Thursday, May 21, 2009 

How To Make a Hookah Out of a Lava Lamp


What do these two objects have in common? They can both become your vessel for a superior smoking experience!

In a previous Hookah Love Blog post, my buddy Christophanes busted the myths that surround small and tall hookahs.   I will add to the argument that a tall hookah is not always necessarily better. For example, the Mya Chic Hookah, which was meant to be portable, versatile and reliable, is one of many products on Hookah-Shisha.com that carries their stamp-of-approval to provide you with an enjoyable hookah experience, regardless of size.

But a major concern with most hookah owners is aesthetics. Tall or novelty hookahs look cooler, which is the appeal of most people. Well, if you own a Mya Chic, or any hookah that has a female-fitting stem, then you’re in luck because in this article I, Tatum Vay, will show you how to transform that Mya Chic into an awesome Lava Lamp Hookah that will leave your tall-hookah-owning friends in envy!

You will need:

1.  Mya Chic Hookah (or any hookah that has a female-fitting stem)
2.  A lava lamp (new or old doesn’t matter, but preferably one with a working lamp. It works best with the “generic” lava lamp, where the globe is listed as having 20 ounces of liquid in it.)
3.  An empty soda can (or tubing that fits around your downstem)
4.  Kitchen shears (or scissors)
5.  Gloves
6.  Empty, heat-proof vessel (to dump “lava” from the lamp out)
7.  Bottle opener
8.  Coat hanger or hook

I’ll be making this Lava Lamp Hookah out of a Mya Chic Hookah, but I’m sure that any hookah in which the stem fits on to the base, a female-fitting one, can be used for this application (Editor’s Note:  This includes the Mya QT, Econo Mya QT,Econo Mya Gelato, Mya Bambino, Mya Razo, Mya Piccolo, Mya Nou Nou, and the Mya Gelato Hookah.)


The Mya Chic’s female-fitting stem.  Notice how the stem fits “over” the base.

Follow my lead young Padawan. Notice that the globe is topped off by a bottle cap.  You can pop this off easily later to drain the liquid out.  But first, start by heating up your lava lamp.

Not a delicious soda pop.  Do not drink!

Now a quick lesson on lava lamps:  There are 2 basic ingredients, which we’ll call liquid #1 (mostly colored water and oil) and liquid #2 (mostly wax).  Liquid #2 is less dense than liquid #1 when warm, and solid and more dense when cold.  Much like water an oil, these two ingredients don’t mix together.  liquid #2  is solid when cool and rests at the bottom of the lamp.  When the lamp is turned on, the light bulb will heat the solid component (with the help of a metal coil in the bottom of the glass) which causes it to become less dense and float to the top, where eventually it will cool and sink to the bottom where the process is repeated.   Hence the “lava” effect.  Anyways, back to the task at hand:

If you are using an old lava lamp without a working “lamp” then do the following:  Find a container that can hold enough water to cover 2/3 of the globe.  Fill it up with hot water. You’re going to have to keep replacing the water until the liquid starts to flow, or find another way to gradually heat the lamp.  IMPORTANT:  Do NOT by any means heat the glass on a stovetop, oven, or microwave.  This can cause the glass to explode and could be potentially fatal (as seen on Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel).

Now, remember that bottle cap at the top? We’re going to remove it. Put on some gloves to protect you from the heat of the globe and shake the globe vigorously to mix the two components together. Remove the bottle cap with your bottle opener and drain the entire thing into your heat-proof vessel.

Don’t forget the gloves!  This is a re-enactment so it’s not hot.

Let it cool down so you can remove the solid part and throw it out (you don’t want to dump that into your drain and let the wax solidify and clog things up for you).

The cooled “lava.”

Throw this in the trash so it doesn’t clog your pipes.

Now using a bent coat hanger or hook, catch the metal coil and pull it through the opening of the glass. Discard it or decorate it and sell it as a bracelet.  Your choice.

Simple coil removal.

Now rinse your globe thoroughly with water. Then with dish-washing detergent and water. Then rinse it with water again. Then with lemon juice. Then with baking soda. Then with water. Then with detergent and water… you get the point?  This should be repeated until there are no chemical smells in it at all.  After all the rinsing, fill the globe up with lemon juice, baking soda, and water and let it sit.

Clean clean clean!

Now, we need to extend the length of the downstem of the Mya Chic because we need it to be long enough so that the bottom is about a half-an-inch underneath the surface of the water. However, we don’t want the water to fill up the majority of the base, giving less room for smoke.

I have achieved this with an empty soda can. We are going to cut out a long piece and roll it up to make it an extension of the stem.  Cut off the top part and the bottom part so you have a flat “sheet.” Carefully, without cutting yourself, roll this up so that it fits into the stem. It will naturally want to unroll, which will make it conform to the size of your stem and keep it airtight so no smoke will escape during the pull.

The tools you’ll need to create a “downstem extension.”

A rolled up soda can  makes a nice extension for your downstem.

If you prefer to go the extra distance and find some kind of tubing that will fit your downstem, then by all means go ahead. Make sure it won’t be anything that will react negatively to the heat of the lamp at the bottom.

Rinse out the globe one more time. Take the grommet that fits around the base of the Mya Chic and work it around the opening of the lava lamp. This will create the perfect seal needed for your super-smoking hookah.

Fit the grommet on top of the globe for an airtight base

The next part is very simple; just place the stem of the Mya Chic onto the Lava Lamp. Check for the appropriate seal and make sure the stem is extended enough into the globe.  Place the globe back onto the lamp base.

It’s made!

Now you can remove the stem and fill the lava lamp up like usual, put the stem back on and start smoking.  But let’s talk about base liquids:  It’s a lava lamp, it’s meant to be colorful and fun!  So why not use some blue sports drink? Or maybe some Kool-Aid or fruit punch?  If you feel silly about using juice for the liquid, pick up some food coloring.  Whatever you do you’ll want there to be color when you turn the light on.   Why else have a lava lamp hookah?

Choises, choises.  Is it in you?

I know what a lot of people are asking: “Won’t the lamp make the water hot and make the smoke harsh?” Well, whatever myths about this you might have heard can be busted.  I’ve smoked three sessions in a row with a phunnel bowl (almost four hours total) and no harshness from the heat.  Also, with the removal of the metal coil, the liquid won’t heat up as much.

The Lava Lamp Hookah!

So there you go! Pair with your favorite Nammor hookah hose, pack a  phunnel bowl with some Starbuzz Blue Mist or any shisha of your choice, heat up someCoco Nara Charcoals and enjoy your new lava lamp hookah!

So, whether you want to spruce up your Mya Chic or just love novelty items, you can make your own lava lamp hookah and be the envy of the neighborhood.  It just goes to show that size does matter, but bigger is not always better. 

Cheers and happy smoking!

Original article by Tatum Vay reproduced with permission from hookah-shisha.com.

3:39 PM | |

Monday, March 16, 2009 

New Site:

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that we have added a new site to the how2dostuff family. Check out LinkDropper for good links, fun games, and cool videos. E-mail them at linkdropper@gmail.com if you have any suggestions.

Also, we have some good updates for How2DoStuff in the works, so keep checking back.

Thank you.

3:31 PM | |

Saturday, February 07, 2009 

How To Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee

The first step in making a perfect cup of coffee is to select your beans. Coffee is grown in three majors regions in the world: Central/South America, Africa, and Indonesia.

Personally, I think that South American coffees have a sweeter taste, African coffees have citrus or floral flavors, and Indonesian coffees have spicier flavors. Find a coffee that you like, but don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.

Always buy your coffee whole-bean and as freshly roasted as possible. Roasted coffee can stale very quickly. The peak of coffee freshness is about as long as the shelf-life of a loaf of bread. That being said, the best place to buy your coffee is at small, local specialty coffee shops that roast their own beans. Store your beans in an airtight container, but be sure to open it at least once a day to release carbon-dioxide buildup.

Your brewing method of choice is also very important. Most coffee purists (including myself) will tell you that the best way to brew coffee is by using an immersion method of brewing. Unlike conventional drip brewing methods, the coffee grounds are mixed into the hot water and then filtered out. This gives the coffee the highest possible water to coffee exposure possible.


That being said, the method we will be discussing is the French Press. A French Press is a simple device used for immersion brewing that can be found at many stores for a low price, I am using a Bodum French Press which I highly recommend. I will also be using a electric water kettle, blade coffee grinder and Brita filtered water pitcher.


First I will grind the coffee beans. There are two basic types of coffee grinder; blade and burr. A blade grinder works by spinning a blade at the bottom of the grinding chamber at a high speed. A burr coffee grinder has a coffee chamber at the top where the coffee beans move from the chamber between a set of grinding wheels and into the bottom for collection. A burr coffee grinder gives a much better, more even grind that requires less maintenance and cleanup, but they are much more expensive. A blade grinder can be found for relatively cheap, which is why it is what I am using.


For every six-ounce cup of coffee that we will be making, you want to add a level two-tablespoon scoop of whole coffee beans. Grind until you achieve a coarse grind, which is what is recommended for immersion brewing.


Next we want to heat the water. I use filtered water from a Brita water pitcher. I would not recommend using tap or distilled water.


The target temperature for brewing is 190 degrees Fahrenheit. A good rule-of-thumb is that this is about fifteen seconds off of a boil.

Add your coffee grinds to the bottom of your French Press. Pour the hot water on top of the grinds up the level that is marked on the side of the French Press. Stir to mix evenly using something that is not metal so that you do not scratch or chip the glass on the French Press. I like to use a plastic chopstick.


Place the top of the French Press on and left sit for four minutes to brew.


After four minutes has passed, press the plunger down and pour your coffee into your serving vessel of choice.


I like to drink my coffee black with no sugar, but you can add cream or sugar if you would like. Try adding warm milk and vanilla for a latte, premade hot chocolate for a mocha, or frothed milk and sugar for a cappuccino.




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9:47 PM | |

Tuesday, February 03, 2009 

How to Make a Can of Beer Flow Better

First take your can of beer and drink at least ¼ of the beer.


Next take off the top of the can by shifting it back and forth until it comes off.


Next, notice that the top of the tap has two little jagged edges on the top. This is important for the next step.


Next use one of the top edges of the tap and rub it back and forth until it cuts a slit into the top of the can.


The tap should then rest in the top of the can and enjoy your nice delicious cold flowing brew.



Article by ZA.

6:18 PM | |

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 

How To Hack an Electronic Road Sign

How many times have you driven by an electronic road sign like one of these?


This is the ADDCO portable sign. Today, you see what is on the inside, and how they are programmed to display important information.

*** WARNING YOU SHOULD NEVER TAMPER WITH THESE SIGNS ***


1. The access panel on the sign is generally protected by a small lock, but often are left unprotected. Upon opening the access panel you can see the display electronics.


2. The black control pad is attached by a curly cord, with a keyboard on the face.


3. Programming is as simple as scrolling down the menu selection to “Instant Text”. Type whatever you want to display, Hit Enter to submit. You can now either throw it up on the sign by selecting “Run w/out save” or you can add more pages to it by selecting “Add page”

Should it ask you for a password. Try “DOTS”, the default password.

In all likelihood, the crew will not have changed the password. However if they did, never fear. Hold “Control” and “Shift” and while holding, enter “DIPY”. This will reset the sign and reset the password to “DOTS” in the process. You’re in!


Article reproduced with permission from i-hacked.com.

5:13 PM | |

Sunday, November 30, 2008 

How To Make a Beer Can Ashtray

Here is a quick article on how to make a beer can ashtray. They work pretty well in a pinch for gifts or decoration, and also make a pretty good party trick.

Be really careful with this one, I cut myself on the sharp aluminum pretty badly. You might want to wear a thick pair of gardening gloves for protection.



  1. Start with a beer can. Drink the beer.


  2. Cut the top off right where the can begins to straighten out (about an inch from the top).


  3. Snip the can from top to bottom into eight even strips. Start by pinching the can in half and making two pieces, pinch again to make four, and once more to make eight. You can vary the number of strips to achieve a different effect, but I like to use eight.


  4. Spread out the strips to make a star pattern.


  5. Take your first strip and fold it over the strip beside it, and below the next one. See the picture below for an example.


  6. Continue folding the strips all the way around by tucking a strip below the next strip. Make sure that it goes over the end of the previous strip.


  7. Continue around the can until you have only one strip remaining.






  8. Take the final strip and tuck it below the first strip. Make sure to go above the previous strip and under the first. If it does not fit, you may need to pull the first strip back a little bit.


Enjoy your new ashtray. Make sure to comment, and post any ideas you might have.


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11:31 PM | |

Sunday, November 16, 2008 

How To Make Some Ghetto Movie Glass

Did you ever wonder how people in movies can break a bottle over their heads or jump through a pane of glass without getting seriously injured? In movies they use a special kind of glass made of sugar. It is usually a pretty involved process that requires some special ingredients and lots of measuring. However, we figured out a simple way to make brown sugar-glass out of things that almost everyone has in their kitchen.
    Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of water

  • 3.5 cups of sugar

  • 1 cup of maple syrup


That's it! Here is how you make it.

  1. Combine all of the ingredients together in a pot. You probably want to use a taller one than I did, since it will eventually bubble up a lot.


  2. Bring the pot to a boil and move the heat down to low, just to keep it boiling. It is going to smell a lot like pancakes and you are going to seriously crave some. Try to fight the urge to cook and eat pancakes, I couldn't.


  3. Let the pot continue to boil until all of the water is removed. You will know that all of the water is gone when you smell the sugar start to burn and the color start to turn darker. As soon as you smell burning sugar, remove it from heat. You will have lost your craving for pancakes by now. This usually takes awhile, it took me about 45 minutes.


  4. Have your mold ready to pour the mixture into; I used a pizza pan. Be sure that you cover it aluminum foil and spray it generously with nonstick cooking spray. Also be sure to put a hot pad under it so that your surface is not damaged.


  5. Pour the mixture into the mold. It is going to be really bubbly and scary, so be careful. Let it sit out until it is cool to the touch.


  6. Move the mold into the refrigerator and let it sit for at least an hour. Only remove it right before you are ready to use it.


  7. When you are ready to use it, carefully peel back the aluminum foil. It is very brittle and breaks easily so be careful.
  8. And there you have it! You are done!


  9. Go ahead and punch through or head-butt your pane of glass. It breaks and sounds exactly like real glass. Have fun!




    For a less-ghetto version:
  • Use clear corn syrup instead of maple syrup to make clear glass
  • Add a pinch of cream of tartar to the mixture to keep the bubbles down during the cooling process
  • Use a candy thermometer and heat until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit instead of waiting for the sugar to start burning.

Have fun, if anyone makes any cool molds, be sure to link pictures in the comments!


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9:25 PM | |

Sunday, September 28, 2008 

How to Make Your Own (Healthier) Potato Chips:

Everyone loves potato chips. The only things more American are Natural Light and arson. We thought we would share our way of making our own potato chips with you. They are HALF the price, HALF the fat, TWICE the flavor, and TWICE as awesome- plus you can make them any kind of crazy flavor you want to. They are healthier and tastier because they are baked, not deep-fried. Baked chips are expensive in stores, but you can make them for next to nothing.

1) Get some potatoes. I used the little tiny ones, but you can use whatever you have laying around. Experiment to find out which ones you like best.


2) Wash your potatoes. Peel them if you want to, but I like to leave the skin on.


3) Slice the potatoes between one-eighth and one-sixteenth inches thick (about 2-6 mm for you non-American readers), use a mandolin if you have one. Thickness is something that you can experiment with, it's mostly preference, but it has a pretty big effect on cooking time.


3) Put all of your sliced potatoes into a bowl. Add about a teaspoon of your favorite oil (I like olive oil).


4) Toss the potato slices in the oil. Slowly add more oil and toss if you need to. Go with about a teaspoon at a time. Only add enough to coat, if you have oil pooling in the bottom of the bowl, you have added too much.


5) Get a baking pan and cover it with aluminum foil. Spray that foil with your favorite non-stick spray. If you don't the chips will stick, and will be really hard to remove.


6) Lay your oil-coated potato slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.


7) Heat your oven to 400 degrees (F), set the timer for twenty minutes. This isn't the total cooking time, since we will watching them to see when they are done.


8) Put the potatoes into the oven and keep an eye on them. They are done when the edges start to curl up. I like mine a little more crispy, so I left mine in a little longer. It's another personal preference thing that you can play around with.



9) When the chips are done, pull them out and set them aside to cool. If you want to put some seasoning on them, this is the time to do it. Most people will add a little salt, but you can get creative with your toppings. I like mine with some black pepper and Old Bay seasoning.


10) Enjoy your chips!

11:12 PM | |

Thursday, September 25, 2008 

How To Remove the Safety from a Lighter

Why would you want to take the safety off of a lighter? There are a lot of reasons- so you can tell your lighter from other people's, to be unique, just to do something when you're bored, but mostly because it gives you a WAY smoother light.


Look at your lighter. Where the safety meets where the flame comes out, you will see two metal prongs that meet in the middle.


Using a pair of pliers, or a screwdriver, or a pencil or anything else you can, carefully pry both prongs up so that they point ninety degrees from their original position.


The safety on the lighter should now protrude slightly. Using your pliers, or just your fingers, grab the safety and pull it back towards the back of the lighter.


Gently wiggle the safety back and out until it comes free from the lighter.


Gently fold the two prongs back down to their original position.


You are now done! Enjoy your improved lighter.

12:44 AM | |

Friday, July 04, 2008 

How to Stop Windows Automatic Updates from Restarting Your Computer

Ever get tired of seeing this screen?


It's easier to get rid of than you think. Just pull up Windows Command Prompt (usually Start > Run > and type "cmd"). Just type this following line to stop the annoying screen from popping up:
net stop "automatic updates"


Voila! You are finished.

6:22 PM | |