ERA - easy rebuildable atomzier

[JC Okie]

Where is a good place to get cotton or bamboo wick? I am interested in trying them out.

I get the cotton wicking material and the bamboo at Michael's. Hobby Lobby also has it....and Walmart has the cotton but not the bamboo. If you want to PM me, I'll send some samples (clearly marked with what they are and where I got them) along to you. Be glad to.

Jan

 

[rc10mike]

Im sure some of you have seen my issues on here Im having with the ERA...well today, I went out and bought a roll of the bamboo stuff. So far Im actually surprised its working good.

The coil I made is small, its only 1.1ohm so I set my VVG at 4v. Its been great so far. I only used 2 strands of the #10 bamboo stuff.

 

[LongHaul]

Im sure some of you have seen my issues on here Im having with the ERA...well today, I went out and bought a roll of the bamboo stuff. So far Im actually surprised its working good.

The coil I made is small, its only 1.1ohm so I set my VVG at 4v. Its been great so far. I only used 2 strands of the #10 bamboo stuff.

1.1ohms and 4v.........seems a bit high I run my 1.5 ohms at 3.8....get better flavor to me


....................

 

[JC Okie]

Mike, glad you found the bamboo and are liking it. I use 8 strands, and wrap it with 32 gauge Kanthal about 4 times and get a 1.7 ohm coil. I would think that a few more strands (than 2) would work a little better....but it's just all experimentation at this point for me. You might try a few more strands...the #10 is pretty thin thread. When I wrap the 8 strands, I also put a needle with it just to wrap so that I don't choke it with the wire. It's about the size of an 18 gauge syringe needle. (Not sure of the actual size...it's a fat sewing needle I had) and that seems to work, too. The threads seem loose until they get juiced up, then they swell up. You might try it....

Jan

 

[oldbroad]

Well I'm up to my usual tricks...somehow i messed up my order for the BF ERA thru IVS! So i guess I'll be ordering those A7 what evers,lol.I don't think I'm meant to have an ERA! ( I'd put in a smiley face but there doesn't seem to be any of those face things on my pc at this time)oh wait...if I edit, they show up...er, no, they show up but when I click on one it does nothing...

 

[rc10mike]

Im still lost with the ERA. Every coil I make will produce HUGE clouds of vapor, but the flavor Im used to getting with HH357s just isnt there. Im very confused about this...how can it make such great vapor...but lack in flavor...?

Ive been using the same juice for 5 months now. I can tell when its not tasting as it should.

 

[ChrisEU]

Unfortunately I don't have the ERA, but a couple other RBAs and a lot of experience with them. What you describe sounds like you have problems with the airflow. If the vapor is good and the taste is not burnt or metallic, stop making new coils.

Instead: Play with the airflow and the coil, vary the distance and angle between the spot where the air enters the vapor chamber and the coil itself, it sounds funny, but it makes a LOT of difference. For a start: Try to point the air hole exactly at the coil, if that is possible.

If that is not the cause of the missing taste, it can be the heating wire. Some wires, especially Nichrome types, have distinct flavors that work well with them while others don't. Try Kanthal if you are using Nichrome, or the other way around.

Finally, the H.357 is the best flavor you can get from a ready made atomizer.

 

[Ratman]

Mike, I also found that some flavors do not seem to carry well. Now I do not have a lot of experience with the ERA yet but I had made a cotton embroidery yarn wick with kanthal at 1.9o and it seemed like it was never going to break in. I was getting great vapor but a very muted flavor and what seemed like to me, a cottony taste with it. I rinsed the flavoring out, switched to a new flavor on the vv grand and BAM! amazing flavor from the first pull.

 

[HzG8rGrl]

The air flow is a great tip, are you making coils to the same resistance of the 357's? That could be the culprit. Juices taste different at different temperatures and could be part of what you are experiencing.

 

[doubledown]

Okay, here's a pic of the loop thing I've been using, works great with 32g Kanthal A1 and the wick that came with the ERA. Also a crappy paint sketch of what's going on there, lol.
View attachment 140005View attachment 140006

Made one of these tonight. Wicks beautifully, but was a pain to make. Worth it though I think. My last wick was drying out often, this one stays wet and puts out mucho vaper.

 

[Ratman]

Second this, it works great!!!

 

[JC Okie]

I agree...it works great. I wrapped one for the ERA that way and I like it.

 

[AmnNate]

Glad you guys are liking the post wrap. It's definitely my standard setup now, but today I made a wick from cotton the same way. It's a thinner 100% cotton string, so I used 1 long strand doubled over twice for a total of 8 strands inside the coil. I wrapped 3/4 wraps of 32awg Kanthal A1 and it's hitting beautifully on my standard Grand with a 50/50 DIY juice. Just thought I'd share another option and my results. Good luck and happy vaping y'all!

 

[FeistyAlice]

Howdy Fine REO Folk. No time to catch up. Sorry about my absence. Just wanted to make comment on ERA which I haven't been using because I'm so lacking in time to gather stuff to protect REOs. I gambled first few weeks and used ERA without any "protection" other than using only on VV REOs hoping that the chip would offer protection in addition to screwing ERA down just enough to fire. Then I basically put the ERAs up till I had some time to play. So.......

I had some different colored o-rings in my DT box that I orginally got early 2011 to put on atty/cartos to keep used but not cleaned ones separated by flavors. I think they are pretty close in size to the o-ring used in 3ml REO bottle. One size I had in box were a little too thick for ERA to make good contact and another size was smaller and was too difficult to get onto ERA threading. (Back when I was using attys all the time my cleaning method took out left over flavors but I never deviated from my base butterscotches with mild flavored additions to change up the juices a bit except when sampling flavors using a debridged atty, devoted to tasting, so I really didn't have issues with some of the flavors that are hard to eliminate in attys/cartos except for cinnamon. Anyway.........

As of past week I've been using ERA consistently on VVG. I made up several coils using 32 Kanthal A and 3mm silica wick. Previously I had used double twisted 32 but was not really happy with them. My preferred coil/wick is so because I can make them up in seconds with little fiddling and no tools needed other than scissors and easy enough to do without needing better eye-glasses, for my aging eyes, than OTC readers. After making I soaked all in PGA.

Something I've discovered.... I didn't have fuel for my table torch so I was just dry burning to prep the coil/wick before using. Finally got fuel and did torching with dip in water after torch, repeated several times. This improved the flavor of juices dramatically.

I'm still not getting more than one day between quick PGA soak and dry burn to keep consistent good flavor but the flavor has remained better, over a few days, than it did before I started pre-torching wick/coil. The need to clean coil/wick is surely dependent on what juice one is using. I would think it might be less critical with some stronger and/or tobacco flavors.

Wicking of juice is better after a torching than non pre-torching before use. (BTW.... I've settled, for now on straight wick with nub on top end and 1/2" tail on lower end, resting down in base. That's the fastest way for me to make them and still have some extra wick to feed coil/wick and to easily stuff the wick inside the cap. My juices are 50/50 to 70 vg/30 pg and a few almost 100% vg.)

So far my favorite ohm is about 2.2 on VVG with my juice. I'm not sure how many wraps this is.... probably 4-5.

So just a quick check-in, howdy, and report on latest findings. Please send my love to "Loungers."

I just picked up my hex keys at UPS store, that have been waiting on me for almost a month. They are from McMaster-Carr. The long end is much longer than what came with the ERA so they will probably be found more easily when dropped onto the dust/hairy floor of my "kennel."

Hugs, Feisty Alice

 

[Sterno]

Howdy Fine REO Folk. No time to catch up. Sorry about my absence. Just wanted to make comment on ERA which I haven't been using because I'm so lacking in time to gather stuff to protect REOs. I gambled first few weeks and used ERA without any "protection" other than using only on VV REOs hoping that the chip would offer protection in addition to screwing ERA down just enough to fire. Then I basically put the ERAs up till I had some time to play. So.......

I had some different colored o-rings in my DT box that I orginally got early 2011 to put on atty/cartos to keep used but not cleaned ones separated by flavors. I think they are pretty close in size to the o-ring used in 3ml REO bottle. One size I had in box were a little too thick for ERA to make good contact and another size was smaller and was too difficult to get onto ERA threading. (Back when I was using attys all the time my cleaning method took out left over flavors but I never deviated from my base butterscotches with mild flavored additions to change up the juices a bit except when sampling flavors using a debridged atty, devoted to tasting, so I really didn't have issues with some of the flavors that are hard to eliminate in attys/cartos except for cinnamon. Anyway.........

As of past week I've been using ERA consistently on VVG. I made up several coils using 32 Kanthal A and 3mm silica wick. Previously I had used double twisted 32 but was not really happy with them. My preferred coil/wick is so because I can make them up in seconds with little fiddling and no tools needed other than scissors and easy enough to do without needing better eye-glasses, for my aging eyes, than OTC readers. After making I soaked all in PGA.

Something I've discovered.... I didn't have fuel for my table torch so I was just dry burning to prep the coil/wick before using. Finally got fuel and did torching with dip in water after torch, repeated several times. This improved the flavor of juices dramatically.

I'm still not getting more than one day between quick PGA soak and dry burn to keep consistent good flavor but the flavor has remained better, over a few days, than it did before I started pre-torching wick/coil. The need to clean coil/wick is surely dependent on what juice one is using. I would think it might be less critical with some stronger and/or tobacco flavors.

Wicking of juice is better after a torching than non pre-torching before use. (BTW.... I've settled, for now on straight wick with nub on top end and 1/2" tail on lower end, resting down in base. That's the fastest way for me to make them and still have some extra wick to feed coil/wick and to easily stuff the wick inside the cap. My juices are 50/50 to 70 vg/30 pg and a few almost 100% vg.)

So far my favorite ohm is about 2.2 on VVG with my juice. I'm not sure how many wraps this is.... probably 4-5.

So just a quick check-in, howdy, and report on latest findings. Please send my love to "Loungers."

I just picked up my hex keys at UPS store, that have been waiting on me for almost a month. They are from McMaster-Carr. The long end is much longer than what came with the ERA so they will probably be found more easily when dropped onto the dust/hairy floor of my "kennel."

Hugs, Feisty Alice

howdy sweet Alice good to see you posting

 

[redeyedancer]

Great to see you Alice Glad to see your back at the rbas I love them

 

[FeistyAlice]

Great to see you Alice Glad to see your back at the rbas I love them

Howdy sweetest Scott and Robert.

I'm pretty amazed at how much difference the pre-torching has made for flavor and wicking. I am now a true lover of the RBA. Before pre-torching it was just OK and much less hassle to pop on a Smoketech carto every couple of days. I took my Copper Vein 18490, with 1.7 ohm carto, out on doggie walk tonight, after not using a carto in past week. What a huge difference. Don't know if I'll be using cartos much more now except for fast switch out if needed. It was a "cool" 85F and doctors orders to do fast pace for 2 miles so carto and smaller size was handy. (Doctors orders to get to 4 miles, every day, by end of month, and it will still be a cool 80+ in evenings so non VV REOs won't be neglected.) BTW... Bubs=doggies loving it almost as I. Finally meeting neighbors after 26 years. Lots of "Dog Whisperer" fans along the road. Of course Auntie Chaco leads the way off lead. Fun to watch people, with little dogs, discover that Pit Bull is such a sweetie.

Huggies, Fiesty Alice mom

 

[mwa102464]

I just drilled my air hole to a 1/16th hole, the vapor production is simply amazing and there is no resistance when taking a pull, really like this and how the vapor production doubled easy.

 

[Emris]

I just drilled my air hole to a 1/16th hole, the vapor production is simply amazing and there is no resistance when taking a pull, really like this and how the vapor production doubled easy.

How about the flavor and TH. Did either of those get better or worse? I was thinking about doing the same but never pulled the trigger on it!

 

[mwa102464]

How about the flavor and TH. Did either of those get better or worse? I was thinking about doing the same but never pulled the trigger on it!

I dont think either of those 2 have changed Emris, both are still great, just my vapor production has increased do to more air through the intake hole, if you dont like an airy draw though dont do it,,, if an airy draw is ok with you then its something you and others will like. You can go a size smaller then 1/16th if you want to,, just opening it up a tad will make a big difference, with the 1/16 it is like a direct draw almost which I havent been as fond of in the past but on this ERA I'm liking how easy it is now and I cant believe the difference it made in vapor production, opening it up really got me a lot more vapor easier without sucking on the thing like I had to do stock. Everyone is different on how they like there draw I believe so its a personal choice. Vapor production is clearly way more and thicker for me since opening it up a tad..