Make a Cheap Hookah
A hookah is a traditional water pipe that uses indirect heat and hoses to consume smoke. These hookahs can easily burn a hole through your pocket money-wise, so what happens when you'd like a cheap, easily homemade water pipe? Well, this hookah can be made cheaply and is rather easy to build.
Steps
- Get a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} bottle.
- Go to a hardware store for a hose. Though the length doesn't matter, {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} is usually a good length.
- Buy a metal spring doorstop. It may be a good idea to take the {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} bottle to the store to make sure that the doorstop will not fall through the top of the bottle.
- Start chewing some gum. "Chiclets" work well, but use whatever you have around.
- Cut about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} off the end of the hose and insert that piece on the end of the doorstop. Make this very snug.
- Cut a hole in the bottle's side, about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} from the top. Insert the remainder of the hose in this hole. Don't insert it anymore than a half an inch in the bottle.
- Now use that chewing gum and seal the hose and hole in the bottle airtight.
- Set up the bowl and down-stem. Insert a small 1" x 1" piece of tinfoil (shiny side down) in the top of the doorstop. Take a toothpick and poke a few holes in the tin foil. This will be your bowl (where herb or tobacco is located). Take a paper clip and unwind it, then wind it back around the top of the doorstop. This will be your handle for the doorstop downstem (this way, fingers will not be burned).
- Set the doorstop with the smaller piece of hose in the top of the bottle. This is the downstem.
- Fill the bottle with water so the downstem is in the water, but the long hose will not.
- Load the bowl with your favorite smoking tobacco or herb.
- While lighting the herb with your matches or lighter, draw air through the longer hose and the chamber should fill with smoke. Hold the paper clip and raise the doorstop slightly so fresh air can fill the chamber and set the doorstop back in the top of the bottle.
- Have nice smoke!
Tips
- A traditional hookah would use lit coals to indirectly heat the tobacco, creating a vapor that is meant to be inhaled rather than smoke that can contain harsh chemicals and tar. If you would like to do this, simply after loading your tobacco or herb, cover the bowl with foil on top. With a toothpick, poke many holes into the aluminum foil on top of the bowl. This will be your screen. After lighting the coal, place it on this screen. Inhale through the long hose as usual, and you should be inhaling vapor!
- When using this coal technique, do not release the carb. Simply pass it to the next person, or just keep on inhaling.
Warnings
- Do not exhale or blow through the hose. This will result in water traveling up through the downstem and getting the smoking material wet.
Things You'll Need
- {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} bottle
- Hose
- Metal spring doorstop
- Aluminum foil
- Paperclip
- Sharp object
- Smoking tobacco or herb
- Lighter or matches
- Water
