- Status
Thanks man, very generous and helpful of you. Really haven't been this excited about a new toy since my zenesis. This is going to be a great! So, I shipped today? That's great! Thanks for the speedy turnaround.
Dear Doug Dino Sir , thank you so very much for EVERYTHING , the answer to all my questions + checking out the 801 carto on the mod INSPITE of your very busy schedule , thank you thank you thank you.
I am now certain that i want a billet box and a spare tank with it if possible .
I shall keep a lookout for it on the 17th on your website and on this thread too , i am just worried about not being able to keep awake due to the time difference between the USA and India , but i will keep a lot of coffee next to me and try to stay up all night if i have too.
I GOT TO HAVE THIS ONE FOR CERTAIN .
Paypal account / credit card is ready for payment to Billet box vapor
Come to India with the Mrs and i will feed you more lamb Pasanda and garlic naan than you can imagine -
.
My favorite food in the world is .. ( and i know all my friends in the usa go -eeeek NOOO sahil ) Burger King double whopper with bacon ... oh man i could live on that for the rest of my life -
I wish you well Sir and it is a pleasure to know you .
warm regards
Sahil .
Edited to ask : Just saw your website and it says eta 15th - 17th , do i stay up on 15th night or 17th night
I am now certain that i want a billet box and a spare tank with it if possible .
I shall keep a lookout for it on the 17th on your website and on this thread too , i am just worried about not being able to keep awake due to the time difference between the USA and India , but i will keep a lot of coffee next to me and try to stay up all night if i have too.
I GOT TO HAVE THIS ONE FOR CERTAIN .
Paypal account / credit card is ready for payment to Billet box vapor
Come to India with the Mrs and i will feed you more lamb Pasanda and garlic naan than you can imagine -
.My favorite food in the world is .. ( and i know all my friends in the usa go -eeeek NOOO sahil ) Burger King double whopper with bacon ... oh man i could live on that for the rest of my life -
I wish you well Sir and it is a pleasure to know you .
warm regards
Sahil .
Edited to ask : Just saw your website and it says eta 15th - 17th , do i stay up on 15th night or 17th night
Wow didn't see that coming, it worked.... for like 3 seconds before i popped it like a grape @ 5.4 volts, i have no idea what ohm it was, i don't use them.... So the answer is yes, if you can sand the bottom and pull out the contact a hair, it dose make vapor, i cannot promise it is worth the effort (I have the unfair advantage of my industrial belt sander like 12 feet to my right), nor that it will work well, as this is all news to me.... but I now know it to be "possible".
#3 sure,
thanks for the questions, and sharing your mod with us...
PS: lamb pasanda and garlic naan, a big thank you to your people for comin' up with that
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hey shack, --- tank is machined delrin, face is makrolon polycarbonate, nitrile rubber ball and o-rings, stainless steel spring and screws, and the red gasket between the face and body is a punched silicon gasket.. everything is fda approved. One of the juices i vape has cracked two of my older tube style tanks, but not my billet box tank, I have a feeling this is due to mine being a flat plate rather than a cylindrical tube, when a juice contains some hydrocarbons such a alcohol, or some oils, some the polycarbonates (not all poly is created equal though) can expand just a very small amount, my tanks should have the room to expand and contract without creating stress. I will not say something is impossible, it may happen, but it hasn't... and i experiment alot... and i also back what i make, so if a problem occurs, i'm right hear to yell at, and will make it right.. thats why we have a pre release, and get feedback...
we will have a rebuild'able at a later date, most likely stainless steel wick first, but cartos was the right tank to launch with as they are simple, and easier for the novice to use... that is important to me for the time being as there are specific people i want to convert to vapor from analogs, that smaller cig sized ones failed to impress. And this can all be overwhelming to the novice...
thanks for talking about me in canada, god i miss having a tim hortons around...
Edited to ask : Just saw your website and it says eta 15th - 17th , do i stay up on 15th night or 17th night
I am going to have to update this date in a bit, we are waiting for a few parts we are out of,, two of the circuit components and one of the three types of springs that are inside... 15th is not going to happen for now, but we are working like beavers (or whatever animal works that hardest) and will let everyone on ECF know the exact time we will have them back so you can have the fist shot at one. We will still only have just a limited number so not every one will be able to get one, but our pre order will open soon and that will guarantee you a complete kit,,, so please don't stay up on friday sahilm, i will keep you posted here.
I have a silly newbie question. I have a provari, but I don't use cartos on it. My carto tank devices are not VV. What ohm carto's do you people use with VV devices? I have a bunch of 1.7 ohm carts at home. I planned on using them but keeping the voltage at around 4V. What do you recommend DD? Or anyone else for that matter..
that's actual a good question. And again something i can go into a little detain about the "why" of the matter.. the Standard resistance cartomizers are about 2.8 to 3 ohm, and that is what we want. The reason there are low resistance cartos, is that a lot of straight shot devises use one battery that shoots out 3-4 volts under load (firing a coil)... the lower resistance coils get up to temp at a lower voltage, but are way more fragile. The VV of this the billet box takes the native voltage, and reduces it in a thousandths of a sec, so for just a fraction of part of a sec, there is a bit more voltage than we want,,, this works fine as there is never an "arc" of positive energy before the coil, a capacitor smoothing the input, and it is ground operated. I have used down to a 1.8 in the billet box and they work if thats all you have laying around. They won't last as long, it is not an efficient use of the batteries native voltage, and i do not recommend it, there is simply no point to it. 2.8 and 3 and 3.2 ohm cartos are what will work the best and be the most effective use of battery power in the Billet Box. With the voltage the the VV makes, you will not POP a 2.8 to 3 ohm cartomizer with it at any level. (well unless you run it dry) There is a lot at play when we take a vape, 5.37 to 5.5 volts with a standard res. carto typically dose not burn juice, and is about as amazing vapor you can get out of a carto, warm with flavors you have never tasted before in your juice at lower levels... but drop it down to 5.2, then it will burn and taste like junk,, this has to do with the heat lowering the viscosity of the juice and absorbing into the cartos packing. Trial and error with your juices and voltage, that's all there is to it, different juices like different heat, luckily the box can be opened, dial changed and then closed again one handed and in less than... hold on,,,, i'll time it... 1.8 seconds...
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Thanks for the info Doug, one last question if you don't mind, where do you get your carts from, and do you buy them pre-punched or do you do it yourself. You can PM me a link to a recommended supplier if you have one in mind. It might be against the rules for you to post info regarding another supplier in your thread.
Again, thank you, that's helpful info.
Well the caromizers I drill myself, that is just because i have a drill press just sittn' here and its easy. You will see how they look tomorrow, as i just ran your tracking number... =) Drilling is nice as i can get the hole very close to the bottom of the tank with no distortion at all..... But punching them will work fine too, i have been seening a lot of cool custom punches around. Boge is the cartomizer we will be including with the kits, and they have started to offer ones with the holes ( I believe laser cut ) in at their factory, but i have yet to see them... I will pm ya the rest, as your right, i cant....
This is a seriously impressive piece of work. Very innovative, great looking and amazing attention to detail.
I'm kind of hoping your sale date for the next batch slips to the 20th, since that's when I'll have the funds to order, and I'm sure they won't last the day.
Oh well, I'm quite happy to wait for this one regardless.
I'm kind of hoping your sale date for the next batch slips to the 20th, since that's when I'll have the funds to order, and I'm sure they won't last the day.
Oh well, I'm quite happy to wait for this one regardless.
Ok, would like to give my first impressions of this. I just picked this up in the mail tonight. I set this up with a standard resistance carto. I followed the video instruction. Inserted the filled carto through the tank, placed it in the Billet Box and tightened down the brass ring on top. Filled the tank with the included plastic syringe and tip. I'm using NLV gold at 12 mg. I started with voltage at about 4.7, not bad, then to 5V, better, hit it up to about 5.2 and it hits great. Keep in mind this is my first time using a carto in a VV device. I use genesis attys typically but wanted to have something I could take out and not worry about leaking, keeping it upright in my pocket, scratching them etc...
Bottom line, this is a keeper. It hits hard, and taste is great. Let's go through the devices finer points and some concerns I might have. There might be some room for improvements, but this would be like picking nits.
Craftsmanship.
First thing you notice when you take it out of the box (the device was wrapped in plastic wrap, then double wrapped in bubble wrap in a small priority mail box, it was packed firmly and didn't move around at all in the box) is that it's shiny. It's beautifully shiny. The outside of the device is shiny chrome/polished aluminum. The air intake holes are nicely cut in, no jagged edges. Around the outside of the device, the carbon fiber plated sides are also glossy. It has some heft to it. Not flimsy at all.
Size wise, it's not a big device. It's not tiny. It's stands about as tall as my provari mini with nothing on it. Actual dimensions are 3.5 in high, 2 in wide and .75 in thick. Add another half inch to the height to include the drip tip.
I opened it up like he shows in the video. The back plate slides down with ease, but is held in place firmly. It won't open in your pocket. The inside of the device is clean. No exposed wires, the engraving is deep and clean. The voltage dial has a satisfying resistance and you don't have to worry about the voltage dial moving without you touching it.
The tank itself is nice and light, with thick plastic. I'm sure it could withstand being dropped (not that I would try to test it) with no ill effect. The battery contacts look like thin aluminum. The batteries pop in with a satisfying click. You know they are in there solidly. The contact plate for the cartomizer is a small brass circle with a thin gasket surrounding the edge of it. When you tighten down the brass ring on the top, it pushes the bottom pin of the cartomizer against this brass contact plate making the connection. There is no movement when the carto is tightened down. The tank is in tightly.
The button has a good amount of travel too, I don't anticipate it being accidentally fired. It's not a clicky button, it just moves in and out smoothly. It's fine by me.
Performance
I don't have a fancy meter to measure voltage under load, but it definitely is working. Increase the voltage dial, performance noticeably increases. It hits solid. I can't say anything about battery life since I haven't given it more than a couple hours of use. I do expect to get a lot of use out of the device though. I would recommend this device. It a great mix of performance, portability and style, and in my opinion, a reasonable price.
Now, I'll voice a few things that are issues. These are tiny issues by the way.
First, the weight. Be glad it's not made of stainless steel. With a full tank and batteries in it the device weight about as much as a provari. It's a dense handful for sure. Be aware it's not a feather light device. It's not bad, but it is heavy.
Second. I have a concern with the tank. I know extra tanks will be available so I'm not that concerned. There are two rubber o-rings embedded in the tank openings that the carto goes through. You can not replace these (at least not obviously). So when pushing your cartos through the tank, I would push the bottom of the carto through first from the top of the tank to the bottom. If you push it the other way the sharp edge at the top of the carto might damage or cut into the o-rings and like I said it doesn't look like these are user serviceable. Filling was easy using the ball valve. It does take some pressure with the blunt plastic syringe included. It's a little tricky too, you have to push the ball down, and kind of slide the tip of the syringe through the gap into the tank. Like suggested, I wouldn't use a metal syringe here either.
Third, the battery contacts. The metal leaf that contacts the negative end of the battery seems a little thin. Don't think it will wear out anytime soon, but they aren't springs which I would be a little more comfortable with.
These are my opinions only. I like the device a lot. I think whoever gets one will be happy with it. I plan to use it as my main out and about device. Easy to recommend this to anyone.
Bottom line, this is a keeper. It hits hard, and taste is great. Let's go through the devices finer points and some concerns I might have. There might be some room for improvements, but this would be like picking nits.
Craftsmanship.
First thing you notice when you take it out of the box (the device was wrapped in plastic wrap, then double wrapped in bubble wrap in a small priority mail box, it was packed firmly and didn't move around at all in the box) is that it's shiny. It's beautifully shiny. The outside of the device is shiny chrome/polished aluminum. The air intake holes are nicely cut in, no jagged edges. Around the outside of the device, the carbon fiber plated sides are also glossy. It has some heft to it. Not flimsy at all.
Size wise, it's not a big device. It's not tiny. It's stands about as tall as my provari mini with nothing on it. Actual dimensions are 3.5 in high, 2 in wide and .75 in thick. Add another half inch to the height to include the drip tip.
I opened it up like he shows in the video. The back plate slides down with ease, but is held in place firmly. It won't open in your pocket. The inside of the device is clean. No exposed wires, the engraving is deep and clean. The voltage dial has a satisfying resistance and you don't have to worry about the voltage dial moving without you touching it.
The tank itself is nice and light, with thick plastic. I'm sure it could withstand being dropped (not that I would try to test it) with no ill effect. The battery contacts look like thin aluminum. The batteries pop in with a satisfying click. You know they are in there solidly. The contact plate for the cartomizer is a small brass circle with a thin gasket surrounding the edge of it. When you tighten down the brass ring on the top, it pushes the bottom pin of the cartomizer against this brass contact plate making the connection. There is no movement when the carto is tightened down. The tank is in tightly.
The button has a good amount of travel too, I don't anticipate it being accidentally fired. It's not a clicky button, it just moves in and out smoothly. It's fine by me.
Performance
I don't have a fancy meter to measure voltage under load, but it definitely is working. Increase the voltage dial, performance noticeably increases. It hits solid. I can't say anything about battery life since I haven't given it more than a couple hours of use. I do expect to get a lot of use out of the device though. I would recommend this device. It a great mix of performance, portability and style, and in my opinion, a reasonable price.
Now, I'll voice a few things that are issues. These are tiny issues by the way.
First, the weight. Be glad it's not made of stainless steel. With a full tank and batteries in it the device weight about as much as a provari. It's a dense handful for sure. Be aware it's not a feather light device. It's not bad, but it is heavy.
Second. I have a concern with the tank. I know extra tanks will be available so I'm not that concerned. There are two rubber o-rings embedded in the tank openings that the carto goes through. You can not replace these (at least not obviously). So when pushing your cartos through the tank, I would push the bottom of the carto through first from the top of the tank to the bottom. If you push it the other way the sharp edge at the top of the carto might damage or cut into the o-rings and like I said it doesn't look like these are user serviceable. Filling was easy using the ball valve. It does take some pressure with the blunt plastic syringe included. It's a little tricky too, you have to push the ball down, and kind of slide the tip of the syringe through the gap into the tank. Like suggested, I wouldn't use a metal syringe here either.
Third, the battery contacts. The metal leaf that contacts the negative end of the battery seems a little thin. Don't think it will wear out anytime soon, but they aren't springs which I would be a little more comfortable with.
These are my opinions only. I like the device a lot. I think whoever gets one will be happy with it. I plan to use it as my main out and about device. Easy to recommend this to anyone.
thanks ian, i'v been holding my breath, well actually i'v been trying to record a tank filling video, having technical difficulties... but getting there... One thing to the o rings defense, they are 1.5 9mm o-rings and pop in and out with a toothpick if need be. The leafs are spring steel, I had a few other ideas for springs but they just wouln't fly with the size but they wouldn't fly for the width... thanks a bunch for the impressions. I need to get the web videos all sorted but will have some stuff up shortly... the only maintenance i can think of at the moment is that when the slide starts to feel not as smooth, just a little drop of olive oil on your finger and rub the sides of the back plate and a little in the ball groove will bring it back to smooth...
Thanks for the tips and filling in some of my knowledge gaps. I hope you didn't take my comments as being negative. It really is a great piece of work. I'm happy I was able to get one and extremely happy with the performance. I already think a few of my friends here in ECF will be trying to grab one as well. Nice work, nice work indeed.
I agree with Ian's review, except for the issues. The battery contacts look and feel pretty solid to me. I don't think they'll wear out anytime soon, since all we're doing is popping the battery in and out.
I tried my trick with the carto that I use on tanks. I have a small straight drip tip that will fit through the o-rings, so I push the carto in from the bottom to save wear and tear on the o-rings. I did have to wiggle the tank a little, but nothing extreme, to insert it with the carto already inside.
Yes, the weight is solid. It's just a hair smaller than a regular pack of cigs, so it will fit in most pockets. Although I don't imagine many will have it in a shirt pocket.
I'm already getting used to the button placement. I switch hands a bit, especially when I'm on the computer. I can vape it left-handed with the button down using my thumb, or right-handed with the button up using my middle finger. The button operation is smooth and easy. And like Ian said, I don't think we need to worry about it being activated in our pockets.
The only thing I can see as an issue is that it's very slick. My hands get cold at work and I know I will probably have trouble picking it up or holding it without it slipping. Possibly adding a "grippy" surface where the carbon fiber is now would help a bit. Or I can get a nice leather sleeve done for it.
All said and done, I think it's a great device! Very well built, easy to set up and fill, and the looks are fabulous! If it were purple it would be perfect! 
I tried my trick with the carto that I use on tanks. I have a small straight drip tip that will fit through the o-rings, so I push the carto in from the bottom to save wear and tear on the o-rings. I did have to wiggle the tank a little, but nothing extreme, to insert it with the carto already inside.
Yes, the weight is solid. It's just a hair smaller than a regular pack of cigs, so it will fit in most pockets. Although I don't imagine many will have it in a shirt pocket.
I'm already getting used to the button placement. I switch hands a bit, especially when I'm on the computer. I can vape it left-handed with the button down using my thumb, or right-handed with the button up using my middle finger. The button operation is smooth and easy. And like Ian said, I don't think we need to worry about it being activated in our pockets.
The only thing I can see as an issue is that it's very slick. My hands get cold at work and I know I will probably have trouble picking it up or holding it without it slipping. Possibly adding a "grippy" surface where the carbon fiber is now would help a bit. Or I can get a nice leather sleeve done for it.
All said and done, I think it's a great device!
Very well built, easy to set up and fill, and the looks are fabulous! If it were purple it would be perfect! Thanks to both of you, like i said, i can finally breath out... i actually am so happy i'm going to bed .. but i do want to know anything good or bad... these are the pre release to get feed back in case we need to change anything for the final tooling and set up,,, If anything happens you don't like, please yell at me,, I'm so grinning you guys it's not even funny.
Bamrz and I were just talking up the Billet Box on ElixirTV. I was able to get on cam and showed it off, showed how easy it was to pull the tank, talked everybody through the basic points of the device. Showing the fill ball and saying how you don't have to pull anything apart to refill. I would say even in a room full of Zenesis/Genesis/Rebuildable atomizer folks the response was quite positive. I got lots of compliments on it. Even got compliments on the clouds of vapor it was putting out. Surprisingly a large number of them we saying "Oh is that one of those Billet Boxes?" Word of mouth is already getting around. I really think the device deserves the attention it is going to get.
Sleep well bro, you've earned it.
Sleep well bro, you've earned it.
ha, i wanted to... even took off my socks...... but coulden't get to it without finishing this tank filling vid, soon maybe... going to to add bamrz drip tip trick to the vid too, i have a tip that works a charm for it.. ... thanks guys!!! big time!
Alrighty, then. Looks like I'm up next.
First, I agree with almost everything ian74 had to say. Workmanship is impeccable. Fit and finish are outstanding. Outside is polished, inside is clean and neat. Carbon fiber panels add a bit of a dimensional look to the package. The ONLY complaint I could possibly make on mine is a very slight flat on one of the rounded corners (back side, bottom right). Everything else is perfectly finished. All in all it is a very classy look with the precision feel of a workhorse designed-to-purpose tool. Seriously - it's impressive all the way around.
The brass drip tip/carto ring was too snug to remove with my fingers alone so a tool was required for me to get the tank out. Standard Boge 3.0 ohm carto fit inside the tank was very snug, but a bit of nicquid to lube and it went in fine. I put the carto in from the bottom up and it didn't seem to do any damage to the upper o-ring. Without instructions yet I figured the bottom of the carto should be even with the bottom of the vent tab on the face of the tank, and that seemed to work out OK.
The bottom of the tank is thinner than the caps of most of my standard tanks so I made the carto slots a little closer to the bottom. Good call, it seems - the slots line up just above the inside of the tank.
Filling was a little tricky, yes, but got the hang of it quickly. (Doug - does that spring "loosen up" a little after a few fills?) If a syringe or bottle with a metal tip is used, it better be very blunt as the ball has a bit of a squishy feel to it (to make the seal, no doubt) and any nicks will increase the chances of a leak. Not a problem with the included syringe and plastic tip, though. Tank holds about 6.5ml of nicquid.
Installing the tank was easy. Setting the drip tip/carto ring was a little tricky. With fingers I couldn't get it seated like it was before loosening, so used a tool again to snug it up just a bit. On review this seems to help press the bottom of the carto lightly into the contact below it, which seems like a good thing. As near as I can tell contact under the carto is positive only. I'm guessing maybe the the brass drip tip/carto collar provides the ground path between the steel carto body and the BB's chassis. I was a bit dubious about the lack of a collar or something for the cartomizer to screw or fit into, but the "...." contact with the center pin appears to be quite solid and I haven't had a misfire yet.
Batteries snap in place with a solid click. No room to spare, so don't plan on putting a Short Stop or other fuse device in there (I'm not aware of any built-in protection, though there very well may be some). The voltage dial is solid, won't move unless you make it move. It has good etched markings and some inserts that make turning easy with a finger or thumb pad. The only odd thing is that it's marked and works backwards from what I would expect; clockwise decreases voltage, counter-CW increases. The back cover slots precisely into place and snaps shut with another solid click and no play whatsoever. Solid.
First (metal) drip tip I grabbed didn't fit inside the ring. So grabbed another (metal) tip, and IT was too big, too. But the third one (a knock-off stainless Ming tip) fit just fine, as did many of my Acrylic/plastic/Delrin tips.
Before firing up I checked out the button. It's almost but not quite flush. It sits just the tiniest bit proud of the face of the front; just enough to be able to find it without having to look for it but not enough mar the look. The button is not clicky but feels good. It has just enough travel that it is not likely to go off in your pocket and just the slightest bit of give before activating so you can feel when it has made contact. Overall travel to activate is still short enough that a finger or thumb pad is enough to get it going.
Did not measure voltage directly yet but I don't obsess over voltage anyway - with any VV I just dial up to what works and leave it there. Using that standard 3.0 ohm Boge at 5.25V with some 70/30 High Desert Vapes Organic Apple Cider made lots of warm vapor of the kind that survives a deep inhale and leaves something to show for it on the exhale, with the familiar Boge flavor profile. Very nice. There does not seem to be any cut off, so you can drag as long as you want.
Some may consider it a touch on the heavy side but I like it. One's impression may be affected by their normal mode of dress; this will be great in the pocket of jeans and most khakis, maybe not so much in light slacks. One's opinion of the size is subjective thing but it reminds me of a pack of cards -- shorter and broader but not as thick as Reo Grande, for example.
Those who want ultimate control might complain about the comparatively small voltage range, but its not a problem for me and I doubt it will be a problem for the 95%-percentile vaper using 2.5 ohm or higher cartomizers. This is a device made-to-purpose and should be used that way.
Obviously I cant speak to the long-term reliability of the BB, but I havent seen one thing yet that makes me think this would crap out anytime soon.
There are a couple of questions that come to mind. I do not know they are issues with the BB but it would be nice to know more about a couple of safety-oriented things that are not obvious to me at first glance:
Finally, there are a few design ideas that might be considered for a future revision:
In summary:
I have to admit to balking and waffling on the cost before ordering, but it LOOKS SO COOL! Even after ordering I almost convinced myself I had made a mistake. Don't get me wrong; I appreciate and don't mind paying for quality and good workmanship. But I already have mods and really didn't "need" this. One could be forgiven for considering that even the intro price might be, from an end user point of view, maybe at the far edge of the value scale.
With it in hand I have to say its worth every penny that I paid. Given the outstanding and innovative design, the nature of the current build process and that it all fits together and works so well, in the end I must say it is absolutely justified.
Yeah, I probably should not have spent the money, but thats my problem. This is not a purchase that I regret in the least.
The BB has a classy look that I want to call Deco, or at least Deco-inspired. It feels absolutely rock solid. It is certainly one of the more innovative PV designs Ive seen and it answers a lot of questions many vapers wont even realize theyve been asking.
All in all, Doug I think youve got a future in this game.
Now if youll excuse me, theres some lonesome vapor calling. . . .
First, I agree with almost everything ian74 had to say. Workmanship is impeccable. Fit and finish are outstanding. Outside is polished, inside is clean and neat. Carbon fiber panels add a bit of a dimensional look to the package. The ONLY complaint I could possibly make on mine is a very slight flat on one of the rounded corners (back side, bottom right). Everything else is perfectly finished. All in all it is a very classy look with the precision feel of a workhorse designed-to-purpose tool. Seriously - it's impressive all the way around.
The brass drip tip/carto ring was too snug to remove with my fingers alone so a tool was required for me to get the tank out. Standard Boge 3.0 ohm carto fit inside the tank was very snug, but a bit of nicquid to lube and it went in fine. I put the carto in from the bottom up and it didn't seem to do any damage to the upper o-ring. Without instructions yet I figured the bottom of the carto should be even with the bottom of the vent tab on the face of the tank, and that seemed to work out OK.
The bottom of the tank is thinner than the caps of most of my standard tanks so I made the carto slots a little closer to the bottom. Good call, it seems - the slots line up just above the inside of the tank.
Filling was a little tricky, yes, but got the hang of it quickly. (Doug - does that spring "loosen up" a little after a few fills?) If a syringe or bottle with a metal tip is used, it better be very blunt as the ball has a bit of a squishy feel to it (to make the seal, no doubt) and any nicks will increase the chances of a leak. Not a problem with the included syringe and plastic tip, though. Tank holds about 6.5ml of nicquid.
Installing the tank was easy. Setting the drip tip/carto ring was a little tricky. With fingers I couldn't get it seated like it was before loosening, so used a tool again to snug it up just a bit. On review this seems to help press the bottom of the carto lightly into the contact below it, which seems like a good thing. As near as I can tell contact under the carto is positive only. I'm guessing maybe the the brass drip tip/carto collar provides the ground path between the steel carto body and the BB's chassis. I was a bit dubious about the lack of a collar or something for the cartomizer to screw or fit into, but the "...." contact with the center pin appears to be quite solid and I haven't had a misfire yet.
Batteries snap in place with a solid click. No room to spare, so don't plan on putting a Short Stop or other fuse device in there (I'm not aware of any built-in protection, though there very well may be some). The voltage dial is solid, won't move unless you make it move. It has good etched markings and some inserts that make turning easy with a finger or thumb pad. The only odd thing is that it's marked and works backwards from what I would expect; clockwise decreases voltage, counter-CW increases. The back cover slots precisely into place and snaps shut with another solid click and no play whatsoever. Solid.
First (metal) drip tip I grabbed didn't fit inside the ring. So grabbed another (metal) tip, and IT was too big, too. But the third one (a knock-off stainless Ming tip) fit just fine, as did many of my Acrylic/plastic/Delrin tips.
Before firing up I checked out the button. It's almost but not quite flush. It sits just the tiniest bit proud of the face of the front; just enough to be able to find it without having to look for it but not enough mar the look. The button is not clicky but feels good. It has just enough travel that it is not likely to go off in your pocket and just the slightest bit of give before activating so you can feel when it has made contact. Overall travel to activate is still short enough that a finger or thumb pad is enough to get it going.
Did not measure voltage directly yet but I don't obsess over voltage anyway - with any VV I just dial up to what works and leave it there. Using that standard 3.0 ohm Boge at 5.25V with some 70/30 High Desert Vapes Organic Apple Cider made lots of warm vapor of the kind that survives a deep inhale and leaves something to show for it on the exhale, with the familiar Boge flavor profile. Very nice. There does not seem to be any cut off, so you can drag as long as you want.
Some may consider it a touch on the heavy side but I like it. One's impression may be affected by their normal mode of dress; this will be great in the pocket of jeans and most khakis, maybe not so much in light slacks. One's opinion of the size is subjective thing but it reminds me of a pack of cards -- shorter and broader but not as thick as Reo Grande, for example.
Those who want ultimate control might complain about the comparatively small voltage range, but its not a problem for me and I doubt it will be a problem for the 95%-percentile vaper using 2.5 ohm or higher cartomizers. This is a device made-to-purpose and should be used that way.
Obviously I cant speak to the long-term reliability of the BB, but I havent seen one thing yet that makes me think this would crap out anytime soon.
There are a couple of questions that come to mind. I do not know they are issues with the BB but it would be nice to know more about a couple of safety-oriented things that are not obvious to me at first glance:
- Does the design account for venting if the batteries should out-gas or (heaven forbid) explode?
- Does the electrical design provide any safety features such as over/under voltage, reverse polarity, over current protection, etc.?
Finally, there are a few design ideas that might be considered for a future revision:
- It does not appear that the positive carto contact will work well if the center pin of the carto is recessed, which may affect some cartomizers. An adjustable screw or spring pin might be worth considering.
- I don't find the drip tip/cartomizer collar particularly finger-friendly. I REALLY like the look of the rounded edges but a couple more notches might make it easier to turn with finger pressure. A slightly knurled or otherwise textured finish might be worth considering (either included or as an optional replacement/retrofit piece).
- Most of my metal drip tips do not fit in the drip tip collar only a couple out of several that I tried. All of my plastic/acrylic/Delrin tips fit, but some are extremely snug. I would recommend reviewing the I.D. of the collar to see if it could be made just a bit larger without sacrificing seal.
- An option for textured or "grippy" front and back panels might be worth considering. While I never dropped it, the body did seem to take on a slicker feel after a couple hours of handling.
In summary:
I have to admit to balking and waffling on the cost before ordering, but it LOOKS SO COOL! Even after ordering I almost convinced myself I had made a mistake. Don't get me wrong; I appreciate and don't mind paying for quality and good workmanship. But I already have mods and really didn't "need" this. One could be forgiven for considering that even the intro price might be, from an end user point of view, maybe at the far edge of the value scale.
With it in hand I have to say its worth every penny that I paid. Given the outstanding and innovative design, the nature of the current build process and that it all fits together and works so well, in the end I must say it is absolutely justified.
Yeah, I probably should not have spent the money, but thats my problem. This is not a purchase that I regret in the least.
The BB has a classy look that I want to call Deco, or at least Deco-inspired. It feels absolutely rock solid. It is certainly one of the more innovative PV designs Ive seen and it answers a lot of questions many vapers wont even realize theyve been asking.
All in all, Doug I think youve got a future in this game.
Now if youll excuse me, theres some lonesome vapor calling. . . .
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