Mechanical Mods in 2016: What's the point?

[Vaper Bob]

5 weeks into vaping exclusively and not a single cigarettes since. But if I hadn't found two or three e-liquids I really like, it wouldn't have happened. I've had to try out and throw away more e-liqid than I care to admit to get to this point. And I've deliberately turned vaping into a hobby in order to keep me away from the analogues. But we all know that a hobby leads to expense and the pleasure you get trawling through vaping websites, forums and you tube reviews when planning your next purchase of a shiny new mod or tank. I've made my mistakes buying things I don't use now: A Triton 2 tank (I don't sub-ohm....yet), the latest Vaporflask (too big, too rubbery, too much tech and no class) an iStick 20 (useless). My carry-around is an Aspire starter kit with K1 Glassometer and that's good. And then I hit upon Provari and I found my niche. I like quality stuff (who doesn't) and the P3 is just my style. I have two and a Radius as well. They don't introduce new models every six months and that's good in my book. Good high quality reliable products that are not mass produced in the East. I have two p3 Kabukis, both sizes of Nautys and an unpacked Kayfun 4 that I'm going to play with and build my first coil over the holidays.

So where do I go from here? Dripping atomisers? No, not my thing. And anyway I don't have the tattoos and piercings to go with the concept. Mechanical Mods? Yes. YES! Yayyy! Plenty of beautifully manufactured shiny products from Europe and the States to keep me drooling in front of my computer screen for weeks. But then I read somewhere that the point of a mechanical was to allow the "unharnessed" power of your battery to deliver more current through your sub-ohm coil to produce more clouds. Huh? In 2015/2016? What about those 200W regulated mods? All mech mod reviews I see on you tube are dated early 2014 or before. Nothing of late. Does that mean with all the high power regulated devices now available, mechanical mods are now obsolete? Are they legacy products now? Like a 30 year old Mercedes SL with stick shift? That has a kind of appeal.........

Would somebody be kind enough to elucidate?

 

[Wake'n'Vape]

I much prefer the mech-mod style tubes to box mods but will continue to use the regulated box mods since they offer a certain level of user protection. Even now that I somewhat understand ohms law, battery safety etc it isn't worth the risk for me, and like you say, since there are so many regulated mods that are capable of 100w+ there doesn't seem to be much of a reason to venture into mech mods other than aesthetics (correct me if I am wrong)

Don't dismiss the idea of RDA's until you have tried one When I first started vaping, (not that long ago) stuff like that seemed a world away but I recently picked up a velocity clone and absolutely love it.

 

[djsvapour]

Wow... I need to read this again. Interesting stuff.

Two days ago, I set up a Nemesis with a straight 1.0ohm coil and then another with a higher coil and a kick.

Both vaped great.

The market (for mechs) has been a little slow with the crazy rush for power, but these mods are not dead. We all need to have some, just in case. Knowing how to get them vaping right depends on your/our needs.

I wanted an iJust2, but a Nemesis with a translucent subtank mini looks better and vapes perfect... and I don't want 58 watts anyway.

 

[BrotherBob]

What about those 200W regulated mods?

I have read that you can go up to 150w. with these. The extra 50 w. is a non starter.

 

[petrotech]

Mechs have a lot less that can go wrong.
And I'm pretty sure that I can taste a difference between the two when set to the same voltage. Or that might just be my mind playing tricks on me. Haha.


And yes, they are sexier. Lol.

 

[Vaper Bob]

I much prefer the mech-mod style tubes to box mods but will continue to use the regulated box mods since they offer a certain level of user protection. Even now that I somewhat understand ohms law, battery safety etc it isn't worth the risk for me, and like you say, since there are so many regulated mods that are capable of 100w+ there doesn't seem to be much of a reason to venture into mech mods other than aesthetics (correct me if I am wrong)

Don't dismiss the idea of RDA's until you have tried one When I first started vaping, (not that long ago) stuff like that seemed a world away but I recently picked up a velocity clone and absolutely love it.

Hmmmm.... But there are plenty of variable power regulated tube mods around as well. Let me try out building coils for my RBA first and I could well be onto RDAs in time. Thanks.

 

[petrotech]

Hmmmm.... But there are plenty of variable power regulated tube mods around as well. Let me try out building coils for my RBA first and I could well be onto RDAs in time. Thanks.

But are they this small:

 

[Vaper Bob]

Wow... I need to read this again. Interesting stuff.

Two days ago, I set up a Nemesis with a straight 1.0ohm coil and then another with a higher coil and a kick.

Both vaped great.

The market (for mechs) has been a little slow with the crazy rush for power, but these mods are not dead. We all need to have some, just in case. Knowing how to get them vaping right depends on your/our needs.

I wanted an iJust2, but a Nemesis with a translucent subtank mini looks better and vapes perfect... and I don't want 58 watts anyway.

1 month ago
Richtige die das ist für den geilen Onkel

but a Nemesis with a translucent subtank mini looks better and vapes perfect..

You're talking my kind of language. Aesthetics has a lot to do with the pleasure of vaping for me.

 

[Vaper Bob]

I have read that you can go up to 150w. with these. The extra 50 w. is a non starter.

I've seen 200W around on the web.

 

[Vaper Bob]

Mechs have a lot less that can go wrong.
And I'm pretty sure that I can taste a difference between the two when set to the same voltage. Or that might just be my mind playing tricks on me. Haha.


And yes, they are sexier. Lol.

I've made up my mind. I'm getting one!

1 month ago
Richtige die das ist für den geilen Onkel

 

[Vaper Bob]

But are they this small:

And I'd have to carry that e-liquid around in my pocket. If I got into RDAs, I'd do it at home like right now whilst online. I can see the appeal with the greater flavour.

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Can't get much simpler than a tube, battery, button and atty(as long as you know battery safety)

 

[440BB]

With a mechanical mod you control the variables more, and there is a certain pleasure putting the right topper together with that battery. They also provide smooth power which most regulated mods couldn't match, except the ProVari. It's a bit like driving a stick versus an automatic, more engaging. Getting that first few vapes at 4.1 volts, then settling in for hours, and feeling the difference when power drops keeps you in tune to your setup as well.

Although the RDA fans adopted mechanicals out of necessity a couple years ago to support low resistance builds, mechanical have been satisfying regular vapers for about seven years now with tanks, cartos, clearos and such.

 

[Lessifer]

The point is, my mechanical mod that I purchased in 2014 will still be working in 2016 and beyond, as long as I keep up with regular cleaning and don't mess it up myself. There may be regulated chips that last a few years, some may even last longer than that, but my general experience with consumer electronics is that they're not meant to last forever. I'm fairly certain that my REO that I bought this year will outlast me.

 

[Vaper Bob]

With a mechanical mod you control the variables more, and there is a certain pleasure putting the right topper together with that battery. They also provide smooth power which most regulated mods couldn't match, except the ProVari. It's a bit like driving a stick versus an automatic, more engaging. Getting that first few vapes at 4.1 volts, then settling in for hours, and feeling the difference when power drops keeps you in tune to your setup as well.

Although the RDA fans adopted mechanicals out of necessity a couple years ago to support low resistance builds, mechanical have been satisfying regular vapers for about seven years now with tanks, cartos, clearos and such.

That's a very inspiring explanation and one that suits my mentality. However, I have noticed that some of the big name mech mods like the Nemesis for instance are out of stock which makes me think that they are not manufactured anymore perhaps because there's not enough of a market for them now.

 

[suprtrkr]

You are perfectly correct regulated mods offer more power and a lot more versatility than a mech. However I wouldn't day they are obsolete, even if they have become a niche market. Being part of the niche, let me offer you some perspective. Simple is beautiful. Mech mods are, in the word so beloved of engineers, elegant. It's a beautifully spare design, even if this is not apparent to those who think a tree is more beautiful with Christmas lights on it. Further, the Second Law of Thermodynamics being what it is, no regulated mod can approach the efficiency of a well built copper mech because there are always board I^2R losses. I like boxes too, but they don't approach the beauty of an engraved mech until you get into exotic woods, carving and hundreds of dollars. Plus, the challenge 8f building them adds an interesting dimension to the game. You can't push buttons to adjust the wattage; you have to build it right. If all that isn't enough, people are selling some top quality iron at a fraction of its former value to buy boxes. All that said, I will agree they're not for everyone.

BTW, I used to share your opinion about RDAs. Took me years to figure out how wrong I was...

 

[Susan~S]

I quote @Baditude below

Pro's for a Mechanical APV:

• Ability to sub-ohm. Early regulated devices were not designed to sub-ohm; recently the higher wattage regulated APV's can vape sub-ohm, but with all of that power the same effect can be obtained with normal resistance coils.
• Durability and longevity. With no internal electronics to fail, a mech is considered to be a more durable choice over a regulated APV.
• Aesthetics. Many prefer the simple and elegant appearance of a mechanical.
• Simplicity. A mechanical is simply a glorified battery holder, fire button, and 510 connector.

Cons for a Mechanical APV

• No processor protection circuitry. This feature protects against many short circuits, reverse battery protection, over-heating, over-discharging the battery, etc. Without this feature, YOU THE USER must be constantly aware of potential dangers of short circuits. The vast majority of mechanical mods use a bottom-firing switch; IMO these may result in a potential auto-firing event if the APV is set down on its bottom or placed in a pocket. Some of these have a locking mechanism to prevent auto-firing, but who locks their fire switch each and every time they stop vaping?
• The quality of the vaping experience will gradually and progressively decline over the course of the battery used between charges.
• The only way to change the vaping experience is to change the atomizer (coil) resistance (ohms).

Pro's for Regulated APV's

• Protection circuitry against short circuits.
• Power regulation. You can increase or decrease the voltage or wattage to suit your vaping preference. It will also keep your chosen power output constant regardless of the charge on the battery.
• Built-in voltage and resistance meters.
• Some regulated mods use a built-in, rechargeable (non-removeable) battery using a common USB charging cable.

Cons of Regulated APV

• Often not as durable as a mechanical mod, because of the internal electrical components.
• Until the advent of the more recent high wattage APV's, they could not power sub-ohm.
• Aesthetics. Often not as physically attractive as many of the finer mechanical mods.

 

[Vaper Bob]

The point is, my mechanical mod that I purchased in 2014 will still be working in 2016 and beyond, as long as I keep up with regular cleaning and don't mess it up myself. There may be regulated chips that last a few years, some may even last longer than that, but my general experience with consumer electronics is that they're not meant to last forever. I'm fairly certain that my REO that I bought this year will outlast me.

That's enough of an explanation for me to want to invest in a high quality mech mod. Thanks. BTW, Lessifer, is that you in the picture? Looks exactly like an English gentleman I know who is descended from one of the biggest names in tobacco products. Very curious.

 

[Vaper Bob]

You are perfectly correct regulated mods offer more power and a lot more versatility than a mech. However I wouldn't day they are obsolete, even if they have become a niche market. Being part of the niche, let me offer you some perspective. Simple is beautiful. Mech mods are, in the word so beloved of engineers, elegant. It's a beautifully spare design, even if this is not apparent to those who think a tree is more beautiful with Christmas lights on it. Further, the Second Law of Thermodynamics being what it is, no regulated mod can approach the efficiency of a well built copper mech because there are always board I^2R losses. I like boxes too, but they don't approach the beauty of an engraved mech until you get into exotic woods, carving and hundreds of dollars. Plus, the challenge 8f building them adds an interesting dimension to the game. You can't push buttons to adjust the wattage; you have to build it right. If all that isn't enough, people are selling some top quality iron at a fraction of its former value to buy boxes. All that said, I will agree they're not for everyone.

BTW, I used to share your opinion about RDAs. Took me years to figure out how wrong I was...

This is all absolutely up my street! Right.... I'm going to have to develop some skill in building coils to justify buying a super duper hand made and engraved mechanical and perhaps it should be in copper. Lots of polishing though.....

 

[440BB]

However, I have noticed that some of the big name mech mods like the Nemesis for instance are out of stock which makes me think that they are not manufactured anymore perhaps because there's not enough of a market for them now.

I think that Chinese copies over the last couple years reduced the demand for some of the originals, leading some makers to go under or most often come up with new varieties to fend off the clones. That does occasionally lead to some sweet deals on beautiful mods and some of us are taking advantage of it!