Perceived Issues With Underpacking The Bowl

[3lemental]

Hi all,

First of all the set up; I have a no-name brand chinese hookah (due to new zealand law, you can't import hookahs so i was lucky to find one at all, it's reasonably good quality - all stainless and had no issues so far) with a standard egyptian bowl. I'm smoking AF (peach and strawberry)

The issue; despite all the "how to's" and "tutorials" here and elsewhere suggesting that when setting up your hookah you should fill the bowl, i find i get the nicest smoke and best flavour from the least tobacco. I tend to load a large-ish pinch (i'd guess around 5-10g) which is still well clear of the top of the bowl and doesn't even cover all of the bottom of it. I fluff the tobacco up somewhat as i load it, then foil, holes and 1 piece of 3 Kings charcoal at a time, whole, on the top.

This smokes really well, and is what i'll probably continue with, but if anyone could comment on why it might be that the tobacco always burns quickly, and tastes bad when i pack the bowl any more full than this i'd be interested to try some things.

The main thing i do differently to many is that i leave the circle of charcoal whole. I do move it around the foil, but i don't split it into multiple pieces.

Anyway, comments/thoughts/suggestions really appreciated!

Thanks,

Joel

[rhineholt]

Try making the holes all the way around the bowl. As many as you can. That's what I do when I smoke AF, but make sure the holes are small.

Now reasons why it burns to quickly/tastes bad.
It could be the placement of your coals. Try to keep it away from the center of the bowl.
Make sure the coal is completely red all over. If not, it could affect the flavor.
Another thing, you might be packing it too tight. Fluff it more.

[Arcane]

to answer your question (why does it burn quickly when you use more tobacco), mostly it has to do with your heat management.

what i'm guessing (and it's purely a guess), the reason your method works is with the amount of heat you're using and the gap of air between foil and the tobacco balances out....

now, when you add more tobacco, i'm betting you keep the heat management nearly identical which throws off the balance you usually have. also, just to add...the quicklight you're using probably burns really hot which adds to the likelihood of you burning the tobacco....

unless you want to experiment, it really doesn't matter what method you use.....as long as it works for you!

[3lemental]

[quote name='Arcane' date='06 January 2010 - 08:18 PM' timestamp='1262765906' post='443471']
to answer your question (why does it burn quickly when you use more tobacco), mostly it has to do with your heat management.

what i'm guessing (and it's purely a guess), the reason your method works is with the amount of heat you're using and the gap of air between foil and the tobacco balances out....

now, when you add more tobacco, i'm betting you keep the heat management nearly identical which throws off the balance you usually have. also, just to add...the quicklight you're using probably burns really hot which adds to the likelihood of you burning the tobacco....

unless you want to experiment, it really doesn't matter what method you use.....as long as it works for you!
[/quote]

Thanks Arcane,

If i wanted to load a bigger bowl, how would you suggest that I regulate heat better. I can't really get new coals very easily, i plan to order some natural coals from Hookah John sometime soon, but because it'll cost a LOT to ship to NZ i want to wait til i have a bit more cash and make a big order on tobacco and coals, and a new bowl etc all at once. Being a University Student means i don't have much cash for hookah

Thanks.

[Arcane]

probably the best way to go about it is to use more tobacco, this means you're going to reduce the gap of air in between the foil and the tobacco...to compensate, you may have to use less heat and you can go about it a few ways....

1) double your foil
2) break up the coal and use quarters
3) add enough tobacco to balance out with the heat used

[3lemental]

[quote name='Arcane' date='06 January 2010 - 08:46 PM' timestamp='1262767604' post='443473']
probably the best way to go about it is to use more tobacco, this means you're going to reduce the gap of air in between the foil and the tobacco...to compensate, you may have to use less heat and you can go about it a few ways....

1) double your foil
2) break up the coal and use quarters
3) add enough tobacco to balance out with the heat used
[/quote]

Thanks!

Might give that a shot. I get nice flavour the other way, but having to change the bowl every 20 minutes is a bummer...

[Jacob Shock]

the problem is just as arcane says.

so its time to solve this problem 1 of 2 ways.

1. dont pack a full bowl
2. buy respectable coals. 3 kings suck. they burn 2 hot an destroy the flavor. they also taste "dirty". uses some coconaras and youl see.

[3lemental]

[quote name='Jacob Shock' date='06 January 2010 - 10:08 PM' timestamp='1262772493' post='443488']
the problem is just as arcane says.

so its time to solve this problem 1 of 2 ways.

1. dont pack a full bowl
2. buy respectable coals. 3 kings suck. they burn 2 hot an destroy the flavor. they also taste "dirty". uses some coconaras and youl see.
[/quote]

I am looking forward to getting some decent coals, just the shipping costs to new zealand

[sine]

Also, I don't think you really need to fluff AF too much. If I'm smoking out of an Egyptian, I'll usually use 10-15 grams, and fluff it as I transfer it to the bowl. Once it's in, however, I pack it back down a bit so that it makes a nice, soft "cake" a half cm or so below the bowl lip. Don't squish it down with a lot of force, but just a bit more pressure than the weight of a fork (which is what I use).

Then 2-3 coconaras rotated or stacked around the edge of the bowl and you should be set for a good hour to hour and a half session!

[Bulldog_916]

Load your bowl evenly and fully. Fluff it in there and set it in there not firmly and not softly, somewhere in between. I'm thinking just pack it to where it's even and full. Split your coal up, I know you said you didnt want to, but if you do it will make your sessions a lot better. Be sure the 2 pieces of coal are as far opposite of each other on the bowl as possible, usually this means directly across from each other.

[Chreees]

[quote name='Bulldog_916' date='06 January 2010 - 08:42 PM' timestamp='1262832125' post='443666']
Load your bowl evenly and fully. Fluff it in there and set it in there not firmly and not softly, somewhere in between. I'm thinking just pack it to where it's even and full. Split your coal up, I know you said you didnt want to, but if you do it will make your sessions a lot better. Be sure the 2 pieces of coal are as far opposite of each other on the bowl as possible, usually this means directly across from each other.
[/quote]

This.

[3lemental]

[quote name='Bulldog_916' date='07 January 2010 - 02:42 PM' timestamp='1262832125' post='443666']
Load your bowl evenly and fully. Fluff it in there and set it in there not firmly and not softly, somewhere in between. I'm thinking just pack it to where it's even and full. Split your coal up, I know you said you didnt want to, but if you do it will make your sessions a lot better. Be sure the 2 pieces of coal are as far opposite of each other on the bowl as possible, usually this means directly across from each other.
[/quote]

Never said I was opposed to breaking the coal, just that I didn't. I'm about to load a bowl and have a session, i'll give this a try, thanks!


[quote name='3lemental' date='07 January 2010 - 01:59 AM' timestamp='1262786374' post='443500']
[quote name='Jacob Shock' date='06 January 2010 - 10:08 PM' timestamp='1262772493' post='443488']
the problem is just as arcane says.

so its time to solve this problem 1 of 2 ways.

1. dont pack a full bowl
2. buy respectable coals. 3 kings suck. they burn 2 hot an destroy the flavor. they also taste "dirty". uses some coconaras and youl see.
[/quote]

I am looking forward to getting some decent coals, just the shipping costs to new zealand
[/quote]

Talking of luck, after the conversations last night I was in town today and saw a tiny turkish restaurant with hookahs in the window.... This is interesting I thought to myself, so i go in. Turns out I have found a supplier for proper natural wood coals!! A kilo sack of finger coals for NZ$15 (~$11US). So i'm going to give these a shot soon as i can. Also - i'm now very annoyed at myself for buying a chinese hookah, cos these guys sell KMs at about 1.5 times the price i payed for my chinese one .... Oh well, at least i can upgrade when I have the money

Talk about coincidence, i'm just stoked and i'm ready for some hookah!

[Bulldog_916]

[quote name='3lemental' date='06 January 2010 - 10:24 PM' timestamp='1262845458' post='443702']
[quote name='Bulldog_916' date='07 January 2010 - 02:42 PM' timestamp='1262832125' post='443666']
Load your bowl evenly and fully. Fluff it in there and set it in there not firmly and not softly, somewhere in between. I'm thinking just pack it to where it's even and full. Split your coal up, I know you said you didnt want to, but if you do it will make your sessions a lot better. Be sure the 2 pieces of coal are as far opposite of each other on the bowl as possible, usually this means directly across from each other.
[/quote]

Never said I was opposed to breaking the coal, just that I didn't. I'm about to load a bowl and have a session, i'll give this a try, thanks!


[quote name='3lemental' date='07 January 2010 - 01:59 AM' timestamp='1262786374' post='443500']
[quote name='Jacob Shock' date='06 January 2010 - 10:08 PM' timestamp='1262772493' post='443488']
the problem is just as arcane says.

so its time to solve this problem 1 of 2 ways.

1. dont pack a full bowl
2. buy respectable coals. 3 kings suck. they burn 2 hot an destroy the flavor. they also taste "dirty". uses some coconaras and youl see.
[/quote]

I am looking forward to getting some decent coals, just the shipping costs to new zealand [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img]
[/quote]

Talking of luck, after the conversations last night I was in town today and saw a tiny turkish restaurant with hookahs in the window.... This is interesting I thought to myself, so i go in. Turns out I have found a supplier for proper natural wood coals!! A kilo sack of finger coals for NZ$15 (~$11US). So i'm going to give these a shot soon as i can. Also - i'm now very annoyed at myself for buying a chinese hookah, cos these guys sell KMs at about 1.5 times the price i payed for my chinese one [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif[/img].... Oh well, at least i can upgrade when I have the money [img]http://www.hookahforum.com/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]

Talk about coincidence, i'm just stoked and i'm ready for some hookah!




[/quote]


Sorry I jumped the gun on you over whether you wanted to break the coal up. I guess it's just how I read it. Good luck with the finger coals though. I love those things much more than say quicklights. Unless they are stargate coals, in that case they suck and you should run as far from them as you possibly can. I had to speed through 2 bags of em because they broke apart on me so much. Stupid choice that year.