Brass Foil Screen

[f27tami]

Hello all,

I'd like to share a bit of kit I've figured out. I've posted this elsewhere, some might have seen my post

I know that most people just idolise aluminium foil, but I find it a bit wasteful, so I've been looking for alternatives. I've hit on using an .002" thick brass foil that is obtained at hobby shop/outlets, made by K&S Engineering:
[img]http://www2.gpmd.com/image/k/k%2Bsr6005.jpg[/img]



I put the foil over the bowl just like an aluminium foil screen would go, after first heating the brass foil on a stove to cook off any coatings that might have been on the brass. I saw no smoke, although the foil did discolour, but the discolouration didn't surprise me. Please see below pix of the installation of the brass foil:
[img]http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5940219635_963036943a_z.jpg[/img]


[img]http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5940220701_47e9990de6_z.jpg[/img]



[font="verdana, geneva, lucida,"]I used the brass screen on an Egyptian bowl packed with Nakhla DA, two coconaras. At first I couldn't get enough heat (three coals would have done I think). But then I put the windcover over and -BAM!- went off like gangbusters and I had good smoke, good flavor and over an hour sesh.

if you ask me, it's best of both worlds: foil's heat mgmt and small holes to keep ash out, and ease and reusability of the steel screen.
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Someone suggested that this wouldn't be 'airtight' like aluminium foil, and I will address that suggestion by stating that aluminium foil isn't airtight either (unless you're sealing it with silicone or similar).

Keepin' it green,
t.

[Stuie]

Interesting. Let's know how many bowls it lasts.

How much does that stuff cost, and how many can screens can you make from that one roll?

[Chreees]

How is it with Tangiers?

[f27tami]

Lessee... the roll of foil was around $20 with shipping ($6-8 just for the roll if you can source locally), and I can make probably 20 or more of these things with it. 12"x30" roll, you do the math.

To be honest, I do believe the one will last indefinitely - at the very least as long as a steel screen but then brass won't rust, so maybe longer

For me it's not really about my cost, and I am not implying anything having to do with price per se. I'm more interested in reusability, trying to be a little easier on the Earth.

edit:
I only smoke Nakhla so I can't speak to other mu'assel Edited July 20, 2011 by f27tami

[r1v3th3ad]

interesting...I used to always reuse foil when I used small, medium, or large tangiers phunnel bowls...now I use my alien bowls 95% of the time and cant reuse the foil anymore

[Scrappydoo]

Keepin' it green,
t.
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This is a great idea, I am going to try to find some as well.
How much thicker is it than foil? Did you find you had to adjust anything?

[TheyCallMeDave]

Albeit this being a good idea and probably more enjoyable for some, I waaaaay to OCD about my foil to reuse it multiple times, let alone just once more. Cleaaaaaan, shiny, fresh foil every time for me, thank ya.

[Fusion]

I always feel terrible about how wasteful it is to constantly be using so much aluminum foil, I'm definitely going to check into this and see how it works!

[f27tami]

Well I've only just tried this, so it's all up for experimentation. I'd heard that brass screens are frequently used in the mideast so I decided to try it.

As to thickness... this particular brass foil is .002" as I've said. Household aluminium foil is around 13 micrometers, so .0005 (and change) inches.

Since it's a good thing keeping the shisha from burning, I should think the thickness not necessarily bad. Also if you look at the pic, the brass is somewhat domed above the bowl.

wiki on aluminium foil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_foil

I have no problem with sharing some of my leftover, the sheet was plenty large for many screens.