Billet 6061 DNA30 Build

[RAZORBACK91]

Been working on this for fun in the machine shop! So far this is were I'm at-


Pre-check hook up, this dna board is a GO!



This is a Turnigy 2200mah 20C LiPo from HobbyKing. I know that I want the mirco charging port on the "non lid" side. Still need to open up a slot in the bottom of the box. LiPo is protected by a 15 amp fuse. I'm using quick dis-connecters for power in and power out (to FD510).



Fat Daddy 510 connection. Made this one a flush mount on top of the box.




Everything is looking good so far. Still need to decide exactly how I will be attaching a 1/8 smoked plexi front cover. In case you were wondering, the dna screen will be mounted behind the plexiglass. I'm going for a open "see how things work" type of build with this one.
Haven't decided if I should just fab up a lid that sits on top of the edge (ie: adding 1/8 to overall thickness) or making an in layed pleaxi front door. Leaning toward the in layed. I'd like to keep things as skinny as I can! Let me know what ya'll think!

 

[RAZORBACK91]

Didn't mention in the post that I plan on painting the outside of the box flat black. Might try using Duracoat? Also, going to be leaving the inside un-finished to help provide some contrast when your looking through the smoked plexiglass cover/DNA screen.

 

[RAZORBACK91]

Anyone with some input on a nice flat black (matte) finish would be appreciated BTW Preferably of the spray can type. I found a Duracoat spray cac that is activated prior to painting. It's like $40 shipped though, and you can't use it after 24 hrs so it would really be only good for one paint job. Dont have any guns I'm trying to paint right now lol.

 

[grobbins]

To bad I'm up in Canada. I have a nice flat black as well as a really nice semi flat textured black powder coat that I could of shot on it for you

 

[Kataphraktos]

Very cool!

 

[ecat]

Anyone with some input on a nice flat black (matte) finish would be appreciated BTW Preferably of the spray can type. I found a Duracoat spray cac that is activated prior to painting. It's like $40 shipped though, and you can't use it after 24 hrs so it would really be only good for one paint job. Dont have any guns I'm trying to paint right now lol.

I did a little research into surface finishes for aluminium:

Any sort of spray paint, even with specialist primers looked to give variable results when used at home and even if a good, even finish were to be achieved and a adequate coat of lacquer applied I'd still question the durability in typical ecig use.

Powder coating looked a decent option, should be durable but I lack any hands on experience, so if it were my money I'd go for...

Anodising, swap the 'S' for a 'Z' if American It can be cheap if you find the right person, scratch resistant, hard wearing, microscopically thin and since it is grown on the surface of the aluminium it shouldn't flake off.

This cost me £5 + £2.50 shipping...
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/482340-another-dna-20-mod-2.html#post11213054

... four months later and not a scratch. The only drawback, the external surface finish must be immaculate before anodising as every imperfection will show through.

 

[david4500]

looks nice! more machining to do still? those corners and edges look a bit sharp, ouch.

 

[RAZORBACK91]

looks nice! more machining to do still? those corners and edges look a bit sharp, ouch.

Yes! Still need to mill a rim for the plexiglass, micro usb slot, and the edges for sure!

 

[RAZORBACK91]

Well dude,

After I stared at the "billet box" and mocked it up a couple times, I couldn't help but feel like this thing is way to big to be a practical DNA mod. I like to USE my mods; functionality is the most important aspect to me. This thing would never leave the house.. It's to cumbersome.

So in a not so dramatic fit of vaper's frustration, I decided I would set this box aside and build a mod that would satisfy the requirements I have for an "all day" type of device.


I decided to use a Hammond 1590G box I had.

You can get it here

I milled out the all "hole necessities" in our machine shop here at school. I had been thinking about how it would be arranged ever since the box came in. In my short vaping/modding career I've pondered things like - where the up/down buttons should be in relation to the screen?' a many times.. (the average person would probably consider me a nerd).

Ran to Lowes and grabbed some Rust-oleum "flat iron". I sanded the milled box up nice, cleaned it up, and sprayed two coats; surely not waiting long enough to let it dry properly



I proceeded to put things together! I used the the board I had already halfway put together for the 6061 box. I fused up two Turnigy 1000mah 1S lipo's each, each with their own 15 amp mini fuses. I fashioned an "electrical insulator" for between the DNA and the case out of an old hotel key card. Epoxied things down with 1500psi Devcon (not the battery's).



And here she is sitting next to my first DNA build. That's a Hammond 1590b box i believe.



This box it SO much more convenient.. Loving it

 

[RAZORBACK91]

AND! This new box still has plenty of battery capacity, for me at least.. It's 2000mah; the bigger box only has 200+mah on this new one.

 

[RAZORBACK91]

Took this for some size comparison if any of ya'll are interested in the 1590G.. Great size IMO.

 

[asdaq]

Nice Hammond mod, this cannot be denied. I was rooting for the billet box though too as you have endless possibilities for customization. Plus the satisfaction of making your own. Maybe a Take 2 with a less length demanding battery size?

 

[RAZORBACK91]

That's what I was thinking asdaq. Going to take the dimensions of that little Hammond and use that as a guide for a billet box. I could stick a pretty big lipo in the 6061 box as it stands now tho..?


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[cudaman68]

With the 1590G you can fit two 3400Mah 18650's in that box along with the DNA and charger. You do have to use the small tactile fire button like you have there. So a 6800 Mah 1590G box no problem

 

[cudaman68]

I forgot to attach a pic of mine I have two sony 2100Mah batteries in there right now but could swap them to some of the 3200 to 3400 18650's

 

[RAZORBACK91]

View attachment 323269
I forgot to attach a pic of mine I have two sony 2100Mah batteries in there right now but could swap them to some of the 3200 to 3400 18650's

Nicely done sir!!!

 

[RAZORBACK91]

I set this 1590G mod up with LiPo's. Don't know it it's just me, but I get significantly longer battery life using LiPo cells rather than LiION 18650 type battery's. I also spent a little extra time with this build when I decided to utilize 18g braided wire for +/- in and power out. Included quick disconnect terminals on all 18g connections as ya can see. Used these not just to make battery replacement and 510 adjustment easier, but to enable me to use the internals again in another mod down the road.. I don't think I'll ever "re-mod" this setup though. I'm really happy with it's performance and practicality!! This is my second DNA30 Hammond build. First time I had used a 1590B box. It was a successful build by all means, but once I came across the G version, I had to build another DNA utilizing the smaller box. I gave my 1590B box to my buddy that I work with in the machine shop at school. The difference in size is huge!

 

[RAZORBACK91]

I ended up stripping the paint off my new box. I had used Rust-oleum P+P for exterior color. After two days of drying, it was still real tacky, and would actually come off on your hands - it was a sticky mess... I prepped the case hardcore with acetone before hand, but I'm hard headed and had to find out the hard way that aluminum really hates paint! I plan on building more DNA30's using this enclosure; going to try anodizing the next build at home. You can check this video out if your interested in the process - How To Anodize Aluminum - YouTube

Also contemplating buying an airbrush setup and giving Cerakote a try! Surprisingly though, anodizing would be less expensive than buying Cerakote + required equipment!



Futura in 18650*

 

[RAZORBACK91]

Here is where the billet build has gone!


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[RAZORBACK91]

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