Salutations W01fg4ng,
What's happening, Egzoset?
Oh, quite a few things simultaneously though it requires some time to get impregnated after a change of configuration, so to speak.
For example, i'm still evaluating a "4.2 + 1½ + 3¼" (thicknesses expressed in mm) scenario trying to decide if that left enough of an impression to consider some ultimate trade-off at "4¾ + 1½ + 2¾", or so... It seems the closer i get to my goal the more blurred comparisons become, not to mention the human factor being an active part of the process... So it's kind of a narative thing and it's been a few days since i've tried to accumulate sufficient perception to make a choice as to what could be done next.
The PVC flexible tubing extension started to crack at stress points a few weeks ago, i'll have to make a new one in a matter of a few months i think. On another hand i also plan to remove wood in a Sphere from an Oak set, on both sides as i like my previous experiments with recessed metal parts a great deal. It makes the pipe smaller and safer after all... This time i plan to use a 7/8" or 22 mm (dia.) "Bi-Metal Hole Saw" for the preliminary phase; it's necessary to be careful in order to achieve the correct length of Flame-Catcher Funnel, etc. But i'm thinking if i grind my 5¼ mm puck down to 4¾, as i felt appropriate, then i lose future opportunities to evaluate 5¼ Front Puck scenarios somewhat further... So at the moment i'm not even convinced it's worth another SiC cut and yet if i do remove half a millimeter of SiC facing the flame that may result in somewhat darker baking which i'm not sure what i'd be trading that for. M'well at least i can tell 5¼ isn't for usual missions on my to-do list, but the reader is free to try his own ideas provided that person can assume all choices made. Personally i find the present customization feels like 1 of a few final tweaking attempts, after that benefit may become marginal i figure. In addition there's the learning curve kicking in, that changes the whole perspective on top of other events like switching to a different strain, etc.
...a little confused as to the direction you are taking at this point, specifically concerning hydrating and cooling of the vapor.
There's never been a partition to point at the next direction to go but it's probable my conclusions emerge a bit faster near the end, because i've explored whatever i could test most probably. Though i've considered multiple sensors to document eventual narations... That would be a most useful step leading to my "Lava" concept(s) based on Induction Heat combined to the Curie effect, relatively to a self-regulating micro-bursting mode - which is yet another idea fueled by cannabic inspiration! My LavaDisc/LavaWand fantasies would optionally support both dry or moist inlet air but that's another story.
Anyway, in terms of moisture and heat removal it's been dealt with a long while ago, except it was only recently that i've decided to install a full-size UFO Element at the bottom of my Sphere's bowl systematically, under a screen, the loop-retention support then another screen (though with coaser cells), this one defining the base of my cannabic bowl. Genuine or short version, no matter what, that UFO bit made me feel more secure than it should cause concern from a slightly limitted airflow.
Using the genuine VG pipe layout this metal item allows some heat to be captured and then there's fresh room-temperature air injected near the auxiliary wodden hollow cavity, under the metal bowl, to purge my extension tube when i'm about to finish a toke. In any case the micro-bursting mode doesn't cause much heat to accumulate to begin with and my tokes still reflect a significantly enlarged range of application with aroma/taste remaining a priority. I wish i could get my hands on a bronze model but they don't seem to cary those in local stores.
...water-bongs for cooling...
Actually there was another effect which seemed to be perverting my efforts, the water accessory induced a volume-dependant delay causing some disorientation sufficient to lead to various incidents, the "Punch-in-the-Face" one too. Plus that buffering volume defeated micro-bursting exploration which i believe could possibly help with consumption profiles, ultimately. Although i got impressed by the cloud, not as much its aroma/taste than potentcy, it wasn't long before i abandoned all future "bong" projects and decided to destroy the adapter to illustrate my present thread instead. It's just not an option that i would like to suggest anymore, the pipe already offers self-moisturized cannabic vapor and i put items on the path to my lungs to stretch the energy pulse a maximum before it makes contact, hopefully. Which may be one more reason to discourage dab-like appreciation, since i'd be worried about excess heat myself.
So, to answer your question, water accessories simply represent a waste of brittle material to me. Clean butane burning generates a mix of hot dry air and superheated steam which proved so benefical for me i can't imagine going back to electric-dry machines and not even those attached to fancy glasswork. A blessing as far as i'm concerned!
I know if I don't hook my Purple Days up to my bong my throat suffers.
As years passed my HerbalAire (v2.1) eventually made me look ridiculous; it did work as advertized (until its temperature sensor fell, that is) but my lungs require a more gentle solution and that's coming from a tiny pipe indeed it turns out. So at the moment i'm interested only in butane-operated vaporizers and more specifically those that cause their owners to
breathe the exhaust of a butaner lighter, litterally!... The trick being micro-bursting as that's an efficient method to avoid potential over-exposure to possible butane-related contaminants, whatever. etc. A brief heat pulse still has plenty of energy to release and transport the goodies away from their substrate in the metal bowl, avoiding quick baking to some acceptable degree in order to promote "conservation" of the appreciative character, 1 or even 2 tokes later.
Drinking water before/after remains a preference today but that's now even more opotional unless i'm engaged into a long testing session. IMO most people should be able to use the pipe and feel relatively relieved compared to what they get from electric-dry setups. Water toy or not. Because i find there's a significant difference between inlet self-conditioning and the addition of water vapor to my cloud, once it has come out of the vaporization chamber. For starters the temperatures ain't the same and the release/transport agents neither i shall reason. In one case you get dull hot dry air and no water toy will fully compensate for that i figured, which leaves the inlet super-heated steam self-conditioning scenario i've adopted as my last option. After that abstinence awaits again, hence my need to use a fair amount of perseverance. Because i want to be able to forget all about it some day and simply use it, knowing i've probed the concept to my best abilities. Considering the overall cost of a custom pipe it's a monster bargain for a "Plan-B" that has ended up being my "Plan-A" for years now... You'll never obtain the same from a similiraly affordable device plugged into the domestic A.C. outlet IMO!
Of course YMMV, though the apple cannot be expected to fall far from its tree.
At this stage the musical instrument analogy sounds even more appropriate than before as i've added new consumption modes, conditionally to power. Correct Yellow flames proved quite difficult to come by but that's most definitely worth finding, for hybrid appreciation toking... Ritual in itself seems better balanced, say good-bye to the "locomotive" effect anyway: the cannabic load cools-off almost instantly. Honestly that's the plan i should have tried first, although the ride was also beneficial in its own way. Plus with micro-bursting it gains a stealthy feature as it looks pretty much the same as a conventional pipe at a distance. Etc., etc.
...
Perhaps at Christmass you'd be pleased enough to have a nice bronze VG pipe equiped with an additional custom user-supplied Sphere. That should put an end to hot mouthpiece events i presume. Hummm... Personnally i'd be curious enough to cut it and fit some PVC tubing item anyway... Too bad i can't buy those!
Lucky me i can be satisfied by the progress made, in good time for the holydays season. %)
Good day, have fun!!
