Phunnell Problems

[triolus]

I'm having big time problems with my new phunnell bowl. The foil keeps sinking down, and covering the draw hole, making the draw too hard to pull. I can remedy this by burning my hand a bit and pulling the foil down to make it more tight, but a few seconds later, it sinks back down, and I'm right back where I started.

I usually use one layer of foil, and I'm trying two layers now to see if it made it any more "sturdy".. no luck. What am I doing wrong? I'm ready to toss this thing out and use my regular ol' bowl at this point.

[sss8789]

I don't even put a hole in the middle, but I use a kinda big piece of reynolds heavy dudy foil and I make sure it is really tight, but maybe you are not using a big enough piece of foil. (my foil touches the stem of the bowl)

[sss8789]

I don't use a mod either and I am guessing you don't either... oh make sure it is packed down and full I have found out that it works best for me Edited January 10, 2008 by sss8789

[triolus]

I pack the bowl pretty full... up to the level of the hole in the middle. No, I don't have any mods, and I use the superior quality Kroger brand aluminum foil. =) I'll try again with a big piece of foil, though I used a large one last time.

[sss8789]

I also twist after I put it on, like around the bowl, I think this keeps it on tight so try that also.

[jfaltous]

What kind of hole pattern do you use? It might help to put a single slightly larger hole directly in the middle to keep it from sagging on pulls...

[iamscott06]

When i smoke my phunnel i make sure the foil is on nice and tight, i them place like 8-10 holes on the outside then one larger hole in the middle..

What kind of coals do you use?

[EternalSoil]

up to the hole in the middle is not full.

full is to the outside.

overpacked (which is what i do) is above the outside edge. do that and the shisha keeps the foil from going down. you can put a hole in the middle of you want, but i dont.

[EvansLight]

When i smoke my phunnel i make sure the foil is on nice and tight, i them place like 8-10 holes on the outside then one larger hole in the middle..

What kind of coals do you use?

yea the hole in the middle works really well.

Also, another tip; if you have tongs with a long metal poker on them, or any long small slim piece of metal lying around, you can run it underneath the foil, and rest it over the middle hole to keep the foil up at all times. This is what i tend to do when it likes to be stupid.

[Canon]

if none of that works put something metal to hold the foil up.. ill explain

like a toothpick, you poke through the foil and put it to where its seperating the foil from the top of the phunnel bowl..

but to be honest putting it on tight works best.

[Canon]

also put the coals so the side of the funnel bowl is holding it up so its not completely on the foil..

happy smoking

[triolus]

Thanks for the other suggestions. We took an old wire clothes hanger, cut off a bit, and rounded it into a circle; just big enough to hold up the center of the foil. After burning it on the stove to get rid of "anything bad" (we're paranoid), I placed it right on top of the shisha, and wrapped my coal on top. Works like a charm.