Metal Screen

[jerrysalem]

I just got my Mya Gyro 2 hose from hookah-shisha.com yesterday. Thanks to everyone for their posts on it. It is beautiful, and excellently made. Stainless steel inside so that it will be easy to clean and not retain bad flavors like the piece of garbage Syrian advertised as stainless I got from smookinghookah. The base is very solid and beautiful, this hookah really stands out from the pack

I used for the first time a metal screen, the permanent type. Anyone have experience with it? I think that it burnt the tobacco (Nahkla Mint) and the experience was a little harsher than normal. I will try my normal setup with foil and with a good 1/4 inch or so between the coal and the shisha and see how it is under my normal conditions.

Thanks for the feedback!

[mdl]

They aren't great. I used one for a bit but it just got all gunked up and I had to constantly poke through the holes to re-open them. I'd rather use foil.

[mushrat]

I like screens myself. The problem is that most have hooles that are WAY to big. This allows too much heat through AND you such too much ash onto the top of the tobacco screwing you 2 ways. Can yu post a picture of your actualy screen? I can give my opinion on th ehole size. Other than that, the metal screens take more coal to head up to propper shisha cooking temp, but they retainm more heat so you have to watch out they don't get your shisha TOO hot. It's just a different heat management level than you are used to with foil.

My .o2

[Ralleac]

I have one that I've used a couple times, but like mushrat said, the holes are oversized and I usually wind up with burned shisha. It's sort of like those hookah hole punches you see for sale. A great idea in need of a little modification. If I could find a metal screen w/ smaller holes I'd be all over that. It'd save me a bit of time and money. Edited January 9, 2008 by Ralleac

[shisha fan]

i`ve used one for a while, but the ashes kept falling through. with foil you can also adjust the hole pattern to the type of tobacco that you are smoking.

but screens aren`t all bad, i think they`re good for smoking nakhla and other drier shishas.

[gaia.plateau]

Worthless... keeps heat out of the bowl, lets ash in.

[Snoopy1966]

Worthless... keeps heat out of the bowl, lets ash in.

Yup I agree totally on that one. Just use foil, it is much better and you can put the holes where you want them. I like to go to Sam's Club and buy the big roll of restaurant quality aluminum foil. It is like $18, but it will last you forever. I have had this new roll for about 8 months and I still have a lot left. That is even using it for household stuffs too. I thought it was funny because it even has the Kosher symbol on it. The foil was slaughtered properly for Jewish consumption...lol

[mathuv]

Worthless... keeps heat out of the bowl, lets ash in.

Yup I agree totally on that one. Just use foil, it is much better and you can put the holes where you want them. I like to go to Sam's Club and buy the big roll of restaurant quality aluminum foil. It is like $18, but it will last you forever. I have had this new roll for about 8 months and I still have a lot left. That is even using it for household stuffs too. I thought it was funny because it even has the Kosher symbol on it. The foil was slaughtered properly for Jewish consumption...lol

haha kosher foil

I've never used a screen personally. maybe for smaller holes you could try fashion one out of say...a drain screen? I prefer foil all the way its customisable ^^

[PirateNinja415]

Worthless... keeps heat out of the bowl, lets ash in.

+1

[CrazyIsraeli]

Thats new, in ISRAEL we dont have kosher foil...
Lend me some will ya?

Anyway, I'm afraid I'm not femiliar with the lingo...
Metal Screen = What?

[EvansLight]

Man i miss using screens. I use nothing but funnel bowls now screens are not an option, and im too lazy to make my own

[Social Smoke]

I just smoked today a hookah using screen. you can get a great smoke with screens, its just requires a slightly different heat management technique. I usually use more charcoal to get it going thick then back some off.

From a manufacturing perspective, the reason the holes are bigger is a compromise between cost and practicality. The current way those screens are made is by using a press. Unfortunately to go smaller tends to deform the screen since stainless steal is quite strong it tends to bend before it punches through. Using the more advanced presses/techniques such as machine drilling would significantly increase the cost, making the screen unpractical.

[EvansLight]

I just smoked today a hookah using screen. you can get a great smoke with screens, its just requires a slightly different heat management technique. I usually use more charcoal to get it going thick then back some off.

From a manufacturing perspective, the reason the holes are bigger is a compromise between cost and practicality. The current way those screens are made is by using a press. Unfortunately to go smaller tends to deform the screen since stainless steal is quite strong it tends to bend before it punches through. Using the more advanced presses/techniques such as machine drilling would significantly increase the cost, making the screen unpractical.

Hmm... ya know it would rock if SS made the first commercially available screens for the funnel bowl Would make Corey happy.

[Social Smoke]

I just smoked today a hookah using screen. you can get a great smoke with screens, its just requires a slightly different heat management technique. I usually use more charcoal to get it going thick then back some off.

From a manufacturing perspective, the reason the holes are bigger is a compromise between cost and practicality. The current way those screens are made is by using a press. Unfortunately to go smaller tends to deform the screen since stainless steal is quite strong it tends to bend before it punches through. Using the more advanced presses/techniques such as machine drilling would significantly increase the cost, making the screen unpractical.

Hmm... ya know it would rock if SS made the first commercially available screens for the funnel bowl Would make Corey happy.

would make Ali happy if ya'll tested out some of our bowls

[iamscott06]

would make Ali happy if ya'll tested out some of our bowls

What bowl would you suggest for like 2 people smoking some Layalina/SB/AF

[EvansLight]

I just smoked today a hookah using screen. you can get a great smoke with screens, its just requires a slightly different heat management technique. I usually use more charcoal to get it going thick then back some off.

From a manufacturing perspective, the reason the holes are bigger is a compromise between cost and practicality. The current way those screens are made is by using a press. Unfortunately to go smaller tends to deform the screen since stainless steal is quite strong it tends to bend before it punches through. Using the more advanced presses/techniques such as machine drilling would significantly increase the cost, making the screen unpractical.

Hmm... ya know it would rock if SS made the first commercially available screens for the funnel bowl Would make Corey happy.

would make Ali happy if ya'll tested out some of our bowls

Would make corey happy if he had tobacco to test in the bowls, then he would test them, but then he would have to have money to buy tobacco, then money to buy the bowls

[jerrysalem]

Yes, it's the one that Eternal Soil posted, with the six little ears all around. Forget it mates, never again will I use it.

People in the US count yourself lucky you can at least get sturdy aluminum foil. Here in the Czech Republic the foil is about as thin as a hair and no one notices.

Thanks for all the feedback, Mates, at least I know it's not me. I only wish I had someone to smoke with ... my wife is preggers and for obvious reasons won't smoke with me anymore.

[Bryantos]

I don't know how thin you're talking, but if we don't have heavy duty foil on hand then we just double it up and its fine. Edited January 15, 2008 by Bryantos

[EvansLight]

And for anyone having trouble with a screen, check out "EL's Setup Guide" I used to use nothing but screens and wrote some good advice for using em

[Social Smoke]

Sorry for the late reply, but if its just two people smoking a regular season I would use the Hemi bowl, If ya'll want an extended session then use a large bowl and it will last a long time

would make Ali happy if ya'll tested out some of our bowls

What bowl would you suggest for like 2 people smoking some Layalina/SB/AF

[hookah hippie]

metal screen is one piece of crap

[PhishPhood]

I really hate screens. I find I get a much better smoke out of foil

[xxrtagxx]

I just purchased a bowl screen thinking I had scored big. After using it for about 15 minutes and seeing how much ash went in, I took it off and used foil for the rest of the session. I wish I had read this section before wasting the $3 on the screen. Yeah it's only $3, but now I have a screen that I'll never use. I'd rather have a new flavor of shisha.

I have learned my lesson... Come to the hookah forum before all new hookah & accessory purchases!!

[r1v3th3ad]

I moved to a screen and love it, its just a different process to that of the foil method. For one, it is harder to get the hookah kickin at the start, and it lessens the life on the charcoal(i.e) 3/4 through you need to toss on another coal, with I'm foil I'm used to smokin it to the ash...)
I start off with a minimum of one and a half, but after a few mins, its potent enough to make on cough. I usually would use two coals in a dominoes stack style to start it. Once its fired up, you either want to move them to the very far rim, barely hitting the holes, or take one off...I'm not one for wasting, so I maneuver them on the very outside of it or put on half on the inner with the other outter. With a larger coal, I can go off that alone. But from there, towards the end of one coal, you need more added earlier than with foil. When I smoke with the screen I get a longer life outta my shish and better flavor. I had the same problems that occur with foil where it sticks to and burns it directly, its just a readjustment of your packing methods there. The screen isn't for everyone. I am greatful for it do to decrease in set up time and flavor/length enhancement for my shish.
It all depends on your willingness.
And yes, I think I've had all the problems listed above, it just takes the motivation and learning from each bowl to get it to work in your favor.

[EvansLight]

would make Ali happy if ya'll tested out some of our bowls

Well i gotta say the Hemi bowl is quite nice. I can't go back to the funnel bowl right now just for the shear fact that im too lazy to use foil. I love the screen that came with it. The little tab of metal on it makes it easy to remove even while smokin hot