*GEM: A new RTA by MarkBugs
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I luv all of Stash's liquids including Golden Road though the Greek Yogurt is a bit too tart for me...most of the time.
Enjoy!
Well. I was very surprised to see the titanium gem still around today and decided the best solution for my thick eliquid was to just order one and maybe sell the original gem which works better with the less thick liquid. Since I'd traded one original gem worst case is I'll have two. I added a note asking for a second spares bag
I guess since he made one that may work better for my needs and it is my favorite atomizer. May as well get the one that's already been adjusted.
See I'm not a Scrooge who doesn't like markbugs. I genuinely think he does great stuff just some of the business side needs help.
I'll be interested to see the differences. Hopefully it works out well for my thick juice
I guess since he made one that may work better for my needs and it is my favorite atomizer. May as well get the one that's already been adjusted.
See I'm not a Scrooge who doesn't like markbugs. I genuinely think he does great stuff just some of the business side needs help.
I'll be interested to see the differences. Hopefully it works out well for my thick juice
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dude, opening the original hole is as easy as can be, once a hole is started it is self centering, you really can't screw it up as long as you don't try to go excessively larger. pick up a set of # bits from harbor freight, find the largest bit that fits the existing hole, then go up one size at a time. it will be so easy that you can even do this without a drill even, just clamp each successively larger bit in a vice grip and twist it into the hole... go up about 2-3 sizes then try it a bit... don't worry this does not make a night and day difference, it just re-calibrates it slightly, it's not going to go from no feed to way too much and you will still have to practice proper wicking but it can def help with the thicker juices....
And I may do that absolutely when I confirm the original chimney is the only change. Or I may just sell it. Right now I personally can't do the change. Physically it's impossible and will be for a minimum of three months due to the surgeries Etc.
I didn't realize it was that sift though. I figured I'd have to use a drill. I appreciate the feedback. I traded a gem to try a few other atomizers but after trying one in particular for the juice I vape the gem still tastes substantially better in the gem. It's a really strange phenomenon with this juice. It tastes completely different I the piccoloid and taifun then it does in the gem. It's just weird with this one juice which happens to be my adv. Surgery is in four days so I'm guessing March before I'd trust doing that. No matter how easy it is with half paralyzed arms and horrible tremors it's probably not the rut time to do the adjustment. Remember though I'm not supposed to be bending over making a damn coil right now. For at least 8 more weeks.
Im really surprised you could "drill it out" without the drill thanks for the tip. I'll compare parts.
If I'm completely honest it Does make me second guess the buy if altering the first is that easy. But I have to think there's a reasonable market second hand for the gem. However the buy is made and getting through to cancel it might prove tough. Also without a spare chimney available I'd be a bit reluctant to mess with the original and render the first gem worse than it is. However unlikely that may be.
I don't much care if it's titanium or limited. I don't really buy into the limited edition vape gear. - I personally find limited run stuff in this arena ridiculous. I made the decision based on getting the improvements so I'll read over the changes again and perhaps reconsider given your opinions. It is very expensive - though if I regretted trading one off its probably a good option for obtaining a second again - my experience getting vape gear second hand has been a mixed bag. I think my standards of used grading are a bit more strict coming from photography gear than what the vape community considers. As are my standards for shipping out clean sanitized items packed well.
All that said flavor and looks wise it's been my favorite atomizer by quite a distance. What I found lacking is wicking.
Worst case scenario I have two gems. Or I sell the original for a small loss. Or I sell off other gear I obtained to keep two gems. Any way it goes it's probably not breaking me financially. Though as stated before I genuinely feel the right thing to do for mark bugs is offer a chimney upgrade at a very modest fee to all gem owners as I stated previously. For those unable or unwilling to modify the gem without a spare chimney being available for purchase. At least offer spare chimneys for sale at a reasonable price.
Thanks a lot for your feedback and providing the j formation on how easy it is. I'd say I'm looking forward to seeing it done but I'm not sure anyone else is going to do it. Perhaps after getting the second I can find someone to alter the first if mark bugs won't do the upgrade plan
the reason it's relatively easy is not because it is soft, it's because by going up one size only with a number bit set that's graduated only slightly each step you are just removing a very small sliver each time, the hole size is close enough that it becomes not too difficult to start the next size bit into the hole, but it is most definitely not soft. I believe mark bugs stuff is 316SS, not the more common 304 nor the even lesser junk metal that china uses but it is still doable because the drilled area is still relatively thin
Oh thanks for the clarifications. So it's a process that doesn't require much force. But would take a bit of time. I'm not sure what the current holes are. I'd have to measure. What are the size increases in each bit. .1mm or is it more like .5 ? Sorry I don't know much about drill bit sizing
I have some old clone atomizers I really don't use. Probably made of softer steel. Maybe I'll try it on one of those to see if it's a possibility for me personally to do it on the gem or if it takes too much fiddling / bending over and such now
If you were to guess how long would it take of actual leaning over and twisting etc. are we talking 3 minutes - like a minute over bit. Or are we talking bout half an hour let's say.
I be,I've I have a full drill but set here. I just haven't ever used it for doing anything to steel.
Maybe it was a mistake to order the new one then
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It's just under .4 mm for each drill bit jump so if the wick holes are 1.2 then it's two passes. Not much at all mid they're 1.4-5 then we are talking one pass. Not much altering. You're right. Seems like it wouldn't take long or be difficult at all. I'm
Going to consider it for a few minutes no doubt he's running around to fill orders today. Then I'll decide if I'm keeping the order.
I may keep it for the other upgrades anyway and sell the first gem. I'll have to think it over. I do feel these probably would have sold out faster if he didn't release them right after everyone spent on Black Friday deals and got tapped out on holiday present gifting. So probably the demand will return by February. Even in the second hand market. Maybe not.
Anyway I would have been happy with two gems if they wicked properly. I probably wouldn't have bothered pushing on and trying other stuff. So I may just keep two and alter the first.
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an average bit set will increase by way too much in each step to be useful for something like this. on a clone type thing then yeah, it may not be too difficult to just punch a 1/16th bit through an existing smaller hole as long as the drilled spot isn't too thick, but to do this on the gem will require a number bit set or a specialized metric bit set. I recommended a number bit set from harbor freight only because it's the cheapest and easiest way I can think of to just pick something like this up. number bits don't follow a standard in bit size increase but on average each size increases by only a few thousandths each step which is key to this being relatively easy, don't try a gem with an average bit set.
with the right bit set this should only take 5 minutes or so, probably spend more time properly clamping each successive bit than actually reaming, but without realizing your exact predicament it's hard for me to advise past that. overall this would be very easy on most any kind of difficulty scale I would imagine, the hardest parts would be obtaining and clamping the bits
with the right bit set this should only take 5 minutes or so, probably spend more time properly clamping each successive bit than actually reaming, but without realizing your exact predicament it's hard for me to advise past that. overall this would be very easy on most any kind of difficulty scale I would imagine, the hardest parts would be obtaining and clamping the bits
I've been digging around on the harbor freight site trying to find the right set without luck.
My predicament is almost complete nerve compression. in c5/6 and just relieved four weeks ago in 6-7 right but I'm not healing well from
That. I didn't take the immediate post op
Serious enough / it's genuinely difficult to follow those post op instructions and do literally nothing so the inflammation has meant that right now it's as bad or worse than it was before surgery. I have / had paralyzed muscled Groups in my arms and exacerbated a genetic tremor
Add in on top of that being s borderline case for another congenital condition requiring brain surgery - right now we're waiting to see if the decompression a alleviate a lot of symptoms associated with the brain stuff. Because if they do then there's no point in drilling holes in my head.
To put it specifically for at least six to eight weeks I'm not even supposed to be sitting up for more than 15 minutes. Can't lift anything heavier than a Sunday paper. I've noticed one of the worst habits for me is bending over coiling. The first surgery maybe like 36 hours later I was already out walking the dogs. Cleaning up the house. Lying on my side propped up making coils. Bending over a table to inspect things nand on and on. It was really stupid. What happened as a result is that I felt great while their anesthesia was still on for a few days. Then the immediate relief was great for a few days. Then I stopped the steroids and such and the inflammation got so bad it out me in agony. The neurosurgeon was pretty clear hay with how much of my spine there drilling out its pretty important I actually do what I'm told. And that this time because of the two surgeries within five weeks and proximity I could really mess myself up if I don't.
So with all that in mind you can see why I'm a bit hesitant to committing to making the adjustments. Add on to that if I have to pay $20 for a drill bit kit - well it may not be worth doing. If I decide I only want one gem and sell the old one for $165 the new one is $225 that's a $60 difference to not hassle with anything more than shipping. Where that could go wrong is if the second hand market has no real demand left for the gem. So if it's a few minutes j Jess's I can probably do it. But if it's much more probably best skip it for now.
Edit
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Sorry for the detailed health stuff thread members. I was trying to just be specific. Hopefully most of you didn't end up reading through it all! I probably should have used pm feature. Apologies.
Reaming the current gem chimney
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Hey I wonder if we could use the tools the surgeon had for drilling my spine and skill to team the liquid holes in the gem chimney
I'm guessing his is what you mean
60 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated High Speed Steel Numbered Drill Bit Set
If those follow gauge guidelines like wire I can calculate the current number and number we have to get to.
Based on this
Wire Gauge Reference Table
It looks like It would be 2-3 passes depending on the current size. I'm guessing the current size is 1.2
So 1.2 ->16 -> 14 -> 12 /2mm ? Unless you go up
One at s time not the standard 2. Then it would be six passes. But my guess is you'd go 16-14-12 and be done.
Thanks again mate. I really appreciate the help. I clicked the link to see if there's an order cancel on the site. But the shopping cart on markbugs.com is broken. So If I am Going to cancel I'll have to email him and see if he gets it in time. I am a bit torn because truly I don't care about the titanium or the limited. I want the bigger liquid holes and the top cap that doesn't lose o rings from a rinse out would be nice.
Eh. I'm confused now! Looks like the finish is the same as the regular gem from
The pictures posted so the new one should will perfectly match the old wae right? I won't be a totally different color scheme based on what titanium looks like typically.
One thing about titanium
In my experience nits touted as hard but it wears weird. That's based on computers and jewelry so maybe it doesn't apply when it's thick like most
If the gem.
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Of interesting note aside from placing the ti gem on the page the gem original is now officially discontinued and placed in the discontinued page
The chalice iii is on both the new products and discontinued products page. I don't know when it was initially released but it would seem that's in transition to a new version or no more bottom feeder will be available my guess is error or the former.
The chalice iii is on both the new products and discontinued products page. I don't know when it was initially released but it would seem that's in transition to a new version or no more bottom feeder will be available my guess is error or the former.
@qorax can you let us know where you bought the Clapton wire, what the core and wrap is, and what the ultimate resistance of the coil you Made was?
I continue to try and find a spool of
Single core 28/34 or 30/34-6 in a 10-30 ft spool but all I can find is 24/36 26/32 Etc unless it's bought by the foot at $5 per which is a bit ridiculous.
Thanks Stan!
I continue to try and find a spool of
Single core 28/34 or 30/34-6 in a 10-30 ft spool but all I can find is 24/36 26/32 Etc unless it's bought by the foot at $5 per which is a bit ridiculous.
Thanks Stan!
If I understand a message correctly, which I got from Mark Bugs through Facebook, there will be the Gem V2 in January or February...
Yah. I'm not in Facebook really but someone had mentioned a gem two is coming. Presumably a stainless version of the titanium. I Jess I should maybe start following them. Nah. Facebook is terrible.
What's going on with the chalice? And does anyone have weight differences between titanium and stainless? Is it significant ?
I was talking with @h00ligan and he had an interesting question for anyone who has bought from the Mark Bugs website:
Is there an import tax on his products when shipped to the U.S.?
Any experience out there?
Is there an import tax on his products when shipped to the U.S.?
Any experience out there?
The gem ti price is not €199 That's the price plus vat. Right? Their declaration should be the value of €170. The value without VAT. If they did that there would be no import tax as the minimum value must be $200 to be taxed for import.
I emailed them that information . They shouldn't declare the value for us import as €199 as that's not correct. The declared value of the gem
Is clearly €169.9x. So the answer is no tax would be due if everything is declared properly.
So my question is for Those who bought anything direct and live in the USA - did they remember to subtract VAT from the declared value?
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I didn't pay any custom tax on my GEM (non-TI RTA) or my WAE II. The vendor handled all the shipping and such.
GEM listed as "Discontinued" on the Bugs site???
Rumors of GEM v2 out early next year???
Info anyone???
Rumors of GEM v2 out early next year???
Info anyone???
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