You sound like a DIY kind of a guy, but before you go tinkering in your garage, I hope you know what you're doing. With all the very reasonably priced gear on the market, buy yourself a decent mod. Check out "Beyond Vape" for something that's well made, and won't put a big dent in your wallet. BV sells a really nice mech mod, called The Beacon, for only $65.00, and it's an original, not a cheap clone. They're located not far from you in Baldwin Park, or you can shop on-line. Check it out. I'm Vapin' in So Cal (CASAA Member).