How To Protect The E2 R4 Flimsy Blue Needle Tips

[Mark Linehan]

Okay, everyone who has been buying the new ceramic e2 r4 cartomizers knows that they come with a blunt, thin plastic needle tip for a syringe to fill the carto's and if you are at all like me, you have bent and deformed them like a gorilla in a china shop. Well, with the arrival of my fourth box of carto's and 4th blue needle tip, I now have a total of ONE working blue needle tip. So.. I need to protect it.

This is the incredibly simple method I am using, but it seems effective.

First Take a small pipette like the one shown, I think it is a 1ml

Next, cut off the rounded end of the bulb, and all but about 3/4" of the tube side as shown

Now just slide it over the needle tip and it should fit nicely over the tip, and if you have a screw-on style syringe, the pipette bulb end should fit snugly and stay on of its own volition.


That's all. I know it isn't some great revelation or awe inspiring mod, but dang it I can't afford to lose my 4th needle tip and be unable to fill all 20 carto's without it!!!

 

[CritterBuddy]

Mark, you idea looks good. However, I use high VG liquids and got tired of messing with the blue needle tip. I just lube the shaft of my syringe needle, twist it back and forth through the fill hole to get it in, fill, and then twist it back and forth to get it out. First time is the hardest but does get easier after first time.

 

[Mark Linehan]

you mean the clear plastic hard needle tip? MAN I tried repeatedly to get that sucker through that tiny hole! It was like trying to &^%&$ a bumpy *&^%$ through a &^%$^ with a *&%^!

Heheheh.. okay, that was actual meaningless garbage, but you get my point. I could not do it with that clear one!!

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

I just use a standard syringe with the needle ground blunt. Gave up on the blue thing after the first use. Flows heavy VG base fine and I can draw juice through a standard dropper tip to fill.

 

[Mark Linehan]

I wish I could get some standard syringes but you can not just buy them anywhere I can find in Mass.

 

[CritterBuddy]

Look in your local pet stores or farm/ranch stores. If all else fails go here: Pet Supplies | Dog & Cat Supplies, Pet Meds | DrsFosterSmith.com Pet Products

I have a couple of sizes of syringes 3ml for filling cartridges and 10ml for DIY small batches. You of course can use whatever size you need.

I only have one needle size 18ga for horses in the longest length they have. Needle sizes are like wire sizes: smaller number = larger size. I don't remember why but I got standard needles (may be all they had) so I just file the tip a little so it is not so sharp but most people get blunt needles. If my bottles have a dropper tip I just insert the needle, invert the bottle, and draw in what I need. Very clean.

Good luck!

 

[otrpu]

I just throw my blue tip in a baggie with the syringe, haven't had a problem with it. I fill two XL cartos everyday with it.

Cheers,
otrpu

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

I do exactly the same as Critter.

If you don't want to do the manual search Syringe with Blunt Tip Needle - One Stop DIY Shop Store

(Critter's source is way cheaper)

 

[MahBohMan]

I found a good way too, throw it in the trash, go to CVS, ask the pharmacist for a BD 3ml syringe which cvs carries behind the pharmacy counter. Bring your cartomizer with you and show them what the syringe is for, they are curious, and the BD 3ml syringes cost .27 cents apiece. I bought 12 of them without the tip and 1 with the tip and we're talking sharp needle yesterday.

 

[JonnyVapΣ]

Ya...the Walgreens here has "unloaded" Luer Lock syringes (no needle) here. Haven't tried CVS yet but I assume it would be the same.

Keep in mind that every state is different as far as what's available locally. What works for you may not be the same for someone elsewhere.

 

[bruiser]

Tractor Supply, if there's one nearby. They have various gauge needles and capacity syringes.

 

[debb]

our tractor supply stopped selling them....

 

[Infernia]

Has anyone ever tried the hobby glue syringes. Some are just plain syringes while the typical one has a curved tip and probably wont quite work. Hobby supply stores sell hard plastic applicator tips that are small enough to apply glue in a diameter similar to the tiny hole in the cartomizer.
This is a link to the curved glue applicator in case anyone is interested in perusing the site, there are also tips available at this site that may work for your needs. Hobby Syringe 12cc Curved Tip (hcahcar3785) Hobbico Glue Tips Glue Applicators
I am going to look into the hobby syringes and glue applicator tips since a good portion of them fit onto syringes. Even these may do but are a tad expensive.
(bulk of 12) Pro Tips Extra Applicators (12) (hotpt100) Hot-Stuff Glue Tips Glue Applicators Disclaimer: I haven't tried them yet so I'm not sure they will fit. May go on amazon.com and see if they have good priced hobby supplies today.
Before I was a computer geek I was a model building geek. Just a thought, that I could share and possibly help.

 

[Mark Linehan]

Has anyone ever tried the hobby glue syringes. Some are just plain syringes while the typical one has a curved tip and probably wont quite work. Hobby supply stores sell hard plastic applicator tips that are small enough to apply glue in a diameter similar to the tiny hole in the cartomizer.
This is a link to the curved glue applicator in case anyone is interested in perusing the site, there are also tips available at this site that may work for your needs. Hobby Syringe 12cc Curved Tip (hcahcar3785) Hobbico Glue Tips Glue Applicators
I am going to look into the hobby syringes and glue applicator tips since a good portion of them fit onto syringes. Even these may do but are a tad expensive.
(bulk of 12) Pro Tips Extra Applicators (12) (hotpt100) Hot-Stuff Glue Tips Glue Applicators Disclaimer: I haven't tried them yet so I'm not sure they will fit. May go on amazon.com and see if they have good priced hobby supplies today.
Before I was a computer geek I was a model building geek. Just a thought, that I could share and possibly help.

Those don't look bad. I noticed on the same page these might be a better choice, what do you think?

Pro CA Tips (5) (gpmgpmr6033) Great-Planes Glue Tips Glue Applicators

 

[Infernia]

I saw those and liked the looks of them. I don't know how stiff the ends are. At that price a little experimentation won't hurt.

 

[Mark Linehan]

Oh, I have learned something though. Those fill holes in the rubber gasket are sort of meaningless. They are not lined up with anything. You could make them bigger somehow, or you could make new ones at some other point on the edge, or remove the gasket entirely. The space around the ceramic cups is the same all around, the only exception being the two spots where the wick string loops go from the cup/coil down in the fluid of the carto.

Which is why CapCodJim's idea of attaching one of these cartomizers into a 30ml bottle and having a GIANT cartomizer tank is so awesome!!