Atomizers... your nemesis

[vaper1960]

I needed an extra 510 drip tip for an atomizer (someone gave a used one with no tip) I had been sharing one from another tank (atomizer... tank is easier to type) so I dug through a box and remembered an old RTA I could steal the drip tip from. Then the memories flooded in... it was a UD Bellus someone gave me (with a warning... "she is evil") I was not put off by this (I like a good challenge) so tried several times to build "the evil one"... no success (it has an extremely small build deck, dual coils sharing the same post holes with tiny screws and no clearance between the coils and chamber) When it did work (briefly) it actually had decent vapor and flavor. I finally gave up... long story but short answer... this tank was my "nemesis" for sure. I even tried the single coil option (came with an adapter to block off one side) still no luck (wanted to throw it in the trash or better yet take a hammer to it) Anyway... what atomizers have you had that you consider your nemesis (evil, vile, stubborn, useless... feel free to use other terms)?
P.S. I know it's futile, but I'm going to try one more time with that "....." (I can hear her laughing at me as I type this)

 

[vaper1960]

Feel free to include RDAs (does not have to be a "tank")
Hmmm... interesting, ECF filter won't let me say the name of a female dog (that's odd)

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

Yes, I had an RTA like that. I got it from Fasttech but I think they removed if it from their catalog. It was a small, rebuildable clearomizer, about 10mm wide and about 50mm tall. The box it came in said "fairy tank" but that's not what Fasttech listed it as. It should have been called Worhtless POS

It was the tiniest, postless deck you ever did see and it was impossible to mount a coil. But a couple times I succeeded and it was impossible to wick.

It looked pretty much like these T-H-C carts that are popular today, except it had a glass tank and a removable drip tip (and of course it was rebuildable).

 

[Ed Brown]

I came, I saw, I coiled.

I have a Dead Rabbit V1 RTA that has given me more trouble than any other. The build deck is a breeze, but putting it back together is a challenge. The base has an outer knurled ring with the threading for attachment to the chimney. This ring can rotate independently of the base. The base has tiny tabs that engage tiny notches in the chimney.

When putting it back together the tabs have to align with the notches perfectly for it to go together properly. If they don't align you can rotate this ring all day long, but the base doesn't rotate to engage the notches. What's worse, it will still screw together and you think that you got it, but as soon as you turn it upright, the juice runs out all over everything.

I have developed a workaround though. When placing the base on the top, I put a screwdriver in the slot in the 510 pin and use that to rotate the base until you can feel the tabs align with the notches. Then push it down and tighten the ring. This usually works.

A lot of juice got wasted until I figured it out.

This RTA has some annoying flaws, but it's a good hitting atomizer with decent flavor, so I keep it in the rotation.

 

[Skeebo]

The Ford Pinto of RDAs-- the Vector by VLS.

 

[vaper1960]

This RTA has some annoying flaws, but it's a good hitting atomizer with decent flavor, so I keep it in the rotation.

So basically... you hate it but actually still use it? That's OK... I'd also like to hear stories about ones that drive you nuts but you still find a way to use them (that would be the Silverplay RTA for me)

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

Well in that case the Lemo 2 is right up there in that regard. Hated it, rediscovered it and figured it out. Even bought more on clearance recently.

However, after rediscovering the Kayfun 5 (clone), it's back on the shelf again.

 

[Falconeer]

Reading this thread brought back Happy Memories … not!

There have been three Infernal Vaping Engines, like those experienced by the OP, that I have experimented and failed with over the years - The Dreaded Lemo, a dripper with a complicated name ending in V4 which had a many sharp, finger cutting, diamond shaped air holes, and even featured a screw on clear plastic expansion chamber to offer new and exciting opportunities to experience frustrations to any new owner, and an unnamed Chinese Horror with a miniscule build deck supposedly able to accommodate two coils whose only redeeming feature was than it had a drip tip shaped like a chess pawn.

With the Lemo, I even first cunningly copied the wick it came with before filling it and trying it, thinking this would make life easy in future. After leaving it to prime, I took a drag at it. It gurgled but produced an OK vape, so I used it until tea time. Coming back through after tea I found it had deposited all its liquid on to the bedside cabinet. Over the next few days, I wicked it as issued, I wicked it tight, I wicked it loose, I wicked it short and I wicked it long … and in the process became highly skilled in mopping up liquid from floor, window sills and furniture. It was consigned to Vape Heaven but I did keep the long drip tip it came with.

And so to the Dripper. Now I am sure this would have been satisfactory, had I been able to bolt it to a heavy piece of MDF, affix a tube to it hookah style and employ a laser device to ensure the rig sat and remained level and fixed. Otherwise it was a leaker and a spiller. Even with the wicks barely painted enough to avoid dry hits it managed to leak. It too went to Vape Heaven … but hating to fail at anything I bought another shortly after to try again, with the same result. As I didn’t have anyone I disliked enough to inflict it on it also left the building.

The Chinese Horror was a makeweight, bought on a whim when I was ordering other supplies. The metal was soft so I presume it was made from recycled bean tins or similar, the screw threads stripped even if you looked at them too hard and how you were ever to get a coil inside its tiny deck and chimney I haven’t a clue … but it did have a nice drip tip which I kept.

 

[Spydro]

Probably among the most useless atty's I ever bought (for my uses anyway) in late 2014 to very early 2015 was a couple of Lancia RDA's. One was an OG from Arra Mods Int'l (Philippines) and was left as it came, and the other was a clone that was converted to be for squonking. Most likely for the short time I bothered with them the OG was probably ran on one of my VapourArt GP PAPS mech tube mod's, and the squonker on one of my Reo's. Even so I can't find a single picture I took of either of them on any of my mods (and I especially have a hellofalot of pictures of all my Reo's). But I do still have a few from online way back then. IIRC they are 22mm, the AFC pins came in 3 sets of 4 with different hole sizes, plus 3 that were blanks. In use four of them had to be pushed in place in the Lancia, but you could use whatever 4 you wanted to further vary the draw. They also had a choice between a clear glass or stainless sleeve. With the glass installed I remember that it fogged up, but that maybe because of my long DL draws. They also tended to weep liquid (condensation/juice) out of the 4 AFC ports in the base.

 

[Ed Brown]

Seems like an awkward way to to control the airflow. Besides, I don't like three post designs.

 

[Javichu]

For me it would have to be the PeaceMaker RTA.

Fell in love with it's looks,just looked so darn cool!!

But the wicking...oh god the wicking!!
Never could get it right,always leaking.

Shame thou,i really loved it's looks.

 

[vaper1960]

@Falconeer , great story. This should be an interesting thread.

 

[vaper1960]

Shame thou,i really loved it's looks.

I really don't care about looks (sure, it's nice if things look good or even match colors) but function is the bottom line. If I can get a good mod on a clearance sale (for 1/5 th the original price) I don't really care if it's pink with purple spots. Even if an atty is too big for my mod (25mm on a 22mm mod) I don't care as long as it vapes well. On the other hand... "ergonomics" (how comfortable to hold in my hand) does matter. I really don't understand the obsession with drip tips... unless the inside diameter is too big/small, and it vapes fine, I don't care what color, what shape, what style, or what material. Anyway... got way off topic.

 

[vaper1960]

Well in that case the Lemo 2 is right up there in that regard. Hated it, rediscovered it and figured it out. Even bought more on clearance recently.

You guys don't know but me and UJ have talked a lot about the Lemo2 (I have three of them) Sure... there is a learning curve, but currently mine is doing fine (have mastered that thing and now love it) In fact, going to vape it right now.

 

[Plumes.91]

I have an A7 that I actually still use for my original REO, that has a post that unscrews from the base of the well when I am unscrewing a spent coil tail, or when I am adjusting a new coil tail. I have been at the point where I’ve just made a new coil, got one tail screwed down, I screw the last tail down but it’s not right, or it’s giving me a hot tail, so I unscrew to stick the tail in a bit more, and the entire post twirls and ruins my coil. I have fixed it with a vice and a wrench but, I can only assume the demons living within it are just waiting for me to be rushing to get a new build in when I’m late for work or something.

 

[vaper1960]

I can only assume the demons living within it are just waiting for me to be rushing to get a new build in when I’m late for work or something.

The only times I have screwed up a build (even something I have built many times) is when I'm rushed. I won't even attempt a build unless I have plenty of time (I also lock the door so nobody bothers me in the middle of it)

 

[Coyote628]

I came, I saw, I coiled.

I have a Dead Rabbit V1 RTA that has given me more trouble than any other. The build deck is a breeze, but putting it back together is a challenge. The base has an outer knurled ring with the threading for attachment to the chimney. This ring can rotate independently of the base. The base has tiny tabs that engage tiny notches in the chimney.

When putting it back together the tabs have to align with the notches perfectly for it to go together properly. If they don't align you can rotate this ring all day long, but the base doesn't rotate to engage the notches. What's worse, it will still screw together and you think that you got it, but as soon as you turn it upright, the juice runs out all over everything.

I have developed a workaround though. When placing the base on the top, I put a screwdriver in the slot in the 510 pin and use that to rotate the base until you can feel the tabs align with the notches. Then push it down and tighten the ring. This usually works.

A lot of juice got wasted until I figured it out.

This RTA has some annoying flaws, but it's a good hitting atomizer with decent flavor, so I keep it in the rotation.

I have to agree this one is tricky to put back together. The notches. I never had a leak though because I could tell it wasn't going back together right and kept at it till I got it. But yeah, it's a minor flaw with this rda. Still a good rda though.

 

[Coyote628]

Limitless plus rdta. Easy to build on and wicking was not difficult to master. The problem? You must keep this thing upright at all times or you will just dump juice everywhere. Coils on top, tank on bottom and the fill hole was on the side just under the coils. The only thing that blocked the fill hole was the cap and blocked is not what it did if you laid it on its side. Aside from that, it vaped famously. I could complain about the fireluke 2 and the way the fill hole is only kinda accessible when you slide the top out of the way or the way juice forms a little bubble at the opening which needs to be eliminated before you awkwardly place the unicorn tip from a juice bottle over the opening. If you dont do this, juice goes everywhere but inside the tank. Otherwise, this tank vapes famously as well and I accommodate the quirks just because of that. Dont think I have any that just didn't work out for me. Unless you want to count the RBA head that came with the smok tfv8. This was not possible to build on. Everything was tiny and too close together to actually build on. I tried ONE time and the relegated it to the trash.

 

[vaper1960]

Any time you have issues filling a tank (small fill port, clearance issue, ect) a good old blunt needle syringe is great (I use mine for many tanks/pods) I have also used it to empty tanks.

 

[Pigs]

For me it was love/hate.

The Ude Goblin Mini V1
Tiny little screw for bottom fill, airflow open at the base so masses of condensation, leaked like a sieve if you didn't getting the wicking just right, tiny finicky dual coil build deck and a not quite 510 glass drip tip that fell off at every opportunity. So what's to love?...the flavour..so good when it worked!!