When packing the VG, is it better to have only spice ontop of lets say 6 screens?
Or should one have some leaf at the bottom? Does weed really "fog" up the effects?

Here’s what I do, and it works great:

First, you only need one screen.

Get some copper mesh (from a “Chore Boy” type pot scrubber) and make a thin disc whose diameter is about the same as that of a screen. Too much mesh will block air flow, too little won’t hold a dose of DMT.

Burn off any residue on the mesh, then put the mesh on top of the screen.

When ready to load, slightly heat the mesh, then add the DMT. It will melt right in.

You’re ready to go!

4-6 screens + a little leaf/herb + spice dose

Boom.

Can't say about weed.

personally I dont like the idea of having to use some copper mesh that one has to 'pre-burn the residues'... who knows if there are more residues left and one just cant see, or whatever...

Id rather use inert stainless steel screens, stack at least 3 or so of them, little bit of leafs on the bottom, and then dmt on top.. Also one thing I noticed is that the when the dmt melts into the herbs in the genie, one can take a few puffs and breakthrough, and then later there is still stuff inside, just open it up, break/spread a bit the herbs and at least for me, if one loaded 50-60mg dmt, it would be enough for 2 breakthroughs

good luck

Although I don't vape much regular spice anymore, when I do I lay down 6 screens, a little bit of mullein then the spice.

With regards to the weed, yes it does fog the experience, for me at least.

The residue is probably just cutting oil used during the manufacture of the product. There’s very little of it and it burns off quite easily. (Keep in mind that stainless steel screens may have manufacturing oils or other residue on them as well – always a good idea to heat them before use.)

The benefit of copper mesh is that it holds the melted DMT very well – little if any “migrates” to the screen or glass. If you’re using herbs with your DMT, they in effect take the place of the mesh. But if you don’t use herbs, then mesh is great.

Another benefit is that vaporization happens almost instantaneously once the proper temperature is reached. This means a full (30mg) dose can be inhaled in about 10 seconds (a VERY different experience).

I'm pretty sure the VG ones don't, that's kinda the point. I don't get why you'd spend the money on a VG and then go ahead and stick a copper screen when they sell/provide for free inert stainless steel ones specifically designed for smoking and with no oils or residue. This is akin to getting a fine brandy snifter, chucking aside the nice crystal stopper and jamming a cork one in the top of the bottle, sure it works, but why substitute? There's no benefit to doing it, imo, and there may be drawbacks with such a substitution.

Hi Dimitri-Trance,

IMHO, you should use 5-6 stainless steel screens (non-reactive with chemistry). I then prefer a light bed of herbs (b. caapi and/or passionflower if I want MAOI, Mullein if I do not want MAOI). Spice on top of the herbs.

Of course, changa is best and works fantastically well in the vaporgenie.

I love weed and smoke it daily. I believe it makes a good pre-dose for spice and I like a joint about an hour later. But, I have quit mixing weed with the spice. Just seems to make for a much harsher, hotter smoke . . .

Peace & Love,
Pandora

Not true! The GVG is not specifically designed to vaporize spice, so whether you use copper mesh or a half dozen stainless steel screens, you’re making a “substitution”.

But regardless, whether you use copper mesh, or multiple screens, or herbs, or ash, or any combination, it’s my opinion that the GVG is the best smoking device out there. Prior to using it, I always had to be so careful to avoid burning spice. Now, I don’t think I could burn my spice even if I tried.

Ummm, no I'm not...it doesn't matter what it's designed to vaporize, the VG will vaporize any smoking material, that's not the issue. It comes with stainless steel screens. Please explain how my using the stainless steel screens it comes with is a substitution. If you pack extra screens in there, maybe you could make that argument, although you're still wrong, as those screens were designed to be in there and have material vaped on them, that's why the VG company distributes them . However, I have never used more than one screen as a leaf bed is more than adequate for fb DMT, ime, and changa requires only one screen. So no, I have never substituted anything and using a half dozen VG screens that are designed to be smoked off of is not a substitution, whereas using some McGuyvered copper screen is definitely a substitution, just like the brandy snifter. The VG company uses stainless steel and not copper for a reason (it's the same reason you dont have to prepare the stainless screens, while your copper ones require some questionable modifications) and personally, I think that you should think about what you said, that questionable copper is the same change as using multiple clean stainless steel screens designed for smoking, something seems off there.

peace,
SB

Hey – settle down a bit. I’m not telling you or anyone else how to use a VG. I just said that my method works very well for me. Do whatever works well for you.

And if you read my last post, I said “The GVG is not specifically designed to vaporize spice”. It’s designed to vaporize a wide variety of substances, and it seems to be designed with solids/herbs and other relatively dry materials in mind as opposed to liquids.

When I got my GVG, it had a single screen in the bowl, and so I assumed that a single screen conforms to intended use. Not 6, not 10, not 12. Using multiple screens is fine, but I don’t think the VG was specifically designed for such use.

Regarding copper – copper is a safe, non-reactive metal (in non-acidic environments). At the temperatures produced by the VG, it is as safe as any other non-reactive metal, including stainless steel. Copper is used (and in many areas required by code) to convey potable drinking water. It’s not a “questionable” material at all. No need to fear copper!

My point was merely that the screens that come with the VG are designed with the understanding that they are going to be exposed to heat and that everything on them is going to be administered into a human being. To my knowledge, this is not the case with random copper screens. Sorry to come off as overzealous, I just bristle at the thought of heating up various metals/residues and ingesting them. I did that enough in junior high when we smoked weed outta all kinds of modified devices and would not want myself or others to have to repeat such experiences. By all means, use whatever you like, I was not knocking your method, merely calling attention to a substitution that I felt needed to be properly emphasized. IMO, any replacement or customized parts in any tek/setup/methodology should be clearly spelled out so that those who have little or no experience can get a full picture of what's going on. I'm settled down, hopefully more than a bit, but we'll see how long that lasts. Hope I didn't offend you with my tone, energy, or voracity, I get riled up somewhat easily.

peace
SB

Swim usually vapes with several screens and never has any of the aforementioned issues when he blasts off.
No herbs required.

I concur with SB on the screen issue.

The VaporGenie website states that their screens were custom made specifically for their product, from high grade SS that doesn't oxidise under high heat like other grades of SS do. One would be foolish not to use them.

Who’s foolish? (I’m not sure if that’s directed at me, but let’s not start calling names.)

I DO use a VG provided screen – a single screen below the copper mesh to help support it and to keep the screen from contacting the glass (hot liquid spice tends to migrate to cooler glass surfaces).

Here’s a question for all of you “anti-copper” people: What molecules do you imagine that I’m inhaling by using 1 screen + copper mesh that you’re NOT inhaling by using multiple screens?

You say that the stainless steel screens provided don’t oxidize under high heat, and this is true. But the VG is specifically designed to prevent excessive heat. If the temp. is low enough to prevent spice from burning (which it is), then it’s low enough to prevent most metals, including copper, from oxidizing. This is simple chemistry. Why the aggressive anti-copper rhetoric?

(And don't forget - stainless steel typically contains chromium, manganese, and other heavy metals.)

First off, as already stated, I don't use multiple screens. Second of all, let's all take a deep breath as people seem to be getting heated. Third of all, I'll answer your question when you answer mine; how does stacking up two screens of the same material create the same problem as using a screen of different material? Extra SS = Extra SS, not some magical ghost compound by combining two SS screens, you dont get SSSS screens, so maybe I'm missing your point? I dunno.

Here's a hint to my answer to your q; it has to do with the fact that you have to prepare your screen by removing oils/residues and other various things, according to your own description, that's not necessary with the Stainless Steel screens cuz they're not coated and designed to be vaped off of(and yes, I'm still unclear as to how two or three or six of these screens magically manifests some new compounds that make smoking 200 of them at the same time riskier than smoking 1).

SB

People,

Better stop dancing around each other. You can safely use a copper mesh as long as you burn off the protective coating and clean it, there really is no problem with that.

And of course will the vaporgenie corp market their (steel) screens as the best...

In the beginning of my vg use, I used a leaf bed. But since the GVG I prefer clean spice without added taste. I use three steel screens together with three (tam ram tam) copper screens (yes, official pipe screens). This is not enough when I really load it up, so I will use some brillo pad to make it perfect in holding larger amounts.

Kind regards,

The Traveler

@ SnozzleBerry:

OK, I’ll try to answer your questions. Maybe I wasn’t clear enough in my earlier posts.

First, there’s nothing wrong with using stainless steel screens. They will work, and they won’t impart any harmful substances to the vapor. And multiple screens will hold liquid DMT, but…

As you know, when DMT liquefies, it tends to “travel” away from heat. Liquid DMT on/in a bed of stacked screens will tend to move to the coolest area – namely the glass wall of the GVG chamber. Once the liquid DMT reaches the glass, it will tend to flow downward and out of heat range, meaning it won’t vaporize. This means that a significant amount of DMT might be wasted. (Take a look at the glass surfaces in the chamber near the hole leading to the body of the pipe after a few uses. You’ll see what I mean.)

I use copper mesh shaped into a thin disc. This is not the same as stacked copper screens. First, the mesh “wires” are not circular in cross-section like they are in screens. They’re rectangular and have much more surface area per unit length. This allows for more liquid DMT to cling to the wires. Second, there are fewer “terminal ends” in contact with the glass, so less DMT can migrate to the glass sidewalls. The result is less wasted DMT, and because of the greater surface area, more rapid vaporization.

So to summarize – I use copper mesh because less DMT is wasted (by reducing migration to the glass sidewalls) and vaporization is more rapid (because of greater surface area).


(I never realized that people were so sensitive about their smoking methods and devices. )

How long do "YOU" heat up the vaporgenie? How many seconds? With a high flame? Inhaling constantly?

One attempt failed on swim.
Used a torch...outside at the lake...On a bed of mj leafs with 3 screens.
Swim was afraid to burn it so he vaped it till hr felt smoke in the pipe then letting go of the flame.
Swim thinks he dident heat it up enough.

dont worry about burning, thats what the ceramic filter is there for...

the first hit takes some seconds at least to warm up.. keep inhaling, notice with the back of your throat the density of the vapour.. try to take as thick vapor as possible without coughing. take loooooooooong deeeeeeeeeeep slooooooooooow puffs.. and take as many puffs as you can, I go for 3-4 usually, even if on the 2nd im already feeling a lot the effects, I just keep going until reality disappears and I physically cannot continue taking more puffs

Mine takes a few seconds, 5-7 maybe.

If a torch is used, hold that flame directly towards the ceramic filter. A milky cloud should apear soon, dont pull too hard, softly does it.

practice makes perfect