Packing Density of Bowl - Should it be Uniform from Top to Bottom?

[sugardaddy]

I have watched a lot of "packing your bowl" videos, and tried all the methods I saw.

A lot is mentioned about the "how" to pack, but not much about the end goal.

When the "proper" bowl is packed, is the density uniform from top to bottom?

Is it supposed to be denser at the top?

Is there even a "proper" way? Or do we just all figure out what we like best?

Or maybe it depends on tobacco type?

As I experiment with different methods, I thought it would be good to know the goal I was shooting for.

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I started off doing the family method for several months, because that one was seen so much in my research.

I don't know if there's a name for what I'm doing now, but maybe one could call it "draw-based". I just pack until the draw resistance resembles drinking water/soda through a straw. I like the simplicity of it, and it seems to do just as well or better than the Family method.

 

[Chasing Embers]

When the "proper" bowl is packed, is the density uniform from top to bottom?

When pressing from the top with nothing dividing the layers, there can be no variation in density. The entire contents of the chamber is being compressed as you pack it.

I just pack until the draw resistance resembles drinking water/soda through a straw.

I gravity fill until the pack feels like a stale marshmallow when pressed with zero resistance to the draw. If it's working for you, run with it.

 

[anotherbob]

. If it's working for you, run with it.

this is the best answer

 

[elvishrunes]

I never took packing that seriously until I came here. But over packing, over tamping, and too tight is generally bad as air flow creates better combustion. I either gravity fill the whole bowl or gravity fill and add a tight pinch plug up top,,,

 

[Winnipeger]

What @Chasing Embers said about the stale marshmallow is so spot on, I'm beginning to appreciate the genius of this man. Hahaha! I also don't like much if any resistance to the draw, more or less. I pretty much just put tobacco in the chamber until it feels like if I were to add any more, I'd have to compress it. Following the charring light, the tamper adjusts the density of the cherry as it burns down.

 

[Winnipeger]

like a stale marshmallow when pressed with zero resistance to the draw.

So fucking spot on.

 

[bullet08]

The end result is, large air flow. How do you achieve that when there's tobacco in the chamber? Two possible options. 1) Pack light. 2) Large air pocket at the bottom. Gravity fill is like option 1. So called Frank method is something like option 2.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I think it's slightly more dense at the top decreasing in density as you move down. The tobacco isn't a solid mass and pressure is applied at the top. So if only makes sense for the compression to be graduated from top to bottom. If you gravity filled and never applied any pressure at all, the density would be equal top to bottom.

I also think the density when the packing is completed its greater than the feel of a stale marshmallow.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I find that different methods work for different cuts. But I generally do the codger scoop and shake with a very light pack with most things. Cube cut I just gravity fill with no pack. I plug pack ribbon cut aros like 1Q.

 

[captpat]

I don't overthink this, a bit of resistance when pressed with no encumbrance of the draw is what I shoot for. I find the best packing pressure varies with the type of tobacco, flake versus shag for example. If it's not a uniform density throughout the bowl at the start it soon will be.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I think it's slightly more dense at the top decreasing in density as you move down. The tobacco isn't a solid mass and pressure is applied at the top. So if only makes sense for the compression to be graduated from top to bottom. If you gravity filled and never applied any pressure at all, the density would be equal top to bottom.

Agree to both points. The difference in densities is not large, and tamping as the smoke progresses makes it moot anyhow.

I also think the density when the packing is completed its greater than the feel of a stale marshmallow.

Haven't gauged any sort of marshmallow in years, but that sounds about right,

 

[Winnipeger]

Also...the exception is with very dry shag-cut tobacco, which you can pack tight. I pretty much cram dry shags like Five Brothers or Vincent Manil Semois into the chamber until it's tight. Burns fine that way. The idea with tight packing is to slow the burn down. When they're cut so fine, there's tons more exposed surface area to the leaf, so they burn more readily. If you gravity fill with Semois, you'l get like a 3-minute smoke. If you cram it in the chamber, you get a more slow, even burn. Kendal Kentucky, Dark Birdseye, etc. work like that too, but only if they're first dried almost crispy. Not fresh out of the bag.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cube cut and flakes also expand as they heat up, as the tobacco curls and releases from the pressing. Ribbon will curl and rise up a tad out of the bowl as it heats up, but it doesn't expand to block air like flakes and cubes can.

 

[sablebrush52]

I think it's slightly more dense at the top decreasing in density as you move down. The tobacco isn't a solid mass and pressure is applied at the top. So if only makes sense for the compression to be graduated from top to bottom. If you gravity filled and never applied any pressure at all, the density would be equal top to bottom.

I also think the density when the packing is completed its greater than the feel of a stale marshmallow.

That's the result of the old classic three part pack

 

[mso489]

Following chasingembers and others on here, I eventually came around to the gravity load, letting the blend fall into the chamber loosely, though I do tamp it down just enough with my finger, or with the tamper after a charring light (if that's needed). As in basic fire building, you need both fuel and air to make it work, so progressively strong pressure in packing usually packs it too tightly to breathe, pressing all the air out. Fuel (tobacco) without oxygen doesn't do anything.

 

[Coreios]

As mentioned above gravity feed is my method. Then just push it down while drawing until the draw feels right like a soda straw.

 

[Mountainman Sam]

I've found it depends on the cut and moisture content of the bowl. I finer cut dry tobacco needs to be a bit looser that a flake/plug tobacco for instance, and I find aromatics need more wiggle room compared with an English or Virginia blend. Another variable is the size of the bowl/draft hole. When it comes down to it, packing a bowl is more of an art that develops with time vs. A science with a strict method. But I could be wrong ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

 

[sugardaddy]

So it seems like you gys are packing a lot lighter than most of the reading and forums and vids I 've seen so far.

I'll give it a shot. Thanks!

The fun about trying different packing configs... is that you're still smokin!

 

[NomadOrb]

Lighter packing = more bowls per tin too.

 

[Mountainman Sam]

I've found it depends on the cut and moisture content of the bowl. I finer cut dry tobacco needs to be a bit looser that a flake/plug tobacco for instance, and I find aromatics need more wiggle room compared with an English or Virginia blend. Another variable is the size of the bowl/draft hole. When it comes down to it, packing a bowl is more of an art that develops with time vs. A science with a strict method. But I could be wrong ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

Edit: tighter for the fine, looser for flake. I just realized I flipped it