Molson Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 ok so i just got my hookah today and decided to give it a spin. i started everything up like i was supposed to....lit the charcol...gave it about 7 min and put it on. gave it 3 hard puffs and couldnt get anything except a rubber taste of the gromets...(made me gag). took the coal off stuck it up to my get lighter again put it back on the screen.....and got nothing . so i thought maybe i have a leak...and noticed evertime i sucked in or blew or sucked the release valve seemed to be taking mpost of it...so i screwed it all the way in and out and got the same result. then i took the screen off and placed the coal directly on the ma'assel. i finnaly got smoke but oviously it wasn't pleasent. i took the coal off put it on the screen. and again nothing.....got fed up packed up and that was it any help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR Bubble Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 What coals are you using? how much of your screen was coverd by the coals? Did you test the whole system for leaks before you began? We have several threads explaining how to test for air-tightness. Let us know these details. MRBubble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Make sure you are getting bubbles when you inhale. Make sure you aren't packing the bowl too tight. Once that is done, apply enough heat to make it GLOW just to make sure everything is working. Adjust the heat back from there. With mine it CAN take considerably longe than a few puffs to get everything going, keep huffing for a while. For all the discussions about this type of problem, the hookah is still a VERY simple machine. There can only be so much wrong with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathazar Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 I would take the whole thing piece-by-piece and wash the hookah out thoroughly, including the grommet. Put it together. Take the bowl, and with a fork, scoop just a little bit of ma'assel at a time into the bowl....WITHOUT PACKING IT DOWN.....until you've got a half a bowl. Get rid of the metal screen, they suck!!! Place a sheet of Regular Reynold's Wrap Aluminum foil over the bowl, making absolutely sure that you're not packing-down the ma'assel, and secure the foil around the bowl. Take a toothpick or a fork and punch holes in the foil, NOT TOO BIG, just poke them in rows across the bowl until you have several rows of holes, enough to place two discs of coal on the foil. Light the coal, making sure that it's REDHOT before placing on the foil. Place one coal at one end of the bowl, and place the other coal piggy-back style leaning against the first coal. Make sure you can blow a little tiny bit of air through the air valve, but don't blow too hard or the water will flood the chamber. Take a few puffs, they don't have to be DEEP puffs, just keep puffing until you see some smoke. Sometimes it takes awhile for the moisture in the ma'assel to vaporize. Remember, you DON'T want to EVER burn the tobacco. What you're trying to achieve is for the moisture in the tobacco to heat up to a point that vapors are released. NOT SMOKE. If you're burning the tobacco, then stop smoking immediately. Don't inhale if you think the tobacco is burning because you will instantly start coughing. Just keep puffing until you get vapors. Sometimes it takes up to 10 minutes to get the hookah going. If you're getting a bad draw, it either means that your ma'assel is packed to tightly in the bowl, or something is lodged in the hookah stem. Make sure, before putting the hookah together, that you completely scrub-out the stem with the cleaning brush. If you're still getting a bad draw, then I would simply return the hookah for a refund and either buy a different hookah, or do your shopping at another online store. Or did you buy your hookah locally? If that's the case, I would simply return your hookah to the store you bought it from and buy another one. That should take care of your problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molson Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 hmm im thinking i packed it to tight btw im using golden coals. but what i cant understand is when i put the coal directly on the ma'assel i got smoke. but when i put it like half an inch higher on the screen. i couldn't get anything but a rubber taste. and the release valve how does that work? screw in or out? and thanks to everyone tommorow morning i will check for leaks and wash everything thouroughly. thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uselessdreamer1 Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 i would screw in, which closes it so no air can get in. Which means... Thick smoke! Im thinking u need more coals too. I would piggy back them which it this. One coal flat, normal and one on its back tilting like this //. thats i think 1 and 1/2 coals. if still no smoke try a full two, and then piggyback when its hitting. I believe that rubber taste is the new hookah. Just wash it some lemon juice, maybe it will take the smell/taste off. IF not the smoke will mask it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brother812 Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 is the BB in your air valve? the way it works is their is suppose to be a BB in their that moves so you can blow stale smoke out but seals back up when you draw on it. make sure the BB is in their and does not have any corrosion on it making it not seal right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathazar Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Molson......simply hold the ma'assel over the bowl and sprinkle it in, NEVER pack it, not even in the slightest bit, because it could tighten your draw. And remember, it's the moisture in the tobacco that you want to vaporize, so always stir the ma'assel in it's container, before adding it to the bowl, to make sure that your ma'assel is mixed well with the syrup that you'll find at the bottom of the container. That syrup is VERY important. It contains the flavor and it is also what helps produce lots of vapor, and it helps keep your tobacco from burning. You guys correct me if I'm wrong on any of these tips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brother812 Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 another thing if you are using golden coals and a screen you may not be getting enough heat. after starting with the finger style natural coals and going to Golden's i am not real impressed with their heat. screens are tough to get the hang of ...well they were for me. short of building a campfire on top of the screen i could never seem to get enough heat. even if you did pack it to tight as long as your machine is air tight you should have been drawing trough the ma'assel and getting some kind of smoke that is why i am mentioning your heat. sorry Math but i think the golden coals SUCK . i have been using them as my follow up coal. when my naturals are getting burnt down i start up a golden and let it get good and hot then add it to finish off the bowl. they add a nasty taste and the heat is sub par compared to the naturals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molson Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 ok thanks guys i'll try all that out and let you know what happens thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Not sure if this is the case, but you mentioned your release valve is "taking most of it". Are you saying that you can hear air coming into the valve when you take a hit? If so, are you sure the little steel ball is actually in there and doing it's thing? If the ball is missing, there's your problem. When I bought my hookah, the valve was disassembled, and I had to dig for the ball in a giant box of styrofoam peanuts. Good luck with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmexx Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Hey Molson, good to see you got everything together, sorta! I told you to get 3kings, ha, but seriously give it a try with tinfoil, give it a couple more then 3 puffs, short and sweet, nothing too long. I didn't read all the posts here so this might have been covered. Loosely pack your tobacco, try it out with tinfoil and a lot of little holes, see what works for you!Good luck and happy smoking!Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathazar Posted August 19, 2005 Share Posted August 19, 2005 Don't use tin foil, use Aluminum Foil. Tin foil, if heated to a certain point, will supposedly release toxic gases into the air. And if you're inhaling, those gases are going into your lungs. Use Regular Aluminum Foil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molson Posted August 20, 2005 Author Share Posted August 20, 2005 hahaha ok found a few problems, first the ball was not in there, second 1 gromet was cracked (its ok they included a second) and third i added the windcover and it smokes very nice. i actually got a roll of 3kings yesterday when i found a local arab store that sells ma'assel (expensive...11bucks per 50g. about 8-9 bucks american). and the goden seamed to have produced more heat....but that may have just been me doing something weird....both seam good but i got a ton of goldens and im happy....3 kings seam nice to tho. anyways thanks for all the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uselessdreamer1 Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 im happy to hear that man!!!! Happy smoking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathazar Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Goldens KICK-ASS!!! Congrats man.....HAPPY SMOKING Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 You get you valve ball replaced? Its been said that an air soft pellet works very well and won't rust besides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molson Posted August 20, 2005 Author Share Posted August 20, 2005 no the ball in the screwing part but not the hole, airsoft pellets eh? i got like 300....thats a good idea. if anyone needs any let me know i'll send some out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmexx Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 Ha, good idea. I did mean aluminum foil rather then tin. Who carries tinfoil around anyways??Happy smoking!Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Deere Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 One time at a middle eastern restaurant, i had to argue with the waitress because she didnt believe that there was suposed to be a ball in the air valve. It was kinda funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uselessdreamer1 Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 haha i wouldda punched her.... JK LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmexx Posted August 21, 2005 Share Posted August 21, 2005 Haha! Something like that happened to me once and the guy wasn't helpful at all so I just took some kleenex and covered the hole. Everyonce in awhile I'd take out the kleenex and slowly blow some of the smoke out. You definately get more smoke with the whole completely covered. My new Ice Torrent hookah from hookah-shisha.com doesn't even have a valve to put the bearing. It's a double hosed hookah but still, even on my other double hosed hookah I had a valve. I guess it's because all you have to do is let go the other end to have the same effect. Anyways... I THINK I posted enough on this board for one day, I'm getting a head ache and missing my hookah. Some people are coming over for a movie and some shisha, mmm what a great mix!Happy smoking!Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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