BIG atomizers?

[equazcion]

I have a few questions I'm curious about, hopefully an experienced modder will help me out.

I've been pondering making something akin to an e-hooka -- basically something to use at home, where size and power are no issue, to make monster amounts of vapor. The problem is the availability of large atomizers. The largest I can find are the pen-style ones. So first of all, does anyone know if larger ones are available somewhere?

My next question is, has anyone ever tried making an atomizer from scratch? I took one apart and found that there's not much going on. It's basically a light bulb without the glass, plus that metal mesh. If I were to try making an atomizer, any idea where I'd get the filament and metal mesh?

Last question: Have any modders here considered using parts from a room humidifier? Don't they basically do the same thing as atomizers, only they're designed to run constantly? Wouldn't that make a killer e-gadget? Am I totally off?

Thanks in advance for any answers, I'm new to modding e-cigs and really curious about this stuff.

[nicowolf]

Here ya go. They have been doing it for years, they just haven't included nicotine.
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[equazcion]

Originally Posted by nicowolf

Here ya go. They have been doing it for years, they just haven't included nicotine.
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Ah, good idea. Still curious though, do you know if a room humidifier would work? I'm sure fog machines are more powerful, but is that the only difference? Cause humidifiers are much cheaper. I think I may even have one laying around somewhere I could use.

[Trumpybloke]

I am playing around with atomiser construction at the moment , the hooka idea has a lot of promise, the only problem I see is, as you scale up , the quantities of vapour and liquid use would scale as well, there would also be condensation issues if you were using a long hose and mouthpiece as it is vapour we are inhaling instead of smoke? I might try over the next few weeks with a larger wicking and nichrome set-up....

LOL @ Wolfie... I see that has a quart capacity , ok the headrush would be amazing but you would need to buy shares in JC to fill the bastard !!! 946 ml to a quart , lets see 31 1/2 30 ml bottles to fill it sooooo $628 !!! Now thats a NIGHT !!!!!

[nicowolf]

As far as the basics of how our atomizers work, it is much like a toaster or a light bulb (without the vacuum). Positive pole at one end of a wire, negative at the other end of the wire. The wire heats up, we get vapor, or toasted bread depending on the device. I have never taken a humidifier apart to see how it works, but I wonder about how much heat they actually produce. I know my CPAP humidifier produces some heat, but nowhere near enough for vapor, it makes the air moist because the water is warm and contained - still only slightly warmer than room temp with air passing through the humidifier. If I turn the humidity way up, I get rainout in the hose because of condensation I would think a hookah would have the same problem unless the hose were heated as well.

[equazcion]

Originally Posted by Trumpybloke

I am playing around with atomiser construction at the moment....

Yeah the liquid consumption is a problem. I was thinking of an atomizer that's let's say 4 times the size of a pen-style -- or about the size of a hooka coal. Assuming it would just consume 4 times the liquid of a pen, it seems practical enough.

Any chance you could post some details about how you're going about the atomizer construction? Especially curious what you're using for a wick. Thanks

[equazcion]

Originally Posted by nicowolf

nowhere near enough for vapor...

Most humidifiers I've seen shoot a stream of visible water vapor, so I'm guessing those should work with e-liquid too...

[nicowolf]

Originally Posted by equazcion

Most humidifiers I've seen shoot a stream of visible water vapor, so I'm guessing those should work with e-liquid too...

I wish I had more info for you. Maybe you could pick one up cheap, secondhand or on clearance in a few months and take it apart. Test the heat on the heater part of it. Or maybe, just try putting VG and distilled water in the humidifier and see if it works. If it does, you probably could mod it to accept small hoses instead of that diffuser thing at the end of it.

I don't have one I am willing to experiment with, or would experiment and report back. I think it sounds like a great idea. Then I could share my vape without sharing my germs.

[Trumpybloke]

Equazion, There will be people who sway back in horror when I tell them about my wicking LOL
I am using a high silicate fibreglass Commonly used as heatseals on fireplace doors !!! EEEP!!! what about inhalation of fibres etc etc I hear them cry ... well my atomiser concept is similar to commercial e-cig ones, where the wicking is wet bathed and 90% encapsulated by the nichrome windings... as long as the wick is kept relatively damp, I cannot see fibre particulates separating and being inhaled ( I am thinking I would be exposed more by the fibreglass batt insulation in my roof being disturbed by wildlife and or rodents ? )
Silicosis might be a problem , but so is inhaling the volatile fumes made by decomposing synthetics in a std atomiser??
the perfect wicking would be organic, non degradable, and temperature resistant to 500 deg C ... when I find it thats what I would use LOL
Meantime I am awaiting the arrival of my new laser IR non contact thermometer so I can get some vapour temps

[nicowolf]

Originally Posted by Trumpybloke

I am playing around with atomiser construction at the moment , the hooka idea has a lot of promise, the only problem I see is, as you scale up , the quantities of vapour and liquid use would scale as well, there would also be condensation issues if you were using a long hose and mouthpiece as it is vapour we are inhaling instead of smoke? I might try over the next few weeks with a larger wicking and nichrome set-up....

LOL @ Wolfie... I see that has a quart capacity , ok the headrush would be amazing but you would need to buy shares in JC to fill the bastard !!! 946 ml to a quart , lets see 31 1/2 30 ml bottles to fill it sooooo $628 !!! Now thats a NIGHT !!!!!

Yeah, that is a laugh. I hadn't done the math, just remembered what originally used PG and water to make vapor. Maybe mixing some VG would cut the cost.

Hey, with one of those, we could create some unsuspecting addicts. Mwuahahahaha. Just the passing evil thought that occasionally gets immortalized in print.