Getting Started with RBA's

[Myrany]

SOme background I have been successfully rebuilding protank/CE5 heads for months. I have also be quite successful building my Octopus rda for months. I am feeling fairly confident that I can move up to a more complex rba at this point.

I am debating between the RSST and the AGA-T2. The RSST is supposed to be easier to deal with but the AGA-T2 is glass and I REALLY favor glass devices these days. Any thoughts or opinions on which to go with I can only afford 1 at this time.

Also does anyone know of a source for SS mesh that is NOT a vape store? I want to make sure I have a source going forward no matter what the FDA does.

 

[PhillyFan88]

Ebay will always be around for Mesh and Wicking materials.

 

[CloudZ]

SOme background I have been successfully rebuilding protank/CE5 heads for months. I have also be quite successful building my Octopus RDA for months. I am feeling fairly confident that I can move up to a more complex RBA at this point.

I am debating between the RSST and the AGA-T2. The RSST is supposed to be easier to deal with but the AGA-T2 is glass and I REALLY favor glass devices these days. Any thoughts or opinions on which to go with I can only afford 1 at this time.

Also does anyone know of a source for SS mesh that is NOT a vape store? I want to make sure I have a source going forward no matter what the FDA does.

Several sources state that the RSST tank is made from polypropylene (PP). This should not leach or crack from harsh juices. It would make sense too, because the material appears cloudy (semi-crystalline) rather than crystal clear like almost all polycarbonate (amorphous) tanks. I have one coming in the mail soon (picked it up in the classifieds here), so I'll take a look at it when it shows up. I actually design plastic parts for a living, so hopefully I can identify the material . But if you are dead set on glass for other reasons, definitely go for the AGA-T2. I'm sure it is more difficult to rebuild, but if your mechanical inclination and dexterity are good, I am sure you'll get it figured out.

As PhillyFan said, there will always be a source for mesh/silica/wire/etc. All of these things existed long before vaping did and have many other applications. For instance, you'll buy a sheet of "500 SS Mesh for Filtration" on ebay and it will be the same thing. Cut off a piece and roll it into a wick.

 

[CloudZ]

Internet-related glitch... double post.

 

[Myrany]

It is good to know. I was wondering ig the filtration mesh was the same stuff.

 

[DoogieTony]

You can pick up an AGA t2 for $20 or less now and eBay will have the mesh

 

[dhughey]

Don't get sidetracked with "the law." There will always be workarounds.. trust me, if this means an end to cigarettes for you, you are doing a great thing. We will worry about the schematics later. We can always form a community of re builders that work around products that are not "for e-cigs."
If i have to make tubes myself, I will. No government will tell me that i cannot vape, but can still smoke cigarettes.

(Background on me:
Since i quit smoking
I have increased my speed on the elliptical, i have increased my run distance, i have increased my intensity in workouts
I was stalled in my bench press and squat. No longer since i have quit smoking.)

 

[Myrany]

I appreciate the information and help guys.

 

[notawoman]

The rsst tank is pretty tough, I've had one crack. I believe the culprit was a gnarly pink grapefruit juice. Second tank working flawlessly so far. it is pretty easy to get running and I'm very pleased with it.

The aga t2 is a bear for me to setup. The petar k method seems to respond well to it as regular hand wrapping as usual yields too many hot spots for me. I've had it running a few times then out of nowhere I'm greeted with a most heinous dry hit.

 

[Sniffle]

i have 2 aga-t2's and 2 richman RBA, i will say that they arent horrible to work on, but you have to have patience and plenty of resistance wire at first. somethign to help you out that is always a pain for first time aga users is a hot leg on the top, go to a hardware shop and take the center pin and one of the tiny locking nuts with you. Try to find washers with an inner diameter as close to the center pin as you can get and an outer diameter about 1-1.5mm bigger than the size of the locking nut. They also need to be as thin as possible. A hobby shop that specializes in model building(trains scenery) might also be an option.

It will help the hot leg problem by reducing the gap between the top of the wick and the center post, and by puttign 2 washers on there you can capture the resistance wire in the washers and when tightening the top locking nut it wont pull quite as hard on the resistance wire.

but the biggest advice i can give you is it's a learnign curve, be prepared to experiment and learn.

 

[Myrany]

Thanks to all of you.

I think I have settled on the AGA-T2 and the IGO-L for this months vaping budget. Appreciate the help y'all.

 

[ODBoyer]

I love my igo-l except for the threads being a little off and it sitting slightly crooked on my zmax