How To Get Thicker Smoke?

[Johnny_D]

I can't see your bowl due to my gay 3g card blocking certain sites. Anyways.

Don't use two foil layers - you should not need them.

Ensure you pack the bowl with a fair bit of tobacco - don't be frightened to packing it well.

Fluff the tobacco so it's not in clumps - but again don't be stingy.

What kinda coals are you using?

DO NOT get hung up on clouds of smoke - Just learn to smoke it well first - the rest will come with practice.

Just a couple of pointers.

JD

[The white Russian]

So far I have only used Golden Coals 33mm (quick light). However, I ran out of the two free rolls I recieved so now I will try using the 40mm ones.

[ZenSilk]

i only use one of those coals that you use on the exact same bowl on my 3 hose Mya and the clouds are greast. if it gets harsh too fast it's from too much heat, that extra half may be a bit much. The golden coals burn pretty hot, and i usually dont use more than 1 for anything but Tangiers.

[ZenSilk]

So far I have only used Golden Coals 33mm (quick light). However, I ran out of the two free rolls I recieved so now I will try using the 40mm ones.

I bet the 40 mm ones would work prefectly. Starbuzz can be very hard to manage at times, i'd say x on the beach is the most difficult, it can get harsh quickly if your not careful. Romman coulds can get as big as SB if you manage it right. Try starting the coal out on the edge of a part of the bowl instead of the center. The foil tends to bend inwards wghile poking holes so the foil touches the shisha in the middle and causes harshness sometimes. It takes a little longer on the outside rim, but it is much more efficient over time, as the tobacco will not get harsh.

[garykainz]

try using a wind cover. it adds heat, which will help with the clouds, but will also make it necessary to have better heat management with the coals.

[Voski]

try paking more tobacco into the bowl so its closer to the rim. My friend packs regular bowls like a god and i pack the phunnels good =D

[HookahCulture]

I've got the sure fire way to get a good thick smoke.

Keep space between the mahsell and the rim. Fill the bowl halfway.
If using a metal screen, use two sections of finger coals 2 inches long.
If using quick-lites, use two.
If using foil, use the foil pattern below with a toothpick.
If your bowl is really wide, do your own thing, but make plenty of holes about 1/4 inch or half a cm apart all over the bowl.
A main problem is that there's not enough cool air to temper the hot air that's only being allowed in through pushpin holes!
If you're using a pushpin, make more holes.
The coals are hot, so airflow needs to be utilized.
That's why I prefer the steel screen.

Let the coals sit on there for a few minutes without inhaling.
When you do inhale, suck slowly!
It burns when you suck a lot and often.
If you do suck at a moderate speed, don't do it often.
Remove coals immediately if you start tasting burning, and let it cool off before re-adding coals.
The burnt mahsell will stay burnt, but at least you won't continue the process and any mahsell you start again will be fresh after cooling.

It's a delicate science, balancing coals and airflow, but it's not gonna happen with little coal pebbles scattered around the outside.
Remember that mahsell expands slightly when going - another reason not to overpack, because mahsell will touch the screen or foil and burn.

On one of these threads I saw the foil bracelet ring concept.
On viewing this GREAT idea for you foil smokers, I have an improvement idea.....
Make the bracelet ring wider so it sits just around the inner rim of the bowl, poke more pinholes so as to cover every part of the bowl with holes 1/4 inch apart, and then do the same to the foil screen on top of the ring. The video seemed to show a concentration of holes in the middle and not evenly distributed coverage, and also a tapering look. I think it would be more effective with a more cylindrical shape and more evenly distributed holes.

Someone post that video again please?

Here's the foil pattern!

[Johnny_D]

Sorry hookahcultural. I agree with your post right until you hit that 'foil ring lark'

This is a method of smoking tobacco that is, at least 1000 years old. Foil rings are 5 mins old.

The original poster just needs to learn how to get it right.

I often lament that people should learn to get it right using the basic technique as smoked for Millennia.

Bowl. Tobacco. Coal. Smoke.

Just learn to get it right. Foil rings? When was the last time anyone saw people in Jordan, Israel, Indian or Egypt using foil rings, ice in vases or bloody milk?!

I have *never* had a harsh burnt bowl. Trial and error is the best way. But learn how to get it going in the traditional methods. Everything else will come.

And there is too much focus on 'big clouds'

JD

[garykainz]

+1 JD!

I heart you.

Everyone gets so caught up on the newest "innovation" in hookah, when its really pretty simple, once you figure out your own pipe and preferences.

Trial and error my friend, trial and error

[Calcartman]

I've agreed with JD on everything he's ever written still do!

But one thing i'd like to point out first:

Make sure your hookah is airtight. EVERYWHERE.
I've seen too many people with a leak try roasting the fuck out of their shisha because they're getting watered down smoke.
So take the bowl off, put your hand over the top of the stem, and take a pull on the hose. If you can inhale, you have a problem. Fix it, and try again.

Also, bowls take a while to start up, try using only 1 coal (not 1.5) broken in half, and let it take its time heating up.

[guyt]

Just learn to get it right. Foil rings? When was the last time anyone saw people in Jordan, Israel, Indian or Egypt using foil rings, ice in vases or bloody milk?!

I have *never* had a harsh burnt bowl. Trial and error is the best way. But learn how to get it going in the traditional methods. Everything else will come.

And there is too much focus on 'big clouds'

JD

In Israel they're just as much about all that inovative shit as we are here. I've seen mods there that are not unlike the phunnel bowl, just done differently but same idea. Hookah fanatics in every country try to figure out their own way to make smoke better, and some of this stuff actually works.

[SafeSearchOff]

but to agree with JD and as a rebutal to you guyt,
if the new innovations that are so great (save the phunnel bowl) really are "revolutuionizing" and a "super must have", why werent they conceived back when hookah was invented? i believe Mush presented a solution a long time ago called KISS
keep it simple stupid. all the little tweaks improve it just a tad.
i use a phunnel bowl, no mod, 1 layer of normal aluminum foil (as in no heavy duty), and a handful of ice in the base.

[HookahCulture]

Milk in the hookah, what a trendite gimmick.
I do use ice in the water sometimes though, nothing wrong with that.

The foil ring makes TOTAL sense the way I described an improvement, although I haven't tried it myself yet.
You can totally pack the bowl for a longer smoke and have space between the coals.
Just leave a small pathway to the bowl holes.

I thought I would just pass along some basic things to improve their smokes.
I mean it's BASIC, but I do agree it's trial and error because of different bowls and the need for different foil patterns.
Even hookah cafes mess up bowls!

[SafeSearchOff]

the foil ring is useless. for 5-10 minutes of extra work you achieve what you can achieve by moving the coals clockwise every 15 minutes.

[Johnny_D]

I just can't figure that foil ring thing. Very odd.

To guyt - I'm not suggesting that we avoid innovation. But [I think i used this analogy before] it's like driving.

You learn to drive in a 1.1 Ford Fiesta and your first car is old and crappy until you actually master the skills of driving.
Then you can upgrade to your 3.0 Multi Turbo penis extension with A/C, Power Windows & the like.

There has, to my mind, been only three siginifcant advances to the hookah [machine, not tobacco]

1. Fully Washable hoses
2. The funnel bowl
3. The Mod for the funnel bowl.

These have actually made smoking better. The washable hoses should be obvious, the funnel allows the more modern, wet, tobaccos to sit in there own juices. And the mod changes the airflow for a better smoke.

Again, this is just my opinon.

JD

[SafeSearchOff]

the phunel mod is only necessary when you dont fill the bowl's up all the way though.

what about ice in the base?

[Johnny_D]

the phunel mod is only necessary when you dont fill the bowl's up all the way though.

what about ice in the base?

I've tried Ice in the vase and putting the vase in the freezer so you get partically frozen water.

Apart from teh very cool sound it makes - I, personally, could not tell the difference.

JD

[hookah hippie]

I just can't figure that foil ring thing. Very odd.

To guyt - I'm not suggesting that we avoid innovation. But [I think i used this analogy before] it's like driving.

You learn to drive in a 1.1 Ford Fiesta and your first car is old and crappy until you actually master the skills of driving.
Then you can upgrade to your 3.0 Multi Turbo penis extension with A/C, Power Windows & the like.

There has, to my mind, been only three siginifcant advances to the hookah [machine, not tobacco]

1. Fully Washable hoses
2. The funnel bowl
3. The Mod for the funnel bowl.

These have actually made smoking better. The washable hoses should be obvious, the funnel allows the more modern, wet, tobaccos to sit in there own juices. And the mod changes the airflow for a better smoke.

Again, this is just my opinon.

JD

I am going to agree with JD.
Advances in hookahs don't always improve the smoke as much as you'd want.
But the 3 advances mentioned I believe do improve the smoking experience