Any Quick Tips for a Newbie

[TimeLordSavant]

Hello - I'm new here, obviously (posting here). I quit smoking in July 2014 after picking up an Eleaf iJust to try out the idea - not sure if I would really be quitting - but worth a shot, eh? So yeah - next day I put cigs down and I haven't had one since!! Go me!! I was a pack and a half a day, full flavor Spirit smoker - so I started with the 24mg nic. I am down to a 6mg now, 5 months later. I have an Aspire Nautilus tank and find that my local Vape shop runs out of the atomizers too damn often, which is frustrating for someone still weaning themselves off the nic. So I decided to go comando and start making my own coils. I don't want to be a "Cloudchaser" - I just want to have the freedom to Vape when I want to Vape without depending on a supply chain at the local shop. I have been doing a lot of reading on Ohms - Ohm Testing - Wicking - batteries - Safety. Are there any quick tips or advice you can share? Anything important when starting out building that maybe I over-looked? I should get my new Steampunk Mod and Hobo V2 in the mail this week and feel like a kid ready to geek out.

 

[MrVappyvappy]

what batteries did you order and from where did you order?

what kind of charger are you going to be using?

i recommend 28 gauge to start with

if you don't have the tools yet go to home depot get a wire snips and pliers combo made by crescent and the 7 pack of husky screwdrivers ( you can also wrap on them

watch plenty of videos on simple build mainly how they wrap and they way they put their cotton in, everyone is different so just find what you like

more battery safety watch this 2 part video on youtube by m.c. vapes on battery safety resistance and airflow

 

[TimeLordSavant]

I have Sibeile 18650s which I acquired at the vape shop for my iJust. I was going to get some Sony 18650s from Sears since I hear they are pretty well manufactured. They are only 22 bucks for a 3pack.

I have an Intellicahrger i2 for recharging.

I got the tools coming with the goods - ceramic tweasers and wire cutters. I have pliers and mini-screwdrivers laying around that I have never used. Starting with some pre-wound though... I bought a bag of 26 and a bag of 28 gauge pre wound 8 wrap coils just to try out the different gauges at first, figured before I buy a whole spool. The 26 Kanthal with an 8 wrap coil should get me around .9ohms if the coil calculator is correct. I figured I could play from there going up or down.

Have a bag of organic cotton coming too.

I will watch the MC Vapes vids (thanks for the tip) - I watched a couple on wicking the Hobo V2 already - and will be watching again as I do my first run.

 

[aerosolizer]

I'm in a similar position to you, except I started 2 months ago and switched to 6mg after a week. I'm still using a Nautilus Mini and got an MVP20W last week. As for coils, I buy them from worldofvape. They are $10 or so for 5 coils. I currently go through 4 coils a month, but have been using 80%VG and flavored. My next liquid is 50/50 and without flavor (flavors gunk up your coils), so my coils should last two weeks or so now, we'll see. Also, like you, I'm not a cloud chaser. I'm a nicotine addict, and was just looking for an easy cigarette replacement. You can buy rebuild-able nautilus coils. Those are $8 for one coil and include plenty of cotton and wire. For now, I just prefer minimal hassle.

Anyway, I recently came across this guy's vids. He does rebuildables with the coolest rig I have seen. I like simple and functional, and for these type of rigs, this is the simplest and most practical I have seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnVQ0AMRUto

 

[Fuzzy Bruce]

I am sort of new to vaping, too. My advice is,,, Read and search ECF,,, YouTube is your friend.

In the last seven months I spent way to much on vape gear that I did not research very well. Some were hits, some not so much. My collection includes two regulated mods, one tube, the other a box. I also bought four tube mech mods, a hybrid mod and finally settled on getting a Reo Grand.

I tried carto tanks, clearo atty's, stuff like the Kayfun, squape and Taifun but found I liked dripper atty's best even if it was a hassle to drip while doing other things. My first Reo and bottom feed atty were and answer for the hassle of dripping. Sort of a nirvana for me.

So, maybe I can start to see some savings!

 

[Danbrooks2k]

Sounds like you are well on your way.

28g is your friend. I dont build often, but its pretty easy to work with, the coils hold up well, its versitle and pretty forgiving.

I plan on trying to rebuild the Atlantis coil pretty soon. Coils have lasted 2 good weeks and look easy to rebuild... we shall see.

 

[daleron]

Welcome to ECF TLS, make yourself right at home
Sorry I can't help with your particular questions.

 

[DaveSignal]

I would recommend getting some high drain batteries, at least rated for 20A continuous (this is different from peak amps). With your new mech mod and RDA, you will need to be building below 1 ohm if you want to get decent power out of our setup. I am not talking about cloud-chasing either. A 0.4 build with dual coils on your Hobo is going to be a pretty standard beginner vape and will require just barely more than 10 amps from your batteries (but that may be the max amperage for your current batteries). And thats really just a starting place. You may want to experiment a little lower, or using lower gauge wire, after you try that.

 

[TimeLordSavant]

Thanks Dave - I got all my gear - just waiting on the batteries - ended up with Sony 18650 VTC4 2100mAh 30a - and then I see I may need to sand down some of the contacts on the MOD because of coating. I have some P1200 emery wet/dry on the way too. I built the coils in the Hobo V2 RDA last night, guess I was eager to play around with it - it is small though so I can see what everyone was concerned about when it first came out and there was all the chatter about it. Prob be another week or so before I can actually wick it and try it out. I will post an update when I get it all together and test it.

I appreciate all the tips!!

 

[DaveSignal]

If your steampunk is one of the clones with a fake patina, I have heard that some of these actually have the threads painted. This will cause more voltage drop than if they were not painted, but it will still work. If you can sand it off the threads it will work better though.

The VTC4 is a good battery.

 

[TimeLordSavant]

yeah that is the problem I am hearing about them - I found a pretty good thread on how to clean it up to reduce the voltage drop on FT Steampunk Button Fix: FastTech Forums

going to spend a little time making this thing work right - but to me - it will be worth it - I love the look of the mod

 

[BlkWolfMidnight]

Howdy, and welcome,

Sounds like your on the right path to run RDA's and RTA's now.
Looking over your gear you got the basics, didn't see a mention of an oHm meter though (uh oh) yah I'd put that up there in importance with having wire. The remainder can be sourced locally for rebuilding without much of and issue. I find that the jewelers snips that are used for bead work do nicely for flush cutting wire (you can find them at wal-mart for pretty cheap). They also have these round little containers (bead containers) that hold lots of stuff to include screws, extra coils, parts and assorted goods. Tackle boxes work great for keeping everything in compartments and sorted plus are portable (great for when your on the go to a vape meet). As for the ultimate in carry all look in to a tool bag, hopefully zippered so it can keep all your stuff in one place.

I also picked up a table clamp vice for work on small stuff, a jewelers vice/stand is great as usually they have a magnifying glass attached to it for detail work (not everyone is obsessed with perfect coils, but a lot of us are). I found also they have a stand LED light at wal-mart for bead work, haven't picked it up yet but looks like a neat addition.

A good pair of snips (Scissors) will be your friend, I'd say an ultra small pair for shaving cotton down and a utility pair as well for large jobs done quickly (Mesh and Ekowool come to mind).

Almost forgot, pick up a torch of some type, some use pencil torches but I prefer the T8000 (yah overkill I know) as it gets the job done quickly. Its your choice though on that one either way you need something to soften kanthal and pre-oxidze SS Mesh, also you can pre-treat ekowool and silica on the go right quick.

Hit up the RDA forum with any questions, we are here to help in any way we can

 

[TimeLordSavant]

Thanks Wolf!

Yes, I grabbed a ohm meter. Could you explain where I may need mesh? I see it on my Nautilus atomizers, but can't figure out where I would need it on a Hobo V2. I do travel a bit for work and stay out of hotel rooms, so a jeweler's box and tool bag may very well be in my future, so I can set up shop wherever if needed. I have a small, portable torch for other uses, that will do if needed.

 

[BlkWolfMidnight]

Ahh,
Yup, just showed my age in the vaping community again.
Long time ago, before Ceramic wicks there was SS mesh wicks, they were common place on tanks like the RSST and such. Basically think a straw that wicks from bottom to top, I don't even know if these atomizers are available any longer but you may run across them.

I can't off hand think of any other atomizers that would use them except RTA's that feed from the bottom to the top in truth. I know I've experimented in drippers that didn't use wicking only the SS mesh just a hairs distance from the build deck but that goes way in to advanced rebuilding (the darkest corners of the rebuilding galaxy where not even light shines kind of depth).

The torch you have should work just fine, as long as it sparks up and produces a descent flame then your good to go there.

Bags rock, and a portable RDA kit is even better, in truth I keep 2 actually. My car kit has a pair of small pliers in it, toe nail clippers (yes, this really works cutting wire) small screwdriver with changeable heads and some Rayon wick and pre cleaned silica wicking. I also keep 4'ish or so pre-wound coils in there as well.
My big kit has more stuff then I care to list, a lot more stuff actually. Lets say that I've been rebuilding for a long, long time so gear collects and breeds in that bag I think

Forgot to add that you'll run across a lot of folks that know what RBA's are but are sheepish at getting hands on, so once you become well versed in rebuilding then pay it forward and help them out as well. The smiles and thanks you receive is beyond compare in truth. I carry my big bag o rebuilding stuff with me to any convention for that reason and I also truly just enjoy rebuilding stuff, its addictive to make something better