DIY High Performance Desktop Dry Herb Vaporizer

[siyanide]

Hey guys, I made this design and been improving it since 2020, it's a high performance convection type desktop dry herb vaporizer that works like a volcano dhv, it can be built for under 150 USD, and it works like a charm. All parts are examined and tested to be safe. It can be built under 1 hour. Hope u enjoy it
Any improvement ideas are also accepted.

 

[vaderizer]

Looks like a fun and innovative project you did there.

I have to wonder though, is there a cheaper, way less dangerous, easier to acquire, easier to set up and use, more portable, more efficient, pre-assembled device already available that looks less like something that belongs in an auto repair shop than something I want on my nightstand?

Not sure...

 

[Icon]

I like the initiative and drawings in the guide. The instructions could maybe be more readable in a numbered step format instead of paragraphs. I kind of skimmed it but it seems like it could be made to work.

I think there's still a big difference between getting it to work and getting it to work as well as a volcano. This reminds me of the vapor brothers design, which looks exactly like a hot air rework tool with a whip coming off it. My friend had one of those and while it worked, it wasn't in the same league as a volcano in terms of volume and density of vapor, and the equal heating of the material. I've been a volcano owner for over ten years and continue to notice features of its design that make it great.

But I'm sure this could work for vaping stuff.

 

[siyanide]

The thing about this design is... I think it's the most safe and convenient to build and use approach towards DIY desktop electronic vaping. The devices specifically mentioned in the guide all use the A1147 coil as the heating element. It has a ceramic core and the wire is NickelChromium.

The devices also have a borosilicate outer insulator. Most guides out there use a heatgun which commonly use fiberglass as insulators which are very very dangerous to inhale.
The design is also very efficient and powerful, producing relatively thick and powerful vapor. These devices pack a lot of power, it takes few seconds to heat up to desired temperature.
It's also very easy to use, just turn on, put the handle on the table, fill, insert, vape.
You may use a different material for the stopper part in the chamber other than paper, like steel mesh or wool, I never tried mesh but I think clogging may be problematic, and it may restrict a lot of airflow. More airflow results in thicker clouds. The thing about paper is that it absorbs the runny oil and prevents clogging, and you can vape the absorbed oil after you emptied the chamber, but it makes it a bit less efficient. I used less paper in my early designs and it had much better efficiency in producing thick clouds. But it had two major problems, first it shooted a lot of small parts inside the bag which then entered my mouth and sometimes airway while inhaling, second problem was that so much oil was escaping the chamber towards the bag.
This newest rolled up paper idea solved the problem with short w shaped paper, but clouds are somehow less thick.

You can also just use steel mesh or steel wool for vaping crystals like DMT.

 

[siyanide]

The instructions could maybe be more readable in a numbered step format instead of paragraphs.

Yeah sure, I'll definitely improve it in the future.

 

[siyanide]

cheaper

Cheaper than this? I'm not sure. A dynavap I think costs the same.

way less dangerous

This is not very dangerous. I have to make sure EVERYONE understands what they're dealing with and don't get ignorant, that's why I put all those caution and hazard marks and stuff. This is internet, everyone can reach my PDF. People use flame torches which are 20x more dangerous than a hot air station. Of course I want to make sure people are aware of the dangers of a flame torch when I'm making a guide which uses flame torches. Same principle for a hot air station.

easier to acquire

Hmmmm.... I mean.... everything can be bought online right?

easier to set up and use

Yeah. Definitely not cheaper or not as powerful.

more portable

Yeah of course, Definitely not cheaper and not as powerful.

more efficient

Not sure.... yeah but not cheaper?

pre-assembled device already available that looks less like something that belongs in an auto repair shop than something I want on my nightstand

Absolutely, but definitely not cheaper.
Not just the device itself, but also spare parts and bags are much much much cheaper.

 

[Icon]

The thing about this design is... I think it's the most safe and convenient to build and use approach towards DIY desktop electronic vaping. The devices specifically mentioned in the guide all use the A114 coil as the heating element. It has a ceramic core and the wire is NickelChromium.
View attachment 106794
The devices also have a borosilicate outer insulator. Most guides out there use a heatgun which commonly use fiberglass as insulators which are very very dangerous to inhale.
The design is also very efficient and powerful, producing relatively thick and powerful vapor. These devices pack a lot of power, it takes few seconds to heat up to desired temperature.
It's also very easy to use, just turn on, put the handle on the table, fill, insert, vape.
You may use a different material for the stopper part in the chamber other than paper, like steel mesh or wool, I never tried mesh but I think clogging may be problematic, and it may restrict a lot of airflow. More airflow results in thicker clouds. The the thing about paper is that it absorbs the runny oil and prevents clogging, and you can vape the absorbed oil after you emptied the chamber, but it makes it a bit less efficient. I used less paper in my early designs and it had much better efficiency in producing thick clouds. But it had two major problems, first it shooted a lot of small parts inside the bag which then entered my mouth and sometimes airway while inhaling, second problem was that so much oil was escaping the chamber towards the bag.
This newest rolled up paper idea solved the problem with short w shaped paper, but clouds are somehow less thick.

You can also just use steel mesh or steel wool for vaping crystals like DMT.

Those are some cool observations, I like your engineering mindset.

Is it just the oil from flower that is getting absorbed in the filter or are you vaping concentrates too? I guess for the price you can't beat paper. Could maybe try rolling a thin ribbon of metal instead, then you could soak it in alcohol to reclaim the oil. I guess you could do that with paper too, but part of that problem might be heat conductivity.

The warmer the parts in the airstream can get, the less vapor will prematurely deposit on surfaces, I would think. Could get a hollow metal dowel to line the inside of the wooden dowel, for starters. Maybe play around with running hot air through the system for 30 seconds to pre-heat it before filling the chamber and running the vapor through. Perhaps instead of the paper filter you could use a screen pinned between two bushings?

I notice a huge difference in how thick the vapor is when everything is clean on my device. Once the oil starts building up it's like a snowball effect - it catches the vapor more and more.

Oh yeah, maybe some explanations in the guide for why you want to do [that step]. The paper filter for example isn't immediately obvious to the reader why they should make it and use it. Maybe include an anecdote like you did for taping the bag seam. I use the same bags and the seams generally don't leak unless the bag has gotten so sticky it ripped when inflating, or melted a hole, or over-pressurized.

That is a big bag opening to close around a finger-sized dowel. The volcano uses a rubber ring, maybe it'd be worth trying a rubber band. Could maybe notch a groove in the dowel for the band to set in a bit so it doesn't slide off as easily.

 

[siyanide]

I like your engineering mindset.

Thanks! I like your engineering mindset too, thanks for reading the document carefully and giving improvement ideas!

are you vaping concentrates too?

No

The warmer the parts in the airstream can get, the less vapor will prematurely deposit on surfaces, I would think.

That's a very good point. I'll keep in mind.
The thing is, there's a sweet spot inside the chamber where everything vaporizes, since this device uses hot air, the airflow pushes some hot oils out of the sweet spot so instead of vaporizing, they run away from heat, paper kinda solved that problem. It holds them near the sweet spot so they get vaped eventually.

Could get a hollow metal dowel to line the inside of the wooden dowel

That's a really neat idea, I thought about that for a completely different problem, the wood itself also absorbs some oil, and it also may have some micro cracks which will leak oil over time. That will solve that too, the problem is I couldn't find suitable off the shelf parts to do that.

Perhaps instead of the paper filter you could use a screen pinned between two bushings?

I have no idea, never tried mesh screen, will probably work good.

maybe some explanations in the guide for why you want to do [that step]

Oh yeah I definitely should add a lot more explanation in the pdf, my first thought was to keep it simple and straightforward and avoid over explaining and over complicating it so anyone could easily build it.

That is a big bag opening to close around a finger-sized dowel. The volcano uses a rubber ring, maybe it'd be worth trying a rubber band.

Yeah I tried rubber before, it made the bag assembly a lot easier, and I always used clear tape over it to make it more secure, problem was the off the shelf good size rubber rings which I couldn't find, I used some rubber and knotted it to make a good fit, they all broke because of the knot. I never solved that area.

Another area that needs improvement is the mouthpiece, see u have to cover it with your finger all the time, except when you attach it to a bong or hookah or any other water pipe system.
I was thinking about those camel back water mouthpieces but they probably will restrict a lot of airflow.

 

[Icon]

That's a really neat idea, I thought about that for a completely different problem, the wood itself also absorbs some oil, and it also may have some micro cracks which will leak oil over time. That will solve that too, the problem is I couldn't find suitable off the shelf parts to do that.

Here's a link for 8mm OD x 6mm ID stainless steel capillary tubes

Eowpower 5 Pieces 304 Stainless Steel Round Capillary Metal Tube Tubing Pipe 8 X 6 mm, OD x ID Length 30 cm: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Eowpower 5 Pieces 304 Stainless Steel Round Capillary Metal Tube Tubing Pipe 8 X 6 mm, OD x ID Length 30 cm: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

I agree there's definitely a sweet spot with convection vapes. For my volcano I used a thermometer to measure the temp of the air coming out at various distances from the chamber (whip attached). It's crazy how much the air cools just inches past the chamber.

When you hook it up and turn the air on, is the chamber vertical or horizontal? Never thought about the air pushing oil out, but maybe if you stand the chamber vertical gravity could help. Although then you risk oil running down onto the heating element.