Home-torched A7 warning

[Commie]

I've just finished torching my A7 to turn it black. Doesn't look quite as pretty as some I've seen here, but pretty good still. Everything was going great for about half hour.

Now all I can taste from it is rust. Apparently, the way I've torched it, turned it into not-so-stainless steel. Not sure which part of my process did that. Possibly when instead of letting it air cool, I quenched it in water?

 

[FeistyAlice]

Did you separate the innards from the base? The A7 and A7 Mini are basically the same innards. BTW... one of my Mini A7 I couldn't unscrew the innards from until alter I did a slow boil. I do this with most machined anything I'll be vaping to get rid of machining substances, primer, etc.

 

[FeistyAlice]

I did not quench in water. Not sure that is a good way to do it at all but can't really explain why without looking up. Also, with my Chief's torch it only takes seconds to torch even to dark color.

 

[FeistyAlice]

Did you take any silcone rubbers off?

 

[FeistyAlice]

BTW... appreciate the heads-up.

 

[Commie]

Yup. I took the o-ring off the top cap and the innards out. The torching might have had something to do with it though. In order to get the middle section black, I kind of ended up heating up the rest of it red. As in, glowing red, not tinted.

 

[FeistyAlice]

Yup. I took the o-ring off the top cap and the innards out. The torching might have had something to do with it though. In order to get the middle section black, I kind of ended up heating up the rest of it red. As in, glowing red, not tinted.

I think it is a trial and error procedure. One person mounted his on a drill rotating very slowly. I just had mine on needle nose pliers, just them inside tube, with a heat resistant glove on incase of them falling off, and then let them cool a few seconds and then dropped onto silicone heat pad.

 

[FeistyAlice]

Yup. I took the o-ring off the top cap and the innards out. The torching might have had something to do with it though. In order to get the middle section black, I kind of ended up heating up the rest of it red. As in, glowing red, not tinted.

In my picture, where I was attempting to get brass look all over you can see how the middle of cap is different color. (I torched probably no more than 30 seconds each on cap an bottom and still got the purple in middle section. It isn't nearly as dark in person as in picture.) The middle certainly seems to not heat up evenly with the ends or the small bottom piece. I haven't put much thought into it but wondering if a silicon plug for just the middle section of cap might help some, during torching. Worth a try. Not sure when I'll be able to play some more.

Hugs, Feisty Alice

Factory torched ERA. This is the lighter of the two I got. But note the inconsistency of the colors and the ERA is much thicker metal with more consistent thickness throughout the cap. Three pictures turning the ERA to see all around.

 

[FeistyAlice]

I'm not sure what process they use at factory to do the black A7s. I'm setting up to do another A7 right now.

The torched ERA is very inconsistent color. It's much darker on other side.

 

[FeistyAlice]

I'm torching several RBAs, including several A7s. Here's what I'm learning. I'm not taking any to very red hot except the one I'm trying to get near black. Two factors determine control. 1) Impurities in SS with A7s are affecting consistent color. And small bits of impurities cause the small spots that don't match rest of body. 2) I'm progressively using more air to increase torch heat with each one to get darker color. The very first one I did, in some of my pictures..... there is no way the middle section of cap will change to any color other than grey. I've gone through several torch temps and it will just not change much. Several others are not exhibiting the spot in middle section of cap that I thought was due to uneven thickness of SS.

It can't be rushed. I have cap slipped over needle nose pliers and moving torch up and down and moving torch around the cap, held in left hand and turning left hand some to get all around.

Hoping to get some pre-lim pictures done in morning.

I've done the Mini A7 to a light brass color. The SS it's made of seems to be purer than the A7s as color is more consistent throughout.

Going to do more practice on A7s before doing first Surface. I do expect Surface SS to have less contaminants and be purer SS.

This is fun.

Hoping to do a video of process in next few days.

Will further torch factory torched ERA and Hornet once I get a bit more experience.

Hugs, Feisty Alice

 

[FeistyAlice]

Warning!!!! The Black from factory A7 is not torched SS to give the very black finish. It has some other process done to it. Not sure what. Torching it mottles the finish and clearish SS shows through.

I have not been able to bring any SS down to real black by torching.

So DO NOT Torch your Black from Factory A7 and Mini A7. I was trying to remove some haziness from Black from Factory A7.

 

[FeistyAlice]

Starting to get the "hang" of this. Over night project.

 

[FeistyAlice]

This is the A7 I torched on highest temp to achieve near black color. It's tasting great. I took it very slowly and moved torch around a lot up and down, around, not letting it stay red hot for more than a second.

 

[FeistyAlice]

Home Torched Mini A7. It's actually lighter than shown in picture, more like light brass, about mid way between the eGo collar and gold DT.

 

[supertrunker]

I had to have a go too! Just to get that brass look on the top of one!

T

 

[TrainingDummy]

Hit my AGA-T2 and copper drip tip with the chef's torch a minute ago. Will do the body during my next recoil.
Looks rather steam punkish

 

[FeistyAlice]

Starting to get the "hang" of this. Over night project.

I don't know why the photo is not showing up. It's been there for quite a while and I haven't moved anything around in PB folders. Let's see if this will post.

(edit) On second thought, maybe I did post link from main dumping PB folder and then moved it to my Ecigs folder.

 

[FeistyAlice]

View attachment 203003
Hit my AGA-T2 and copper drip tip with the chef's torch a minute ago. Will do the body during my next recoil.
Looks rather steam punkish

They do look great!!!

 

[TrainingDummy]

They do look great!!!

Thanks! Was my first time flame coloring too. Gonna get a Kir Fanis tube for my eVic and hit that too.

 

[mrjayd]

So I was playing around with my torch for the first time. Got some nice color on some things but how do I get the shine back? Seems after torching the metal is all rough and porous.