Direct Drip Cart Mod (DDC)

[Porphy]

Alrighty, let’s talk about the direct drip cart. This is an idea that has been tumbling around in my head for a little while now and it finally came to fruition last night with a little help of forum member DaMulta.

People who direct drip or even dip the wick will tell you that one big issue is either you vape without a cart or you have to constantly take the cart on and off. The problem with taking the cart on and off is obvious but when vaping without a cart it’s even more of a bother when you want to vape constantly but you have to let the atomizer cool down for fear of burning your lips. So for awhile now I’ve been thinking of a way to remake a cartridge to meet the needs of direct drippers.

My first thought was an extension. Simply put, just a tube that extends the atomizer’s length out so your lips will be happy and you have top access to the bridge. This seems like the obvious choice but after some quick experimentation you realize that the laws of gravity are working against you. When you try to drip down an extended tube your liquid always wants to stray to the side and leak down, no matter how close to the center you let it go. So to make this work I needed a cart that would act as an extension, allow access from the top, and get the liquid where you want it (right on the top of the bridge).

I finally accomplished it and have two working prototypes. I’ll walk you through the steps on both. One I have dubbed the “simple DDC” and the other is the “original DDC”. The simple DDC was created after the original and works similarly. The simple DDC is easier to create but its flaws are that it doesn’t aim to the bridge as well as the original and it looks a little ghetto fabulous.

To make these you will need:

-A pen with ergonomic grip
-Scissors (original only)
-3ml disposable eye dropper (original only)





The first step is removing the ergonomic grip from the pen as well as the pen tip. Unscrew the tip and the ergonomic grip should slide off with minimal effort.





Once you have this accomplished making the simple DDC is easy. Insert the pen tip into the ergonomic grip from the “top” of your new cart and force it down until the smallest end of the pen tip is at the bottom (atomizer end) of the grip. This will create a funnel to the bridge of your atomizer.






Viola! You have created a simple DDC… I know, simple right?

Now we’ll learn how to make the original DDC. This works quite a bit better, looks less ghetto, but requires more components and a tad bit more work.

Start off as before and remove the ergonomic grip from the pen. Now pick up your 3ml eye dropper and insert it into the grip until you get the “top” of your cart to the 1ml line.


(eww fuzzy pictures... sorry)




Now cut both ends off of the cart leaving a full length funnel inside the grip. The result should look like:






This will aim for the bridge a bit better then the pen tip, doesn’t deform the body of the grip, and it is more secure inside the grip.

Now for use:

Just drip through the top of the cart as you would if your were going right for the bridge. Any liquid that hits the side will be caught and taken to the bottom anyway.





Note: if your drops get caught on the end of the pen tip or dropper just give them a small blow and it will force them through. This is more of an issue with the simple DDC, the original’s end is wider and allows for drops to go through easily.

If this has been made already I apologize. It is a very simple mod and almost obvious idea so I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it has been done before. At any rate, the “how to” should be some help for anyone wanting to try this mod out.

[Joe81]

thanx for this, i hate filling carts, i might have to give this a try...much simpler than some of the others i've seen...

[DaMulta]

I just pull the Pen Rubber off, and then refill the atomizer like normal dripping. BUT I normally use a dropper, and not the little bottles.

This idea looks really golden, and I might try that tomorrow at some point. I have to ask tho if you lay it on the side does the E-Liquid leak down where your lips suck on the end? Or does the E-Liquid drain into it really fast? I bet when the E-Liquid drips all the way in it almost becomes leak free.

[Porphy]

I just pull the Pen Rubber off, and then refill the atomizer like normal dripping. BUT I normally use a dropper, and not the little bottles.

This idea looks really golden, and I might try that tomorrow at some point. I have to ask tho if you lay it on the side does the E-Liquid leak down where your lips suck on the end? Or does the E-Liquid drain into it really fast? I bet when the E-Liquid drips all the way in it almost becomes leak free.

It would never leak back for two reasons. First, the tip goes directly to the bridge so the juice is soaked up into the bridge material. Secondly, should you over fill it the design of the funnel would stop liquid from coming back up to the tip the farthest it could go if from where the top of the funnel meets the wall of the grip.

Yes, the drops fall right to the bridge nearly as fast as if you dripped on it without a cart. The only issue I can see is if the hole at the end of the funnel isn't large enough and instead holds a drop in place, but then you can easily force the drop down by giving a slight blow through the mouth piece.

[DaMulta]

maybe put a small pin hole on the side of the funnel towards the top. That way the air inside the atomizer would have a place to escape while the liquid was dripping in.

[Porphy]

maybe put a small pin hole on the side of the funnel towards the top. That way the air inside the atomizer would have a place to escape while the liquid was dripping in.

Or... cut the end of the funnel at an angle like the tip of a syringe so the drop has uneven pressure and falls through. that way you don't have any access for the liquid to come back out.

[DaMulta]

Hey Hey even better

[DC2]

So do you have the end of the funnel actually touching the atomizer bridge?

If it were touching, then the drops should not catch at the end of the funnel at all.
But I don't know if the atomizer bridge gets hot enough to melt the funnel or not.

If the funnel isn't touching, have you given any thought to how close to have it?

[DC2]

Also, are those little 3ml disposable droppers easy to come by or do you have to order them?

[Porphy]

So do you have the end of the funnel actually touching the atomizer bridge?

No, but it is so close that the drop wicks before it has to "drop" from the funnel.

If it were touching, then the drops should not catch at the end of the funnel at all.

I thought the exact same thing but also figured (and was right) that if it were just a millimeter or so off the bridge it would do that as well. Plus, the syringe cut also makes this thought moot because there isn't even pressure across the drops body so it just slides out.

But I don't know if the atomizer bridge gets hot enough to melt the funnel or not.

I don't think it does get hot enough but I just went with having it really close but not touching, as long as the drop pokes out a little (which it does) then it gets grabbed by the wick.

If the funnel isn't touching, have you given any thought to how close to have it?

Yes, and having it so close hasn't proven to be a problem yet.

Also, are those little 3ml disposable droppers easy to come by or do you have to order them?

I had 6 or so in my DIY kit that I ordered from Dawn at:

DIY Flavor Shack by E-Cig Smoke Store

They aren't listed in the DIY accessories though but I'm sure if you called here she'd tell you how she got them or sell you some... most likely at cost because she's a sweetheart like that... but don't quote me LOL.