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Building a hookah?
Cheezy
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm having difficulty finding websites on how to build a hookah that isn't tiny or made from essentially garbage. Anyone have any experience or links on how to build a full sized hookah from stuff available at a hardware store?
Cheezy on
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I found this URL http://www.southsmoke.com/files/hookah-supplies.html - might help you out.
I've never tried making my own before, but looking at the prices on the web site, it seems easier and significantly cheaper to buy one pre-assembled. Although I don't see why you couldn't put one together with stuff from the hardware store. It's going to be tricky to get it sealed, you'd be much happier with even a cheap "starter hookah" bought online.
Because that is a lot harder then making what is essentially a gargantuan bong. You can make a hookah out of pretty much anything, it's a question of exactly what level of quality you're pursuing.
Also, you should prolly have a good drill. Good drills (well drillbits) are essential for projects of this nature.
I'd really say step one, is understand the physics and structure of a hookah. and Step two would be find the base unit (vase, coconut, human skull) that you would like to use. Once you've got some of the basic design hammered out, I'm sure we can help with the details.
this isn't really advise on how to build a hookah is it.
I ask not out of a sense of approval or disapproval, but because if you want to smoke sheesha out of it you should actually make sure you build it properly and with a proper design. If its for other things, you could cut more corners and just make it more bong-ish.
I say build it right. That way he could use it for whatever he wants! Being a dirty-nogood-commie-hippy-scumbag is no excuse for poor design.
I've tried smoking sheesha mixed with weed, mixed with hash/kief, or just weed alone. Never really works properly.
There's no better way to smoke just pure sheesha though.
This is why I asked what your intent is. I want to make sure you have the best smoking experience possible :P
water spirals the wrong way out the sink
I'm not picking a fight here, but /my friend/ had a totally different experience. On several different occasions. Using all the combinations you mention. But that's /my friend/.
This is good advice, though.
I had a discussion about this with someone else, here is what I have to tell you.
Most home made hookas are made out of various plastics and metals that you can purchase from hardware stores.
Most of which release toxic chemicals when heated.
My only advice is, if you want to build a hookah, avoid using metals like copper and brass, especially if you plan to solder them yourself. Brass is toxic. It contains Zinc, which is released into a nasty fume when heated. It would also imagine, when the tobacco smoke is filtered through the water, the acidic mixture WILL begin to etch the brass/copper as well. Particulates of both metals are not good to inhale.
If you plan to use any metal, despite this advice, and need to solder it together, do not use lead based plumbers solder, or even 'lead free solder' used for electronics. Lead free is still toxic in its own right. Use a silver based jewelers' solder.
Seriously, I don't want to be a dick, and buidling your own hookah seems pretty cool. But purchasing one online will probably be cheaper, quicker, safer, and give you a better product.
EDIT:
Also, build the piece primarily out of glass/stainless steel if you have the ability to work with these materials.
Please, also, purchase a ceramic dish online, don't cheap out on this.
True enough, people will have different experiences. I think the main point of advice we can take from both our points of view however, is that if you want to specifically make a hookah, you should be doing it for smoking sheesha and not cause you want a weed smoking device (make a slightly different device for that).
We didn't get feedback from the OP yet regarding his intentions with it, I'm going to wait for that before offering furthur advice on how to design his contraption.
Agreed. Congratulations everyone, very good advise so far.
-He used an empty Patron tequila bottle as the glass vase (I thought this was very clever)
-Some of the more complex parts he just bought from a hookah store (such as the ceramic part where the hookah sits)
-He used a tin ash tray as the ash tray for the burnt hash
-He made the pipes himself out of plastic tubing used for fish tanks. He said he was going to buy real pipes because he's pretty sure he's poisoning himself
I can't recall more, and he lives far away from here so I can't really contact him. Wikipedia has a nice diagram of how hookahs work, so I suggest looking that up and seeing what parts you can make, and what parts you can't.
Go to a headshop\smokeshop\whatever and look around. I promise you you'll find something to suit your needs. Maybe go for a small rotator?