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Baron23

Well-Known Member
This is a reprint of my first attempt to review my first vaporizer (well, my first good vape, that is). Just reposting to provide a place for discussion of this great device which has withstood the test of time for the very good reasons that it was well designed and well built.

My Volcano Blog - or my GREAT vaporizer and how I bored you senseless about it
Hi Boys and Girls – yes, the incredible endless poster, with his equally endless posts, is back again. If you need to blame anybody, try Flipz as he made the mistake of complimenting me on a post and allowed as how I should try to contribute more. Silly man. He clearly doesn’t know what kind of narcissistic ego he’s dealing with here!

If you just can’t stand it, please just do not read them. X-)

The subject of today’s screed is the process I went through to buy my Volcano and my initial experiences with it. This is actually going to be a bit of blog as I intend to keep coming back and updating this thread with the results of my continuing experience with the Volcano.

THE DEAL – I bought my Volcano via Vapor Nation, the retailer that Bud recommends in his review article. I looked around and could find what I wanted for a slightly better price, but some of these sources were eBay e-stores while other sources needed to be closely examined to see if it was an equal offering (e.g. found a source for the Digit that was about $100 cheaper…but it didn’t include any valve starter set which cost….wait for it, about $100). Also, different sources had different ‘freebees’, some of which I just didn’t care about, but all of this needs to be taken into consideration when evaluating price.

So, I went to Vapor Nation last Saturday and found their website to be clear, professional, and they carried everything I wanted to buy. I did have a choice of free shipping (NOT free overnight shipping though) or a Volcano soft bag. I opted for the soft bag as shipping by UPS was about $37 and the bag was $59. I did mention in the notes section of my online order that The Vapor Critic site showed free overnight shipping if ordered via his link but that I didn’t see this on their site. I indicated that I was ok with the deal as it was, but if they could do anything to speed my shipment to me without further charges, that would be way cool.

The first business day after I placed my order (Monday), I get a call from a nice chap at Vapor Nation telling me that they were going to ship overnight air at no additional costs. This was more than I expected and, quite frankly, more than I really deserved. Of course I accepted gratefully and I’ll let you in a little secret…stuff like this absolutely cements customer loyalty and I feel very favorable toward Vapor Nation and will buy from them as a first source, all else being equal or better.

THE ORDER - I ordered a Digit for the additional money over an analog (the Classic) as I am very interested in zeroing in on temps versus effects vs taste vs efficiency, blah, blah, blah. Hey, I have no life and I get excited about this kind of stuff. So, I wanted to have a very accurate temp reading and controller which is what I have.

For both the Digit and the Classic, the vaporization temperature range is adjustable between 104°F and 446°F (40°C and 230°C). For the Classic, the temp range is 266°F and 446°F (130°C and 230°C). Hard to see this as a significant difference.

Likewise, temperature accuracy for the Digit is ±2,7°F (±1,5°C) while for the Classic its Temperature accuracy ±9°F (± 5°C). Again, hard to make a Federal case out of this.

Bottom line, I like buttons and flashing LEDs so I ordered the Digit…that and the Digit should theoretically give me better precision in reproducing temp settings, but we are talking about vaping herb here, not a lunar space shot.

I ordered it with the Easy Valve Starter Kit included. Although I can see myself making bags on a solid valve, and the solid valve seems like a real piece of machining and craft, the Easy Valve is, well…easy and I’m a beginner. I can always order a solid valve at a later date if I find the need.

I also purchased an additional box of Easy Valve balloons (6 ea./box), Easy Valve Wear and Tear set for a whopping $12 (like a boy scout, always be prepared), and a set of fine screens (not sure what I need them for, but they were cheap and would probably cost more to ship than cost if I found a need for them later. Hey, anybody have any input on the fine screens and what to use them for?).

Figure 1- The stuff I bought
pzdr5h1h7kclgdzp.jpg


THE SHIPMENT – My shipment arrived at 10:30 am eastern the next business day so I not only got overnight from Torrance, CA I also got AM delivery. Vapor Nation is awesome!

THE PACKAGING – not sure why this is such an area of interest but I do see this factor evaluated on a number of review sites. To me, if it showed up in one piece and working then the packaging obviously worked…what more can you want? But, people seem interested and the packaging is very nice so why not give up some kudos. See pics below:

Figure 2- Sturdy and Well Packaged Volcano Digit
dparvlqe0ivzcezb.jpg


Figure 3 - yes, more packaging...sigh
dgeiusp1571vuhmd.jpg


Figure 4 - check for unbroken seal to ensure new from manf
wdzs759h4xl26ua3.jpg


Figure 5- Easy Valve Starter Kit - very nice
sohwfwvtq71pm8v8.jpg


THE MANUAL – can you believe that this vaporizer actually comes with a coherent, comprehensive, and understandable manual….in real English!! Wow, try that with your made in China box mod. LOL

Figure 6 - Manual is in real English and Everything!
fnmdtdo98hxc4ra0.jpg



Bought my Volcano - thanks for the advise
After a number of ridiculously long posts and questions from myself, kindly answered by Flipz, AJ85, and others, I pulled the plug on a Volcano Digit and purchased it from Vapor Nation.

I went for the Easy Valve as after I get more experience with this vaporizer, I can always buy the solid valve later if I find the need.

The Vapor Critic site, as well as input from individuals, was extraordinarily helpful and I would like to offer my thanks. Many review sites seem to me to just be shills for manf's. Bud is upfront about his commercial relationship with vendors but these relationships certainly do not seem to impinge on his objectivity making his reviews an invaluable resource to me.

I'm an older guy and buying a very expensive vaporizer won't break the bank for me. Nonetheless, it is a fairly expensive purchase for this purpose and I did want to feel totally comfortable that I was making the right choice.

Like perhaps many on this site, I started with a lower end box mod and an "herb" coil/tank that somebody gave me. Then followed a series of small purchases of stuff I will never use for herb (a Cloutank M4 for example) which improved my knowledge and first hand experience but in many cases was money for nothing except my further education. Hey, experience....you can't buy it, but you will pay for it. LOL

Where I am at now is I have a nice rig for concentrates (eLeaf iStick TC 100W with Divine Tribe ceramic atomizer which works great) and a Smite which is a re-branded Flower Mate Pro for a herb portable.

The Flower Mate (Smite) has actually provide pretty acceptable performance for me after a bit of experience and using some of Bud's tips. In particular, fine grind and tamping down (no matter what the manual says) works well with this unit. I have also found that stepping up the temp every couple or few draws (from like 360F stepping up to 420F) seems to gets the maximum out of my product and provide the desired result.

But the Flower Mate still didn't hit my sweet spot so after a lot of research I decided to pull the trigger on a Volcano for home herb vaping and I'm looking forward to it.

My next direction will be to buy a Fire Fly 2 when they are available and some field experience is out there. I think between the Volcano, the concentrate rig, and the FF2 I will be set....but I have been down this road before with other enthusiasms and wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a whole collection. :-)

Once again, thanks to everybody for all of their patience and support.

NOTE: after the FF2 came out, I not only didn't buy it, I'm very glad I didn't buy it. This review is pretty old.
 
Another reprint from some time ago

Water Tool, a GonG Adapter, and a Volcano Bag
I love my Volcano. Don't have any criticism of it at all with the exception that its not easy to figure out a way to use a water tool with it. Don't get me wrong, generally I think the straight bag is just fine. What the heck, with a bag vape and a constant speed fan you are going to get some dilution to the vapor anyway and you can easily give it a minute to cool if you like. However, I do vape for sedative effects and that includes fairly high temp (e.g. 422 F) and cooking up a little sandwich of herb and shatter in a reduced chamber dosing capsule. Sometimes even the Volcano gets dry and irritating.

So I saw for sale at Planet Vape a GonG that would replace the Easy Valve mouthpiece and mate to a 14 or 18 mm female adapter.
http://www.planetvape.ca/volcano-easy-valve-gong-adapter.html

So I got one and this what it looks like compared to an EV mouthpiece:
5n3hc7sodtdiwezx.jpeg


You can see here how easily this adapter will fit into your WP and mate an EV bag
7u7wd8ush4kydxt7.jpeg


And here is the water tool with the bag on it
ts5l8zok65mrmvdz.jpeg


My impressions...well, not as good as I had hoped:

1. Bag vapor is, generally by nature, a bit more diluted and this gets more so when taking it in through a water tool...or so it seems to me
2. Bag gets in the way a bit. I would hate to have to try this with a dewar type glass
3. Just found it awkward to shut off by lifting bag...sometimes entire GonG came with it.

My overall impression is that for a couple of bucks, its pretty dang nice to have in your accessory kit for those heavy, rougher vapor, sessions. But seems a bit like gilding the Lilly for day in and day out use.

YMMV
 
Got asked to do a mushroom style MP for the solid valve, first one is Tulipwood and ended up looking a little too phallic. It was just a trial piece so I wasn't worried about it's looks.

The 2nd and 3rd ones are Conway Stewart Classic Green Italian Acrylic and are much nicer. All fitted with a SS condenser.

I'll be sending them out next week and look forward to a bit of feedback.
 
I have a number of vapes and my Volcano Digit has been languishing but I started recently using it again regularly.

My state went med legal in Dec and in a bit of over enthusiasm I bought eighths everywhere of a lot of flower to try and see what I liked in our new market. I should bought grams as I now have some flower that I just wasn't crazy for. Not bad, just not crazy for it.

So, in an effort to consume said "not great" flower I broke out my Cano and have been using it thus: .25 - .3 g in an easy valve, temp to 446, put the bag on after a five count from turning on the fan, and fill one completely milky bag that puts me away (I vape for nighttime pain and sedation so getting put away is kind of my thing).

I will put a second bag but its wispy....but just to make sure, I do it.

Not the most efficient way for flower consumption, perhaps, but wow does it work and work wonderfully. I get like ten thick milky hits from that first bag and I'm def medicated.
 
Another reprint from some time ago

Water Tool, a GonG Adapter, and a Volcano Bag
I love my Volcano. Don't have any criticism of it at all with the exception that its not easy to figure out a way to use a water tool with it. Don't get me wrong, generally I think the straight bag is just fine. What the heck, with a bag vape and a constant speed fan you are going to get some dilution to the vapor anyway and you can easily give it a minute to cool if you like. However, I do vape for sedative effects and that includes fairly high temp (e.g. 422 F) and cooking up a little sandwich of herb and shatter in a reduced chamber dosing capsule. Sometimes even the Volcano gets dry and irritating.

So I saw for sale at Planet Vape a GonG that would replace the Easy Valve mouthpiece and mate to a 14 or 18 mm female adapter.
http://www.planetvape.ca/volcano-easy-valve-gong-adapter.html

So I got one and this what it looks like compared to an EV mouthpiece:
5n3hc7sodtdiwezx.jpeg


You can see here how easily this adapter will fit into your WP and mate an EV bag
7u7wd8ush4kydxt7.jpeg


And here is the water tool with the bag on it
ts5l8zok65mrmvdz.jpeg


My impressions...well, not as good as I had hoped:

1. Bag vapor is, generally by nature, a bit more diluted and this gets more so when taking it in through a water tool...or so it seems to me
2. Bag gets in the way a bit. I would hate to have to try this with a dewar type glass
3. Just found it awkward to shut off by lifting bag...sometimes entire GonG came with it.

My overall impression is that for a couple of bucks, its pretty dang nice to have in your accessory kit for those heavy, rougher vapor, sessions. But seems a bit like gilding the Lilly for day in and day out use.

YMMV
Baron,
I don’t need anything really.
Now you have me so interested in the VOLCANO?
Never had a bag?
Da PLENTY impressed me so much? (@LesPlenty & @Vitolo made it happened)
Now add a VOLCANO to da rotation?
I love what I have already however lust 4 things have come back 2 haunt me?
 
Last edited:
Baron,
I don’t need anything really.
Now you have me so interested in the VOLCANO?
Never had a bag?
Da PLENTY impressed me so much? (@LesPlenty & @Vitolo made it happened)
Now add a VOLCANO to da rotation?
I love what I have already however lust 4 things have come back 2 haunt me?
Hi Ataxian - I run my Digit Volcano hot these days...446 F on the temp dial. Pulls milky full bags. A bag or two and I'm ready for bed. Not the most efficient vape for flower but its pretty cheap in CA, right?
 
Yes one of the bubblers was a DO20.
Good eye!
Funny U!

I have a D020 from the sunshine store at dhgate (1 of da 1st I got from there)
4 decades paper joint’s were my go 2!

In EUROPE I learned 2 enjoy WINE.
Mixing TOBACCO with CANNABIS got me to quit 4 a time!
VAS is a disease that is hard to shake?
The VOLCANO has got my attention?
COLAS might B decent with this method!
Da PLENTY changed my POV?
 
A legit Volcano for $29.99? Really doesn't seem possible. :uhh:

It seems like their prices are all over the place. They've got two different prices for the Herbalizer; $39.99 and $599.00.... Let us know what happens.
I have no experience with bag’s?
I guess I don’t fit in?

One Day I will try a VOLCANO?
Please forgive my lack of experience?
Just started VAPING this decade!
Growing CANNABIS with nature only is OLD SCHOOL 4 some?
One daze i’ll B =CIVILIZED
 

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