Any Advice? - I want to become a modder.

[ED-209]

Greetings fellow vapers,

As you can tell by the title, I want to get into learning everything I can and experimenting with the modding world. I am not looking to do this to become a supplier or anything but this is mainly for a hobby (I don’t have many) as well as to help any people I can (love spreading knowledge). I am into computers and have a good techie background but have no idea about things surrounding modding (soldering, electronics, switches, resistors, batteries, etc.)

I have been vaping since the end of July and I am starting to get into the mod world and I am finally buying a mod but seeing all the modding forums, videos, instructions, makes me really want to get into this. At first I figured it is just cheaper and easier (for someone with no experience like me) to buy them and some are works of art and are easier to just buy. However, after reading more, listening to interviews and watching videos, I learned that one of the most popular modders (or at least seems to be) didn’t even have any of this type of experience until they got into vaping, so that gave me hope.

So I guess what I am asking for help with is where is a good place to start, what should I be practicing and what tools and items are best to have for a beginner? Most of the items from the videos and instructions I reviewed came from Madvapes and some examples of tools are :

• Soldering iron and holder (Nothing too fancy, a normal $20 or so one)
• Extra Hands (They sell them on Amazon, usually around $12)
• Wire cutters (Again, not very expensive, Lowe’s)
• Multimeter (Nice one for around $25ish either Amazon or Lowe’s)
• Exacto knife (Anywhere and pretty cheap but Amazon has an entire kit that nice and inexpensive)

Thanks for reading the post and again I am a noob at this but feel this would be a great hobby and learning experience to get into.

Vape On[FONT="]
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[derek88]

If you have a Harbor Freight Harbor Freight Tools anywhere near you, they have all those things you listed very cheap and work pretty good for the price Iron $3 Helping hands $6 Multimeter $3 etc etc I started out with a box mods my first time you can piece one together from Madvapes site for $5-6 and takes about 10-15 minutes to build a little more first time around.

Youll also need a drill and some drill bits for making connector holes and such.

Derek

 

[ED-209]

Thanks Derek, I have a regular drill but seems like for steady drilling that a different one might be better or maybe a vice to hold the box? There actually is a Harbor Freight Tools around here, so I might just head out there.

The box mod you mention is what caught my eye as a beginner project so I can start to learn how to solder, etc. I know I need a multimeter as I am going to start using 18650 batteries and want to be able to test the voltage.

Thanks again and to anyone else who has information to share...

 

[misterD]

this is very helpfull

3 Piece Titanium Nitride Coated High Speed Steel Step Drills
also they used to have a rotary tool (dremel generic), a blue one, for 10 bucks. i got a vise but to drill on a plastic box you probably dont even need it.
this RS box is nice if you wanna stick a juice bottle to it and some other stuff.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062279

its the same one i use for my varbox
get these switches. they're great
http://www.madvapes.com/Horn-style-switch--Black_p_2086.html
and check out mamu's thread if you wanna go VV with 2 batts
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...6-very-easy-vv-mod-w-switching-regulator.html
and if you wanna add a voltage reader to the box
http://cgi.ebay.com/LiPo-Battery-Vo...Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item336088562d

 

[Sci]

Here's some of the items you can get from Harbor Freight. It wouldn't hurt to print these out. Sometimes the price in the store is more, but they've always told me they would match the online price if I had it printed out.

Multimeter - On sale right now for $1.99. It's not going to be the most accurate meter in the world, but it's worked for me so far.

Lighted helping hands - On sale for $5.99. These also have a good sized magnifying glass.

Smaller helping hands - On sale for $2.99. Unlighted, smaller than the above, but very useful. Get both if you can swing it.

Vise - $14.99. Great little vise.

Clamps - $1.99(sometimes you can catch them for $.99). These are cheap, but they come in handy, often.

Rotary tool - On sale for $9.99. This is the one MisterD was talking about. Definitely a must have.

13pc Precision Knife Set - $5.99 Not bad for the price.

Not @ Harbor Freight:
ZD-99 MINI SOLDER STATION - $14.95. Great, adjustable soldering station. I've been using one for months.

 

[asdaq]

Sci, too bad I didn't know about the online price matching 'scheme' they have there. The vice was going for 12 online, in store was 16 or 17. I mentioned it to the clerk but he just looked at me blankly- guess it pays to have proof.

 

[ED-209]

Thanks MisterD and Sci for the great information and especially the links. I think I have a great starting point on what tools to get.

Does anyone have any advice or links to how to videos? I watched the most popular one as to how to solder wires but curious as to how to solder to the button\switch. I also watched "Soldering Advice from Happysmokes" which was cool since he showed how to solder to a connector using an atty for an example.

I think I understand how to solder wires and to boards or at least the basics so I can try but just still not sure how to actually solder to the atty connectors as well as to the button\switch connectors.

Thanks again and keep it coming..

Vape On

 

[ED-209]

Oh, one quick question. For those [3 Piece Titanium Nitride Coated High Speed Steel Step Drills], do they need to be used on a regular drill or do they work on dremels?

I actually have a dremel, I think a nice one, so wasn't sure if the one that was linked above was better or just a standard one?

The one I have is a [DREMEL MultiPro 275-02] and has a single speed of 35,000 RPM, is that too much and will the above steel drill tips work on this?

I assume the vise can be used to hold the dremel for drilling?

Thanks again for the help,

Vape On

 

[jj2]

A Dremel or something like it.

 

[ED-209]

Thanks jj2, I just wasn't sure if drill bits were interchangeable between Dremels and Regular drills. I didn't know since it seems a Dremel is has a lot more RPM.

So the Dremel I have will work for this type of modding?

 

[l3oertjie]

ED-209, great news man!

In my humble opinion the most important tool you should have is this: "How can I make it better"

I constantly think about the advantages and disadvantages of the commercially available stuff out there to vapers. I guess you can find both aspects in all items all the time. But when you start asking yourself what works and what doesn’t and think of a way to maybe improve on an existing product you are making real progress. I have found that when you have an idea you find the tools to manufacture it. No matter what. Even threading needles – I mean, who would have thought that they could be so handy… hehehehe! http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/atomizer-mods/120072-atomizer-cartomizer-life.html

 

[jj2]

Use it for the major part of the modding and have had no problems.
Multi-tool or motto. The bigger drill bits were bought separately.

 

[ED-209]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the help, I think I have an idea on what tools I need to get started and a descent enough idea on soldering techniques.

 

[nicotime]

Oh, one quick question. For those [3 Piece Titanium Nitride Coated High Speed Steel Step Drills], do they need to be used on a regular drill or do they work on dremels?

I actually have a dremel, I think a nice one, so wasn't sure if the one that was linked above was better or just a standard one?

The one I have is a [DREMEL MultiPro 275-02] and has a single speed of 35,000 RPM, is that too much and will the above steel drill tips work on this?

I assume the vise can be used to hold the dremel for drilling?

Thanks again for the help,

Vape On

You will need a regular drill for those bits...the Dremel chuck is not big enough and does not have the torque needed...Dremel is a high speed tool.

Good luck!!

 

[asdaq]

I even pop the step drill bits into a multi-tip screwdriver for precise hand work-- they really are nice but not for a dremel.

 

[ED-209]

Thanks again everyone, I'll have to try that with a screwdriver as my rechargeable one uses bits shaped like that.

 

[Sci]

Here is one more tool I use a lot. It's a T-Handle Reamer. You can use it to fine tune holes that you've drilled among other things.

 

[asdaq]

Sexy reamer there Sci! Pretty much what I meant. Not a power screwdriver, just a socket one-- as in a hand tool.