cafedelmar Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 anyone else have a similar problem?on the base of my stargate, between the plastic see through bit and the mettle, it wasn't quite sealed perfectly and so i always get water leaking through the gap. when i was putting a bowl together the other day, i noticed the paint/trim coming off right below that joint, and bits of brown beginning to form. i'll take some pictures soon and upload them.anyone else have this problem? id like to be proactive about it and stop it from rusting any further Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Damn, I would think that they would use aluminum and/or stainless on these. Any metals with iron content is taboo for longterm contact with water even if it is coated. I hope what you are seeing is anything but rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafedelmar Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/_4zim/IMG_0772.jpg[/img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/_4zim/IMG_0773.jpg[/img][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/_4zim/IMG_0774.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Nope..looks like rust to me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Do you have a magnet? Even a fridge magnet? See if it sticks to the base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioannisds Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Hmmmm... This never happened on my Stargate (which ghostofdavid owns now). I dunno. I only got that wierd copper oxidation inside the stem. I say do what Scalli says and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 If a magnet sticks to it I will be shocked. That is way too neat a designed hookah to have a major mistake in material selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushrat Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 scall: MISTAKE? thats awfully...niave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 [quote name='mushrat']scall: MISTAKE? thats awfully...niave?[/quote] Not naive at all. If they used a material with iron content when everybody else uses aluminum and stainless and it leads to corrosion problems I would think that is pretty naive on their part. But like I said that would shock me if it is a rust problem. No more than they would have saved in material cost there is no way you would do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unleashtheclown Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 No, they'll just put the blame on you. They use cheaper materials in them for a reason, they make more money. It definetely looks like rust to me and I'am no stranger to what rust looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafedelmar Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 magnet sticks to the base. not too strong a force between them, but definitely one present.i have to say i have been quite disappointed with this purchase. i wouldn't recommend a stargate to anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 [quote name='cafedelmar']magnet sticks to the base. not too strong a force between them, but definitely one present. i have to say i have been quite disappointed with this purchase. i wouldn't recommend a stargate to anyone[/quote] I am guessing it is thin gauge metal and probably powder coated. Powder coat is thicked compared to paint and with a thin gauge metal it would explain why the magnet would not grab hard.... that and a curved surface. Powdercoatings beat paints in most applications. But for a hookah if I wanted to have a colored metal it would be an anodized and dyed aluminum. It even looks better because it is translucent. Does the metal part of the base completely separate from the rest? It is a tough call on the longterm fix without seeing it all apart. Hopefully there is more to the story because the Stargate has been very high on the list of the ones I would like to have. Hopefully this is just a fluke and you can get it warrantied. I know the Novi uses tons of these and he has not mention this. Maybe since they use so many he can get you hooked up on getting yours fixed. Keep us updated. I have a powdercoat gun but I let a guy talk me into selling my oven when I sold my shop so that won't help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafedelmar Posted August 27, 2006 Author Share Posted August 27, 2006 here's a video of the magnet: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onTeNq38LO0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onTeNq38LO0[/url]Scali, the base dosn't separate into the plastic and the metal, I think it's glued together as one piece. Not too good a gluing job though, as water can and does seep through the junction (albeit very little, but enough to rust the thing obviously) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 That gets even trickier because you need to figure a good way to take it part and clean everything up without damaging anything. Rust is cancer to metal. Once it sets in you have to really get it all and seal it good. The biggest mistake is covering up rust. By the time it resurfaces you may not get a second chance to get it right. There is going to be rust between the plastic and metal. If it comes down to fixing it and you don't want to dick with it, pay shipping both ways and I'll give it my best shot. Hopefully you won't need to fix it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonthert Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 Stainless steel can rust, under the right conditions. What the Middle-Eastern companies, that I've seen, palm off as stainless steel is poorly made nickel-plated steel, that rusts as well...so six of one half dozen of another....like I always say, brass core hookahs are the best. They are probably using a heavy steel base to weigh the monster down and stabilize it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyGuy Posted August 27, 2006 Share Posted August 27, 2006 I would think that if you get off the rust and re-seal it yourself, that should work? That's if Taqseem can't help ya out... have you asked? I hope that mine doesn't do this when I get it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Lantern Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Your rusting case is interesting. Check out one of the posts by gunsboy near the middle of this [url="http://hookahforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4474&KW="]thread[/url].I guess he's having rusting issues as well, only his is a stargate rotator. Hope this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macho555 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Stupid question, but are you sure that your Stargate came from Taqseem, and isn't a imitation?Honestly I hope its another reason than rust, because I was getting ready to grit my teeth and buy a stargate as my larger hookah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalliwag Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 What I would strongly suggest to anyone that has one is to epoxy the areas where metal and plastic meet. I am guessing this is the same area Novi said he found the only flaw. Tangiers is correct about stainless in some cases being able to "rust", it's not the same as you think of iron rusting but corrosion just the same. Aluminum and other metals it's referred to as oxidation. Anyone that has ever pulled a aluminum part from a car engine that had straight water ran in it and seen the nasty pitting learns the hard way that while aluminum does not rust... does not mean it will not get fugged up something fierce. The thing most people don't realize is all the different grades of metals. When you hear people speak of Aircraft aluminum for example they are "usually referring to 6061 aluminum. When you get to talkin about tensile strengths and ductility and various other factors most people are blown away by how many variables there are. For all the different grades they have their different strengths and weaknesses. Some do not polish worth a shit. Some are so hard that machining is a total bitch and requires high dollar tooling. There is extremely soft and extremely hard aluminum, they all have areas where each is the best suited for a particular need.The bottom line in this instance is that even though liquid should not come into contact with the metal the manufacturer should plan for the worst.We could cover this subject for hours but for a dropdead gorgeous hookah this is a very unfortunate situation that needs to be remedied. More than likely the problem is developing because you wash them and water stays trapped where it is "supposed" to seal. If you seal the area better early on it will probably work as designed and last a very long time. Sorry guys, my welding and machining background got the best of me and I'm not trying to be a know-it-all because I don't. Trust me I was a welder in Texas for 17 years and anybody that has to put on a leather jacket in 100 degree weather and a hood on his head has more than a couple bolts missing... hell, look at my avatar! I ain'tsmart enough to pour piss out of a boot let alone make a nicer version of a Stargate hookah. These guys are more than capable of fixing this problem. Taqseem from EVERY one I have heard from even though he is just the vendor (I think) knows who butters his bread and takes care of his customers. so the last thing I want to sound like is I am crucifying anybody on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafedelmar Posted August 28, 2006 Author Share Posted August 28, 2006 Original Taqseem. I'm going to fire off an email to Taqseem inquiring about the problem now, just wanted to get some feedback and see if anyone else thought that it was actually rust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
novicafe Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 With all of our hookahs we have one had one that seem to rust in the base area. Although since we had so many stargates, and some extra bases we just swapped the bases. I would try calling Taqseem or emailing them. Big question though. Did you order your stargate straight from Taqseem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cafedelmar Posted August 28, 2006 Author Share Posted August 28, 2006 [quote name='novicafe']Big question though. Did you order your stargate straight from Taqseem?[/quote] Yup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsboy Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I complained about this before. I purchased the stargate rotator and it rusted in several places. I will try to take some pictures and post it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lakemonster Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Ive read some questions on this thread as to why they would make a product that has this type of problem.my answer: Chinese manufacturers dont give a flying sh1t about if it lasts or performs well. They care about making things cheaply and selling them in vast quantities. When folks find out that the product is inferior... it doesnt matter...by then they are off making something completely different for a whole different industry. Theres no Chinese fathers telling their sons that one day they will be great hookah makers as well..... cause junior will will be stamping out parts for some knock-off of an original invention that has yet to come about.So... long story short (if you read from my book)... if you get a chinese hookah of some "revolutionary design" you are most likely gonna have the problems that go along with "re-inventing the wheel".Chinese manufacturing has had a long track record for not taking the end consumer as serious as they should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunsboy Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 It took sometime for the images to load. You think this is rust ????? When you see the rust on mine, which is just like a month old. You will shed a tear for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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