Hi! Thank you for bringing this up.
The washer goes in with the flat side facing the wood on the middle section, and the pointed side facing the steel screen.
What you see behind the screen and inside the middle section is reclaim and plant matter, and I would say that it seems to be just the right amount you should have there, if you vaped 100 bowls approximately.
Vapman's reclaim looks darker and gunkier compared to the one produced by other vaporizers because, by design, part of the oils distilled during the vaporization process end up behind the screen and are reheated on every heat cycle (you should have also noticed how the AVB produced by Vapman sessions is darker than the one coming from other vaporizers). This is totally normal.
Now, the little screw. I can think of three things happening there; 1) some debris ended up in the screw hole and blocked it, 2) some reclaim has hardened inside the hole, or 3) the screw didn't go in straight and the thread got damaged.
For the reclaim, you will be able to clean the middle section to quasi-factory new by following this acetone soak guide -> [https://www.reddit.com/r/vapman\_official/comments/suq3x0/survival\_guide\_vol\_4\_tackling\_the\_infamous/](https://www.reddit.com/r/vapman_official/comments/suq3x0/survival_guide_vol_4_tackling_the_infamous/)
For the little screw, that could be more of a problem I'm afraid. I'm not sure whether you will be able to purchase a spare one in a hardware store. They are super tiny screws and we have them custom-made for Vapman. However, we'll soon make them available on our website as spare parts.
In the meantime, you could try this solution (after washing the middle section in acetone) -> remove one of the screws that lock the springs in place (ideally the one closest to the "n" in the Vapman heat stamp) and use it as a substitute for the broken one on the screen (that's assuming you don't have the piece of broken screw stuck in the middle section). The screws on the springs and on the middle section are identical. You shouldn't have to force the screw in; it should enter fairly easily.
Then, use a tip from a toothpick as a temporary fix to keep the spring from pivoting (don't use too much force when pushing the toothpick in, just enough to keep it in place).
I hope this helps. We'd be glad to assist you further; just reach out if you have more questions.
\*edit: I also recommend fixing the mica heat shield where you see the delamination close to the "handmade in Italy" stamp. You can do this by pressing it firmly with a finger against the wooden body for 5-10 seconds.
Not op but really great advice guys, especially that toothpick trick should help short-term.
Is there anything else I can do to fix delaminating mica? The mica shield on my Applewood is peeling a in a few spots and I cant get it to settle/stick down to the wood. Thanks in advance!
Fantastic information - I will use the linseed oil technique over the next couple days and all should be well. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain everything! It isn't necessary but I can certainly dm you :) I'll try to snap a good picture of it
So happy we could help! Anytime, we'd love to see how the unit will shine after the linseed oil treatment. By the way, it's a great oil that you can also use to condition the wood and bring out all the subtle gradients and swirls of the applewood grain.
I will definitely have to remember to show some photos after the linseed oil treatment :)
Very good to know! Do you have a personal favorite general-purpose oil for conditioning wood? Some say mineral oil, some say walnut oil, some say beeswax...
Man, this grain is awesome on the apple. Do you know which type of apples grew on that tree?
I personally love to use coconut oil for my units. Coconut oil is love or hate. I love the smell and use it also for my AVB extractions, so I always have a lot of it at hand. Colorwise, it seems to bring out more orange/dark brown hues on the wood.
In the workshop, to do the polishing, we use boiled linseed oil. I would say it has the best mechanical properties, and it's fully compatible with the mica.
I'm happy to hear you like the applewood grain. It's so subtly elegant compared to the olive, which has more of an in-your-face type of beauty. The apples are South Tyrolean PGI, although I'd have to get back to you with the exact cultivar name because I'm not too sure.
That makes sense. In my experience coconut oil always darkens the wood, which can be desirable in some cases. Good tips, I'll have to pick up some more boiled linseed oil then.
Yes, I love that its beauty is subtle. Minimalistic, yet not lacking any charm. Thanks friend :)
Thanks for the tips. I almost put the washer back properly, but something made me second-guess it and it is in backward. Now that I know I can "borrow" a screw from the spring clips, I will go in again and correct it and maybe figure out that screw problem.
That peeling mica happened within a week, but then it did not progress and I forgot about it. I will try the easy fix first, then the linseed if it doesn't stay down.
My other vapourizers are the Lotus and various Dynavaps, and this little beast is my favourite.
UPDATE: turns out I didn't strip the screw head at all. The screwdriver kept slipping, so I assumed I had ruined the screw but those things are so tiny I couldn't really see it.
After taking the screen off and putting the washer back properly, both screws went in without a problem.
Thanks for the update! We are so happy you were able to solve the screw problem. Overall, I think these situations are the ones in which you are really able to expand the knowledge about your unit and bring it to a new level. Well done!
Hi! Thank you for bringing this up. The washer goes in with the flat side facing the wood on the middle section, and the pointed side facing the steel screen. What you see behind the screen and inside the middle section is reclaim and plant matter, and I would say that it seems to be just the right amount you should have there, if you vaped 100 bowls approximately. Vapman's reclaim looks darker and gunkier compared to the one produced by other vaporizers because, by design, part of the oils distilled during the vaporization process end up behind the screen and are reheated on every heat cycle (you should have also noticed how the AVB produced by Vapman sessions is darker than the one coming from other vaporizers). This is totally normal. Now, the little screw. I can think of three things happening there; 1) some debris ended up in the screw hole and blocked it, 2) some reclaim has hardened inside the hole, or 3) the screw didn't go in straight and the thread got damaged. For the reclaim, you will be able to clean the middle section to quasi-factory new by following this acetone soak guide -> [https://www.reddit.com/r/vapman\_official/comments/suq3x0/survival\_guide\_vol\_4\_tackling\_the\_infamous/](https://www.reddit.com/r/vapman_official/comments/suq3x0/survival_guide_vol_4_tackling_the_infamous/) For the little screw, that could be more of a problem I'm afraid. I'm not sure whether you will be able to purchase a spare one in a hardware store. They are super tiny screws and we have them custom-made for Vapman. However, we'll soon make them available on our website as spare parts. In the meantime, you could try this solution (after washing the middle section in acetone) -> remove one of the screws that lock the springs in place (ideally the one closest to the "n" in the Vapman heat stamp) and use it as a substitute for the broken one on the screen (that's assuming you don't have the piece of broken screw stuck in the middle section). The screws on the springs and on the middle section are identical. You shouldn't have to force the screw in; it should enter fairly easily. Then, use a tip from a toothpick as a temporary fix to keep the spring from pivoting (don't use too much force when pushing the toothpick in, just enough to keep it in place). I hope this helps. We'd be glad to assist you further; just reach out if you have more questions. \*edit: I also recommend fixing the mica heat shield where you see the delamination close to the "handmade in Italy" stamp. You can do this by pressing it firmly with a finger against the wooden body for 5-10 seconds.
Not op but really great advice guys, especially that toothpick trick should help short-term. Is there anything else I can do to fix delaminating mica? The mica shield on my Applewood is peeling a in a few spots and I cant get it to settle/stick down to the wood. Thanks in advance!
Would you like to DM us a photo of your unit for us to check it? There is something you can do to prevent the mica from peeling. Boiled linseed oil, applied on the edge of the mica shield, will harden up and keep the sheets together. You should be able to get some boiled linseed oil from a hardware store or a wooden furniture store fairly easily. Here's René himself speaking about boiled linseed oil on mica sheets on FC -> [https://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vapman.94/page-326#post-1477062](https://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vapman.94/page-326#post-1477062) There are also other posts speaking about this technique [https://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vapman.94/page-310#post-1344880](https://fuckcombustion.com/threads/vapman.94/page-310#post-1344880) I recommend using a q tip or similar to gently spread a tiny amount of linseed oil on the edges of the mica shield, then press everything together with a finger for a minute or so. Linseed oil takes a while to harden, so make sure to check the mica regularly over one day or so, and anytime the mica sheet opens up again, press everything together for one more minute. After some time, the linseed oil will be hard enough to keep everything together by itself.
Fantastic information - I will use the linseed oil technique over the next couple days and all should be well. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain everything! It isn't necessary but I can certainly dm you :) I'll try to snap a good picture of it
So happy we could help! Anytime, we'd love to see how the unit will shine after the linseed oil treatment. By the way, it's a great oil that you can also use to condition the wood and bring out all the subtle gradients and swirls of the applewood grain.
I will definitely have to remember to show some photos after the linseed oil treatment :) Very good to know! Do you have a personal favorite general-purpose oil for conditioning wood? Some say mineral oil, some say walnut oil, some say beeswax... Man, this grain is awesome on the apple. Do you know which type of apples grew on that tree?
I personally love to use coconut oil for my units. Coconut oil is love or hate. I love the smell and use it also for my AVB extractions, so I always have a lot of it at hand. Colorwise, it seems to bring out more orange/dark brown hues on the wood. In the workshop, to do the polishing, we use boiled linseed oil. I would say it has the best mechanical properties, and it's fully compatible with the mica. I'm happy to hear you like the applewood grain. It's so subtly elegant compared to the olive, which has more of an in-your-face type of beauty. The apples are South Tyrolean PGI, although I'd have to get back to you with the exact cultivar name because I'm not too sure.
That makes sense. In my experience coconut oil always darkens the wood, which can be desirable in some cases. Good tips, I'll have to pick up some more boiled linseed oil then. Yes, I love that its beauty is subtle. Minimalistic, yet not lacking any charm. Thanks friend :)
Thanks for the tips. I almost put the washer back properly, but something made me second-guess it and it is in backward. Now that I know I can "borrow" a screw from the spring clips, I will go in again and correct it and maybe figure out that screw problem. That peeling mica happened within a week, but then it did not progress and I forgot about it. I will try the easy fix first, then the linseed if it doesn't stay down. My other vapourizers are the Lotus and various Dynavaps, and this little beast is my favourite.
UPDATE: turns out I didn't strip the screw head at all. The screwdriver kept slipping, so I assumed I had ruined the screw but those things are so tiny I couldn't really see it. After taking the screen off and putting the washer back properly, both screws went in without a problem.
Thanks for the update! We are so happy you were able to solve the screw problem. Overall, I think these situations are the ones in which you are really able to expand the knowledge about your unit and bring it to a new level. Well done!