Coneheads

[Randyrtx]

Just got my 2.2Ω Stardusts in the mail. The little metal thingy in silicone seal now has a cone top that protrudes through it and up into mouthpiece.

Works good on my Ego from first vape, can't wait til it breaks in a bit.

Has a little bit of an off taste, I should have given it a rinse before filling, but it's not very noticeable.

Thumbs up so far!

 

[burns_erin]

Any chance of you posting a picture?

 

[Randyrtx]

Not a great shot, but I think you can see it. (Added a better shot)

 

[austerity]

Ah, cool. That's probably a good thing. Mine sometimes don't line up quite right. It has only been a problem with one of them and that is because I lost the white o-ring. Not the one on the mouthpiece but the one on the inside of the neck. It seems to be important for guiding the mouthpiece in properly. I have to fiddle with it to get everything lining up just perfect or it doesn't hit as well and sometimes juice leaks in. That new cone should fix that.

 

[Randyrtx]

It also keeps the metal "thingy" in place in the silicone plug much better, and you can grip the top with round-nose jewelry pliers to remove the seal easier. I like it!.

 

[badkolo]

first with the improvements baby, you know it, woo woo.lol

 

[burns_erin]

Thats awesome. Since I fill with needle bottles I had a problem with sometimes canting the air tube. This should solve my only little difficulty.

 

[Aunt Cranky]

So the burning question is... are these more take-apartable for cleaning and/or rewicking? Or do they require pipes and wrenches and such..

 

[badkolo]

that you guys will have to play with, thats not something they like me discussing much, these are meant as disposable items. but your all free to discuss it and mod away

 

[Randyrtx]

I'm reluctant to test that since I only bought two... but I'll be finding out once they need cleaning.

 

[Aunt Cranky]

Completely understand your point of view on this, Bad. I was more concerned with cleaning the things - as I love my VG juice and cleaning any carto is always a pain in the .....

 

[timothy]

Nice one can't wait till mine gets here

 

[zoiDman]

I'm Sure, or perhaps I Hope, or at least I Surely Hope that the OEM Understands that Most users of a Stardust want a Mod-able Carto. And if is not Mod-able or is Made to be More Difficult to Mod that Many User, if not a Major Percentage, will Not Purchase them at the Current Price Point.

I understand the OEM's thought that they would like a True Disposable Carto so vapers will keep lining up to buy More. But Unfortunately I don't think that is a Viable Model to make Maximum Profits. Not in this era of e-Cigarettes.

Putting another Dollar or So of Design into a Carto to Make it More Mod-able like a Threaded Tube to Battery Connector is the Direction I would Suggest. And Selling Replacement Wick/Coil Assemblies makes more Sense for repeat Business.

OEM's need to start Thinking more along "Tank" lines. Where the OEM sells a $12 Tank of Un-Crackable Plastic and then sells Easy to Install Replacement Wick/Coil Assemblies.

 

[Aunt Cranky]

Well I think that's where they're going with the Stone Tank concept. The Stone v.3 looks promising in that regard.

I'm not even one of those folks who "needs" to mod a cart to be happy, I just want to be able to clean it sufficiently to keep it running longer than a week or two.

I would very much get behind the idea of a Stardust-like tank with replacement wicks - I would buy a ton of replacement wicks - pre-wrapped - so all I would have to do is change them out, test the unit, and I'm good to go. HOWEVER.. I can see where this might not be an optimal business model for a vendor. Not to mention, whenever you get into scenarios where average Jane and average Joe are mucking about with battery power and/or stuff that can explode / catch fire / cause problems because of lack of skill, etc. it opens up the vendor to blame.

Anyway... I really love the Stardust. Hope it's someday as easy to keep these going as my Fluxos. Waiting for the Stone III and replacement parts (of which I will gladly buy many!). Also looking forward to the new Fluxos coming toward the end of the month.

 

[zoiDman]

Where I think the problem is with OEM’s thinking of a Disposable, Hard to Mod Carto is the Price Point.

If a pack of CE2’s cost $15 for 5 and they can be Dry Burned and Reused Many Times, will Consumers buy a Single Top Coil Carto for 8 or 9 Dollars?

I think the Majority of People who will want to get more Life out of a 9 Dollar Carto than a 3 Dollar CE2. Not all but Perhaps most.

 

[Briar]

I'm with the "cleaning crew" - all I want to do is be able to clean them reasonably, otherwise, with some of my juices, they won't last three days.

I don't have jewelry tweezers, and so I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to get the "hat" out with this cone thingie... I used to just hook it by the hole with a dental pick.

 

[Randyrtx]

I also want the Stardust to be easy to work on, but I wouldn't discount the market for those who simply want a fiddle-free device that works out of the box.

But anyway... we can relax. The tube presses out very easily using a drill press with a 5/32 nut driver as the "plunger". The nut driver fits over the cone so the actual pressing is against the silicone seal.

I can also see more clearly that there are absolutely no hairline cracks in the tank as a result of the knurling.

ETA: it presses back in just as easily!

 

[Aunt Cranky]

I also want the Stardust to be easy to work on, but I wouldn't discount the market for those who simply want a fiddle-free device that works out of the box.

But anyway... we can relax. The tube presses out very easily using a drill press with a 5/32 nut driver as the "plunger". The nut driver fits over the cone so the actual pressing is against the silicone seal.

I can also see more clearly that there are absolutely no hairline cracks in the tank as a result of the knurling.

ETA: it presses back in just as easily!

... and what about us poor suckers who don't have a drill press. I have some basic power tool skill, but I wouldn't even know how to use a drill press.

I'm a homebrewer, knitter, computer geek - not a woodworker

 

[antfuzz]

Randyrtx

Did you try to wiggle the tube off before using the drill press? The first batch many people were able to do that. The second batch was impossible and the reason for getting my hammer out originally.

 

[Randyrtx]

Antfuzz, I did, but it started pulling the switch assembly out of my Ego battery (not the Stardust's fault, it's loose from me trying to remove the switch before).

Aunt Cranky, you don't have to use a drill press; a C-clamp or vise would work just as well (and you wouldn't need to know how to use a drill press either... mine isn't even plugged in!)