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Possible Reason To Not Use Homemade Windcovers From Soda Or Energy Drink Cans.


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So this is not my post or research, but I thought it could be worth sharing.

Here is the original link

[url="http://www.reddit.com/r/hookah/comments/q2von/community_psa_do_not_use_cans_aluminum_or_tin_as/"]http://www.reddit.com/r/hookah/comments/q2von/community_psa_do_not_use_cans_aluminum_or_tin_as/[/url]



Pretty much what is being said is that many drink cans have a lining in them known as BPA that can cause harm. I am sure heating this up with coals can only help with the release...



Source for BPA in cans
[url="http://www.saferstates.com/2009/03/bpa-in-soda-cans.html"]http://www.saferstates.com/2009/03/bpa-in-soda-cans.html[/url]

and the wiki on it

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A[/url]

But its not like our hobby is the healthiest anyway. Take what you will from it. Thought it was worth a share I have always used a standard windcover so it does not affect me, but I do know some use their own crafty windcovers. It seems everything will kill us now a day anyway. But if there are "proven" things that can make our hobby potentially less harmful..
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I've been saying this ever since the first person to make one out of a Monster can posted about it. For those who don't have a WC, just make one out of foil - fold a large sheet of foil several times over into a piece about 8" x 16" or so, and roll it around something, and voila, instant ghetto windcover.
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Well, I have had wind covers that I have had to wash and scrub because after being on the top with the heat from the coals, the darn thing started peeling some kind of residue on the inside.

I have never made my own, except for the foil one when I didn't have the cover.
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Well, I've had to fashion my own wind covers because they are not available in India, but I find the soda cans flimsy at best, so I never made out one. I used the ghetto one made out of foil for quite sometime, but it always used to get torn or messed up after a couple uses, so I just did this.

1.) Found one of these.
[img]http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/8161/copperglassjug250x250.jpg[/img]

2.) Got one of these.
[img]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1172/rszdrillmachine768970.jpg[/img]

3.) ???
4.) Profit!
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[quote name='Hassouni' timestamp='1330125257' post='540379']
I've been saying this ever since the first person to make one out of a Monster can posted about it. For those who don't have a WC, just make one out of foil - fold a large sheet of foil several times over into a piece about 8" x 16" or so, and roll it around something, and voila, instant ghetto windcover.
[/quote]

This. I always figured there's probably some reason why they were not good to use, just never knew what it was. Thanks for the link, Float. Foil windcover is really the only windcover you'll ever need. I have a picture of one I made on my phunnel bowl back when I had my QT. On my phone right now, otherwise I'd post it.

+1 to Float, +1 to Chris.
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This discussion has me thinking . . . . I have a roll of flashing (the kind for roofs) out in the shop. I can't remember if it's galvanized steel or aluminum. I won't use it if it's galvanized, but I'm pretty sure it's aluminum. Shouldn't be too hard to cut out a piece the size I need, drill holes, and then curve it into a cylinder. I can crimp the edges or rivet them.

The handle needs to be wood. I'll look for one that will mount with just a couple of screws. No problem.

I'll get back to y'all after I figure it all out and make it.
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[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1330269016' post='540522']
This discussion has me thinking . . . . I have a roll of flashing (the kind for roofs) out in the shop. I can't remember if it's galvanized steel or aluminum. I won't use it if it's galvanized, but I'm pretty sure it's aluminum. Shouldn't be too hard to cut out a piece the size I need, drill holes, and then curve it into a cylinder. I can crimp the edges or rivet them.

The handle needs to be wood. I'll look for one that will mount with just a couple of screws. No problem.

I'll get back to y'all after I figure it all out and make it.
[/quote]

This sounds like an excellent project! Nothing like using something you can take pride in and say you made yourself. This is why I can't wait to move into a house with some sort of shop so I can make some of my own goodies. Let us know how it turns out! I'm very excited to see where you go with this.
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It turned out to be aluminum, so I went ahead and tried to see what I could do. I needed a cover tall enough to go over my small Tangiers when used with an adapter on the Elmas 628. The cover is 11" tall and about 5" in diameter. Right now it's just crimped because I'm out of rivets, so it'll be next week sometime before I can permanently seal it. I'll do that when I find a wood handle and can accomplish both tasks at the same time. If I get a chance this afternoon, I'll go ahead and use it to see how it works in practice.

[img]http://gmwaid.smugmug.com/Other/Misc/i-ggdf7GZ/0/M/closeupcover-M.jpg[/img]
By all means wear leather gloves when working with metal. :D
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My digital scales show it as 2.4 ounces. It will be a little heavier when riveted together and a handle added.

I was thinking wood handle, but the plastic kind used on cookware would work, too.

Any ideas on size and placement of ventilation holes? I just drilled some 2" down from the top; the finished one could have them anywhere and any size. Edited by gramps
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[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1330280251' post='540540']
My digital scales show it as 2.4 ounces. It will be a little heavier when riveted together and a handle added.

I was thinking wood handle, but the plastic kind used on cookware would work, too.

Any ideas on size and placement of ventilation holes? I just drilled some 2" down from the top; the finished one could have them anywhere and any size.
[/quote]
hmm how far away are those holes from the coals while sitting on the bowl?
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About 1.5" from the top of the coals to the middle of the holes. That's because I'm using a rather long brass adapter to go from a female stem opening to a female bowl. When I get the clay adapter from Mahir next week I'll measure again and make an adjustment.

I started with flashing that was 14" wide and sacrificed a piece about 17" long. I actually have a use for the roll I bought and won't be using any more of it for wind cover purposes, so the cost of 17" of it was of no consequence. You can buy aluminum flashing that is much narrower (and cheaper). A roll that is 6" wide and 50' long is about $12. That would make a ton of wind covers of 4" diameter and 6" tall. Well, about 45 of them.
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Got off early today so I went ahead and riveted the aluminum together. I couldn't find a suitable wood handle for a cheap price and wound up putting a small metal handle on it. It was only a buck at Lowes. If I eventually find a wood or heat-resistant plastic handle, this metal one can be replaced very easily - just two screws.
Handle = $1.00
Rivets = $0.25
Aluminum flashing = about a buck's worth
Labor = priceless

This photo shows the finished windcover next to the one that came with the Elmas.
It may not have fancy designs on it, but I've tried it and it works!
[img]http://gmwaid.smugmug.com/Other/Misc/i-b24Tbhw/0/L/withhandle-L.jpg[/img]
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[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1330462368' post='540838']
Got off early today so I went ahead and riveted the aluminum together. I couldn't find a suitable wood handle for a cheap price and wound up putting a small metal handle on it. It was only a buck at Lowes. If I eventually find a wood or heat-resistant plastic handle, this metal one can be replaced very easily - just two screws.
Handle = $1.00
Rivets = $0.25
Aluminum flashing = about a buck's worth
Labor = priceless

This photo shows the finished windcover next to the one that came with the Elmas.
It may not have fancy designs on it, but I've tried it and it works!
[img]http://gmwaid.smugmug.com/Other/Misc/i-b24Tbhw/0/L/withhandle-L.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
nice job, that thing is a beast.
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Thanks. Sometimes you just need a taller cover.

It's ugly and has sharp edges, but it does work. The next one, if I make another one, will look much better because I'm learning as I go along.
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I will personally tell you that compared to the tinfoil "windcover" I had been using for months. My tall KM Windcover I just got from Jon makes even quicklights last for ages and obviously looks a hell of alot more beautiful. I highly suggest just buying one. With the sheer amount of times youll use it, whats 20 bucks?
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That's true. I built this one to see if I could and to let others know it could be done cheaply. I've read posts on the forum where somebody was struggling to buy even an inexpensive hookah or bowl.
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