Packing Tangiers: The Noob Method

[EternalSoil]

This guide will help those who are having trouble getting Tangiers to smoke well.

You will use a lot of shisha using this guide.

NOTES:
This guide assumes you are using original or f-line Tangiers
You have correctly acclimated your Tangiers.
You are using an original Tangiers Phunnel bowl (not a Chinese phunnel bowl).
The size of your Phunnel is not usually an issue unless you are using a large.
Your bowl should be clean and dry.

When your shisha is sitting in it's tub, run a finger back and forth across it to loosen it up a little and mix any juices that have settled in the bottom.


Pick up your Tangiers with your fingers and place it in the bowl.
It is easiest to do this while holding the bowl above the tub you keep your shisha in. This makes sure any shisha that falls out will just fall back into the tub.
Put more shisha than you would ever imagine in there.
Just pick it up and put it in, don't pack it down hard, but move it around to ensure it is consistent throughout the bowl.
Yes, this is a lot of shisha.
Clean up the center hole and the sides of the bowl.
This is about what it should look like from the top and side. Do not pack it down!



After you have put a substantial amount in, get your square of foil and place it on top.
Make an "O" with your hands together and wrap the foil around the top of the Phunnel.
Squeeze the bottom gently to tighten the foil down onto the shisha.
You should have a small dome rather than a flat top.
This is what it should look like from the top and side. Do not push it down!



Now it's time to poke some holes!
Some people prefer to make patterns.
Patterns are good because it makes it easier to space out your holes which keeps you from tearing up the foild trying to poke enough without any room.
In this picture I have poked random holes all over except in the middle.

With as much shisha you have used, holes in the middle are not needed because you have plenty of room between the foil and the center hole.

If you have a larger dome, you may choose you make a wall around the outside of the bowl to keep the coals from sliding off.
To do this, get a strip of foil and wrap it around the top of the bowl, centering it on the outer rim.
While holding the loose ends squeeze the bottom part around the bottom of the bowl much like you did in putting the putting the layer on the shisha.
It should look something like this.


Now fold the top over to help keep the strip from sliding down.
You may need to angle it in a bit.
Your wall should look like this.


Heat management with Tangiers is key.
There are many types of coals to choose from here are just a few.
Quicklights:
Three Kings
Golden
Roland (These usually come in hookah starter kits. They are terrible, do not buy them!)

Japanese style:
Easy Light
Canary golden

Natural:
Exotica
Nour

Coconut:
Coco Nara
Toms
CH Natural
CH instant light

Your choice of coal will depend on how many you use.

Since you may have been unsuccessful in prior attempts at smoking Tangiers, you must experiment with your coals.

Start out small!

Quicklights:
If you have quicklight coals such as Three Kings, you can easily break them into pieces by simply scoring the top of them with your tongs or a knife and gently snapping them.
To light these coals you only need a lighter.
Make sure the coal is glowing red all over before placing it on the bowl.
Start with quarter pieces (broken in half, then the half broken again)
Place 2 or 3 pieces evenly around the bowl. Take a few hits.
If you are getting little smoke, add another quarter piece one at a time making sure you are aranging them evenly around the bowl.

Japanese:
If you are using Japanese style coals such as Easy Light or Canary's, the coals come in silver strips of 3 or 4.
Snap a square or two off and heat them with a coil burner, hotplate, or blowtorch.
Make sure your coal is glowing red all over and all of the silver has flaked off. You should be able to blow all of the silver off within a few minutes. Make sure it is all off or it will make your bowl taste weird.
Start with one square, take a few hits.
If you are getting little smoke, add another square opposite the original.
If you are still getting little smoke, continue adding pieces one by one evenly around the bowl.

Naturals:
If you are using natural coals such as Exoticas or Nour, the coals come in sticks or tubes.
Sizes will vary but you want to make pieces roughly a centimeter in volume if possible.
A centimeter is about the size of a dime or a penny.
Score the stick or tube with your tongs or a knife and gently snap.
To light naturals, you need a coil burner, hotplate or blowtorch.
Make sure the coal is glowing red all over before placing it on the bowl.
Place one piece on the bowl and take a few hits.
If you are getting little smoke, add another piece opposite the original.
If you are still getting little smoke, continue adding pieces one by one evenly around the bowl.

Coconut:
If you are using coconut coals such as Coco Nara, CH naturals, or CH instant light. The coals come in single squares.
These squares are very difficult to break.
To light coconut coals other than CH instant light, you need a coil burner or blowtorch. I have found that hotplates do not get hot enough to light these coals.
CH instant light coals will light with a lighter just like regular tab style instant light coals.
Make sure the coal is glowing red all over before placing it on the bowl.
Place one square on the larger side and take a few hits.
One way to overcome their sometimes larger size is to place them on their sides.
If you are getting little smoke, add another piece on its side opposite the original.
If you are still getting little smoke, lay the second piece on its large side and take a few hits.
If you are STILL getting little smoke continue adding pieces on their side and laying them down making sure you distribute them evenly throughout the bowl.


Once you have found the sweet spot on your coals you can try to make it a little easier on yourself.
If you used 4 quarters of a quicklight try scoring the tablet once and using 2 half pieces.
If you used 4 pieces of an Exotica stick which is roughly half of one full stick, try only breaking it into quarters and using 2 of those.


Another useful tool is a windcover

Using a windcover can help manage your heat a little better.
If you get stuck in a spot where if you add one more small piece the bowl gets to harsh or hot, try putting a windcover on to help even the heat out a little bit.

I hope this guide has helped you!
If you need additional help, please PM me and I will try and help you out.

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY SMOKING!!!

[annual]

Wow awesome write up. That seems like a little more than I use, (not that big of a dome after foil) but, I'll give it a try when my Sour is finished Acclimating. Thanks for this. STICKY!!

[Hobbs]

Great guide, EternalSoil was the dude that helped me solve my Tangiers woes and this was the method I've been using since.