Am I just avoiding the inevitable?

[officer196]

So as I said in my Introduction post, I just purchased my first Mechanical Mod. Prior to that I was using a Itaste SVD with a Kanger Protank , but sadly it broke on a hiking trip. In one sense I am glad its moved on as I was getting bored, but at the same time, I wonder if I have made the jump too prematurely and I feel I bit over whelmed. I've always been interested in mech mods, love the look, the simplicity, the durability, but have always shied away as it has been unfamiliar territory and I tend to learn with people, not so much through reading articles.

So onto the mech mod....
I currently have a Hollow Bone produced by Vapor Tech with a Nautilus tank, personally I love it, but should I be looking into RBA's or RDA's? Should I consider jumping to the Aspire Atlantis? Is there anything really to gain by going Sub-Ohm. I'm not looking to cloud chase, I just like a good consistent vape. Am I just wasting a good mod by just attaching a tank to it?

As far as the mod goes, its copper with silver plated contacts. Any maintenance I should start throwing into my usual cleaning regiment? As far as the Nautilus goes is it ok to clean with warm water as I did with my Kanger or should I be using something else. In regards to the coils, should I attempt to clean those as well or do most just replace. I know with the kanger, at 2.00 a coil I just replaced.

I know this is quite a bit, but I really want to hear from some people who vape, as it is now, the only time I hear about vaping and get good feedback is when I hit the shop.

 

[FastNick]

If you just stepped into mech mods then you'll have to take easy and read before you buy or build. For me there is nothing better than mech mods and dripping. And even tho I build for quite a while I still learn things from more experienced vapers.
If u already bought the mod I would suggest to buy an RDA. Anything will do for the beginning. Buy an ohmmeter (this is mandatory) and measure before you press that button.
The difference between a vaping on a Kanger or Nautilus and dripping is quite big. And I'm not talking about blowing clouds but the taste intensity. I started dripping really humble and I grew in small steps. I rarely use anything over 1 ohm because is all about the taste. I bet you'll love it.

 

[officer196]

Nick, thanks for the reply. So what your saying is there really is some positives to building other than cloud chasing. To clairfy, I am not building anything at the moment, I want to take this in steps, hence a mech mod with a tank.

Ok, so although this place is a wealth of information, any idea on some videos I can watch just to start to get some ideas and the basic concepts?

 

[cobaltxblue]

Protank II was my first glass tank and the SVD was my first device possible of using 18650, so I kind of know where you were at.

Almost all of us feel overwhelmed at points. If you ever move to rebuilding you will feel overwhelmed fairly often. You keep going and you will get past it.

However, back to what you were asking. There is nothing wrong with using a standard tank on a mechanical mod. When I started including mechanicals as part of my vape routine the thing that I had issues with was not being able to customize my power settings. The rugged simplicity of a mech is awesome, and certain ones are super durable, but for me first thing in the morning I do not want max wattage in my face. However, if you are running a 1.8 Nautilus coil on a freshly charged battery you are looking at sub 10 watts. Just make sure the batteries you are using are rated for more than 10 watts as most of the coils that you can buy as replacements are not dead on to what they are rated for. That being said they are usually not off by more than 0.2 ohms either way.

Eventually, if you are like most vapers, you will want to do some rebuilding if you keep using your mech mod. If for no other reason than to be like Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor and get more power.

By the way, that mod looks like it should be very conductive. I do not know anything about that specific mech, but solid copper with silver plated contacts should work quite nicely.

 

[officer196]

Thanks Cobalt, with a mech mod like this, are there any maintenance routines I should be aware of. I know it seems people tend to clean the contacts more often but with this being silver plated I am unsure if that is something I should really be worrying much about.

If I continue to use a tank should I look into one of the sub ohm variants such as the Atlantis?

 

[wshanncap]

You will get a lot of opinions in answer to your questions... here are mine As for sub-ohm I think it's often overrated. I do sub-ohm a bit but not below 0.5. I usually build between 0.8 and 1.1. It's the flavor I'm after. And also in my opinion, The flavor doesn't get any better than with an RDA.

 

[ElConquistador]

Go to youtube and search for coil building tutorials. There are thousands of them out there. You'll start getting a feel for the vaping "celebrities" and what they demonstrate. Look for some more basic videos to get the idea.

 

[BeerGolfClouds]

If you can get past the shtick, go to Rip Trippers YouTube channel, he has many videos dedicated to building coils, from beginner to advanced. Pretty kooky, but the info is priceless. They should help you decide if building is for you.

I don't have the Atlantis, but I've heard good things about it. Regarding sub-ohm overall, the poster above nailed it. Flavor intensity for miles and miles. Will you get bigger clouds? Sure, they are a by-product since you'll be generating more power. But you can build for flavor over clouds if you wish. I believe the Atlantis has adjustable airflow, so smaller holes for more flavor and larger holes for more vapor should be the ticket.

If you do decide to start building, there's a wealth of information within this forum about battery safety, safe builds, etc. Read up and dive in if it suits you. FWIW, sub-ohm vaping is what has kept me off cigs.

 

[officer196]

You will get a lot of opinions in answer to your questions... here are mine As for sub-ohm I think it's often overrated. I do sub-ohm a bit but not below 0.5. I usually build between 0.8 and 1.1. It's the flavor I'm after. And also in my opinion, The flavor doesn't get any better than with an RDA.

Thanks, just the kind of info Im after.

 

[officer196]

Go to youtube and search for coil building tutorials. There are thousands of them out there. You'll start getting a feel for the vaping "celebrities" and what they demonstrate. Look for some more basic videos to get the idea.

Thanks, ill look into that as well. Anyone you recommend specifically.

 

[officer196]

If you can get past the shtick, go to Rip Trippers YouTube channel, he has many videos dedicated to building coils, from beginner to advanced. Pretty kooky, but the info is priceless. They should help you decide if building is for you.

I don't have the Atlantis, but I've heard good things about it. Regarding sub-ohm overall, the poster above nailed it. Flavor intensity for miles and miles. Will you get bigger clouds? Sure, they are a by-product since you'll be generating more power. But you can build for flavor over clouds if you wish. I believe the Atlantis has adjustable airflow, so smaller holes for more flavor and larger holes for more vapor should be the ticket.

If you do decide to start building, there's a wealth of information within this forum about battery safety, safe builds, etc. Read up and dive in if it suits you. FWIW, sub-ohm vaping is what has kept me off cigs.

Thanks, I may just try the atlantis and see where it lands me and ill also check into those videos as well.

 

[readeuler]

For me, clearomizers always had clearomizer issues: leaking, flooding, general performance decreases, etc. For that reason, I went to rebuildables before getting my first mech (only a few days ago for the latter). Not to mention I'm not a fan of buying coils. I actually never did; I used all the coils that came with clearo's to oblivion, and started building my own pretty quickly.

It's a lot easier and more satisfying to build an RBA than an evod or aspire BDC, let me tell you!

If you like tinkering and the hobby aspect of vaping, start rebuilding. If you're annoyed by clearomizer issues (almost all of which exist when rebuilding, but can be fixed with a proper build/wick), start rebuilding. If you ever want to tweak your vape experience, start rebuilding. If you want to be able to never have to buy coils (just resistance wire and rayon/cotton), start rebuilding.

I've sub-ohmed a bit on my new mech, but 1.1 ohm twisted 30 gauge (single coil) in a magma has been my ADV.

In summation, go for it: it doesn't have to be for cloud-chasing, it can be for whatever you want; that's the point

 

[EBates]

Maintaining your should consist of cleaning all of the threaded areas, the battery contacts, and the power switch. Alcohol and an old soft bristle tooth brush.
The nauti tank can be cleaned with warm soapy water. It's clean when you can't smell the old juice.
The atomizer soak overnight in everclear or vodka. Rinse with warm water, blow out the water, and allow to dry. I'd suggest dry burning but I've heard conflicting claims as to whether or not they will put up with that.

 

[ElConquistador]

Thanks, ill look into that as well. Anyone you recommend specifically.

See Beergolfclouds' reply above about Rip Trippers' videos...he's a little goofy, but pretty good at explaining what he's doing.

 

[Susan~S]

If you are new to mech mods and rebuildables I highly recommend you spend some time with Baditude (one of our resident battery experts) and visit his blogs. You are now 100% in control of your own safety (and others around you). Make sure you purchase an ohm reader and a voltmeter or DMM so you can measure your builds, check for shorts and measure the remaining charge on your batteries.

Baditudes Blogs. The blogs regarding mods and rebuildables are listed below:

BATTERIES

9. Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?
* Another essential read to understand which batteries are safe to use in mechanical and regulated mods. Includes a frequently updated list of recommended safe-chemistry, high-drain batteries with their specifications.

17. Purple Efest Batteries Not As Advertised
* A cautionary blog that reveals that the purple Efest batteries may not have the specifications advertised. Also includes a commentary on "continuous discharge ratings" vs "pulse discharge ratings" of battery specs.

OHM'S LAW

14. Ohm's Law for Dummies (Vapers)
* My attempt at explaining Ohm's Law in layman terms and how it relates to vaping.

16. Explain it to the Dumb Noob: Ohm's Law Calculations
* As simple as it is to use, some people have a tough time grasping the concept. Warning: Includes graphic photos of mod explosions.

MECHANICAL MODS & REBUILDABLES

7. Information Resources for Your First RBA
* An essential read and reference guide for someone new to rebuilding coils. Includes a multitude of useful links on battery safety, mod safety, coil meters, coil building, and the differences in the three types of RBA's.

15. Inexpensive Mechanical Mod and RDA Setup
* A response to the frequently asked question on how to get into rebuildable atomizers with a mechanical mod inexpensively. Includes a list of commonly used tools and supplies for rebuilding and where to find them.

BATTERIES - WHERE TO BUY

Only buy batteries from a reputable supplier (not ebay or Amazon) as there are many counterfeit batteries being sold. Here are several reputable battery suppliers in the US.

* RTD Vapor
* Illumination Supply
* Lighthound
* Orbtronics

 

[officer196]

For me, clearomizers always had clearomizer issues: leaking, flooding, general performance decreases, etc. For that reason, I went to rebuildables before getting my first mech (only a few days ago for the latter). Not to mention I'm not a fan of buying coils. I actually never did; I used all the coils that came with clearo's to oblivion, and started building my own pretty quickly.

It's a lot easier and more satisfying to build an RBA than an evod or aspire BDC, let me tell you!

If you like tinkering and the hobby aspect of vaping, start rebuilding. If you're annoyed by clearomizer issues (almost all of which exist when rebuilding, but can be fixed with a proper build/wick), start rebuilding. If you ever want to tweak your vape experience, start rebuilding. If you want to be able to never have to buy coils (just resistance wire and rayon/cotton), start rebuilding.

I've sub-ohmed a bit on my new mech, but 1.1 ohm twisted 30 gauge (single coil) in a magma has been my ADV.

In summation, go for it: it doesn't have to be for cloud-chasing, it can be for whatever you want; that's the point

Thanks, great advice as well.

 

[officer196]

If you are new to mech mods and rebuildables I highly recommend you spend some time with Baditude (one of our resident battery experts) and visit his blogs. You are now 100% in control of your own safety (and others around you). Make sure you purchase an ohm reader and a voltmeter or DMM so you can measure your builds, check for shorts and measure the remaining charge on your batteries.

Baditudes Blogs. The blogs regarding mods and rebuildables are listed below:

BATTERIES

9. Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?
* Another essential read to understand which batteries are safe to use in mechanical and regulated mods. Includes a frequently updated list of recommended safe-chemistry, high-drain batteries with their specifications.

17. Purple Efest Batteries Not As Advertised
* A cautionary blog that reveals that the purple Efest batteries may not have the specifications advertised. Also includes a commentary on "continuous discharge ratings" vs "pulse discharge ratings" of battery specs.

OHM'S LAW

14. Ohm's Law for Dummies (Vapers)
* My attempt at explaining Ohm's Law in layman terms and how it relates to vaping.

16. Explain it to the Dumb Noob: Ohm's Law Calculations
* As simple as it is to use, some people have a tough time grasping the concept. Warning: Includes graphic photos of mod explosions.

MECHANICAL MODS & REBUILDABLES

7. Information Resources for Your First RBA
* An essential read and reference guide for someone new to rebuilding coils. Includes a multitude of useful links on battery safety, mod safety, coil meters, coil building, and the differences in the three types of RBA's.

15. Inexpensive Mechanical Mod and RDA Setup
* A response to the frequently asked question on how to get into rebuildable atomizers with a mechanical mod inexpensively. Includes a list of commonly used tools and supplies for rebuilding and where to find them.

BATTERIES - WHERE TO BUY

Only buy batteries from a reputable supplier (not ebay or Amazon) as there are many counterfeit batteries being sold. Here are several reputable battery suppliers in the US.

* RTD Vapor
* Illumination Supply
* Lighthound
* Orbtronics

Great list of resources Susan, I'll check them out.

 

[sketchness]

I personally would suggest a rebuidable over the atlantis on a mech. Insert plug for understanding battery safety, ohms law, and possessing an Ohm meter. I know they are saying the Atlantis will be coming out with different coils than just the .5 ohm in them, but that will be a while and if you don't like it at that heat etc you are stuck. Or you have to try and rebuild the head anyway. Like the BVC's Rip Tripper did recently. I am personally trying to get away from having to buy coils. And the BVC coil quality was spotty.

All that being said I am still very interested in the tank but think I will wait. I am really enjoying the drippers after starting on the mini nautilus. I am sure in 5 or 6 months I will get one when prices are a little better and they have figured out what stinks about this version.

 

[officer196]

I personally would suggest a rebuidable over the atlantis on a mech. Insert plug for understanding battery safety, ohms law, and possessing an Ohm meter. I know they are saying the Atlantis will be coming out with different coils than just the .5 ohm in them, but that will be a while and if you don't like it at that heat etc you are stuck. Or you have to try and rebuild the head anyway. Like the BVC's Rip Tripper did recently. I am personally trying to get away from having to buy coils. And the BVC coil quality was spotty.

All that being said I am still very interested in the tank but think I will wait. I am really enjoying the drippers after starting on the mini nautilus. I am sure in 5 or 6 months I will get one when prices are a little better and they have figured out what stinks about this version.

Well they just got them in my usual B & M so i may see if anyone is playing with one next time I go, but with all the great comments here, I think I may start wrapping my head around doing some rebuilding, safely of course. I think I may talk to some other vapers and see if I can get someone to help show me the ropes a bit.

 

[Steven G]

I clean my Nautilus Tanks with hot water, when I change the coil throw the used one away. When you go onto building make sure you read and know Ohms Law to ensure your builds are safe. I build my coils to .8 up to 1.5 and love the added flavor they can produce. Am going to purchase a Atlantis to see if they produce more flaver not for the clouds.