Short answer
Grind the flower to a medium cut, about the size of coarse black pepper. Fill the bowl 1/2 to 2/3 full. Tamp the top with light pressure. Leave the top 1/4 open. A bowl packed this way burns in 3 to 6 draws with no re-light.
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What you need
- Bong with a 14 mm or 18 mm joint
- Bowl piece that fits the joint
- Screen, glass or metal, if the bowl holes are wide
- Grinder
- Lighter or hemp wick
- Cured flower, dry to the touch
Steps
- Break the flower into pieces about 10 mm across. Pull out stems and seeds. Stems burn hot and add a bitter taste.
- Grind in short bursts. Stop when the pieces look like coarse black pepper. A fine grind falls through the screen and pulls into the water. Large chunks burn at the center and stay green at the edge.
- Set the screen in the bowl. A screen holds the flower above the hole and stops pull-through.
- Add flower in small pinches. Stop when the bowl is 1/2 to 2/3 full. The top should sit level or form a low dome.
- Tamp with light pressure. Use the flat end of a lighter or a fingertip. The pack must still pass air. A tight pack pulls hard and leaves the bottom of the bowl unburned.
- Test the draw before you light. Pull air through the mouthpiece with an empty chamber. Resistance should be low. If the draw is tight, break up the pack with a poker and tamp again.
- Set the water level. Fill the bong until water sits 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch over the downstem slots. More water means a harder pull.
- Light the edge, not the center. Hold the flame at the rim of the bowl and draw. Keep the flame on the flower for 1 to 2 seconds, then pull it away. The top layer should glow on its own.
Pack sizes
- Snap: 0.05 g to 0.1 g. One hit. Burns to white ash in one draw.
- Single bowl: 0.1 g to 0.25 g. 2 to 4 draws.
- Group bowl: 0.3 g to 0.5 g. 5 or more draws. Plan on 1 or 2 re-lights.
Common mistakes
- Fine grind. Blocks airflow and raises the burn temperature.
- Tight pack. Wastes the bottom third of the bowl.
- Fill to the rim. The flame hits the whole top layer at once and the bowl burns fast.
- Wet flower. Hard to light and burns uneven.
- No screen. Ash pulls into the water and the bowl clogs.
After the session
Empty the bowl while the ash is cool. Ash left in the bowl cakes and blocks airflow on the next pack. Clean glass bowls and screens with isopropyl alcohol at 91% or higher, then rinse with warm water. Replace metal screens when the mesh bends or rusts.
Bowl size is set by the joint, not the bowl. A 14 mm bowl holds about 0.2 g at 2/3 full. An 18 mm bowl holds about 0.4 g at the same fill level. Flower sold at licensed shops carries a THC percentage and a harvest date on the label.