How to Make a Light Bulb Vaporizer

Avove: Whip and cap for light bulb vaporizer (aka Bright Idea II)

You've heard of them I'm sure, and no doubt you have lusted for one as well. Their vaporizers, the latest and greatest in pot smoking technology. The best part is, you don't actually "smoke" the green when you use one. Instead, they vaporize at low temperature, the active ingredient in weed, delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (you know, THC, the part that gets you high). This is a pretty sweet deal because vaporizing is 30% more efficient than smoking, and on top of that they are don't pollute your lungs with havoc reeking carbon chains. So not only do you use less bud, you use less of your lungs to get high!

That is pretty much all old news though. If you haven't heard of vaporizing yet, you have either just started smoking, or you're still living in the stone age (stoned age I suppose). If you have heard of vaporizers, than I'm sure you have also heard that they're fairly expensive, and you've heard right. They are, the ever popular Volcano costs in excess of $500. That's no small chunk of change if you're a typically broke stoner like myself. What do you do then to enjoy the benefits of vaporizers without all the cost?

What if I told you that there is probably a vaporizer sitting very near by, just waiting to be used. Yes, there is some assembly required, but odds are, all the parst and tools that you need are within arms reach. Thats pretty cool right? You might not even have to get out of your seat (although it might not hurt you hippy couch potatoe).

Here is what you need:

1. A light bulb (just a regular old incadecent bulb, the higher wattage the better though)
2. A cap from a 20 oz soda bottle
3. A straw
4. Salt
5. A pair of scissors

Optional

• A pair of needle nose pliers

Go ahead and take five minutes to gather these items. If you're having trouble finding everything, don't be afraid (or too lazy) to check under those stacks of High Times and 420 Magazines. Got everything? Good...

How to build a Lightbulb Vaporrizer

It may be helpful to refere to this diagram as you work:





1. Outline of Glass bulb
2. Low pressure inert gas (argon, neon, nitrogen)
3. Tungsten filament
4. Contact wire (goes out of stem)
5. Contact wire (goes into stem)
6. Support wires
7. Stem (glass mount)
8. Contact wire (goes out of stem)
9. Cap (sleeve)
10. Insulation (vitrite)
11. Electrical contact





Step 1:
Take your scissors in your lead hand, and the light bulb in the other. Use the scissors to peel up the electrical contact on the socket end of the light bulb. Once its free, pull it out along with any wires that come with it.

Step 2:
Removing the electrical contact should have revealed a small hole in the peice of dark glass at the socket end of the bulb. Use your scissors (or pliers) to carefully break and remove this piece of glass. Remove as much as you can, preferably so that non of if it pokes up past the metal socket.

Step 3:
Using your scissors, pliers, or a screwdriver, carefully (and I do mean carefully) push down on the stem (what the filament is mounted to) through the socket cap until it breaks out from the inside of the bulb. After that, you'll want to clean up the edges of the stem and break those out as well until only bulb remains. Once you've done all the breaking that needs to be done empty the broken glass and filament into a garbage can.

Step 4:
Now grab the salt and pour it through the cap into the bulb. Use say, 2 or 3 tablespoons of salt. Cover the hole in the socket cap and shake viggorously (but carefully so the bulb doesn't fly from your hand). The salt will strip away the white powder coat on the inside of the bulb. Repeat this process until all traces of the powder coat are gone. I couldn't tell you what that stuff is, but I can tell you that you do not want ot smoke it, it won't get you high. One its all gone, go ahead and rinse all of the salt out of the bulb. Rinse it well, otherwise the salt will etch into the glass when it dries.

Step 5:
Take the soda bottle cap that you were supposed to grab, if you already forgot about that, go get one. Useing your scissors poke a hole into the center of the cap and bore it out until the hole is large enough to insert your straw. Don't make your hole to big, you wan the straw to stay in place. Once you have your straw hole, poke another small hole off-center for airflow. Insert your straw into the cap. Gently screw the soda cap onto the socket cap of the light bulb and you're done!

Congrats! Now you too can enjoy the benefits of vaporizing for less than a trip to Taco Bell. To use it, just break up your weed like you would for rolling a joint or loading a bowl, and place about a small bowl's worth into the bulb. Replace the soda cap and get read to be very stoned. Now go ahead and light your lighter. Hold it about one to two centimeters below the bulb, directly underneath the weed. Wait until you see some white vapors start to pour out of the bud. Once this happens, let a decent amount of vapor build up, shake the bulb to release more. Now just take a hit through the straw and hold it in...

Aahhhh, thats the stuff ain't it?

Eventually you'll want to buy a real vapo, but this works in a pinch, especially when cash is tight and you need to conserve your precious, expensive, and difficult to acquire marijuana.