How to Make a Vaporizer

Making a vaporizer not only is easy but also saves you money. Use a few simple household items to make your own vaporizer in just a few minutes.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making a Vaporizer from a Lightbulb

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    1
    Gather your supplies. For this vaporizer, you will need a clear light bulb (100 watts is best, and don't use one that is painted white inside), a sharp knife, pliers, glass straws or tubes, tape, scissors, and the cap from a 500 milliliters (16.9  fl oz) bottle.
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    2
    Cut the end off the light bulb. Take your knife to cut off the metal tip of the light bulb where you would typically screw it into the socket. Try to cut it smoothly to avoid rough edges.
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    Remove the filament. Use the pliers to pull the filament out of the bulb. The filament is the metal wire that lights up the bulb when turned on. When you finish this, you should be left with an empty bulb.[1]
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    4
    Fit the cap over the end of the bulb. Put the plastic bottle cap over the end of the bulb. If it is too big, use a little tape on the inside to create a padding so it fits snuggly.
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    5
    Cut two holes in the bottle cap. You will insert two straws or glass tubes into these holes, so measure to size. Use your knife to cut the holes into the cap. If you have one, you can also use a drill to quickly create the holes.
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    6
    Put the vaporizer together. Place the straws/tubes into the cap and return the cap to the space over the metal in the light bulb. Once you are sure it all fits, you can remove the cap to add your preferred substance to the inside of the light bulb. Place a flame under the base of the bulb to create the vapor which can be inhaled through the straws.[2]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making a Vaporizer out of a Glass Vial

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    1
    Gather your supplies. You will need to use/purchase a small glass vial (a vial of Ginseng extract available at vitamin stores is the right size), a small straw or tube, a sharp knife, and tape.[3]
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    2
    Clean the vial. Remove anything inside the vial and thoroughly wash it so that it is completely clean. Do the same with the plastic lid that the vial came with.
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    3
    Cut a hole in the lid. Use your knife to cut a small round hole large enough for your straw or tube to fit through. Try to avoid rough edges by using smooth cuts.
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    4
    Put the straw in the lid. The hole should be big enough that the straw will easily fit into the lid. Cut a small hole in the base of the straw near the top of the lid to allow for airflow.
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    5
    Put the vaporizer together. Replace the lid on the vial and make sure that all the parts fit together. Once you are sure it all fits, you can remove the cap to add your preferred substance to the inside of the vial. Make sure the straw only goes about halfway down, so that it doesn't melt with the heat or suck-up any particles.[4]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making a Vaporizer from a Shot Glass

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    1
    Gather your supplies. You will need a shot glass made out of thin glass, a 16oz water bottle, a straw or tube, tape, and a sharp knife.[5]
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    2
    Cut the top off your water bottle. Making sure the bottle is empty, cut the top off the water bottle where the lid is. Cut about 1 inch (2.5 cm) down from the lid, so that a bit of the plastic bottle is still attached.[6]
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    3
    Cut a hole in the cap. Take the cap off the lid of the bottle, and use your knife to cut two holes in the lid to fit two of your straws/tubes. Try to keep the edges smooth and avoid rough edges.[7]
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    4
    Put the straws in the lid. Using the holes you just made, insert the straws/tubes you have. Make sure that they don't go down too far into the plastic; you will want them to reach only about halfway down the shot glass.
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    5
    Put the lid on the shot glass. The plastic attached to the cap should be wide enough to cover the shot glass, but can be sealed with tape if it is not. Add whatever substance you would like to the bottom of the shot glass before sealing it. Heat gently from below.[8]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Does the straw have to be made of glass?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, otherwise you could inhale unhealthy byproducts of plastic.
  • Question
    Is there any difference in smoking the vaporizer with this or just smoking the substance?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    There's a huge difference. Combustion or actual burning is what produces most of the carcinogens in smoking. By heating instead, you release the oils without burning the plant material left behind. Vapor was analyzed and found to be 98.1% cannabinoids. Smoke was analyzed and found to be 12% cannabinoids.
  • Question
    Would other people think it was lame if I used this to vape?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Only the privileged ones who have never had to improvise.
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Warnings

  • Applying any flame to glass can be dangerous. Never heat cold glass, but slightly warmed glass so that it does not shatter.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.marijuana.com/community/threads/light-bulb-vaporizer.197081/
  2. ↑ http://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/753-how-build-vaporizer.html
  3. ↑ https://vapingdaily.com/vaporizers/homemade-vaporizer/
  4. ↑ http://forum.grasscity.com/vaporizers/409574-non-lightbulb-homemade-vaporizer-tutorial.html
  5. ↑ https://vapingdaily.com/vaporizers/homemade-vaporizer/
  6. ↑ https://vapingdaily.com/vaporizers/homemade-vaporizer/
  7. ↑ https://vapingdaily.com/vaporizers/homemade-vaporizer/
  8. ↑ https://vapingdaily.com/vaporizers/homemade-vaporizer/

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 27 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 466,583 times.
8 votes - 50%
Co-authors: 27
Updated: January 3, 2022
Views: 466,583
Categories: Humidity Appliances
Article SummaryX

To make your own vaporizer, try using a light bulb. As well as the bulb, you'll need 2 straws and a bottle cap. Cut the end off of the bulb and dispose of the wires inside. Drill holes in the bottle cap, stick the straws through them, and put the cap on top of the bulb. You can also try using a shot glass. Make sure you've got a plastic water bottle, tape, and 2 straws as well. Cut the top off of the bottle and make 2 holes in the cap for your straws. Then, attach the cap to the top of the shot glass with tape. For tips on how to make a vaporizer out of a glass vial, read on!

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