Somehow Swim was drawn in to that nice Lotus lighter when purchasing the VG but now wonders what is truly better with straight full range Dmitrius or changa in a GVG, torch or regular lighter. Both of course will use the 5X filtered best butane... Thanks for your consideration knowledgeable ones...

I’ve always used a torch lighter and it’s worked great. To control the heat, just raise or lower the lighter. I use straight spice on a copper mesh, and have never had it burn.

Much more control with a torch. This is THE way to smoke spice - beats any other method under the sun.

GVG + jet lighter = the absolute gold standard.

Go torch... but as one if the early gvg users here, I gotta tell you that there are several well populated threads about this exact same subject. If you want quick consensus on that topic just try out the search feature.

The torch heats that chamber quickly and the chamber does a really good job of protecting you from overheating and burning your hard work. A regular flame will also do the job just fine although it may take a few more seconds to get the chamber up to vaping temp. Either way, you just bought the best spice device ever made. It looks slick, performs PERFECTLY and you can easily collect any spice that re-cools and sticks inside the pipe. Run acetone or IPA though it to clean and evap that to recover a nice mix of your spice plus some uber-smooth and n-oxide.

Peaches

Thanks for the replies and pardon my laziness regarding already answered questions, including this one please...

Would layering 5-10 of the nice inert stainless screens be comparable to the copper mesh?
And if not, can someone direct me to the proper mesh as a replacement for screens.

The idea of burning off some chemical sponge really doesn't appeal to me.

Thanks again...

I really didn't think this was going to be a direction that would be assumed-- this method of administration-- but figure, why bother unless to do it right. And like I mentioned in another thread: this set-up certainly belongs on the altar even if only used sparingly for communion...

P.S. Maybe Swim should graduate to a torch lighter...

P.Double.S. Anyone have a torch lighter that they absolutely love over any other ones?
I tend to like the ones that one's fingers keep away and cool and ideally to the side!

Thanks again knowledgeable ones.

I use one of these http://www.turboflame.co.uk/arc.php Much better than my other torch lighter I used.

The copper mesh provides much more surface area per unit volume than screens.

I know some people get all upset about using copper mesh, but if you buy a “Chore Boy” copper scrubber, you’re getting pure copper. There may be a very small residue of cutting oil on the mesh, but this is easily removed by heating the mesh slightly before first use.

The advantage of using copper is that there’s very little spice runoff and, because of the large surface area, the spice vaporizes almost all at once. After about 5 seconds of heating and slow inhaling, the chamber gets hot enough to vaporize all of the spice. In another 5 seconds, an entire 30mg dose is gone (and so are you). (Inhaling nearly 30mg of spice vapor in under 5 seconds can produce very intense effects, to say the least.)

If using copper doesn’t seem like a good idea to you, then stack those screens, but I don’t think you’ll get the same results.

That makes sense, I guess one uses the entire room in the VG between the bowl and diffuser with the copper mesh.
That would be almost 1/2 inch or more.

And in my case I saw, using two screens, that a lot of full range dribbled down below.

Maybe in retrospect that was a good thing; because I must have put about 50mg; not sure if it was completely dry though:
(dehydrated vinegar full range mimosa pull from limonene)

I don't think I was ready for the "full range" so to speak, at that time...

Jeez, 30mg doesn't look like much! in terms of visible volume.

I better be careful when I get some mesh.
I am however going to try to track down a source that is not a chemical sponge...

And I am going to check that lighter too...

Thanks again everyone...

No!

Only a THIN disc of mesh is needed – maybe 1/8” (3mm). Any thicker than that is unnecessary, and filling the entire chamber with mesh might adversely effect the proper functioning of the GVG.

EDIT: see my previous post - added photos

Thanks for pics, and accuracy with ruler!!!
I get it, a cute little copper disk not no tightly formed (air/breathing room)
This still allows at least half of the chamber for also breathing room.

I really like your avatar TOO!

I can attest to the efficacy of the copper scrubber as well - although in my experience it can taste a little metallic (just like the machine). I've found that a very small bed of enhanced leaf (maybe 10mgs or so) on top of 8 screens is plenty to prevent any significant bleed through - and, to me anyway, it tastes a whole lot better. Either way will work like a charm and rock the proverbial socks off.

To anyone who's had difficulty with any other methods, the GVG is your answer. Just be careful what you wish for!!

Well an extra 10 screens were acquired for just this logical idea when GVG was purchased.

As far as copper, I'm sure sure how it came about as a screen material vs stainless steel.
And also, I'm wondering what the difference would be to just use stainless mesh instead of copper?

My thought is it would probably come down to inert-ness while hot, which might just be the melting point translated.

A GVG never gets hot enough to burn your spice, let alone melt/vaporize copper. Stainless steel mesh would also work, but it’s harder to shape.

As far as metallic flavor goes, I’ve never noticed any.

BIC lighters are the best!