No matter what I seem unable to breakthrough. I'm using the machine and am loading 60 mg of spice into it. With a heat gun I don't think anything is happening. Perhaps it is just my heat gun but I can move it incredibly close to the spice and see nothing happen. With a regular lighter I hold it 3-4 inches and slowly move in. What I've been doing is waiting until I get a small wisp of smoke and then starting to toke.

I get a distinct change in personality and open and closed eye visuals yet nothing incredibly profound.

So I have some questions
How far am I supposed to melt the spice into the scrubby? Just a bit so it won't fall out or all the way through?
Can you breakthrough with eyes open? My thought would be yes but just wanted to make sure.
How does one tell if spice has been vaporized?

I know that I'm not burning or vaporizing it all since there appears to be a lot left in the pipe.

Any other advice would be welcome.

Brother. I've never used the Machine, so I'm probably not the best one to answer this. Aside from getting a new tool, like glass VG, or something. I would say that it simply sounds like you are not applying enough heat for long enough. I think you're being very appropriate in babying the heat until you start to see some vapor wisp away, but at that point don't be afraid to get a bit more aggressive to insure the process continues. I think you're on the right track, just keep pushing the heat. If you accidentally go too hot, and burn it, you'll know in an instant! Just take that as a learning experience and back off slightly the next time.

One additional thought would be to try a torch lighter, but I don't know if those will work with the machine, or cause you to just inhale a bunch of molten metal smoke???

EDIT: You'll know when you're vaporizing it effectively because you'll feel it in your lungs. It wont be too hot, or smokey or choking feeling. It will feel like a curious tickle, and you'll know it when you feel it. You'll be surprised when you exhale because the amount of vapor that comes out is far more than it felt like you had inhaled.

And yes! You can absolutely break through with eyes open. It's pretty damn amazing, but has a different "character" to it... At least for me.

Anyhow. I hope I've helped in some small way. Let us know how you progress and good luck my friend!

Peace
-idt

Luckily I figured out how to take the screens off my heat gun and make it into a torch lighter. I'll try that out tonight if I get a butane refill.