Contributor: KC SCannell
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that doesn’t enjoy the thick, milky hits that a bong can provide. Those solid rips always do a body (and mind) good. The reliable power that these bong tokes can provide is unlike any other smoking device on the market. It’s equal parts classic and timeless. It’s easily one of the most stereotypical devices associated with the cannabis lifestyle. It’s also one of the most expensive.
Well, not all of them are expensive. You can pick some acrylic and plastic pieces for dirt cheap, but those rarely provide the same quality experience as a sturdy, glass, 3-foot, professionally-made bong.
Everything You Need To Know About Gravity Bongs
And I think we all know that.
Sadly, not all of us have the financial wherewithal to just head over to our local smoke shop and pick out a dope piece. Although, we wish we could. Which is why we are often relegated to joints, blunts, pipes, and vapes.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way. What if I told you I knew how to make a homemade bong that not only hit equal to, if not harder than, a standard piece – but – it would cost next to nothing?!
That’s exactly what I plan to do right now with this breakdown of how to construct a fully-functioning, budget-friendly “gravity bong.”
For most of you over the age of 25, you’ve likely heard of, smoked from, or built one of your very own. It’s a college kid’s cure to the bong-less life, and boy, does it hit hard. But there might be a healthy portion of you new cannabis enthusiasts out there who have no idea what I’m talking about. Which is totally fine. You’re not expected to know everything right off the bat, and believe me, this is one of the more nuanced aspects of the cannabis community.
Although, it is good to know if you’re looking to get ripped in a pinch.
Now, the “gravity” name has nothing to do with it making you feel “spacey.” Though, that may very well happen, depending on what stain you toke. It’s actually given that name because the water displacement, and subsequent usage of “gravity”, is what powers the smoke to flow from the bowl into the chamber below. Where your lungs would’ve provided that motivation, through the inhalation of a typical bong.
I understand that may sound confusing, but once you see how to make (and hit) a gravity bong, you’ll totally know what I’m talking about.
Alright, in order to make a gravity bong of your very own, you’re going to want to first get your hands on a couple of plastic bottles, one larger than the other. For this, I’d suggest going with a 12-18 oz. empty bottle of soda, along with an empty 2-liter of some sort.
Then, you’ll want to grab some scissors, and cut off the bottom part of the smaller bottle. Once you’ve done that, pick up the larger, 2-liter bottle, and cut off the top portion. Not too much, though. I’d say aim to cut the part of the bottle where it starts to “dip in.”
After completing that step, grab a knife, and use the tip of it to puncture a few small holes in the top of the smaller bottle’s cap. Then, strategically wrap that bottle cap in tin foil, leaving the under-ridges clear, so they can still be fastened to the top of the small bottle.
When you’ve adequately secured the tin foil around the bottle cap, use a pen or knife point, to puncture multiple holes in the foil, much like you’d see done with a hookah.
If you happen to have a spare bowl piece laying around, anything with a bowl and downstem, you can forgo that previously mentioned tin foil route, and simply shove the downstem in, through the punctured hole in the bottle cap, and proceed from there.
Then, you’re going to want to fill up that larger, 2-liter bottle with water.
Don’t fill it up all the way, but don’t skimp on it, either. You just want to make sure there’s enough in there to fully submerge the tinier plastic bottle up to its neck. At this point, you have successfully built your gravity bong.
Now, it’s time to learn how to hit it!
In order to take a solid rip off of your newly-created gravity bong, start out by gently placing your smaller bottle into the larger bottle, full of water, until the water reaches its neck. Then, you’ll secure the cap (tin foiled or stuffed with a spare bowl) onto the top of the smaller bottle.
In that created bowl, place your desired amount of ground-up cannabis flower.
Now, while maintaining control of the smaller bottle, newly affixed with a packed bowl/bottle cap, fire up a lighter, and place the flame just above the buds. As the fire flicks its heat towards the flower, slowly (and I mean slowly) lift the smaller bottle out of the water. The water displacement will draw in the smoke from the lit bowl, so the more gradual you are, the more milky your hit will be.
You will eventually get to the point where the bottom of the smaller bottle is about to reach the surface of the water. Before that happens, maintain the position of the smaller bottle, as you carefully remove the cap/bowl piece from the smaller bottle. At this point, place your lips on the smaller bottle, and take a long, gradual inhale, as you (just as slowly) push it down into the water. The replacement of water, along with your inhale, will force a rush of trapped smoke into your system, leaving you with one tremendously powerful hit.
Now, while hitting it, be sure not to inhale too hard, or push down too fast.
Such a mistake will likely result in a mouthful of smoke-tainted water. Which isn’t the worst. In fact, such an occurrence happens to the best of us, so there’s no shame in it or anything. But it’s certainly not the most “delicious” surprise to endure, that’s for sure. Gross.
But that’s pretty much it, party people. That’s how you properly build (and hit) a gravity bong. Pretty dang easy, right?
And this isn’t even the “only” way to do it. A lot of folks in the cannabis community have gotten very creative with what they use as their gravity bong mediums, further proving that there is no wrong way to go about it. As long as it gets you good and high, there’s really nothing to complain about, in my opinion.
So, if you’re a cannabis enthusiast who happens to be a bit financially stricken, but looking for a quick, strong hit of bud – a gravity bong is surely going to get you where you want to be, and for a fraction of the cost of an actual piece.
Or, if you’re a touch bored, and looking for a creative and cannabis-related art project, this is the perfect way to spend a half hour, that’s for sure.
Whatever your situation may be, the innovation of the gravity bong is here to help any and all enthusiasts get higher than usual, without breaking the bank.
