We’ve all been there. You decide to take a well deserved vacation, or visit a friend in a different city. You’re stoked for some time off and you are ready to relax. However, you’ve brought your favorite herb and realize you have nothing to smoke it with. Bummer! No worries, we’ve got you. There is a lighter at the end of this DIY tunnel. That’s right, we’ve laid out a few ways you can quickly make a pipe or bong out of simple, easy to find, household items.
Disclaimer: People have been making bongs and pipes since the discovery of cannabis. The list below is some of our favorite DIY projects and is for entertainment purposes only. Absolutely nothing replaces quality bongs and pipes made by reputable companies — which we happen to have a lot of in-store. Should you decide to try your hand at DIYing a bong or pipe, do so at your own risk.
First off, let’s break it down. Pipes are pretty straight forward, but what are the parts and pieces of a bong? It’s easier to build something, if you know what you’re aiming for, right?
Chamber
- This part is pretty critical. It is the ‘neck’ of the bong.
- It stores the liquid and allows smoke to pass in.
Stem
- This is a hollow piece that protrudes from the base of the chamber.
- It connects the bowl to the chamber.
- Use a grommet or something similar to seal this piece to the chamber so that no smoke gets out and it is airtight.
Bowl
- The component where cannabis is placed.
- This needs to be heat resistant, but also allow smoke through to the stem.
Mouthpiece
- The top portion of the chamber where your mouth goes, so you can inhale the smoke passing through the contraption.
Carb
- The unsung hero of a smoking apparatus.
- This is a small hole that is placed near the bowl to allow control of airflow while lighting your herb.
Now that we understand the components and simple rules of a smoking piece, we can begin to construct one. Plus, with a little creativity, we can bend these rules a bit for convenience. Will these be the best smoking gadgets you’ve ever used? No. But they will definitely get you high in a pinch.
Here are some plastic and aluminum free options:
Fruits and Veggies
Some produce works better than others, but one thing is for sure. There is a long grocery list of what plant based items you can turn into a last minute piece. The most commonly used ones are apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots, pineapples, melons, squash, and potatoes.
Candy
If you fancy yourself a sculptor, you can actually shape a small pipe out of malleable candy like Starburst or Tootsie Rolls. These taffy like candies are able to be molded into your ideal shape. Then use common kitchen utensils like a fork or a chopstick to create the holes you need.
Lunch Meat
That’s right. While this option is guaranteed gluten-free, it most definitely is not vegan. Take a piece of your favorite deli meat and roll it up into a tube shape. Place your nugs at the farther end, and pinch just after your stash. Place your mouth to the end that is closer to you, light, and take a pull. To everyone’s surprise, it works and that pinch upgrade keeps any debris from ending up in your mouth while keeping the ideal airflow.
Gravity Bong (Glass edition)
This one is a bit more time consuming, but well worth it. The gravity bong is a method that has been passed down for generations because it is simple, yet it packs a punch. To make one out of glass, find yourself a suitable bottle, like an empty wine bottle.
- Place the bottle inside of a roll of packing tape and carefully use something sharp to score your cut mark evenly all the way around the bottle.
- Remove.
- Rub the score mark all the way around with ice to drastically cool down the glass.
- Immediately move it to a candle flame and rotate the bottle to quickly heat the score mark.
- Repeat this process from ice to flame, until the glass cleanly breaks at the score mark. Be alert during this process, because the glass will break suddenly.
- Use an appropriately sized wrench socket and place it in the top. Use this as a bowl piece to cradle your delicious nugs.
- Grab a big bowl that the bottle can at least partially fit in and fill it with water.
- Time to smoke! Load your makeshift bowl piece and hold the bottle upright in the water while you light your ‘juana. Slowly pull the bottle out of the water so the air chamber fills with smoke. When the desired amount of smoke is achieved, or you’ve run out of weed to burn, remove the socket bowl piece. Don’t use your bare hands! The bowl piece may be extremely hot. Place your mouth over the glass top and inhale as much as you can handle.
Knife Hit
Ah. An old classic. This is a move for the truly desperate. You don’t have a pipe, a lighter, or any F’s to give, but you have a kitchen. If you have the forethought, place a mug in your freezer to get it nice and frosty. Heat up the tip of a metal butter knife on your stove. Remove and place a small amount of weed on the hot end. Hold your frosty mug above the smoke coming off of your burning weed and collect it. The coldness of the mug will condense the smoke, making it possible for you to slightly tip the mug until you can get your desired stream of smoke. Inhale. Enjoy.
Hand-made Pipe
Be warned, this one is a pretty reckless option that we don’t actually recommend. However, it is worth mentioning if only to admire the sheer boldness that someone has had to come up with this method. Close your hand into a loose fist. Place a socket into the end of your fist made with your pinky finger. Add only a very small amount of weed into the socket. If you use too much, you’ll need more heat and it could burn your hand. Place your mouth to the hole made by your index finger and thumb. Lightly heat the weed with a low flame lighter and inhale. One can only marvel at the simplicity.
The Houdini Cigarette
This one is pretty simple. Basically, you’ll switch the tobacco inside of a cigarette with some ground up weed. Use something really small like a toothpick to break up the tobacco and tap it out of the cigarette. Load your own bud, and enjoy.
Bonus Tips:
- Don’t have a bowl piece? Use the tip of a banana! Cut the tip of a banana and remove the edible part. Poke a skewer sized hole in the smaller end. Load with your favorite bud and attach to your DIY bong of choice.
- Traveling somewhere snowy? Maybe you’re on a killer ski trip or snowshoe hike and didn’t pack a piece. If the snow is packable, you can use it to sculpt a temporary bong or pipe. Day saver!
- Traveling somewhere tropical? If you’re chillin on the beach and need a piece, you’ve come to the right place. Most beaches have a few different kinds of shells that wash up to shore. The Spire / Mollusk shells are the most user friendly. Find a clean one and then use your own preferred method of cleaning to get it smoke ready. Load the wider end with a nugget and presto! Enjoy the island vibes.
