About To Give Up On My Phunnel...

[Nabiscuit]

Recently got a small Phunnel from MNHookah with a glass scalli mod after doing some research. Also bought some Tangiers cause apparently everyone was loving the stuff.

I have an Egyptian 2 Hose Pharaoh with Cobra hoses. Now, I've been smoking for about a year with my standard Egyptian Bowl - always smoked either Romman or Hookah Freak and always used either 3 Kings or Romman Natural Lemonwood Coals. For that entire year the only time I've had bad hookah sessions is when I smoked a bad flavor that was just plain gross (like Romman Good Times). Never have I had a smoke session that was flavorless, thin smoke, harsh, and just plain annoying..... that is.... until I got my Phunnel bowl. Maybe I'm doing it wrong... Maybe it's all my fault - I don't know, but I've NEVER gotten a good smoke out of it and I've been messing around with it for two weeks now.

First thing's first - I've smoked Romman and Tangiers out of it - both weren't good. Romman I've tried the Cinnamon and the Peach - both were virtually flavorless and no big clouds of smoke. I tried the Cinnamon with the scalli mod and the Peach without. Circle pattern of holes on the Cinnamon and just lots of holes on the Peach. Romman Lemonwoods on the Cinnamon and Coca Nara's on the Peach. Lemonwoods weren't harsh but not very good smoke and NO flavor. Added more coals, smoke got thicker and very harsh - not burning the shisha but no flavor. With the Coca Nara's, I only used two - one on either side - little tickle, thin smoke, no taste. Added a third - harsh, thicker smoke - no taste. I always use ice water in the base.


Tangiers. This is my first time smoking Tangiers, so it might be my fault. I got Watermelon and Chocolate Mint flavors. I acclimate both shishas for 5 hours while stirring about every hour. Room smelled amazing. Really excited to give it a try. Covered the Watermelon after the 5 hours and I used the Chocolate Mint. I've NEVER tried Tangiers with the scalli mod and don't plan to. I heard you're supposed to use room temperature water for Tangiers, so I tried that first. Tried Chocolate Mint first with three coca nara's (and the circle hole pattern with no holes over the center). Smoke was hot as hell, almost burned the back of my throat... vivid flavor though. Removed one coal. Still hurt like hell. Added ice in the base. Still harsh but manageable. Flavor got crappier. Watermelon, I used two coco nara's and ice in the bowl - acclimated it the next day for another two hours before smoking. Used the big hole and lots of them pattern that used on the tutorial on this site. Semi-harsh smoke and hardly any flavor at all.

I'm getting pretty ticked here with this bowl - maybe I'm not doing it right - but this is getting pretty annoying. Especially after looking forward to the bowl. I have no idea how in god's name that there are people on this board that are using 3-4 coals on their funnels - you guys must have super lungs or something. It might be the Coca Nara's, cause they're new and I haven't had much experience with them. But I tried them on my Egyptian Bowl and they worked wonderfully. Anyway. Any help would be appreciated...

[mattarios2]

Recently got a small Phunnel from MNHookah with a glass scalli mod after doing some research. Also bought some Tangiers cause apparently everyone was loving the stuff.

I have an Egyptian 2 Hose Pharaoh with Cobra hoses. Now, I've been smoking for about a year with my standard Egyptian Bowl - always smoked either Romman or Hookah Freak and always used either 3 Kings or Romman Natural Lemonwood Coals. For that entire year the only time I've had bad hookah sessions is when I smoked a bad flavor that was just plain gross (like Romman Good Times). Never have I had a smoke session that was flavorless, thin smoke, harsh, and just plain annoying..... that is.... until I got my Phunnel bowl. Maybe I'm doing it wrong... Maybe it's all my fault - I don't know, but I've NEVER gotten a good smoke out of it and I've been messing around with it for two weeks now.

First thing's first - I've smoked Romman and Tangiers out of it - both weren't good. Romman I've tried the Cinnamon and the Peach - both were virtually flavorless and no big clouds of smoke. I tried the Cinnamon with the scalli mod and the Peach without. Circle pattern of holes on the Cinnamon and just lots of holes on the Peach. Romman Lemonwoods on the Cinnamon and Coca Nara's on the Peach. Lemonwoods weren't harsh but not very good smoke and NO flavor. Added more coals, smoke got thicker and very harsh - not burning the shisha but no flavor. With the Coca Nara's, I only used two - one on either side - little tickle, thin smoke, no taste. Added a third - harsh, thicker smoke - no taste. I always use ice water in the base.


Tangiers. This is my first time smoking Tangiers, so it might be my fault. I got Watermelon and Chocolate Mint flavors. I acclimate both shishas for 5 hours while stirring about every hour. Room smelled amazing. Really excited to give it a try. Covered the Watermelon after the 5 hours and I used the Chocolate Mint. I've NEVER tried Tangiers with the scalli mod and don't plan to. I heard you're supposed to use room temperature water for Tangiers, so I tried that first. Tried Chocolate Mint first with three coca nara's (and the circle hole pattern with no holes over the center). Smoke was hot as hell, almost burned the back of my throat... vivid flavor though. Removed one coal. Still hurt like hell. Added ice in the base. Still harsh but manageable. Flavor got crappier. Watermelon, I used two coco nara's and ice in the bowl - acclimated it the next day for another two hours before smoking. Used the big hole and lots of them pattern that used on the tutorial on this site. Semi-harsh smoke and hardly any flavor at all.

I'm getting pretty ticked here with this bowl - maybe I'm not doing it right - but this is getting pretty annoying. Especially after looking forward to the bowl. I have no idea how in god's name that there are people on this board that are using 3-4 coals on their funnels - you guys must have super lungs or something. It might be the Coca Nara's, cause they're new and I haven't had much experience with them. But I tried them on my Egyptian Bowl and they worked wonderfully. Anyway. Any help would be appreciated...

Well when you pack tangiers what I do is after stirring with a mini fork, I shovel up some tobacco and just let it fall in the phunnel bowl. Also pack it very very high so it is about 1/8 inch over the bowl. Then when you put foil on push the foil on top of the shisha with your palm of your hand then pull all the edges of the foil tightly around the bowl. Also use a little bit bigger holes than normal for tangiers. And yes continue to use room temp water for tangiers.

Make sure to only use 2 coco's then when they start to die add another, with tangiers it takes less heat to burn than other shishas so 2 will do you well and then add 1 more later.

You didn't discuss your packing methods at all, so I am thinking that is prob your biggest problem. I don't smoke romman so I can't help you there, but w/ tangiers DEFINITELY pack it high and pack alot in there, without pushing it down or anything just let it sit in the bowl the way it sits in the box of tobacco. Also for holes, Make a bigger hole than normal in the middle. I vote use holes in the middle rather than not on a phunnel.

Hope all this helps! Edited July 5, 2008 by mattarios2

[Speak_In_Vowels]

okay although i have never tried romman myself, i have heard multiple times that it's not the greatest tobacco.
so first things first, that feeling in your throat is it more of a "burn" or more of a "tickle"?

chances are if it is a burning sensation you packed the bowl wrong.
if it's a tickle feeling you are fine, that happens to everyone who smokes tangiers, but you get used to it and it goes away.

for some reason i have found that tangiers smokes better with less heat than most tobaccos, and because of this
you will have to mess around with your coal managment a lil bit.

i found that when i use exotica's i use about 2, 2-inch pieces.
as for the coconaras i will usually use 2 1/2 pieces(break when already lit)

there are a ton of tangiers walkthroughs by many of the members located on this forum.
there is also a tangiers wiki(how-to) on here somewhere also.

so take a look around, and dont give up on tangiers, cause as soon as you catch on with the way to prepare it, you'll never look back again.


 

[TexasHookah]

Don't give up, you can do it!!!

[avafan]

yup just remember use a tooth pick for tiny holes in the foil you want about 4 to five holes in the middle at the opening of the phunnel then two rows of holes around the outside. thats just the way the phunnel was disigned to be used. put the shisha in there with your fingers and fill it over heaving really. then take your palm of your hand and mash it all down in there. Make sure the hole on the phunnel is not got leaves or anything at that matter inside of it you want it completely opne with no blockage. Its ok to have the foil hit tangiers. tangiers is a low heat shisha so ive noticed if its not hot enough its harsh and if its to hot it burns like hell fire. there is a happy medium and when you hit it, its as smooth as starbuzz with an acutal buzz. and the taste is better. I like to choco mint it taste identicle to choco mint you will not be dissapointed. hope i helped you out.

[staygone]

OVERpack the bowl, then overpack it more. That did it fo me and a lot of other people too.

-QM

[Voski]

I have two videos in the video section. Just click the link at the top right of this page. One is how to pack AF which should be h same as romman. The other is how to pack
a tamgies bowl.


If you still don't like it I would be willing to buy it from you. Assuming the price is right.

Goodluck!

[hookah hippie]

You also mentioned when packing your Tangiers you did not put holes in the center you need those holds to provide proper air flow. As for the Romman I would use the scalli mod and try again once you get the hang of how to set up the phunnel it will be your bowl of choice. Good Luck

[indian_villager]

For anything but tangiers here is what i do. I put in the mod sprinke shisha around the mod until there is like an eighth of an inch space from the top. Then Foil and the pattern shown below. A coal on each of the 3 sets of holes.


If the smoke ever gets too harsh just push the coals toward the center so that the back few rows of holes are exposed.

P.S. Romman good times is a great flavor!

[JillyIsJustKidding]

From what I've seen, the scalli mod only works well with very wet shishas.

Romman is kind of a dry tobacco so that probably the problem. I remember someone having trouble with the same thing except with hookah hookah (which is also kind of a dry tobacco compared to AF and starbuzz). He finally figured it out that it was the tobacco and not the mod or phunnel.


As for tangiers..Can't help you there. I can't get this stuff to smoke either

[dom209]

dont give up on the phunnel.... it will be amazing when you get it right. check the instructional video section i beleive that there is a video on packing tangiers in a phunnel... give that a try and stick with it

[Anxiety]

packing a funnel bowl and eygyption bowl are very very different, funnel bowl you dont sprinkle you just take a clump of shisha and stick it in there, and make sure the shisha is overflowing a bit. i suggest you watch snoopys vid on how to pack a funnel bowl VERY VERY helpfully.

to be honest funnel bowls have changed my way of smoking, enhancing it so much more...keep trying there so wroth it
'

[Bulldog_916]

Overpack it, at least a quarter to a half an inch over the bowl.













Edited July 5, 2008 by Bulldog_916

[indian_villager]

Overpack it, at least a quarter to a half an inch over the bowl.

If I'm not mistaken this is the method for tangiers!

[Codename067]

Do..not...get...rid..of...your...phunnel...EVER!

[Capt. Morgan]

So far I've only smoked lucid and fumari through it, but I love my funnel bowl. Don't give up on it. When its right it is amazing.

[judgeposer]

Do..not...get...rid..of...your...phunnel...EVER!

x10!

You've received some good advice on a variety of ways to pack Tangiers - all have worked for me, even though they vary a bit. Try these methods and report back.

Otherwise, just keep in mind that nearly no one here (I hope that's not too much of an overstatement) smoked Tangiers perfectly on their first try. There's a bit of a learning curve associated with that brand, but once you get it, you will realize that it was worth the wait and patience.

Let us know how it goes.

[Bulldog_916]

Overpack it, at least a quarter to a half an inch over the bowl.

If I'm not mistaken this is the method for tangiers!

You are not mistaken, he was having trouble with tangiers.

[indian_villager]

You are not mistaken, he was having trouble with tangiers.

I know he was having trouble with tangiers.....as well as with everything else. I thought it would be better to clarify for him.

[Bulldog_916]

You are not mistaken, he was having trouble with tangiers.

I know he was having trouble with tangiers.....as well as with everything else. I thought it would be better to clarify for him.

Tangiers tobacco is pretty unmistakable when it comes to how it looks, other tobaccos are usually colored differently.

[indian_villager]

But just to be safe man!

[Nabiscuit]

Alright guys! Thanks for the out-pour of help! I had watched all the videos prior to smoking Tangiers and - packed it almost right.

Pushing down the shisha with my palm seemed to be one of the missing steps!

Packed the chocolate mint tonight and pushed down on the shisha with my palm... Worked almost like a charm.

Had two rings of small holes around the outside and 5 bigger holes in the middle... Used two coca naras on the edges of the bowl...

The tobacco was NEVER harsh and smoked almost like a champ. The flavor was absolutely wonderful... It was the most vivid, full flavored shisha I've ever had. Absolutely wonderful taste (Chocolate Mint). However, my smoke wasn't nearly as thick as with my egyptian bowl... It was about half-bodied. Still tasted great, but not enough smoke. Anyway, I'm going to try the above hole patterns to see if I can fine the one that works best for me.

Again, thanks for all the help.

I think you guys are right about Romman. I think it might not be the best shisha to smoke in the Phunnel... It's kinda drier, however, I always have to clean my stem out because the molasses seeps down the Egyptian bowl yet when I smoke it in the Phunnel there's never any molasses sitting at the bottom of the bowl... Weird. Anyway, I'll try the Phunnel and scalli mod with this fantasia I have to see of that'll work, but from now on I'll probably never smoke Hookah Hookah or Romman in the Phunnel and just stick to the Egyptian.

Thanks again for all the help guys/gals! If my typing is weird, blame the Blackberry... Don't have my pc for another day. Here's to more successful Tangiers!

[Nabiscuit]

Smoked my 2nd Successful attempt at Tangiers. This time it was Watermelon. Amazing flavor and great, huge clouds.

I opted this time for two coco naras and the big holes everywhere pattern instead of the two small rings. Made it a whole lot better... Hardest thing about smoking Tangiers now... I don't want to smoke ANY of my other brands.... Tangiers just tastes soooo much better than any of them. Anyway, thanks for all your help guys!