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Crafting a gravity bong can be a fun exercise in stoner-engineering, but having to remake it every time feels a little wasteful, right? For most gravity bongs the geeb piece, or the metal piece that the smokable material burns in, is made on the spot out of aluminum foil and a melted soda cap. That’s workable, but not ideal, and the fumes from heated aluminum foil are, well, not exactly good for you. This article will walk you through how to create your own reusable piece out of a socket wrench so you’re ready to rip whenever the moment strikes.
Warning: This method uses sockets (from socket wrenches) which are coated in chromium 6—a carcinogen. Lighting a bowl of herbs may not be hot enough to release the chromium, but if you smoke gravity bongs regularly consider buying a reusable geeb piece from a smoke shop.
Steps
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![Step 1 Buy and clean a new socket wrench socket.]()
Buy and clean a new socket wrench socket. Find some ½” or 5/8” (12 to 15mm) sockets or buy a socket wrench set. Some sockets come precoated in a thin layer of oil to prevent oxidation (rusting, basically). Since you should always use a new, clean socket, give it a once over with some rubbing alcohol to degrease it. -
![Step 2 Fit the socket into the mouth of a water bottle.]()
Fit the socket into the mouth of a water bottle. Put your socket into the top of a 16.9 fluid ounces (500 ml) water bottle to be sure it’s the right size. You’re looking for a pretty snug fit to ensure it’ll be airtight. -
![Step 3 Wrap masking tape around the sides of the socket to make an airtight seal.]()
Wrap masking tape around the sides of the socket to make an airtight seal. To get a good pull, the inside of the bottle needs to be a vacuum. Wrap masking tape around the base of the socket until you almost can’t fit the piece into the top of the water bottle to make a tight seal. -
![Step 4 Place the metal gauze in the socket, to create a “bowl” for the tobacco.]()
Place the metal gauze in the socket, to create a “bowl” for the tobacco. Cut the mesh into a hexagon to fit the socket. You can buy metal screens at any smoke shop.
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![Step 1 Cut holes into the bottom of your bottle.]()
Cut holes into the bottom of your bottle. Cut several holes along the bottom of your water bottle with a hobby knife. Use a 16.9 fluid ounces (500 mL) bottle to be sure it can fit into your water reservoir.[1]- If the holes are too big, water will flow out too quickly. The objective is to make the water flow out as slowly and steadily as possible to ensure that the resulting smoke is at its densest, minimizing waste of the vacuum generated in the bottle.
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![Step 2 Cut the top off a 2 litre (68 fl oz) bottle.]()
Cut the top off a 2 litre (68 fl oz) bottle. Get an empty 2 litre (68 fl oz) bottle and cut off the top. This will act as the water reservoir you put the smaller bottle into.[2] Cut off enough of the top that no curved sides remain. -
![Step 3 Place the water bottle in the 2 litre, and fill the larger bottle with water.]()
Place the water bottle in the 2 litre, and fill the larger bottle with water. Put your water bottle in first, then fill the 2 litre with water until the smaller bottle is almost submerged.[3] -
![Step 4 Load and place the bowl in the mouth of the bottle.]()
Load and place the bowl in the mouth of the bottle. Pinch a little bit of tobacco (or whatever you’re smoking) and fill the socket with it. Put the bowl snuggly into the top of the water bottle, and get ready to rip your bong.[4]- Gravity bongs are very potent, so test it out with a little bit of smokable material the first time you hit it.
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![Step 1 Light the contents of the bowl while pulling the bottle out of the water.]()
Light the contents of the bowl while pulling the bottle out of the water. Go slow and steady to give time for the embers to spread. As you pull the bottle up, it will fill with smoke from the lit material. -
![Step 2 Remove the bowl carefully once the bottle is drained and inhale.]()
Remove the bowl carefully once the bottle is drained and inhale. Once the bottle is drained of water or the bowl is done, pull off the bowl (being careful not to burn yourself) and inhale the smoke. Keep in mind that the resulting smoke will be very potent, so don’t inhale too deeply. -
![Step 3 Push the bottle back down slowly.]()
Push the bottle back down slowly. If you push the bottle back in too quickly the water will splash out, and if your bowl is still in the bottle the ash will be shot into the air.- Load and place the bowl in the mouth of the bottle if you want to go for round 2.
Expert Q&A
Tips
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Unlike other methods, gravity bongs require a bit more attention to use efficiently.
- Try to match the burn rate. Pull it up too slowly and smoke is wasted into the air; too quickly and the contents of the bowl may not be completely consumed given the fixed volume of water displaced.
Thanks -
Use it right, and one use can be sufficient for up to 3 people.Thanks
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Maintenance: The best part about this piece is that all the parts are cheap and readily available. Change water bottles and water regularly. This is important, as the lack of cleanliness of the bottle can affect the taste, and not in a good way. Occasionally clean the bowl with rubbing alcohol.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Socket wrench set
- 16.9 fluid ounces (500 mL) bottle
- 2 litres (68 fl oz) bottle
- Metal mesh
- Hobby knife
- Masking tape
References
About This Article
To make a reusable, inexpensive, and efficient gravity bong, you’ll need a socket from a wrench set, a Blender bottle or cylindrical shaker, a small plastic water bottle, metal gauze, masking tape, and a knife. First, you’ll need to wrap the socket in masking tape until it fits snugly in the top of your water bottle. Place the metal gauze inside the socket to make a bowl. Then, cut a small hole in the bottom of the water bottle. You want water to flow slowly but steadily out of the hole when it’s filled. Finally, fill your shaker ¾ full with water and place the water bottle inside the shaker so it fills with water through the hole in the bottom. To use your new gravity bong, fill the bowl. Then, hold a lighter to your weed while raising the bottle slowly and steadily. When all the water has drained out of the bottle, lift off the bowl and inhale the smoke. For more tips, including how to maintain your homemade gravity bong, read on!
