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Is aluminum really a bad bowl?

Discussion in 'Apprentice Marijuana Consumption' started by jimthefrog345, Jun 5, 2009.

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  1. #1 jimthefrog345, Jun 5, 2009
    Hey guys. I made a waterfall bong a little while back and I've been using aluminum foil as the bowl. Now I have heard some people say it's terrible for you and it'll kill you instantly. Then the others say it's harmless, the melting pt of aluminum is a thousand degrees and you won't get vapor until then. I really do want to know because if aluminum will kill me I'll obviously go buy myself a real bong.
    Please don't tell me I'm a dumbass for using aluminum as a bowl, I only did it because I'm kinda short on cash. But if you actually know either way let me know. I've only used this bong about 6 times and I'm getting a vape soon, but I'll probably use it every day next week just for a heads up in case that makes a difference. So I geuss my question is, should I be making firecrackers next week or am I good to smoke out of my aluminum?
    thanks for helping me out.
     
  2. #2 soskie, Jun 5, 2009
    ive used aluminum many times with no problems as have others

    i wouldn't worry about it to much about it, but i wouldn't use it for an extended period of time
     
  3. #3 Ganja.Bus, Jun 5, 2009
    Yeah, it would be fine to use it, but it really isn't great for you. A real bowl would really be better.
     
  4. #4 phire420, Jun 5, 2009
    I don't know who told you aluminum will kill you instantly, but are you seriously cheap enough that you can sacrifice your health to save $8 youd be spending on a glass bowl and downstem? Smoking out of an aluminum can for about a month or so, when I first started toking, gave me lock jaw for almost a year. You've obviously never experienced it before so let me tell you, imagine only being able to open your mouth 80% of it's full stretch, imagine hearing a clicking sound everytime you part your teeth. It's painful and definitely causes some psychological effect. Yes aluminum foil is bad, so please dude, don't be frugal when it comes to your health.
     
  5. #5 blazinfocus, Jun 5, 2009
    i've never heard of aluminum killing you instantly, but if you want a good bowl cap for a waterfall, use a 4mm socket if its like a water or soda bottle, they work great
     
  6. #6 jimthefrog345, Jun 5, 2009

    Thanks for this man, an example like this is what I was looking for. And about the aluminum killing you instantly, that was an exageration. But I have heard some scary things about smoking out of an aluminum bowl. I don't know how the reps work, I have negative so I don't know if it will work but if it's possible +rep
     
  7. #7 Perihelion, Jun 5, 2009
    Sorry but I'm not sure your lock-jaw was caused by the TIN can (pop cans are made of tin these days I believe?). It's possible to melt aluminum foil using your lighter only, but the boiling point (the temp. needed to vaporize) is un-attainable using your standard lighters, and maybe even butane torches. I would suggest using new foil each time you smoke, because the repetitive heating and cooling of the same foil weakens it, and can cause it to flake apart over time.

    To sum all of this up: Assuming you change the foil each time you smoke, there is virtually no health risk associated with using it.
     
  8. #8 aero18, Jun 5, 2009
    Pop cans are made out of aluminum, Perhelion. Also, if you mold the aluminum, some specks of aluminum are bound to be scraped off creating dust that will go into your lungs.
     
  9. #9 phire420, Jun 5, 2009
    I wouldn't go as far as recommending aluminum as thus man, especially the harm it can cause. Do this for me, take a bunch of aluminum foil, tear it into strips and crumple it up and put it into a bowl, and quickly and lightly suck and light, careful not to inhale. Do you see smoke rise from the aluminum when you put the flame to it?
     
  10. #10 SpongePaul, Jun 5, 2009
    For the last time people!!!!!!!
    The metal does not get hot enough to vaporize, hell it doesnt even get that hot. To have a negative effect it you would need to vaporize the al.
    Smoking from metal, is no different health wise than smoking from acrylic/glass/paper!
     
  11. #11 Bakedmagiii, Jun 5, 2009
    It will not be instantly fatal, but not good for your health either.
    I read somewhere that smoking out of cans and foil can increase your likelihood for developing Alzheimers later in life.
    Plus, from what I remember, it tastes horrible.
    Just buy a bowl or some papers =]
     
  12. #12 Deathader, Jun 5, 2009
    A good substitute to use instead of aluminum is a socket. Make sure it ISN'T chrome-coated.
     
  13. #13 Saul Goodman, Jun 5, 2009
    It's debatable. But I'm pretty sure it is harmless. It has to be vaporized like you said.

    You'll be fine. Just save some cash for a real bowl soon.

    Also you could use a small socket or the top for a laser pointer for the bowl.


    Good luck.
     
  14. #14 DaleGribble, Jun 5, 2009

    Common misconception. Not true at all.

    Alzheimers patients SOMETIMES have higher concentrations of aluminum in their brains. That does not mean you can intake aluminum from smoking out of it, nor that the aluminum caused the alzheimers. You absorb far more aluminum from your antiperspirant.
     
  15. #15 jimthefrog345, Jun 6, 2009
    Alright guys, thanks for all the helpful responses. i decided I'm just going to use an apple pipe until I get my Da Buddha vape, which I'm ordering on Monday. I mean I just got out of the hospital after breaking my neck in January, and I honestly don't ever want to go back there. So I'm just gonna play it safe. Thanks for helping me out with that.
     
  16. #16 phire420, Jun 6, 2009
    Good choice in sticking with the apple. Smoking out of aluminum for over some time will definitely yield lock jaw so I'm glad your looking out for your health. Happy tokins
     
  17. #17 BurntToast, Jun 6, 2009
    I've smoked out of aluminum-based bowls for a long time before I could buy a bowl or papers.

    I'm fine. I've been accepted into a good 4 year college. I don't have lockjaw, it didn't have any magical "psychological effects".

    The Alzheimers thing is kind of silly. Like mentioned earlier, the patients SOMETIMES had higher concentrations. I'm pretty sure the chance of Alzheimers is increased by genetics and that the increased concentrations is because of Alzheimers, not a leading cause.
     
  18. #18 aero18, Jun 6, 2009
    Oh my god, seriously? It does NOT need to be vaporized! All that is required is for the aluminum to pass through the lungs. Shreds of aluminum (even minutely small) can be inhaled.
     
  19. #19 ArtemisRain, Jun 6, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 8, 2009
    Aluminum melts at 1200 degrees, in order to hurt you it would still have to evaporate from that point. No crack lighter could evaporate aluminum.

    QED.






    ...I hope some day you kids stop believing this ridicules lie.
     
  20. #20 jimthefrog345, Jun 6, 2009
    I mean, if there is even a tiny chance smoking out of aluminum foil could hurt me then why would I do it? It's just easier than making an apple pipe every day for the next week, but I'll take an extra 10 minutes to stay healthy and avoid that .0000836% chance of getting hurt. And the dude with lockjaw got lockjaw. Even if it wasn't definitely from aluminum, it might have been. And I have bad luck when it comes to getting hurt so the apple pipe it is.
     
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