*GEM: A new RTA by MarkBugs

[Haza]

@Cloudrider - Yeah that's true about the tins being marginal at best - but should they be at this price point? You can't argue with the facts that the guy (@h00ligan) has paid good dollars (and a lot of them) to receive an item that was sub par as far as fit and finish is concerned and then has been paid off as far as the customer service goes is just not up to the standards you would expect especially from a "boutique business" like Mark Bugs.

These guys are not churning out thousands of mods in a production run so the QC should be fantastic, although I will admit things get missed even by the best manufacturers. Atties and mods at this price point should be no different to any other consumer product purchase, products delivered should be fit for purpose and free from any kinds of cosmetic flaws - it's not like your buying a factory second here.

I have and continue to choose to deal directly with small companies because I have found that they really care about their customers and feel it's important to take care of issues straight away, your not being transferred all over the place, ignored and having to wait 5 business days for a response from them or getting no response at all.

Most small businesses I have dealt with before are keen to have word of mouth recommendations because if you look after someone they will tell their friends, if you jerk someone around they will tell everyone.

 

[qorax]

@qorax you have the
New wae right? I'm
Trying to decide if it's worth the extra money and time from Romania - doesn't look like vapinart will Get more - If I get the new wae then that 18500
Tune fits the old too correct?

Thanks all

No, I don't have the new WAE40. And the 18500 tube section of my WAE-I does not fit my WAE-II.

 

[h00ligan]

@Cloudrider hanks for our feedback. I'd left it he glass because I felt it could be my usage. But markbugs did send me one glass. When I discussed that there were two broken before that they said they'd replace both. When one arrived I reached out to thank them for he deck replacement and let them know
I only received on glass replacement. They replied "yes we ran out"'

There was never a discussion of sending s second from there on it was just basically. Or at least i felt t was sort of - you got One be grateful. In title three tanks broke in an unreasonable fashion in my opinion - the fasttech glass on the stainless now has been flawless. So it doesn't matter. But if forgotten that little series happened and I thought I should add it.

As for he metal tons I don't mind personally if they arrived dented up - the postal workers are rough. I do think that as a result If you know he outside gets battered you should probably revise the inside to Make Sure the riff doesn't come out.

I'm glad you've had such a great experience. Like I said I think ve just had a really bad patch of luck or I'm being too picky

No, I don't have the new WAE40. And the 18500 tube section of my WAE-I does not fit my WAE-II.

Oh wow. Ok thanks a bunch.

 

[Cloudrider]

h00ligan complaints are legit, but his isssues regarding with the AFC finish or performance of the product has nothing to due with the packaging.
While most people are looking for that 100% satisfactory purchase, for myself, the packaging can be a plain white cardboard box, I could care less, if the product lives up to my expectations, that's all I need to move on and deal with more important things in life.

 

[Cloudrider]

h00ligan, if you find that flaw with the Ti AFC ring intolerable.
And if MB fails to fix the situation, I can trade you one of mine, I use my MB products as tools and expect scratches and flaws over time. That finish flaw would be forgotten by me in no time.
My WAE II has seen so much use the bead blast finish has a polished feel to it next to a new WAE II.

 

[Haza]

h00ligan complaints are legit, but his isssues regarding with the AFC finish or performance of the product has nothing to due with the packaging.
While most people are looking for that 100% satisfactory purchase, for myself, the packaging can be a plain white cardboard box, I could care less, if the product lives up to my expectations, that's all I need to move on and deal with more important things in life.

For sure I have bought mods (Provari) from bigger companies (Provape) than Mark Bugs that came in nothing more than a piece of bubble wrap with a piece of paper and been very happy. I'd be more than happy to receive any mod in nothing more than a plain cardboard box or even a recycled cardboard post pack as long as it kept the mod safe in transit. After all I'm not even going to look at the packaging after about two seconds it's going up in the cupboard and I'm probably never going to see it again. I wasn't implying that the tin should be pristine either as far as I'm concerned it's nothing more than packaging but it needs to be designed to protect the contents from getting damaged in the shipping process.

I'm sorry if I came across differently.

 

[raitizz]

I sent an email to Mark and Bugs with four points of request and a paragraph on the fact that swapping vat for shipping is one thing but incorrectly denoting the actual price and triggering import tax is a completely Different one.

I don't know who handles what. The email about the website issue was answered by Dracos (sp?) and I'm not sure who resolved the deck issue my very first gem had.

Two questions for the thread members.

1) titanium gem Owners on parts of your gem do you have small strips where it Looks like raw finish? Particularly the afc. How does titanium wear (think handling not dropping)

Here's a pic. It's hard to see it because it looks like a reflection - again it's not necessarily a problem It just made me curious about how it's worked.

Note the strip to the right of the afc and the grooves. I believe there are a few strips like this that must have been how they held it or something when finishing ? Or maybe they do It this way to give added depth or shine or Something deliberately cosmetic?
I'm not sure I like it as a deliberate choice - maybe more Distracting than depth adding. - makes it look a bit like it was dropped or something damaged it. Obviously I haven't left the house with mine and it's been built a grand total of three times / So I guess it's been done deliberately or at least it's a function of being hand made. I remember the apple titanium
Laptop was very delicate. Maybe this is par for the course with titanium - I'm not familiar with it

It looks almost like a finish was sprayed on in a single pass and missed the recessed areas ( I'm analogize get I know it's not spray can finished )

2) how are the titanium and stainless steel Finished and what do You do for care? Obviously sonic and micro fiber but if or when you've had damage to the finish what do you do - as it can't be polished out is here a method to minimize it ? What is the finish of the gem called ? It's similar to bead blasted right ? I'm curious how it is achieved. As well As Cared for

Happy hump day !

Nope, my Ti GEM's AFC ring and everything else is good.

R

 

[h00ligan]

h00ligan, if you find that flaw with the Ti AFC ring intolerable.
And if MB fails to fix the situation, I can trade you one of mine, I use my MB products as tools and expect scratches and flaws over time. That finish flaw would be forgotten by me in no time.
My WAE II has seen so much use the bead blast finish has a polished feel to it next to a new WAE II.

I'm not particularly worried about it. There are several of those areas on the gem - I just shot that one as it was the longest and easiest to see.

That's a very kind offer but it won't be necessary. I think the discussion is more

A) is this normal and deliberate

B) why has my luck been so bad with Mark bugs stuff. I do believe most of it goes out perfectly it's just really bad luck. Three gems combined for 6-7 issues.

C) it made me wonder how to care for the titanium and even the stainless gem finishes.

D) is it unreasonable for me to expect better packing and or quality control and or do I sound like a whiny b---- aby cuz indoor want to be that guy who complains about his products. Especially - and I can't state this enough - the ti gem tastes and works great. Just noticed the weird splotches.

I had planned on using the wae and the stainless gem outside and babying the titanium at home probably paired with the boxer (it's like a wee le - wobbles but never falls over) but if it's already got superficial issues then I'll just use it with reckless abandon.

....


.....



....


Ok probably not m RECKLESS abandon

m
Oh regarding the packaging I like the design and such if the bugs boxes. I just think they should over either a packing skip or put s layer of bubble wrap cut to the size j side so things don't work their way loose

It's impossible to overestimate the lack of consideration perpetrated by those passing packages around the world. Simple for the worst.


I've never been much of a retail packaging guy. I just got s fasttech order and is bought w five Isco if drip tips and each one was inside a sealed plastic and the five pack was inside a bag which was wrapped in plastic.

They're teflon!

Also you guys know in totally laid up so you know it's completely possible I'm sitting here bored and without intention in just finding s way to pick pick pick. So unwanted to show some issues.

The insulator that sticks out too far in the 510 can probably be pushed in somehow or shaved with a razor. The kinked threads in the other hand - no real fix I can do. The finish stuff I'll have to find out from Mark bugs if there's a way to blend it in or whatever. Put it this way. I doubt I'd send it back to be repaired if it's considered an issue.

Anyway. I appreciate it. Like I said I don't want to sit here poo poo-ing all their stuff. Overall as I've said I really like Mark bugs but there are just some inconsistencies I've seen. I hope at least the thread regulars consider I contribute at least as much as mosn hopefully more.

And what can I ask if Mark bugs on these things. So he has me send it in and fixes it all. In not sure it's worth the shipping and absence to be honest. I think I just have to live with many thing that can't be easily replaced and hope the next one doesn't have issues.

@Cloudrider again very generous of you. I really appreciate the kind offer. Thank you.

You know if they hadn't had issues getting emails and it hadn't been a fair bit of time and frustration getting hold of them this would have been a series of a few lines in a couple posts I think.so I'm sure things will level out now they're aware they missed mail and such.

 

[gempark]

My first post, so be gentle.
Got myself a Gem titanium a couple of days ago after reading this thread. Superb flavour and so far no issues.
Sits on top of the SX Mini and is my ADV gear now.
Kudos Mark Bugs

 

[h00ligan]

My first post, so be gentle.
Got myself a Gem titanium a couple of days ago after reading this thread. Superb flavour and so far no issues.
Sits on top of the SX Mini and is my ADV gear now.
Kudos Mark Bugs

Congratulations. There aren't many that make flavor like it! Enjoy.

 

[h00ligan]

Speaking of taking mods out and about. If I go somewhere that isn't formal I put my favorite mods in dumbo mode. Im 6'5" + and these things slide out of my pocket in shorts - I'm in Arizona - so I figure they don't have to be pretty on a day to day mode. They need to not break my teeth if I hit a bump in my car (stage 3 golf r with euro suspension) and not fall out.

This helps get some traction- admittedly ugly. But effective.

Clearly if I went to a more formal thing I would get rid of my dummy bumpers but for 25/$3 or whatever on fasttech it works well enough.

If something still gets damaged that's ok. I figure I'll try

I have to use the small
Bands stretched for the 21mm and smaller atomizer - I flip them inside out cuz I don't prefer the writing

 

[Cloudrider]

MY ADV rotations before and after the Gem release. (don't know how the pics got inverted) ;(

Cerakote job by a friend.

Some of his earlier work.

 

[spacetime]

Those are sweet Cloud. That black wae is sickening.

 

[Cloudrider]

The Black one is very special to me, it was his first MB cerakote job, did a DNA20 to DNA30 conversion and the detail speaks for itself.

 

[h00ligan]

Wow that's awesome! The custom
Finish is very interesting. I wish I knew more about it. I'm Just starting to learn about how the metals are finished and manipulated. I bought the pnb kit from GP to start changing around some mods. I actually was wondering how the bare titanium polished would look. How is a custom finish like that applied? Is it like a paint on thing or anodized or ?

Incredible collection clearly you're a fan of Mark bugs!

Where are the chalice's

I remember what the titanium
MacBook looked like when the paint came off (you know after six weeks) makes me Wonder about s .... bare polished titanium gem

I'm glad I was able to give the deal
On the wae ii to another member but I also feel I should have stuck with two of them so I'm torn between happiness someone else is rocking one and regret I don't have two

I'll probably get the newer one as I do prefer tc vaping. And I like 18500 mods. I just
Love the way the gem Looks with the wae. I wonder if A titanium wae is Coming ? Probably past my meager (by this threads standards) budget

I guess vapinart may get them soon?

That said i am Trying to get s dicodes box mod. The new one. Depends which comes available first. The dicodes technologically is way ahead but the wae is sexy.

Thanks for sharing this stuff - nice refreshing addition to the thread!

Markbugs don't sell mech mods anymore do they? There's no Titanium mech? Can anyone think of a reasonably available and priced titanium mech to pair wih the ti gem?

 

[Cloudrider]

The person responsible for the work is not far from you, he based out of Phoenix, AZ. Darren Barwick from OCD mods, he uses FB as the media tool for his little business.
While cerakote is his most popular finish, he does polishing, bead or glass blasting.
He has resurrected some fire damaged mods to like new or better condition.
His portfolio on FB is extensive, probably 500+ of pics.

The Black WAE was used when I picked it up and was looking to match it with the blk Russian RTA.
Cerakote is a sprayed or brush on applied baked on coating.
I first notice the finish used by custom gunsmiths 30 years ago.
Used quite a bit in the industry now, extremely durable and less toxic than Parkerizing, bluing, or hardchroming for the applicator.

Chalice? Only looks good on a box mod, imho.
I've never gotten into the bottom feeds or gennys
For RDAs, after going thru a dozen, I've settled on Norbert Origen.
Only use RDAs on mechs, and there is only one choice for a mech and that's a Glas Mod.

 

[qorax]

My first post, so be gentle.
Got myself a Gem titanium a couple of days ago after reading this thread. Superb flavour and so far no issues.
Sits on top of the SX Mini and is my ADV gear now.
Kudos Mark Bugs

Congrats! And welcome to the forum.

 

[Haza]

Can anyone confirm for me which screen the WAE II DNA 40 uses? Is it the large screen or the small screen DNA?

 

[TheotherSteveS]

Can anyone confirm for me which screen the WAE II DNA 40 uses? Is it the large screen or the small screen DNA?

Small!

 

[Haza]

Thanks - it's just hard to get some sort of scale caparison as they take the pics up close and everything looks way bigger