I'm not cheap but I think the Pyrex tank prices are too high. I just don't see $25+ worth of material. So, I have been looking around trying to find a way to build my own. I found a site called "GreatGlas.com that sells the tubes specifically for what they call "Vapor Tubes". Anyone heard of them. Finding caps is a little harder. I've been looking at sites like "StockCap.com. I think I will pursue this a little further and start up some conversation at the sites. Anyone else interested please let me know. I just want a few more tanks, some clear some colored (they have a really nice looking dark green). I would be fine with some delrin black caps. I don't need a locking bottom cap since I use a fat bottom pawn drip tip with my flangeless boge carts to keep it in place.
Building your own DCT pyrex tanks
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No need to go to all the trouble.
Tubes are cheap... 5 bucks and up from IBTanked for a standard length glass tube.
Anodized SS or aluminum end caps with 2 sets of o-rings... a bit more at $10-$20 depending on size and source.
Grommet sets and 0-rings are only a few bucks each, again, from a variety of sources.
For a Borosilicate or Quartz Glass tank with aluminum or SS end caps, with 2 sets of o-rings... $22.50 from IBTanked.
Valley View Vapes has (juice proof) polypropylene/grommet tanks starting at $8. Aluminum end cap tanks, with a drip tip, and a carto... and a side fill screw, all for as little as $15.
Tubes are cheap... 5 bucks and up from IBTanked for a standard length glass tube.
Anodized SS or aluminum end caps with 2 sets of o-rings... a bit more at $10-$20 depending on size and source.
Grommet sets and 0-rings are only a few bucks each, again, from a variety of sources.
For a Borosilicate or Quartz Glass tank with aluminum or SS end caps, with 2 sets of o-rings... $22.50 from IBTanked.
Valley View Vapes has (juice proof) polypropylene/grommet tanks starting at $8. Aluminum end cap tanks, with a drip tip, and a carto... and a side fill screw, all for as little as $15.
John, you're taking a step backwards to 2011 when all the modders started the DCT craze and were making our own tanks out of poly tubing from Home Depot and cutting our own caps from kitchen sink grommets.
Maybe you're in one of the 1st stages of "Modumust Fever". Head over to the modders forum and take a peek. If your heart rate increases, go buy a soldering iron and accept your destiny.
Maybe you're in one of the 1st stages of "Modumust Fever". Head over to the modders forum and take a peek. If your heart rate increases, go buy a soldering iron and accept your destiny.
Please don't take offense, but why would you want to put all the time into hunting down random parts, buying/shipping them to you, and then trying to cobble together something that is likely gonna be cheap/wonky looking and possibly under-performing, just to save $25?
I can obviously see why if your motivation is to DIY/MOD yourself something unique, but otherwise, i just don't see ya coming out ahead. Time wise or financially.
I don't think the cost of the glass tubing sections anywhere is $25. As state said, you can buy just the tube sections for $5 each. Glass is heavy, and that's not a bad price, considering that someone has to buy the 60" tubing, then precisely measure and cut each section, THEN firepolish both ends, then kiln anneal them for a day.
Borosilicate (pyrex or the glass they use in Baccarat crystal) is pricey, but most important, it's heat resistant, which means it takes a long time to melt even at 1750 degrees F. You cannot speed flame polishing time by any mechanical means, it's time consuming. Nor will they precisely break at the seam, boro is STRONG glass, you need a diamond saw blade. $5 is not bad for the time it takes to do all that. Actually, I just looked at IBTank's site, and I think they are mechanically grinding the ends, not flame polishing. Are the ends frosted or crystal clear like the body? While grinding is MUCH faster, it still requires specialized equipment and time.
The $25 includes the end and bottom cap plus washers and O-rings ... which IBtanked sells caps for $17.50. There's your biggest cost for the finished tank.
Now if you can find those caps that will FIT a tube, that are cheaper and as good looking, I'd sure like to know where too
. I wouldn't use plastic caps ever. For one, it would take the point away from having a glass tank in the first place, since you can buy a new clearomizer for the cost of the glass part alone. Not to mention the risk of inhaling plastic if you use a juice that could dissolve it (and molten plastic can release industrial solvents that are potentially very dangerous).
I'm definitely looking for higher end metal caps (because I blow glass), so if you find any stainless caps for reasonable prices, I would like to know!! THAT would be where your savings would lie, finding metal caps (preferably stainless) at a size that will fit the tubes!
Borosilicate (pyrex or the glass they use in Baccarat crystal) is pricey, but most important, it's heat resistant, which means it takes a long time to melt even at 1750 degrees F. You cannot speed flame polishing time by any mechanical means, it's time consuming. Nor will they precisely break at the seam, boro is STRONG glass, you need a diamond saw blade. $5 is not bad for the time it takes to do all that. Actually, I just looked at IBTank's site, and I think they are mechanically grinding the ends, not flame polishing. Are the ends frosted or crystal clear like the body? While grinding is MUCH faster, it still requires specialized equipment and time.
The $25 includes the end and bottom cap plus washers and O-rings ... which IBtanked sells caps for $17.50. There's your biggest cost for the finished tank.
Now if you can find those caps that will FIT a tube, that are cheaper and as good looking, I'd sure like to know where too
. I wouldn't use plastic caps ever. For one, it would take the point away from having a glass tank in the first place, since you can buy a new clearomizer for the cost of the glass part alone. Not to mention the risk of inhaling plastic if you use a juice that could dissolve it (and molten plastic can release industrial solvents that are potentially very dangerous).I'm definitely looking for higher end metal caps (because I blow glass), so if you find any stainless caps for reasonable prices, I would like to know!! THAT would be where your savings would lie, finding metal caps (preferably stainless) at a size that will fit the tubes!
How interesting! That's soda-lime glass tho... 104. The properties, beyond the coefficiency of expansion are pretty different also, so that glass is much easier to mold. But working there, you must have a line to some great mold-making machinist supplies... for caps perhaps? I think the biggest problem with that might be economy of scale, the biggest up front cost would be the making of the molds themselves.
But I'd love to hear about it if you can get the prices down.
! That's soda-lime glass tho... 104. The properties, beyond the coefficiency of expansion are pretty different also, so that glass is much easier to mold. But working there, you must have a line to some great mold-making machinist supplies... for caps perhaps? I think the biggest problem with that might be economy of scale, the biggest up front cost would be the making of the molds themselves. But I'd love to hear about it if you can get the prices down
.how cool would that be to have a solid glass tank - no caps. we make our product to very tight tolerances. it starts with a tank of molten glass that is then cut in what's called a gob. its the weight of the gob that is controlled. the gob is sheared and drops into the mold. a mechanical arm slides the glass out onto a conveyor into a oven. the oven temp is controlled to slowly lower the glass temp. if not lowered properly there will be too much stress on the glass and cause it to easily shatter. that is called annealing . there is also a coating process to make the finished product slick or smooth. the molds themselves are made and supplied by a couple of different companies. I would imagine a startup cost would be rather high.
Well, an entirely glass tank would look interesting, but may not be the best idea from a breakage/cleaning/weight perspective. But... if you could make a mold for the glass, you could make a mold for the metal too. Metal melting temps are not that far from glass, the molds would not be that different.
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And yes... start up for OWNING your own molds would be really really high...
But companies machine metal bolts/caps/washers to spec right now, that's how all the custom caps/atomizers/mechs are made...
But companies machine metal bolts/caps/washers to spec right now, that's how all the custom caps/atomizers/mechs are made...
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