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Does anybody know if Ace Hardware would carry some thumb screws that would work? I'm thinking about popping down there and checking but have to dig out my car.
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I've been looking all over. You'd have to go and check it out but I am beginning to doubt it. Fry's might have them as they sell a lot of tiny computer and electronic parts. I'm also trying to find brass or ss washers small enough for the positive connection. I'm getting a lot of hot spots near the top and I think it's because the wick is so far from the center.
I wanna say I saw SS washers at OSH, and I bought what is supposed to be brass washers at OSH also. Hadn't thought about the thumb screws, I'll see if I can find any next time I'm there, tomorrow or Monday.
Frys has been a big bust for me with the things I was looking for. They are cutting stock to carry stuff that sells regularly...that means a lot of stuff I might need is not available there. In the Sacramento area, they say to try Metro Electronics downtown. Gonna make a trip there next week.
Good luck finding stuff folks,
Big Mac
Frys has been a big bust for me with the things I was looking for. They are cutting stock to carry stuff that sells regularly...that means a lot of stuff I might need is not available there. In the Sacramento area, they say to try Metro Electronics downtown. Gonna make a trip there next week.
Good luck finding stuff folks,
Big Mac
Well went ahead and did this tonight on 1 of 2 AGA-T's 
Turned out not bad for 25 mins of work. Used a #6-32 brass 2" machine bolt and matching flat washers and nuts.
I started to turn the 2 pieces together but quickly found out they both were having high spots so I broke them down and did one individually. I put a flat washer on both ends, to encase the atty parts, and then nutted the end tight so I could chuck the rest of the brass.
I figured brass would be softer if anything went wrong and wouldn't screw up the SS too much and after going through some 100x2, 200x2, 600x1 and 800x1 they were pretty done. I tried the top cap and while some areas are a bit scuffed possible due to my tired hands/arms or uneven in the metal it's still not too bad. I may go back and touch up the cap one last time tomorrow while I do the other.
Awesome sauce!
Turned out not bad for 25 mins of work. Used a #6-32 brass 2" machine bolt and matching flat washers and nuts.
I started to turn the 2 pieces together but quickly found out they both were having high spots so I broke them down and did one individually. I put a flat washer on both ends, to encase the atty parts, and then nutted the end tight so I could chuck the rest of the brass.
I figured brass would be softer if anything went wrong and wouldn't screw up the SS too much and after going through some 100x2, 200x2, 600x1 and 800x1 they were pretty done. I tried the top cap and while some areas are a bit scuffed possible due to my tired hands/arms or uneven in the metal it's still not too bad. I may go back and touch up the cap one last time tomorrow while I do the other.
Awesome sauce!
Did mine yesterday. I stopped at 600 as it looked good to me. Instead of a drill I used a Black & Decker dremel knock-off to secure the bolt. Got some serious RPMs which made things a lot easier.
Well done!Did you align the air hole too?
Not this one Smack.
It's airhole was fairly aligned to start however the other one is about just over 1/4 a turn off. Backing it off to align the cap itself can rock back and forth on the threads so I may try it. Should be simple enough though as others have done and sanding down the top cap. My worry is unevenness so I would prefer to find a nice flat/hard surface to do it on so there's less chance of sanding down too much; I hope
Looking good folks. I keep thinking, I'll be doing mine sometime next week...and I want to make sure the parts remain centered while on the drill, so I'm gonna try using some cone shaped rubber stoppers in the end of the pieces, run the bolt thru those, the cone shape should help self center the pieces and the rubber should protect the SS pieces. Should mean I don't have to dig around for a softer metal...brass...so I don't marr the SS. No chance of bolt threads marring the holes in the pieces....maybe, lol.
Big Mac
Big Mac
Not this one Smack.
It's airhole was fairly aligned to start however the other one is about just over 1/4 a turn off. Backing it off to align the cap itself can rock back and forth on the threads so I may try it. Should be simple enough though as others have done and sanding down the top cap. My worry is unevenness so I would prefer to find a nice flat/hard surface to do it on so there's less chance of sanding down too much; I hope
Exactly. I laid a medium grit piece of paper flat on a table and sanded the cap by hand, twisting the cap while sanding to avoid high spots. I checked progress often so I didn't overshoot. The hole needed a 3/4 turn adjustment so it was a pita but totally doable.
The op used a #8 x 2" brass screw, which is what I used. It fits snugly through the parts. There was no need for anything to self center the pieces. I didn't use any washers. Just a bolt and matching nut fastened tightly. There was no damage done to the surface during the process. Brass bolts aren't hard to find. They're at every hardware store.
Yep... I think I have a nice, smaller, piece of tempered glass around here somewhere that I can use as a platform.
Also circles while stopping and twisting the cap around in your hand to help not get high spots. I remember doing this to a CPU once where I had to sand down the ceramic covering the CPU die and that was painstaking
A mere fractional mm and I would have fried a 300$ CPU (at the time )Right now both of mine caps are not bad, even backing them off a 1/4-1/2 a turn but they do rock back and forth on the threads. While I have no leakage I just find having the cap already "loose" if you will leaves it the greater ability to unloosen more with use. We'll see but I'll be starting my 2nd AGA-T today and get it as well to a nice Satin finish. Will post pic's hopefully!
I started with an #8-32 stainless and that was too rough a going and actually made some inner threads where the grommet goes. I found that the #6-82 brass, while smaller and more pliable, was easier to use with washer and nuts and really could have just used the nuts but didn't want to mar anything up so decided to use the flat washers too.
In a radical change of pace I found that when I ran the drill in forward (tightening) direction my nuts and bolt would become unlocked so I had to run the drill backwards, which looking back, may have helped in a way since I was fighting it more in my hands which kept my ability to control it in check instead of running on me and taking too big a chunk and having a flat.
Fun modding!
Sorry so verbose, lol..
And the 2nd is done. Please excuse the paper towel "dust" on them as I just wiped them down after rebuilding the coils.
Whoever said the napkin/paper-towel/wipe was going to be a vaper's best friend was so totally right. My wife is now constantly wondering where all the rolls go after I'm vaping/rebuilding/etc
And the 2nd is done. Please excuse the paper towel "dust" on them as I just wiped them down after rebuilding the coils.
Whoever said the napkin/paper-towel/wipe was going to be a vaper's best friend was so totally right. My wife is now constantly wondering where all the rolls go after I'm vaping/rebuilding/etc
Nice pair! LoL
I always end up using the napkins that come with our take-out. Seems like they always throw a ship load in with the order.
p.s. The ones that are in the meat section of the grocery are pretty much lint free, so I'll grab 3 or 4 when I'm there.
I always end up using the napkins that come with our take-out. Seems like they always throw a ship load in with the order.
p.s. The ones that are in the meat section of the grocery are pretty much lint free, so I'll grab 3 or 4 when I'm there.
Whoever said the napkin/paper-towel/wipe was going to be a vaper's best friend was so totally right. My wife is now constantly wondering where all the rolls go after I'm vaping/rebuilding/etc
View attachment 164572
Nice pair! LoL
I always end up using the napkins that come with our take-out. Seems like they always throw a ship load in with the order.
p.s. The ones that are in the meat section of the grocery are pretty much lint free, so I'll grab 3 or 4 when I'm there.
Oh yeah.. I may have to grab some of those too.. Reminds me of my father who would use latex gloves while dispensing urine for hunting as cover scent and when our boys were born or if we were to take them to the doctors he would ask us to "requisition" a few pairs or box if we could, lol. I may have to start visiting the grocery store more I think!
Just did mine! Chucked it in the drill press and used 120 grit to get the knurling off, then finished it off with 220 grit and a touch of 320 just to smooth it out a bit. Looks much better, although I wish I'd taken the top cap down a little farther. I guess it's not the worst thing though because I still have pretty pronounced rings in the top still.
I also sanded down the top cap so the air hole lines up with the wick (it was off by a little more than 1/2 a turn!). It took me all of 30 seconds to chuck just the top cap and sand it down to the point where it would line up. I also enlarged my wick hole to 1/8". I like the drill bit method for wrapping coils but I wanted to have the exact size bit for it, 1/8" is just a sliver bigger.
I also sanded down the top cap so the air hole lines up with the wick (it was off by a little more than 1/2 a turn!). It took me all of 30 seconds to chuck just the top cap and sand it down to the point where it would line up. I also enlarged my wick hole to 1/8". I like the drill bit method for wrapping coils but I wanted to have the exact size bit for it, 1/8" is just a sliver bigger.
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