Newby Needing Help

[dj groove]

hi every one

tried a bowl of af cola 2nite and was harsh within afew mins and after the session i took the foil of and the shisha was burnt i must be doing something wrong i used 3king coal im a newby so im not that experinced in setting up a bowl and stuff like that eny pointers u can give me would b great sorry if i sound stupid

[Johnny_D]

There is no such thing as a stupid question

hmm.

Try fluffing the tobacco into the bowl so it's not a sticky clump. Make you pack quite a bit as well.

Try adding more coals to the foil and break the coal in half and put it on opposite sides of the bowl.

Also - what kind of bowl are you using? Pics would be useful.

JD Edited April 8, 2008 by Johnny_D

[dj groove]

it was al fakher cola
and just the standerd bowl that came wif my mya qt

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

I would just like to add to this question so that I don't have to start a new thread ...if you don't mind dj groove.

Been having burnt bowl lately .....the whole time!

I sorta worked out or assumed, that it came down to me not being able to tighten my foil enough on the bowl, so it "sagged" a bit and thus the coal gets to close to the shisha and burns it, even though there is enough room left on top.
So how do you guys get it nice and tight(without ripping the foil) ...without it being more of an inconvinience, because I have had top class smokes out of my hookah and now its going down the drain!

Thanks

-H&S

[dj groove]

sorry i carnt upload eny pics at the moment

[Johnny_D]

My foil allways touches the tobacco, on my the different brands. I don't believe this is an issue.

It's more likely that in leaving a space between foil and tobacco you are not packing enough.

Burning can often be because you don't have enough tobacco!

JD

[dj groove]

that may have been the problem i problly didnt fully pack the bowl ill try packing more next time because within afew min it tasted harsh i tried adding another 3kings coal but that may have just made it burn quicker im not to sure cos im a newby so im still expermenting im just glade i didnt use some of my new shsiha that i got while i was in usa

im hoping next time ill have some better luck and it wont b harsh hahhah

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

My foil allways touches the tobacco, on my the different brands. I don't believe this is an issue.

It's more likely that in leaving a space between foil and tobacco you are not packing enough.

Burning can often be because you don't have enough tobacco!

JD

Thanks for that ....now I remember being told that before and I think I just plain forgot......

How much space should be left...???? A few milimeters okay????

thanks.....its just been smoking a year and a few months roughly and only now that I bought my own hookah have I had this problem...but as said I must be doing something different, because I have had some really good smokes with this hookah!

Also what would you say are the best holes to make.....I usually use 1 Ql and that is sufficient....
My bowl is a clay bowl (glazed) the inner diameter (not counting the thick sides of the bowl , hence the " inner" ) is about 5cm and at the deepest point ( middle obviously) it is about 1 and a bit cm's . And from there it just curves upwards to the side of the bowl.

thanks again...really frustrated that I have managed and now everything is going wrong.

-H&S

[Johnny_D]

Next person who wants to play 'pick on the newbie's grammer' is going on a vacation. Paid for by JD International Airways.

JD

[r1v3th3ad]

my pic was just pickin on ak for his post man, not the newbie, was trying to be "all in good fun" man

lo siento Edited April 8, 2008 by r1v3th3ad

[Johnny_D]

my pic was just pickin on ak for his post man, not the newbie, was trying to be "all in good fun" man

lo siento

Indeed. I'm all for fun and jolly japes. But do with it with established members? One likes to attract the newbies.

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

My foil allways touches the tobacco, on my the different brands. I don't believe this is an issue.

It's more likely that in leaving a space between foil and tobacco you are not packing enough.

Burning can often be because you don't have enough tobacco!

JD

Thanks for that ....now I remember being told that before and I think I just plain forgot......

How much space should be left...???? A few milimeters okay????

thanks.....its just been smoking a year and a few months roughly and only now that I bought my own hookah have I had this problem...but as said I must be doing something different, because I have had some really good smokes with this hookah!

Also what would you say are the best holes to make.....I usually use 1 Ql and that is sufficient....
My bowl is a clay bowl (glazed) the inner diameter (not counting the thick sides of the bowl , hence the " inner" ) is about 5cm and at the deepest point ( middle obviously) it is about 1 and a bit cm's . And from there it just curves upwards to the side of the bowl.

thanks again...really frustrated that I have managed and now everything is going wrong.

-H&S

Can I get some help please ????

Driving me nutz that after smoking for a year, and now I get my own hookah it doesn't work to good...sigh

-H&S

[Johnny_D]

My foil allways touches the tobacco, on my the different brands. I don't believe this is an issue.

It's more likely that in leaving a space between foil and tobacco you are not packing enough.

Burning can often be because you don't have enough tobacco!

JD

Thanks for that ....now I remember being told that before and I think I just plain forgot......

How much space should be left...???? A few milimeters okay????

thanks.....its just been smoking a year and a few months roughly and only now that I bought my own hookah have I had this problem...but as said I must be doing something different, because I have had some really good smokes with this hookah!

Also what would you say are the best holes to make.....I usually use 1 Ql and that is sufficient....
My bowl is a clay bowl (glazed) the inner diameter (not counting the thick sides of the bowl , hence the " inner" ) is about 5cm and at the deepest point ( middle obviously) it is about 1 and a bit cm's . And from there it just curves upwards to the side of the bowl.

thanks again...really frustrated that I have managed and now everything is going wrong.

-H&S

Can I get some help please ????

Driving me nutz that after smoking for a year, and now I get my own hookah it doesn't work to good...sigh

-H&S

Sorry H&S

See the pics from my Potion review theads. That's how close my tobacco is to the top of the foil.

Literally mm's. when the coals get placed they rest on the tobacco - It should not be a major problem! Something to remember is that original Zaghoul style tobacco's were designed to have the coals plopped right into the bowl on top of the tobacco.

Tobacco can handle heat

JD

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

Lol thanks JD Not to foget though that before they liked it hot and hard!!! ( I mean the smoke) or thats how they must have got it without foil....

Anyway thanks a million for the help will maybe try this out tomorrow

-H&S

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

Sorry just to get it all right...

so basically I am right in saying that as long as the holes at the bottom of the bowl are able to let air through, it doesn't matter if the shisha touches the foil which then touches the coal???? because then it sticks to the foil by me.

So then blowing threw the bottom of the bowl would be good because it doesn't matter if the shisha touches the foil/coal???

The reason I am worried is becuase my foil just really doesn't get that tight to the bowl, and "sagged" down about half a cm when the coal was on....so still not quite sure how to stop the burning...

JD I looked at your set-up in the potions review section and saw how you loaded the bowl, thanks is helpful...but still a little unsure...

Would more holes let more heat through or less??? Probably less right??? which inturn should solve my problem maybe??

need help guys thanks ,....need to get rid of this unsureity

-H&S

[Johnny_D]

Pack that bowl!

Stop worrying about foil touching tobacco. It's a non-issue [At least for me]

Fluff the tobacco into the bowl.
The pack the tobacco down A LITTLE BIT.
The stretch the foil over the bowl as tight as you can
Poke lots of holes.
Put coals on.

You can see from the 'Very Cherry' review how much heat I use. And that heat amount works for
Layalina, Nahkla, Fusion, Potion and Al Masa. I don't have a problem with any of them.

Don't be scared - give it a shot. If it's still really bad take photos of the foil with the coals, foil without coals, bowl with foil off and the bowl.

JD

[manic007]

Sorry just to get it all right...

so basically I am right in saying that as long as the holes at the bottom of the bowl are able to let air through, it doesn't matter if the shisha touches the foil which then touches the coal???? because then it sticks to the foil by me.

So then blowing threw the bottom of the bowl would be good because it doesn't matter if the shisha touches the foil/coal???

The reason I am worried is becuase my foil just really doesn't get that tight to the bowl, and "sagged" down about half a cm when the coal was on....so still not quite sure how to stop the burning...

JD I looked at your set-up in the potions review section and saw how you loaded the bowl, thanks is helpful...but still a little unsure...

Would more holes let more heat through or less??? Probably less right??? which inturn should solve my problem maybe??

need help guys thanks ,....need to get rid of this unsureity

-H&S

My friend, you need one of these!!



Just wrap it around the neck of your bowl and on top of the foil. It'll hold the foil in place and stop it sagging.

Personally, once you get better at preparing shisha's you wont need to use an elastic band. You should be able to wrap the foil around the bowl in such a way so that it doesn't sag, its a learnt skill.

But at the end of the day, a little bit of burnt shishs is rarely a session killer.

[*HOT&SMOKING*]

Thanks again

Its just I have been doing this for a year with others hookahs and it was always pretty good....but ya will definetly " pack that bowl " tomorrow and see what happens.

-H&S Edited April 8, 2008 by *HOT&SMOKING*

[mathuv]

My foil allways touches the tobacco, on my the different brands. I don't believe this is an issue.

It's more likely that in leaving a space between foil and tobacco you are not packing enough.

Burning can often be because you don't have enough tobacco!

JD

too true, many a bowl i have burnt due to underpacking...and there i was thinking it was the coal till i saw how seanij packs his bowls, over the rim with tobacco and places 2 coals on. great taste..

oh and if the tobacco comes over the rim and you tighten the foil, wont the tobacco get compressed down? is it ok if the tobacco is a bit compressed? i mean would it still not burn?

[Johnny_D]

I mean just fill the tobacco to roughly the top of the bowl :-





Notice it's not over the rim - just too the rim.

[dj groove]

thanks for the pics jd i tried a bowl the other night was good for awhile affter the session still was abit burnt but wasnt to bad does the size of the holes have enything to do wif burning like if thay r to small would it burn

i guess it takes time to get the perfect session going being a newby is hard heheheh

[NickReppinThe909]

There is no such thing as a stupid question

hmm.

Try fluffing the tobacco into the bowl so it's not a sticky clump. Make you pack quite a bit as well.

Try adding more coals to the foil and break the coal in half and put it on opposite sides of the bowl.

Also - what kind of bowl are you using? Pics would be useful.

JD

+1 sometimes it pays to fluff

[Johnny_D]

thanks for the pics jd i tried a bowl the other night was good for awhile affter the session still was abit burnt but wasnt to bad does the size of the holes have enything to do wif burning like if thay r to small would it burn

i guess it takes time to get the perfect session going being a newby is hard heheheh

Glad your getting some progress DJ

Yer, It's hard getting going... I used to get 25min sessions with crap smoke until I stumbled over this place.

Try adding a few more holes - Try making the holes bigger.

If you look at some of my pics you will see that I use teh 47,887 holes made with a sowing needle - Lots but small.

Others use the oyster fork approach which is less holes - much bigger!

Also ensure you foil is shiny side down - that might help also!

JD

[NickReppinThe909]

thanks for the pics jd i tried a bowl the other night was good for awhile affter the session still was abit burnt but wasnt to bad does the size of the holes have enything to do wif burning like if thay r to small would it burn

i guess it takes time to get the perfect session going being a newby is hard heheheh

Glad your getting some progress DJ

Yer, It's hard getting going... I used to get 25min sessions with crap smoke until I stumbled over this place.

Try adding a few more holes - Try making the holes bigger.

If you look at some of my pics you will see that I use teh 47,887 holes made with a sowing needle - Lots but small.

Others use the oyster fork approach which is less holes - much bigger!

Also ensure you foil is shiny side down - that might help also!

JD

shiny side down can be a double edged sword for a noob though on one hand you can use slightly less heat but when you get even a little too much heat it can go wrong quickly IMO until you can know when you have even slightly too much heat with shiny side up then should you go shiny side down

[dj groove]

thanks jd yeah im getting abit of progress the last session was alot better then the one with the cola flav hahahha

ill try again prob in afew days try my luck im getting better smoke not as harsh i guess it takes practice thanks for your help mate ill update u on my progress