Ugh, Consistently Harsh And Thin Smoke

[Yasseah]

Lately I haven't been able to smoke a bowl without it getting really harsh within 10 minutes or so. I've been using Al Waha and Al Fakher and Coco-Nara coals.

I'm using the small green clearance hookah from H-S.com(The vase to the Vortex shattered ) with a small mod bowl. I've tried overpacking, underpacking, packing tight, packing loose, double-wrapping the foil, 2 coals, 1 coal, 2 halves of a coal, more holes, less holes, bigger holes, smaller holes... no matter what I do, in about 10 minutes or so, I can't even pull on it without having a coughing fit. And the smoke is pretty thin. I'm mixing the shisha well. Not sure what else to try? Edited December 15, 2010 by Yasseah

[Cp44]

Check the blow off valve and make sure the ball and valve are clean? Using the correct amount of water in the base? Try squeezing some juice out of the tobacco. I smoked AF in my KM with 2 coco coals in a large clay bowl with no issues. You Try shaking the head a little?

[Yasseah]

^You mean, shake the bowl after it's packed?

I have the water about a half inch or so above the end of the stem. I'll try squeezing some juice out of the AF.

[IainUM]

maybe add some more water? this is a tough one. maybe it is just the hookah. maybe try smoking another one (if you have friends that own one or something like that) and try packing the same stuff in that to see if it is you or the hookah. it may also have something to do with the bowl. do you have any other bowls you could try using?

[Cp44]

[quote name='Yasseah' timestamp='1292438260' post='491431']
^You mean, shake the bowl after it's packed?

I have the water about a half inch or so above the end of the stem. I'll try squeezing some juice out of the AF.
[/quote]

yup

[Yasseah]

Should I be acclimating the shisha?

Should you do that with all shisha or just tangiers?

[Cp44]

You dont have to acclimate AF

[Epoch]

[quote name='Yasseah' timestamp='1292435828' post='491429']
I'm using the small green clearance hookah from H-S.com(The vase to the Vortex shattered ) [b]with a small mod bowl[/b].
[/quote]

Switch back to a bowl you're more comfortable with.

[dizzbizz]

[quote name='Epoch' timestamp='1292455164' post='491459']
[quote name='Yasseah' timestamp='1292435828' post='491429']
I'm using the small green clearance hookah from H-S.com(The vase to the Vortex shattered ) [b]with a small mod bowl[/b].
[/quote]

Switch back to a bowl you're more comfortable with.
[/quote]

Maybe thats his only bowl?

Well this is how I pack AF.
Mix it all together, grab a bunch with 3 fingers, sprinkle it in to the rim, a little passed isn't bad. Make sure the foil is on taught, and poke holes to the bottom. Flip the bowl over and blow through the bottom. Put on the hookah and I say 2 whole coals would be good or 3 halves.

[king_lunchb0x]

i have had the same trouble in the past and never figured out what the hell i was dong wrong... i used mini mya acrylic with a HJ mini phunnel and it was so harsh i couldn't even finish the bowl. I never figured out why it was so harsh so i just gave up..A [b]theory[/b] i had was that the smoke wasnt cooling down fast enough...especially since i was leaving an extra coal in the tray thus transferring a lot heat to the stem...i mean almost to the point of unable to touch the stem a few inches below the tray... but i gave up trying to solve this after a while and smoked out of my tall hookah which was smooth as a babies bottom. i dunno if that really helps at all but maybe try leaving any extra coals in a coal holder or on the stove.... also try using ice water?

[redjako]

Waha you need to tightly pack to the rim.

Fakhr you need to lightly sprinkle / fluff to the rim.

...water level CAN make a diff, try it very low (like 1 cm under water) and over (1" IN water).

That is not the most determinate factor. Its packing and heat.

What else?

Edit: Smaller hookahs are less forgiving for heat management.

Pack it better, then report. Use WARM room temp water (you aren't at the level to fuck around with ice, etc). Edited December 16, 2010 by redjako

[Arcane]

you're most likely using too much heat...

[Canon]

Its the heat management. use 1 QL (if your using QL's) or 2 coco coals and a windcover.

when the smoke starts to get thin put a windcover on it to heat up the tobacco. I know thats the opposite of what you want to do but it works. if that doesnt work then move the coals to another part of the bowl and put the windcover on until the smoke is thick.

Also try blowing into the bottom part of the bowl before you move the coals.

[Rowe2ry]

Try one coal broken in half with a wind cover, loosly packed sheisha, don't let the sheisha touch the foil direclty (leave a small gap) give the bowl 5 to 10 mins to heat while drawing slowly, remove wind cover and try from there.

[ih303]

[quote name='Arcane' timestamp='1292464389' post='491478']
you're most likely using too much heat...
[/quote]

^
This

I doubt this has anything to do with your hookah. As far as your pack goes, I'd stay away from underpacking since the more tobacco you use the less dramatic your temperature fluctuations will be. I'd take a look at your hole pattern. Lots of holes and/or larger holes increase the intensity of the heat transferred into your tobacco increasing the probability of your tobacco getting too hot and burning. I don't know what your holes look like, but poking three rings of holes with a corn-cob skewer seems to work out for me.

And to piggyback on what Arcane said, I don't mess with spitting coals. When I start a bowl of AF I generally throw on three Coconaras to get it started and then pull one once I start getting that thick, sultry AF smoke.

Give this a try and let us know what happens, m'kay?

[Yasseah]

[quote name='Canon' timestamp='1292465596' post='491480']
Its the heat management. use 1 QL (if your using QL's) or 2 coco coals and a windcover.

[/quote]

2 coco's has been harsh city for me.

If I run into a good deal on another vase for my Mya Vortex than I'll try again with that hookah, I seemed to have better success with that one. Until then I think I'm gonna forget about hookah because my lungs can't take any more

Thanks for all the help guys

[ih303]

We've failed, guys. One more hookah casualty. <sniffle><sniffle>

I'm surprised the vultures aren't pouncing trying to get this guy's gear like they do everytime someone says they're quitting. Hmm... Must've slipped under the radar.

[king_lunchb0x]

bummer...i think the smaller the hookah the harder to manage...imo

[joytron]

Probably its not airtight, I have had issues where it feels like its on the verge of burning but there the smoke is not up to par. Turns out its usually something like the hose got loose.