Joint Size and Genders Explained
If you have ever added an attachment to your pipe, you know that the size and “gender” of your pipe’s joint become very important. While there are different sizes, gender, and angles you should be aware of when looking for a new attachment, most come in fairly standard sizes to lessen the confusion. Here we will explain the most common joint sizes, genders, and angles you will find in shops today.
Joint Size
When choosing a bowl, nail, ashcatcher, or other type of attachment, you will obviously want to find one that fits the joint. Attachments that are too big may cause the joint to break, rendering your pipe useless. Attachments that are too small will wobble around in the joint and may tip or spill the contents. This is why paying close attention to your joint’s size matters. The most standard sizes are 10mm, 14mm, and 18mm. Users will want to find the corresponding size in the attachment they choose.
Joint Gender
Another characteristic to consider when purchasing a new attachment is the gender of your pipe’s joint. If it is a male joint, it will pair with a female attachment, and vice versa. Same-gender pieces are incompatible with one another, but opposite gendered attachments should slide right into your pipe’s joint. Female joints are wider and look more cup-like. Male joints are smaller and solid in form. Usually the parts where the glass is touching will be tempered to prevent scratches, chips, and fractures. This also makes it easy to slide the pieces together without applying force. When the glass is hot, it might expand. Always let your glass cool before taking it apart. This will prevent burns to you and accidental breaks to your glass.
Joint Angle
Joints and attachments may also be angled. The two most common angles are 90-degrees and 45-degrees. If your pipe has a 90-degree joint, so it’s straight up and down, then you will want to pair it with a 90-degree attachment. If you try sticking a 45-degree attachment into a 90-degree joint, the bowl will be tilted, and your product will spill out. Most attachment designs will include an angle option, so users don’t miss out on pairing their favorite attachment with their favorite pipe.
Adapters and Converters
If you really want to make your female joint fit with a female attachment, or your favorite 45-degree attachment fit with your 90-degree joint, you can utilize an adapter or converter. These help with issues of incompatibility and are often less expensive than buying a whole new piece to fit with your pipe. Adapters and converters can help with size, gender, and angle issues.
Universal Fit Attachments
Recently, some universal fit attachments have come on the market to make buying an attachment easier for users, especially if they have multiple pipes with different configurations. Usually these universal fit pieces are made with titanium, would could deter some users. However, titanium has come a long way since the early days and most pieces won’t cause a metallic taste in your product anymore. If you still aren’t sure, there are some titanium pieces that include a glass dish to keep product taste as pure as possible. Otherwise, titanium is a very durable material, so your attachment will last much longer than your other glass pieces.
- SMOKEA Blog