and the Pax is ok, too, but vapes too hot for me. I purchased extra glass tubes on Amazon real cheap, and I will replace my Solo IIs when they die. I think it's silly for reviewers to talk about vaporizers like they have to have all the bells and whistles, which make them a pain in the ass to clean. I'll never buy another Storz&Bickel for precisely that reason.

[smoorman]

I will typically vape concentrates. You have to get decent quality ones that taste smooth. All of them I've gotten within the last year have been knockoffs that came in "official" packaging but were fakes. Got them from people I know were growing and extracting their own stuff. Quality is excellent, never a cough, great buzz and they seem to last forever. I think the vitamin E acetate cut ones are gone from the marketplace. Just set the temp low enough that you don't have clouds of smoke or coughing fits. However, I also have A Yocan ishread dry herb vape. $80 or so now. Works great, complete temp control, you can set temp to just inhale the lowest vaporizing temp thc and terps (sort of like skimming the cream from the top) with no smoke involved (or coughing) or set the temp higher and get more smoke and really get everything out of the herb. I think with the lower temps you leave a fair amount of buzz unused which is why ABV herb is great for edibles brownies Etc. If you're growing your own and supply doesn't matter that much then there are a lot of decent dry herb vapes out there that will work. Right now I've got some flower water curing which I expect to be super smooth and clean. The water extracts all the bad stuff from the bud (including a lot of the taste) and leaves behind the non-water soluble thc. Try cleaning sticky resin fingers with plain water. I expect this stuff to be ultra smooth as a dry vape. The healthiest. I'd love to hear comments, experiences on this.

[D.A.A.S.69]

We smoking a plant we water cured last month, and it is very smooth an potent, it doesn't even smell like mj, when burning joints.
Only thing that we can tell when you water cure bud is, it ain't pretty bud anymore, but it ain't got to be pretty to get the job done.
I'm gonna water cure the one we got growing now too, when she gets done.
smoorman

[Rwise]

smoorman hows the battery life on the Yocan ishread?

[stump]

ive used this for 2 years almost daily and still works great. https://arizer.com/solo2/ best one i have bought so far

[alltatup]

My favorite, too.

[smoorman]

D.A.A.S.69
How long did you let it soak and so on. Mines been soaking in distilled water for 3 days and I've changed the water every day. I'm not sure how to tell when it's fully "water cured".

[D.A.A.S.69]

We just used regular tapwater, an we changed it everyday for 7days, I don't believe it takes that long though.
The water was dirty as hell, the first 3-4days, very dirty after the first day, but by the 5-6th day ,it was super clear,
We even washed some buds that had already been cured in jars, for a week, an it really mellowed them out.
It really changes the smell, when you smoke it, for sure, which could be a good thing.
I'm sure gonna do it again.
smoorman

[OlderNOTwiser]

Thanks for the help. I'm going to go with the Solo 2 after reading so many glowing reviews on literally every site I looked at. It does check the boxes for me. Whenever I look for gadgets or computer parts I'm always concerned with obsolescence. The Solo 2 has been reduced nearly a hundred bucks so is there another "update" coming or a whole new gizmo?

Anyway...For those who vape dried flower, did a vape replace regular smoking? Significantly reduce it? Does your chest/lungs feel more "normal"? Generic vape reviews say the high is faster and stronger but of shorter duration. What have you all found?

So many questions and I'm not even new here!

[stump]

to me its not is good as smoking but my lungs do feel better vaping. i would concur with not lasting as long. the solo is a great choice and it took me buying some cheap ones to find out how nice the solo is.

[D.A.A.S.69]

I think you made a great choice.
Enjoy, them prices have come down ain't they?

[grouchyoldman]

Hi,OlderNOTwiser, I have pretty much made the switch to vape and my lungs feel the better for it.

Ingesting epicurean bud, properly cured in a finely tuned vape with the perfect temp control, you get the full benefit of the Terps and flavor, and can take an enormous hit without irritating your lungs. I still use flame for hash, but good bud deserves a more subtle ingestion.

Load up a plug of elite quality bud in a good vaporizer and raise the vape heat a bit for each toke to experience the fullness of what you have grown!

Just my $0.02

-Grouchy

[smoorman]

Rwise I think the battery life is quite good. It has a 18650 2250 ma battery.

[Rwise]

smoorman it does have a lot of bad reviews on the battery only lasting about an hour, nothing on how long it takes to charge it up. But the reall bad thing is the Yocan ishread has been discontinued.

[BR2K]

I have a Pax 3, which works well. I should probably set the temperature to 1. This thing definitely gets hot!

[dphipps1020]

I just got one of the Pax3 vapes too. I start at the second setting and bump it up as I smoke. Works well for me that way. I've noticed the lowest setting doesn't put out much vapor.

[mtgshmoopy]

I have a Dr Dabber Switch I'm pretty meh about (though that may be because I prefer the high from combustion). It uses an induction coil to heat which is pretty slick. It's pricy but it works well. Vaping herb in it is just okay but thanks to the small water reservoir the Switch is smoother than most vaporizers I've tried dry herb in. It's probably the best vaporizer I've tried for concentrates, but the quartz cup is sold separately which is pretty lame. It's also kinda bulky. More of a desktop or coffee table machine than a vape pen.