The Triple H (hand-held Hookah)

[tingjunkie]

Greetings hookah forum people! My name is Mike, and I just joined this forum. It looks like an awesome community with a great deal of good info. I'm relatively new to smoking Hookah (1 year +/-), so I am looking forward to learning from the seasoned veterans out there.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a design I came up with for a really nice hand-held hookah. I think I just got lucky with this one... It's my first attempt, but it smokes SOOOO nice.






Here's what you'll need...

1) Rubber Stopper- to fit ice tea bottle (Hardware Store)
2) Small Stainless Funnel (Kitchen Store)
3) Stainless Tea Ball w/Mesh Top & Stainless Bottom (Kitchen Store)
4) Aluminum Tube aprox 9" - should fit close inside bottom of funnel (Hobby Store)
5) Copper Tube aprox 12" (Hobby Store)
6) JB Weld ™ Epoxy (Hardware Store)
8) Arizona ™ Ice Tea Bottle
9) Drill or Dremmel Tool

Instructions

- Drill a hole through the stopper to fit the aluminum tube, one for the copper tube, and a third for a vent hole (to blow stale smoke out).
- Insert the tubes as shown in the pictures. The aluminum tube should stick out above the stopper by about 1/2 inch. Bend the copper tube carefully into a mouthpiece (hose) so it won't flatten or crimp.
- Epoxy the funnel to the top of the aluminum tube. Create a good seal. Allow to dry completely. This will be the outside of the shisha bowl.
- Epoxy the rim of the tea ball to the rim of the funnel. Create a good seal. Make sure to avoid getting epoxy on the hinge. (You may need to file down the rim of the funnel a little to accommodate the hinge of the tea ball. I did.) Allow to dry completely. This is now the inside of the shisha bowl.
- That's all there is to it. You're done! Maybe just paint/decorate the bottle.

Good Things to Know About This Hookah
- Super portable.
- Super easy to clean. Does not retain smells at all.
- The mesh tea ball cover keeps the coal from falling out- even when walking around or sharing with drunk friends! (I just use a small paperclip to keep it locked down.) Easy to just blow old ashes out the side too!
- The epoxy is rated to be resistant to 500 degrees F (this is a scientific fact), so no worries about fumes/chemicals (this is only my opinion and not scientific fact. I am not a doctor, and I make no claims to any health effects caused by using epoxy for this project.).
- Very durable.
- Cheap to make- less than $15
- Looks kinda nice.
- Smokes really, really, really, surprizingly well. BIG white fluffy clouds. Perfect size bowl. (I think.)
- OH... just remember to cover the third hole in the stopper with your finger when you draw. To get rid of stale smoke, remove finger from vent hole, and just blow into the pipe (hose) gently. Too hard, and the water will go back up and wet the shisha.

ENJOY! MacGyver would be proud, hmm? Edited March 6, 2007 by tingjunkie

[fewwdragon]

This makes me giggle. In a good man-ly way of course

[Lakemonster]

Cool!

Use of Dremel for bonus score!

+50 WECSOH points!

[stevehookah]

First I saw of this.. Put it into my memory for when mine busts..

GOOD show!!
-cheers-

[QdMaster]

you can buy a set of springs from the hardware store(4.99?) for bending brass tubing so you don't flatten/crimp the tube

[tingjunkie]

Here's a video of my little guy in action...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fZROqYKPjc


After I made the video I started getting thicker clouds too! Too lazy to make a new one to prove it.

[web250]

That's really really cool.

[GThookah]

You shouldn't use copper pipe. It is poisonous.

"

Toxicity
All copper compounds, unless otherwise known, should be treated as if they were toxic. Thirty grams of copper sulfate is potentially lethal in humans. The suggested safe level of copper in drinking water for humans varies depending on the source, but tends to be pegged at 1.5 to 2 mg/L. The DRI Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults of dietary copper from all sources is 10 mg/day. In toxicity, copper can inhibit the enzyme dihydrophil hydratase, an enzyme involved in haemopoiesis.

Symptoms of copper poisoning are very similar to those produced by arsenic. Coppery eructations and taste. Fatal cases are generally terminated by convulsions, palsy, and insensibility.

In cases of suspected copper poisoning, albumen is to be administered in either of its forms which can be most readily obtained, as milk or whites of eggs. Vinegar should not be given. The inflammatory symptoms are to be treated on general principles, and so of the nervous.

A significant portion of the toxicity of copper comes from its ability to accept and donate single electrons as it changes oxidation state. This catalyzes the production of very reactive radical ions such as hydroxyl radical in a manner similar to fenton chemistry.^[8] This catalytic activity of copper is used by the enzymes that it is associated with and is thus only toxic when unsequestered and unmediated. This increase in unmediated reactive radicals is generally termed oxidative stress and is an active area of research in a variety of diseases where copper may play an important but more subtle role than in acute toxicity.

An inherited condition called Wilson's disease causes the body to retain copper, since it is not excreted by the liver into the bile. This disease, if untreated, can lead to brain and liver damage. In addition, studies have found that people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia had heightened levels of copper in their systems. However it is unknown at this stage whether the copper contributes to the mental illness, whether the body attempts to store more copper in response to the illness, or whether the high levels of copper are the result of the mental illness.

Too much copper in water has also been found to damage marine life. The observed effect of these higher concentrations on fish and other creatures is damage to gills, liver, kidneys, and the nervous system. It also interferes with the sense of smell in fish, thus preventing them from choosing good mates or finding their way to mating areas." -Wikipedia

[tingjunkie]

Thanks for the concern GT, and for taking the time to post the info.

However...
-The copper tubing is never heated, it's only the part which the cooled smoke passes through.
-Copper cookware is highly regarded by chefs as being some of the best cookware on earth... http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/ckw/ck...wmvlb/index.cfm

If I could fry eggs in a copper pan, and not worry, then I think letting smoke pass through copper pipe is ok. Who knows, maybe I willl switch to stainless tubing if I find some of the right size, but for now, I don't think the copper is a hazard.

[prime]

ha party hookahs are legit

[tingjunkie]

No problems. Just funny looks.

[Echo_419]

Could you possibly make a more in depth tutorial or take a picture of it all taken apart? I'm a more visual learner than Reading.

[tingjunkie]

Could you possibly make a more in depth tutorial or take a picture of it all taken apart? I'm a more visual learner than Reading.

Unfortunately, I made it before I knew the hookah forum even existed, and I didn't take any pictures at various stages during the construction process. All the pieces are now epoxied together and it does not come apart (except the whole apparatus can be removed from the bottle as seen in the pics). If you decide to try and build one, you can always PM me and I would be happy to give you any extra instruction.

[jordanneff]

That's really awesome dude! Though, it'd be even better if you kept the Arizona label on the bottle haha

[Turtle]

You know, i'd be really interestesd in building one of these, (looks perfect for long car rides). My question though... what's the inner diameter of both bits of tubing? outer diameter too, for that money.

[tingjunkie]

You know, i'd be really interestesd in building one of these, (looks perfect for long car rides). My question though... what's the inner diameter of both bits of tubing? outer diameter too, for that money.

Yep, ideal for vehicular hookah applications

I recently moved, and I didn't even bring a ruler with me (dumb). So I can't tell you the diameter of the tubes. It really shouldn't matter as long as...
1) The aluminum tube fits inside the bottom part of the funnel with a little room to spare for epoxy.
2) You leave yourself enough room to drill 3 holes in the rubber stopper.
As long as you follow these rules you should be good. If I had to guess, I would say the outer diameter of the aluminum tube is 9/32", and the brass is 7/32".

[Turtle]

Alright, I'll experiment a little and see what i can come up with. Do you mind me making a "How-To" on building one of these after I get mine built?

[tingjunkie]

Alright, I'll experiment a little and see what i can come up with. Do you mind me making a "How-To" on building one of these after I get mine built?

Not at all! Always looking for better/different design ideas. I would love to see how your's turns out.

[edo]

i was about to make one of these so i did some research on epoxy... bisphenol A (BPA) is the hardener they use with epoxy...


Possible health risks
BPA has been known to leach from plastics which are cleaned with harsh detergents or used to contain acidic or high temperature liquids. The chemical is found in most people who live in developed countries at very low concentrations.

BPA can activate estrogen receptors leading to similar physiological effects as the body's own estrogens. The first evidence of BPA's estrogenicity came from experiments in the 1930s in which it was fed to ovariectomised rats^[4],^[5]. Some hormone disrupting effects in studies on animals and human cancer cells have been shown to occur at levels as low as 2-5 ppb (parts per billion). It has been claimed that these effects lead to health problems such as, in men, lowered sperm count and infertile sperm.



if the epoxy is 500f degree rated, does that mean that the chemical wont leach out despite the heat from the coal?

p.s. i got that from answers.com

[Akkbar]

I'm planning to make a hookah completely out of glass, with plastic hoses. Let's see anyone get cancer from that!

[tingjunkie]

if the epoxy is 500f degree rated, does that mean that the chemical wont leach out despite the heat from the coal?

Good info, and good question. I can't honestly say that I am 100% positive that no chemicals are being leached out. Then again, I'm not 100% sure that putting a burning hot coal on top of punctured aluminum foil doesn't release any chemicals either.

Not that this proves anything, but the only thing I can tell you for certain is that I have smoked my hookah many times, and I never had a headache, or nausea, or any noticeable ill-heath effects. But then again, if tiny amounts of chemicals are being put into my body, I very well might not notice in the first place. I guess all I can tell you is to build and use the hookah at your own risk.

Or, think of a better way to attach the tea ball to the funnel which doesn't use epoxy. I'm sure there must be a way to do it. Let us know if you think of anything.

Actually, this reminds me: If anyone knows how to go about having an apparatus like this machined by professionals, please let me know. If I could find a way to have the tea ball actually built into a funnel with an elongated stem, then it would all be one piece, and epoxy wouldn't be required at all. I could even get 50-100 0f them made and sell them to people on this forum for cheap. Edited March 6, 2007 by tingjunkie

[tingjunkie]

I'm planning to make a hookah completely out of glass, with plastic hoses. Let's see anyone get cancer from that!

1) The article implies that the chemical in the epoxy might cause lower sperm count, not cancer.
2) It's what you put IN the hoookah which causes cancer. Your glass and plastic hookah can't stop that unfortunately.

[The fabulous Ian]

Thanks for the concern GT, and for taking the time to post the info.

However...
-The copper tubing is never heated, it's only the part which the cooled smoke passes through.
-Copper cookware is highly regarded by chefs as being some of the best cookware on earth... http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/ckw/ck...wmvlb/index.cfm

If I could fry eggs in a copper pan, and not worry, then I think letting smoke pass through copper pipe is ok. Who knows, maybe I willl switch to stainless tubing if I find some of the right size, but for now, I don't think the copper is a hazard.

I've got to say, your Triple H is a damn brilliant idea. But, I've got to throw my two cents in. As a (kind of) chef, I've got to tell you that we do our best to avoid copper exactly because of it's toxic properties. If you'll notice, most if not all copper cookware available has a copper base or exterior, but a stainless steel coating on all parts of the cookware that touches food. Copper is used because of it's ability to conduct heat evenly and rapidly while the stainless steel coatings will keep your food from killing the kids. Even says so on that very website. So for the sake of your health, you might want to do a quick re-design. But then, I'm no doctor or metallurgist, so I could be as wrong as anyone else.

Hooray! My first post.

[tingjunkie]

I've got to say, your Triple H is a damn brilliant idea. But, I've got to throw my two cents in. As a (kind of) chef, I've got to tell you that we do our best to avoid copper exactly because of it's toxic properties. If you'll notice, most if not all copper cookware available has a copper base or exterior, but a stainless steel coating on all parts of the cookware that touches food. Copper is used because of it's ability to conduct heat evenly and rapidly while the stainless steel coatings will keep your food from killing the kids. Even says so on that very website. So for the sake of your health, you might want to do a quick re-design. But then, I'm no doctor or metallurgist, so I could be as wrong as anyone else.

Hooray! My first post.

Well I stand corrected. My apologies to GT. Thanks for the info Ian, and I'm honored that you spent your first post on my little invention.

[teox]

this is SICKKKK
im making one... with no copper and no epoxy. haha

maybe plastic hoses and clear masking tape? its finals week right now but ill make it afterwards. thanks alot for the idea this is really cool Edited March 12, 2007 by teox