Blue Foam PLUG! UPDATED v2.0 "THE SLUG" - The Search is over!

[kristin]

so confused..can someone either make a vid or point me in the direction of one? I got a long drive coming up so I need to figure something out. I can't drip driving through chicago.

Angjen, there is a new mod that has several variations. It's basically leaving the majority of the cartridge empty of filler and just filling it with liquid then "plugging" just the end with some kind of filler. This thread involves using the blue fish tank foam as the "plug." Other threads use something to keep the filler from sliding into the cart, if you don't have 510 or want more space. It started with a guy who used a spring from a pen. He turned it sideways in the cart, just below the opening, to hold up the poly filler. I made a variation by using a drinking straw and a piece of scrubbie pad. Just look at this forum for the different threads: Cartridge Mods - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat

[eclypse]

The mod is pretty simple and i dont think a video is needed other then maybe to get it out there more as people could find it on you tube.

Just cut the plug to size, fill the cart up to the lip/ledge inside the 510 cart and insert the plug in the cart horizontaly. Try your best to keep the plug flat with the edges touching the inner walls of the cart. You dont want it crooked as it might leak.. have it bunched up and it may not wick good.

The hard part is cutting the size right. I've learned that the hard way the past few days.

[eclypse]

Yesterday was ruff for me.. When i made my first batch of about 20 plugs i was in a hurry and tried my best to cut the stuff with scissors. Thought i could just cut one long strip to size and then cut each one out of the strip. Tuff to cut a straight line with this stuff that way hehe.

Needless to say, i have some leaky plugs.. And needed to clean about 4 attys by the end of the night.

Finally, i get some time to do it right tonight. I used a cutting board to cut the plugs on. Cleaned a clear plastic ruler to use as my straight edge. All i had was some razor blades to cut with so i cleaned one to use. Measured out a long strip at 10.40mm wide. Used the ruler as a straight edge. And cut it with the razor. Then took that long piece and measured 7mm and cut it again using the straight edge of the ruler to make a clean cut.

I made 2 plugs that way and both came out a different size lol. The stuff is nuts to cut right.

Anyways, i tried one which seemed a little bigger then the other.. no good. Was not wicking. Tried the other that seemed to be right and BAMB... Perfect! Back to that first day bliss when i first tried it out.

I'm going to take this plug out when its dry ( hehe smoking too good atm ) and use that as mold to cut out a bunch more.


I gave up last night with the bad batch of plugs i made before as it was leaking crazy. Swaped back out to my poly-fil and used that through out the night and all day today. What a difference! Doing that really showed me just how well the foam plug mod works Just cracks me up as i thought about the member who mentioned that poly works the best and thats why they originally made it that way with the poly.. lol. Try the plug buddy... try the plug!

[samysam1313]

Be nice if we could get these plugs pre-made. hehe. I have the green scrubbers and going to try that before I go spend money on the blue foam. If it's even available here. Haven't looked yet. Seems to be pretty much hit and miss for getting the plug the exact size. The blue foam might be easier to make an outline for cutting though. If I find it too hard to make them with the scrubber, then I'll try the blue foam. What we really need is a cutter that's exactly the right size. Like a punch. Any machinists here?

[KermieD]

When using a razor blade, xacto, etc, you are going to be pulling at a foam like this and the pulling is what's causing your irregularity. Try going to a hobby store and getting a circle cutter. That should eliminate the irregularities.

Sorry, haven't vaped yet (ordering my first 510 tomorrow and am looking at threads like this as research in getting started), but in my other hobby (model and high powered rocketry), we run into this very issue trying to cut carbon fiber cloth and the circle cutter solves many of the issues you describe here. You may also wish to go down to your local farm & fleet and get a 50 cent piece of angle iron to use as a straight edge. That will work better to pin down the material, further reducing the pulling. You will have to get used to how the compression of the angle iron affects the location of the cut, but it shouldn't take more than a few cuts to develop some consistency.

[k lady]

After having the same flooding/leaking issues Monday nite, Eclypse, I haven't had any more probs. Still using the same 3 plugs I made originally. They're all out of shape now but I just wiggle them around in the top of the cart after loading and they don't give me any more grief.

I think the green scrubby material would be more stable - I just wonder if the stiffer material would wick as well. Guess I'll have to play around with that next!

I don't think I'll ever go back to using the stock cart filler and hope the carts of the future incorporate this plug feature. I envision a thin wire frame around an open pore material (foam?) that sits down on the shelf of a 510 cart that you remove to fill the reservoir in the cart body...

[ZorbaTheGreek]

I got my first e cig about a week and a half ago, m401. Tried it with the stock carts for about 20 min before I jumped into modding my filler (I had been reading the forums for a while, what else was I to do while I waited on shiping! ) So my first few tries were a total failure, would wick fine for a while, then start leaking like crazy and I'd get a mouthful of bad. Went to just direct dripping for a couple of days, then set in for round 2, wasn't about to be beaten yet! Just cut the plug a little bigger than the cart, so I have to stuff it in a little tighter, and bam, vaping like a champ. Running all day, one filled cart, no leaks, and still wicking! Then I read the new plan of cutting it off, so it doesn't fill the whole cart, just about 75%. Damn, this thing has been vaping forever and no idea how much liquid I've got left. Thanks e-cig-forum community!

The funny thing is. I see people buying these things at kiosks in the mall, and I can't help but think, "No! You need to go to e-cigatree forum!" I'm just worried they'll not enjoy thier PV enough because it's not performing up to snuff! Anyway, new on the community and just too excitable I guess Happy vaping!

[samysam1313]

Hi Zorba. I haven't been around very long myself, but sounds like you've done your homework. I did the same thing before buying my 510. This forum is fantastic for info, help and advise. Welcome.

[eclypse]

Just want to throw out there real quick that i've found a better way to cut the stuff.

Find or buy a plastic CLEAR ruler. Use that as your straight edge when you cut. The best part is that you can use it to compress the foam down and since its clear see threw it and get a more accurate measurement. Just make sure your covering the plug with the ruler and the edge is where you need to make a cut. (Most likely easier to explain this with pictures.. I'm not really going to have time to do that today as i have the kids to watch and a birthday party tonight.)

Using this i've noticed while measuring with my calipers that the width is a 1/4 inch, and the length is just about 7 16th of an inch. Thought that might be easier for those without a digital caliper.

[KermieD]

Have you traveled with these? I'm just wondering whether having a reservoir of liquid at the bottom may cause issues with leakage while being bounced around in a pocket or something. I'm asking this out of complete ignorance, as I'm brand new to this and the goal for me would be to have a mod that enables me to travel with the cart.