Yashman’s Quest for a Diffuser

[yashman19]

Happy Holidays everyone!



Its been a while since I've started a thread of my own, but I think its
time I finally do so, now that I have something to contribute.


I know the topic of diffusers have been brought up in the past a few
times, and even more recently with Jmexx's thread which got the gears
in my head moving again. I wanted to make a diffuser of my own a while
back, but was never able to come up with the right materials to make
one, but thanks to Jmexx's thread, i got to work again.

So off to Home Depot, man's territory, where anything is possible with
the right tools . I wandered around for about 30 minutes, looking for
things I could use to make my project. I finally ended up in the
plumbing isle where I normally get my vinyl tubing for hookah hoses.
They had some very thick guage of tubing, the kind where you can cut
off as much as you want with a cutter. I ended up walking away with
only a foot of thick black tubing for 1.97/ft.

[img]http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3906/pic18wc.jpg[/img]

I just put it on the bottom of my stem to make sure it would fit. Boy
did it ever... I had to battle with it for a while just to get it over
the stem, but I eventually did. I cut it into a more managable size,
roughly 4", and used black ductape to cap off the end. Also, make sure
when cutting with a razor blade that you cut in a safe maner...I sliced
three damn fingers in the process not being careful...Nothing major
though, so don't worry

[img]http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6910/pic24lb.jpg[/img]

Now even though the tubing fits extremely tightly over the stem, I
still wanted to hold it in place with something just so it wouldn't
move around. To do this, I also found in the plumbing isle these little
tightning bracket thingys. Just slip it over and tighten with a
flat-head screw driver. Simple.

[img]http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/2150/pic31jz.jpg[/img]

But before I mounted it on my stem, I had to of course put some holes
in it. I used my dads drill with the tinyest bit he had. I didn't place
the holes in any special design/order, but just kept them evenly spaced
out. After this was done, I put it on the stem and tested it out with
water in my hookah (no bowl though, just a practice run). It indeed
worked, but not to my liking. The holes were too small, thus causing
SUPER SMALL bubbles, that were going up into the stem of my hookah...
Also, the draw was a tad tight.

So I took it back into the garage and got a drill bit one size larger.
All I did was re-drill the previous smaller holes, made them a bit
larger and I was in business. Tested it out for a second time with just
water and it worked like a charm. The bubbling was small (not nearly as
small as the first test run), but just right.

Here is a picture of the final piece.

[img]http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/7570/pic48td.jpg[/img]

I fastened the clip and I was ready to rumble for my first real
session. HOLY CRAP! Adding a difuser is like putting a silencer on your
hookah. I know some people enjoy the soothing sounds of the bubbling,
but this is definately something that needs to be experienced. I smoked
with a good buddy of mine and he was amazed as well. We could barely
tell when the other person was pulling on the hose...I kind of enjoy it


As for the other benefits of using a diffuser, I couldn't tell you.
Others have mentioned in the past that with the smaller bubbles, it
helps the filtering process due to surface area and the such, but I
have no clue. The smoke itself didn't taste noticably better, and there
was not more flavor than normal, but hey, if its filtering better than
more power to me

I didn't take a picture of the final product as it sits on the hookah
because I was too excited to give it a test run, but I will definately
take a picture later tonight and show you all.

So thats it folks. Hopefully I have shown some of you an easy
alternative to making your own diffuser, which will cost no more than 3
bucks for the supplies. All you need is a drill or something that can
put holes in a tough vinyl hose. I know there are probably a number of
easy ways to make a diffuser, but this is just the way mine ended up,
and I'm pretty happy with it.

So use this thread if you have any more questions about making a
diffuser, or would like to contribute your own tips and tricks with
diffusers.

And I hope everyone has fun and gets nice goodies for the holidays. Happy Smoking Hookah Forum!

[alen]

nice work yash- i remember a guy long time ago that made his own diffusers but as so many good threads its gone now i even saw that they sell some here in sweden at a shop i should see if i can find them again and if somebody is intrested i maybe could buy some but its really cool that you made one of your own in such a practical and easy way keep up the good workand a happy holiday to you (that goes to everybody else too)
take care everybody
Alen

[brother812]

i broke the stem off my everyday hookah but fortunately i have access to a mill and lathe at work. when i turned the new stem i drilled a diffuser on the end of it, it didn't change the smoke quality much but it did make the draw easier.
oh by the way the " little tightning bracket thingys" are hose clamps . and good job on the McGiever diffuser.

[jmexx]

Very good job and your welcome for the rude awakening! :)I think I'm going to add diffusers on all my hookahs. Although the one I have integrated on my Syrian hookah has no more then two holes going from one end to the other, I'm sure both ways work just fine. It doesn't change the smoke THAT much. Gives it an easier pull and for some reason, seemingly fresher smoke.Good job on the build, good luck to those who try :)Jon

[Sonthert]

If its worked for hundreds of years, unchanged, why change it?Of course, if the logic was true, then we wouldn't have vents on our hookahs (I've seen older Syrian ones without). I celebrate your innovation, Yash.Like I've said before, try it without water at all...its not that noticeable. If that is true, diffusing or not probably wouldn't make much of a difference.

[yashman19]

Ok here is what the diffuser looks like finished and on the stem.

[img]http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5814/img21242zx.jpg[/img]

Oh and some terrible Christmas Day news....I just shattered my chamber
for this hookah in the sink while cleaning it, getting ready for a
session...

Hopefully my local market where I get my hookah supplies will have a replacement base... OR maybe I'll check out TJ Max

[yashman19]

[quote name='Tangiers']Like I've said before, try it without water
at all...its not that noticeable. If that is true, diffusing or not
probably wouldn't make much of a difference.[/quote]

Like I said earlier, the only difference I noticed when using the
diffuser is the sound. Almost can't hear it at all, which is sort of a
neat change of pace. As for the other differences such as
flavor/filtering which people claim are improved through a diffuser, I
didn't really notice anything major, but it isn't killing me to use
one. So if its giving me more filtration, cool beans, if not, no big
deal.

[HookahDuck]

Actually, they are called compression clamps I guess I just dont see the point of making one... Why did you decide to?

[yashman19]

Whenever there is something I can do to enhance my experience, and I
have absolutely nothing to do but waste time, I try to make things to
make hookah more interesting.

I decided to make one because of a few reasons. Firstly, it helps to
cut down on the large bubbling getting up into my hose. Next, its like
adding a silencer to your hookah, making it virtually soundless. I know
a lot of people like the soothing sounds of the bubbling, but that is
them and this is me. I also like having a quiet hookah because I smoke
while watching movies ALOT, and so its nice to be able to hear the
movie over the hookah.

In addition to these reasons, like I mentioned earlier people claim
that diffusers help with the filtration process, having to do with more
surface area with smaller bubbles, and also the flavor is enhanced in
some way. Now these factors arn't really apparant when I used the
diffuser, but hey, if its filtering better then more power to me...It's
not really a big deal.

And yes, there is no real point in making one. Hookahs are fine the way
they are, but I'm just a type of person who likes to tinker. No harm in
that is there?

[HookahDuck]

Certainly no harm! It would make sense that the smoke would be filtered more- or at least it would be slightly cooler. Tangiers said that there is little difference without water though, so perhaps its all in our heads =P

[mushrat]

Cool...
I've always heard em called hose clamps myself...must be a regional thing..
Instead of duct tape, which will eventually fall appart in water, plus you have all that nasty glue, try a small pvc pipe cap and perhaps some plumbing/pipe glue?
$.02

[dizzing]

yes!! yess!!!! soon everyone will own a hookah vase from tj maxx!!!!!actually, i do find it somewhat interesting that so many people seem to have luck with their vases...

[Sonthert]

Water bubbling into your hose? Too much water? You guys take my word for things too much...smoke your hookah tonight without water...see what happens.Me too...hose clamps (or toys for very dirty girls).Hookah tobacco has evolved significantlly in the past 15 or so years. It used to be little different than pipe tobacco; burned tobacco. Water had a significant filtering effect, now that its basically flavored gas (gas-candy I like to refer to it as, in perspective of health-nazis calling soda "liquid-candy"). Smoke and vapor are different. Anyways...I salute you again Yashman!Now where did I put those hose clamps?...sweetie?!?!...Do you have my....

[dizzing]

yikes.

[Sonthert]

Yash, did you try just attaching a small piece of a cotton with a rubber band (or other metal wire would work, too). Does it work as a diffuser? I never checked it out. It sounds like it should...

[yashman19]

[quote name='Tangiers']Yash, did you try just attaching a small piece of a
cotton with a rubber band (or other metal wire would work, too). Does
it work as a diffuser? I never checked it out. It sounds like it
should...[/quote]

No I didn't, but that doesn't sound too bad of an idea. I also thought
about just going to a head shop where they sell tiny round screens for
pipes, and somehow just rigging that to the bottom of the stem.

Theres probably a million different ways to make one, but this is the
only one that came to me while walking down the isles of Home Depot.

[dizzing]

actually, i've done a fair bit of experimenting with diffusers.. the trick is, a horizontal diffusion surface is ineffective because the smoke bubbles cohere much more easily when they have to travel laterally together,.  this makes them split and reform so quickly that there is no perceptible difference from the regular bubbles.  i have noted that everyone who has made a diffuser successfully has placed the holes on the side of the stem.  that way, the bubbles are forced to come out in different places all over the stem and rise separately to the top in a pattern (balls from the bottom following balls from the top in a close-knit formation).   using a piece of cotton or a piece of string are both ineffective - i have tried screens, and cotton would ( i believe) provide similar results, unless it was left with a good bit of slack (actually, a loose little balloon of cotton on the end might be an excellent idea).  the effective method i found was to create a cone shaped screen.   i had a piece of metal that was completely perforated by holes in a staggered pattern (not sure what it was for) and i bent it into a cone , placing a head grommet aroundt he top edge and putting that on the base of the stem. i then used a piece of wire (from a twist tie) to wrap the grommet around the stem tightly.  the cone formation did the trick, allowing the bubbles to escape at separate angles rising to the top without combining.  now that i think about it, this might be more effective than simple holes in a stem extension stacked  like:o o o oo o o oo o o operhaps a more effective configuration would be with the holes drilled in a rifled spiral pattern dow the stem.  now that i look at that picture, i see you used ao o o o o o oo o o o o o oconfiguration, which is the same as what i had on the cone diffuser i mentioned.

[hookahphxsmoker]

^^^^or you could go to a headshop and buy a PHX or RooR glass on glass bong diamond cut diffuser.  I have two PHX diffusers, and two on their way for my RooRs.  I've often wondered why no one in the hookah realm has made or even talked about diffusers.  My bongs wouldn't be complete without their diffusers.  Diffusers split the smoke into different streams allowing for smoke to be carried through the water in smaller bubbles.  Even if you do not notice it, the smoke is filtered for carcinogens significantly, and is also somewhat cooled.

[pavlakos_politakos]

im not understanding any of thhis diffuser stuff.sry guys
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ELLAS!!! HOORAH FOR NARGHILEH!!!

[[LB]]

great job! and pavolos a diffuser just makes the bubbles away, but yashman i must say that is a hell of ajob 

[pavlakos_politakos]

oh.thanks lebanese  blonde.i guess that could come in handy
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ELLAS!!! HOORAH FOR NARGHILEH!!!