Drilled out top cap air holes too much - BIG Mistake

[Statistic]

I had already drilled the air hole out to 1/16" which was working perfectly and I should have left well enough alone.

Last night I drilled it out to 5/64".. not a huge difference in size. I would have thought not a huge effect on how the atty performs, just more awesomeness, right? No, not more awesome, so much less awesome it's depressing.. I think I've ruined 3 perfectly good rba's

• The draw is much looser than I expected. I knew it would be looser but this is a HUGE difference, much more than I expected from just a 1/64" increase.
• Because of this increased air flow my coil is cooling too easily and is not vaporizing enough juice fast enough, so my coil is getting gunked up before I can get half way through a battery.
• Battery performance has plummeted. Because the coil is cooling easier it is taking more time to get the same clouds I was getting before the ominous mistake. I just drained a full 18350, from 4.2v to 3.7v, on a 15 minute break at work.

And to make matters worse, like a complete .....$$, I drilled out my IGO-L, AGI and one of my AGA's all at the same time, blissfully assuming it would be awesome..

Damn this stinks I feel like I just flushed $60 worth of RBA's down the toilet.

So now I search for a way to plug these holes so I can re-drill them smaller. I'm thinking JB-Weld but sheesh that's gonna end up just ugly. Do I forget repairing and just switch to .4ohm coils? lol

If anyone out there likes a 5/64" air hole and wants to trade AGA-T2 or AGI caps shoot me a PM.

 

[TroyHoot]

I just fixed this problem on one of mine dual hole setups today.

Jb weld the hole/holes in. then redrill then out by hand. Long as your carefull. it will work. I use jb Quick, so its dry in 5 minutes or so. Wont be stainless pretty, but it doesnt look bad.

1/16 seems to be my happy spot also. On my dual wick setup I am using 2x 3/64. its working pretty good now. the dual 1/16 was just like breathing LOL too much.

 

[pdib]

Dude, Stats, I am NOT LMAO!! (this is tragic, and there is no possible way that I just knocked my ayss on the floor laughing) I have done a few things. Mash a section of aluminum rivet-stem in there, sand it flush (mash, like with hammer and peen inside). Screw a tiny brass machine screw into the hole (Ace hardware; take the hole with you. . . . . . take the cap too). nip it off and file/sand flush. Or jb weld.

 

[Statistic]

Thanks Troy, I'll be getting some JB on my way home tonight after work, glad to hear it's not too terribly ugly.

Thanks pdib, some more great food for thought. If JBweld will hold good enough I'm more likely to go that route as I'm certain I'd destroy the outside of these caps sanding a brass screw flush with the OD.

Sad day indeed, thanks a lot for NOT LMAO'ing all over your floor while you point at my usename on your computer screen, pdib.. lol

 

[pdib]

Total empathy on the laugh. Been there, done that... went back, did it again.

 

[Rule62]

I remember reading a post quite a while ago, where a poster had an ingenious fix for this. He drilled the hole to where a blunt tip needle could be tapped into the hole (I don't recall the size of the needle). Then cut off the needle, and carefully ground it flush with the cap, inside and out.

 

[Kevin Brown]

you could use some acid-free solder: sand it, retap it..

it will look cool, jb-weld wont look to shabby either

 

[Vault]

Been there, done that! used JB from the inside so as to not show on the shiny stainless AGA top cap Just the smallest smear with your finger from the inside does it, then use a twist drill with your fingers as it`s nowhere near as hard as stainless

Although technically i could have put a spot of stainless TIG weld over it, polished it out and just re-drilled the hole back to original

 

[Statistic]

I hope you're right. I suspect this little indiscretion may lead to me having a brushed finish AGI by the time it's all said and done.

Once again (this has happened a lot) I wish I was capable of welding and polishing metal...

 

[Vault]

No bad thing! I`d prefer a brushed stainless finish rather than a highly polished one, bit less bling and a bit more industrial

 

[TroyHoot]

lot of good ideas. I brush finish all my caps. so sanding smooth was not an issue. if you want shiney, the Needle trick sounds real promising. from rule62 above.

I welded my igo-l hole shut and drilled a higher hole. Make sure if you ever do this. Turn the welder WAY DOWN ! i made a nice hole and had to fill it in LOL. all good in the end but it was hit and miss for awhile.

But thats what these cheaper attys are good for, Experimenting

 

[Statistic]

Really appreciate the suggestions fellas. I'm actually starting to look at this as an opportunity to practice messing with these materials.. I'd actually really prefer to a soft brushed finish on the AGI, and can practice on the el-cheapo IGO until I'm ready to address the AGI. And for the AGA.. I'm just gonna drill out one of my others to 1/16 when I get home so I can get back to vaping while I ponder my options

I did get a little smarter on my lunch break.. I thought I'd try and dry burn my coil clean (out of boredom I suppose) and I learned how very easy it is to pop a .8ohm coil with 7.4v... lmao. I stacked 18350's

I'm seriously getting smarter by the hour today... smh

 

[pdib]

Stats, your smart vibes are messing with the refresh rate on my monitor. Easy there.

If you get up to 1500, 2000 grit on the sandpaper (1500 wet sand oughta do) you'll be darn close to original sheen; but without that cheesy/chromy flash. Close enough to blend and only sand your work area (around the hole). Going high in grits doesn't take long at all, because your just sanding out the scratches from the previous grit. so, hitting it with 400,600,800,1000,1500,1500wet might take 3-4min total if your just removing your "fix" marks.

 

[donnah]

I don't have any suggestions but thought I'd chime in with a GOOD LUCK! Keep us updated on what you do and how it works

 

[aycho]

I dunno if it will work but a cheaper method is to find a rubber grommet that's the same size as the hole you drilled out.. I know that there's some for electrical wires with a hole in the middle of the grommet but I don't know if the heat from the coils will melt the rubber.. But it's worth a shot haha

 

[pdib]

Ok, kids, here's a temporary fix for when you need to vape while you scratch your head about your oversized hole fix. Its for a 1/16 hole that proves to be too big. Vivi Nova atomizer ..... (the little metal plug that you stuff into the insulator that you stuff into the bottom of the atomizer that you screw into a vivi). Small tubey end fits into your 1/16 hole and won't fall out unless you really jolt it.

 

[unloaded]

There is aluminum tape for duct work, it looks like aluminum foil. A piece of it on the inside with correct size hole in it should work.

 

[nz1001]

9/64" drill bit, clearomizer type head/fitting - easily drilled through w 3/64".


Stainless Steel 304 Hypodermic Tubing, 16 Gauge, 0.065" OD, 0.0555" ID, 0.00475" Wall, 12" Length: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
Clear NSF-61 Polyurethane Tubing, 0.063" ID, 0.125" OD, 0.031" Wall, 25' Length: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
this combo produces 1.4mm ID airhole.



benefits:
"bring" the airhole to the coil.
pocket friendly.

caution:
may have to dremel cut/sand down the well wall (where needed) a bit, since the airhole on AGI/IGO is positioned very close above the well.