Hookah Building: The Dangers Of Pvc

[asmodaeus]

I recently built my own hookah using PVC pipe. I made sure to use a non-toxic silicone (the same kind they use in aquariums), but I've been recently reading some of the articles about how dangerous PVC is for your health. The part the bowl actually sits on is made of copper, so that takes most of the heat. However, the PVC gets pretty warm when I smoke and I am finding myself getting more buzzed than usual. I am wondering if this is caused by the PVC heating up and releasing toxins and how I might be able to avoid this. There are numerous articles that I have found where people have built their own hookahs out of PVC, so I'm wondering if anyone knows anyting about this and if they might have any suggestions for avoiding cancer.

Thanks :-D

[asmodaeus]

I recently built my own hookah using PVC pipe. I made sure to use a non-toxic silicone (the same kind they use in aquariums), but I've been recently reading some of the articles about how dangerous PVC is for your health. The part the bowl actually sits on is made of copper, so that takes most of the heat. However, the PVC gets pretty warm when I smoke and I am finding myself getting more buzzed than usual. I am wondering if this is caused by the PVC heating up and releasing toxins and how I might be able to avoid this. There are numerous articles that I have found where people have built their own hookahs out of PVC, so I'm wondering if anyone knows anyting about this and if they might have any suggestions for avoiding cancer.

Thanks :-D

I also realized I probably should've posted this on the "How To" forum. ACK!

[Canuck Noob]

I don't know why anyone would want to make a hookah from PVC in the first place!



As far as PVC being dangerous, I have to ask what your source is. I suspect it might be from the tree hugging enviro weenies who are anti-everything man, or man made, and see threats and catastrophe around every corner.

[james]

I'd actually be more worried about what chemicals the copper bowl could release when heated. I wouldn't think the PVC would get hot enough to do anything too harmful.

Tips to avoid cancer:

(1) Don't smoke a hookah.

(2) Smoke an actual hookah.

[The King]

Honestly it doesn't sound like agood idea...When we use pvc for fireworks or patato canon that it begins to smell and gets real soft. So it could release toxins...

If your that desperate for a hookah save up 15 dollars get one of those 15 dollar hookahs... Safer, and probably smokes better, and will look a lot better

[teq]

I don't know why anyone would want to make a hookah from PVC in the first place!

As far as PVC being dangerous, I have to ask what your source is. I suspect it might be from the tree hugging enviro weenies who are anti-everything man, or man made, and see threats and catastrophe around every corner.

[rant]
I don't know what wanting a clean bill of health has to do with being an environmentalist, but if it weren't for people who think outside the box, you'd probably be dead or dying right now from some form of dangerous substance that every industrialist promised you was completely non-toxic.

Common styrofoam cups can create cyanide when burned. Wet dog food was recently found to contain a pseudo-protein made from coal extracts. Like it or not, there are dangers out there and if you aren't capable of looking out for them yourself or willing to accept they're there, you still shouldn't poo-poo the idea that there are people that look out for the well being of humanity as a whole.
[/rant]


As far as your question, yes, PVC is potentially deadly when heated beyond tolerance. Melting point is at 400F, so avoid larger/multiple coals.

The danger lies in the fact that PVC contains certain plasticizers to make the vinyl flexible. When heated beyond a certain point, the material expands and these chemicals are released immediately.

Now, you can imagine that if they can make a rigid vinyl flexible, what could they possibly do to your insides?


The solution in avoiding any possible harm is to gap the joints from the stem to the bowl with a more heat tolerant plastic, such as ABS. Silicone gaskets also work, and provide an airtight seal.

[imagelessdude]

COPPER in general is not good to smoke from. Its discussed in the how to section. I wouldnt smoke from a copper stemmed pipe.

[asmodaeus]

Honestly it doesn't sound like agood idea...When we use pvc for fireworks or patato canon that it begins to smell and gets real soft. So it could release toxins...

If your that desperate for a hookah save up 15 dollars get one of those 15 dollar hookahs... Safer, and probably smokes better, and will look a lot better

I actually have a couple other pieces. A Stargate and a Pumpkin, so yeah. I just wanted to build one to see the kinds of results I could get. *shrug*

[unleashtheclown]

Pvc is poisonous to smoke from, Buy a hookah or make one from glass and stainless or brass

[asmodaeus]

COPPER in general is not good to smoke from. Its discussed in the how to section. I wouldnt smoke from a copper stemmed pipe.

I hadn't even thought about that. I was looking in the "how to" forum, but I couldn't find anything related. Do you have a link to the article?

[misterbeetz]

COPPER in general is not good to smoke from. Its discussed in the how to section. I wouldnt smoke from a copper stemmed pipe.

I hadn't even thought about that. I was looking in the "how to" forum, but I couldn't find anything related. Do you have a link to the article?

I posted this in the following thread: http://www.hookahforum.com/index.php?showt...0&hl=copper

My personal worry is the copper (if any) that gets heated up by the coals (i.e. copper bowls and mods) but i don't have any scientific journals to cite yet to back up the claim:

Some ornamental hookahs out there have copper bowls. This is Poisonous! Do not smoke from it. That is like eating a piece of plastic fruit. It is just dumb. Copper is terrible for you and people die all the time from it. If you are smoking from a copper hookah, that airy feeling you have is not the shisha, it is from being poisoned. So stop. And tell all of your friends to stop too.

The quote was taken from the following website: http://tinyurl.com/2elpty

- misterbeetz

[web250]

It just doesn't sound like the greatest idea.

Go buy a real hookah man.

[teq]

What's all this talk about copper?

PVC is polyvinyl chloride... or more commonly, plastic tube.


Edit: Oh, I found the part about his bowl being made from copper.

In this case, I would buy an actual bowl and keep the rest PVC. Edited May 16, 2007 by teq

[ShishaFred]

2 words

Melting. Plastic.

[Canuck Noob]

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I really must address this...

Teq wrote: I don't know what wanting a clean bill of health has to do with being an environmentalist, but if it weren't for people who think outside the box, you'd probably be dead or dying right now from some form of dangerous substance....Like it or not, there are dangers out there and if you aren't capable of looking out for them yourself or willing to accept they're there, you still shouldn't poo-poo the idea that there are people that look out for the well being of humanity as a whole.

Teq: What utter rubbish!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the environmental extremists out there for saving my life! Whatever would I do without you!



Seriously though, I'm very capable of looking out for my own well being; I don't need a bunch of do-gooders to make decisions on my behalf. My life is far more important to me than it is to anyone else; regardless of any good intentions they may have.

I've come to the conclusion that these environmental activists do far more harm then good. The most egregious example being the banning of the insecticide DDT. The banning of DDT in many countries, and the restriction of its manufacturing in others, has caused the number of Malaria deaths throughout the world to soar. It is no exaggeration to say that the banning of DDT has resulted in millions of preventable deaths!

These same people are also vehemently opposed to genetically modified organisms like "Golden Rice". A crop genetically modified to produce Vitamin A which could prevent blindness in developing countries.

They are also the worst enemies of economic development. With their campaigns against inexpensive Nuclear and Coal generated electricity, in favour of unreliable and expensive solar and wind, they would condemn the third world to eternal poverty.

It is for these reasons that I now look upon the views, and campaigns, of these environmental activists as being anti-human.

________

Now back to the topic at hand. Making a hookah from PVC, or anything else for that matter, seems like far more trouble than it is worth.

While the super cheap hookahs might not be the best of quality, ordering one seems like far less work and far less cost than a do it yourself project.

Best of luck to you with whatever you choose.

[ctsmo]

im using the vinyl tubing for my hose. should i be worried from using that similar to PVC?

[Soeffinblack]

death from copper is more common than you would honestly think. pvc, never would think it was bad for you but according to all this I guess it is?

one question, if its bad for our health why do we use it as our own housing plumbing that we normally drink from/bath in?

[Canuck Noob]

While heating PVC to high levels might not be a good idea that does not make it unsafe as a whole. Household pipes were once made of lead. I'll take PVC pipes over lead ones any day of the week.

[The King]

IF you already have a hookah then don't bother...I can promise it won't smoke as well as a decent hookah, won't look as good, and will just be a pain and the ass and potentially unhealthy

[ASUSEAN1]

dude i am sure PVC is fine, but i doubt you want to use the primer and glue on a hookah.. gross