Here is my simple method for making a long-lasting bong that delivers great
hits:
Materials: (All available at Home Depot)
Qty Desc.
1 3/4" Brass Female - Female (screw thread) adaptor
1 3/4" -> 1/2" Brass reducing bushing (screw thread)
1 1/2" -> 1/8" Brass reducing bushing (screw thread)
1 1/8" x 3" Brass Pipe (Male threads each end)
1 1/8" x 6" Brass Pipe (Male threads each end)
1 1/8" Brass Female - Female (screw thread) adaptor
1 Package Stainless Steel washing machine hose screens
(Note: These normally go inside washing machine hoses to remove
dirt. They will have a plastic gasket on them; don't worry-
it will be removed)
1 Empty Arizona Iced Tea Bottle (Glass)
1 5/16" Carbide Glass/Tile Drill bit
2ft 5/16" O.D. (3/16" I.D.) Vinyl tubing (Optional)
Turpentine (not much)
Old Rags
1 Gasket from Flushmaster toilet valve. (The part the cold water supply
hooks to on the bottom of the toilet.) There is a strange gasket
that never seems to be used in any normal installation that has
an 1/8" hole in the center and a ridge around it that just fits the
mouthpiece on the iced tea bottle.
Proceedure:
1) Finish the iced tea but do not remove the label!
2) Wrap the iced tea bottle in old rags to reduce vibration during the drilling
operation. (This is the number one thing that will crack glass during the
drilling process)
3) Locate the first hole at the upper corner of the label on the front of the
bottle. (refferenced herein as the toking hole) Pour some turpentine over the
location to be drilled and keep a small dish of it handy to dip the bit in.
Have a friend hold the bottle firmly on it's side but have your friend wear
glasses and gloves in case the bottle cracks/explodes. You may want to start
the hole with a smaller drill bit, but with some paitence you will not need to.
Proceed slowly - It will take about 5 min to drill through. Do not drill ALL
THE WAY to the end of the carbide triangle at the end of the bit. Stop a hare
short to ensure a good fit (that will not require sealent) if a hose will be
used to toke through. If you will not be using a hose, you can drill all the
way through. Dip the drill bit periodically through the cutting process to
reduce temp and to keep the bit lubricated. (note: This bit will run you
around $8 at Home Depot)
4) Locate the other hole (carb) at the opposite side of the bottle from the
toking hole. (Use the same corner of the opposite (back) label to locate
this hole exactly. This was why you left the label on) You can make this hole
the full size of the drill bit.
5) It may take you a while to successfully drill 2 holes in the same bottle -
Don't lose paitence!
6) Remove the label from the bottle using a single edged razor blade, remove
any glass burrs with sand paper / counter-sink, and CLEAN THOROUGHLY to remove
any glass dust. (Run it through the dishwasher)
7) Bowl Sub-Assembly -- Screw the 3/4" F->F adapt, the 3/4" -> 1/2" adapt.,
and the 1/2" -> 1/8" together in the only logical manner. DO NOT use any pipe
dope, teflon tape, wicking material, etc. on these joints. DO screw them
together with EXCESSIVE force. Clamp the 3/4" adapt. in a vice grip
(benchtop) and screw the adapters into it with MAXIMUM FORCE. The object in
this is not only to make an airtight seal but to make the bowl as short as
possible using these adaptors. (it will still be rather large, however)
8) Screen Sub-Assembly -- Take the washing machine screen and bite off the
rubber gasket around the rim. (No tools seem to work as well, it is moulded
to the screen) Use tweezers to remove any specs if necessary. REMOVE ALL
OF THE GASKET - IT IS TOXIC IF BURNT AND INHALED!!!
9) Insert the screen (so as to be concave if looked at through the top (wide)
end of the bowl) into the bowl. Use tweezers to adjust. It will be a tight
fit - this is good. Make sure it will not fall out if you bang the bowl to
remove ash. Also make sure that no product will fall around the screen
and not be burned.
10) Screw the 3" Brass pipe into the bottom of the bowl and slide the gasket
(groove for bottle away from bowl) up until it just touches the bottom of
the bowl.
11) Screw the 1/8" F->F adaptor and the 6" pipe onto the stub from the bowl and
drop the entire mechanism into the clean bong. The rubber seal will form an
airtight seal with the bottle and the 1/8" brass pipe -- no sealant is
necessary.
12) Enjoy!
Addendum (Extended Usage Testing):
If unusual weight is applied in a downward direction on the bowl (I.E. - A
stoned person leaning on it for balance) the bowl could cut a hole in the
gasket and push it up to the 1st bushing. The bong will probably still
be usable, but you should upgrade it as follows:
1) Find a washer with a hole in the center that just allows the
outside of the 1/8" brass pipe to pass through, and that is large
enough in diamiteter to be just slightly larger than the diamiter
of the toilet gasket. (brass will match the color scheme, but
material is not critical since it is not in contact with the
smoke.)
2) Install this washer so it is between the bowl and the gasket
on the 1/8" pipe. This will dissipate any downward force outward
to press the gasket against the rim of the bottle and not force the
sharp bowl through the gasket.
NOTE: Under normal usage, this should not be a problem since the weight
of the bowl alone is not even close to being enough to slam through the
gasket.
Happy Tokes!!
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