Inside the Drunker Tank

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oplholik

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Well, some progress was made today. I took the Drunker all apart and rinsed it real good in hot water. Then the fun part, I tried making a coil. I have a 2mm threaded rod I managed to wrap a coil on, and it looked pretty good, however I could only get 3 strands of cotton yarn thru it instead of the four, and my wire was too short and the legs weren't long enough, so have to do another, but at least I know I can do it. Tomorrow I need to go to the hobby shop, and see about mabey 1 size larger threaded rod, and a hobby vise to hold it while wrapping. Hopefully that will do it.
 

JD1

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so the grey wicks just rest on the white wicks and act as feeder wicks?

In Macks build there are two helper wicks. Each end at the edge of the coil. I just run the helper wick over top the coil. I'm not sure if there's any difference in performance because I haven't tested both ways.

Edit: A simple test I do to check wicking is take a puff, then tilt the mouth piece below horizontal. If I see a little vapor, I know that juice has rushed to the coil.
 
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xMackx

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In Macks build there are two gray wicks. Each end at the edge of the coil. I just run the helper wick over top the coil. I'm not sure if there's any difference in performance because I haven't tested both ways.

Edit: A simple test I do to check wicking is take a puff, then tilt the mouth piece below horizontal. If I see a little vapor, I know that juice has rushed to the coil.

Woops, I made the diagram look a little confusing. The grey wick is all one wick going through the coil just like any normal coil and wick setup, the other ones are feeders.
 

JD1

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....... Tomorrow I need to go to the hobby shop, and see about mabey 1 size larger threaded rod, and a hobby vise to hold it while wrapping. Hopefully that will do it.

I'm lousy with mm measurements, but 2mm does sound a little small. I'm thinking what you want is something that will almost fit down in the slots but just won't. That way you can keep your wick small enough that it won't choke at the slots, but still fit snug in your coil. You can definitely go too big as well. I'd rather use something that does just fit in the slots than something way to big to fit. If you have a nail, drill bit or something about that size, give it a try.

Also, study the pictures that Adeline posted at the beginning and note how her wicks fit loose through the slots, and also look at the diameter of her coil in relation to the slots. A good free hand build will work just as well as prewrapping the coil, but in my experience, it's hard to replace the wick without destroying the coil for some reason.

By all means do experiment a little to see what you like best.
 
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oplholik

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Just looking at it, don't think I want to go any bigger than a 2mm rod. I made a 6/5 wrap at 2.1Ω with 32 Kanthal. I need to drop 1 coil to fit better, or tweak the coils closer together.

Drunker2.JPG
 

donnah

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I saw where madvapes is selling replacement wicks and coils for this rba. I wish they would sell just the little white grommet.. Mine isn't going to last too many more disturbances. I wonder if the vvn grommets would fit. If that grommet breaks... it's game over unless I buy a whole new tank!
 

weisner

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Just looking at it, don't think I want to go any bigger than a 2mm rod. I made a 6/5 wrap at 2.1Ω with 32 Kanthal. I need to drop 1 coil to fit better, or tweak the coils closer together.

View attachment 175877

That appears to be a fine piece of work. Thank you for the pic, it helps put all the thoughts (words) into clear perspective. Not to mention it is just damn helpful for those of us that want to know and learn visually.

THANKS!
 

oplholik

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I saw where madvapes is selling replacement wicks and coils for this rba. I wish they would sell just the little white grommet.. Mine isn't going to last too many more disturbances. I wonder if the vvn grommets would fit. If that grommet breaks... it's game over unless I buy a whole new tank!

Yeah, I was wondering about this. We need replacement parts.
 

oplholik

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That appears to be a fine piece of work. Thank you for the pic, it helps put all the thoughts (words) into clear perspective. Not to mention it is just damn helpful for those of us that want to know and learn visually.

THANKS!

Actually on this one, it was awkward having to hold the threaded rod and wind the coil. I got the coil wound on every other thread of the rod. I need the vise to hold the rod, then I think I can hit every thread on the bolt, and that will shorten the coil length considerabaly.
 

JD1

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Just looking at it, don't think I want to go any bigger than a 2mm rod. I made a 6/5 wrap at 2.1Ω with 32 Kanthal. I need to drop 1 coil to fit better, or tweak the coils closer together.



Yeal, that coil looks too big to suit me. I told you I was lousy with mm measurements lol. But give it try, it may work well. I do recommend a much tighter pitch. Wrap with a small pitch, then with the coil still on the rod, squash them together. They'll spring back apart for a close, factory looking coil.
 
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donnah

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This is the best wick setup I have made with my drunker tank. Small coil the width of the slots, 4 wraps side by side with 33 awg kanthal. I have the main cotton round wick threaded through the coil leading down diagonally through wick holes. Then 2 seperate wicks for the remaining wick holes in the slots up to the coil (not resting on the coil).
WickDesigndrawing_zps0b866724.jpg

This is how I just did mine. I didn't bother trying to roll two wicks through the coil, I just did one wick and cut the other piece of cotton and threaded them down the holes and laid them beside the others, as feeders.
 

JD1

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I saw where madvapes is selling replacement wicks and coils for this rba. I wish they would sell just the little white grommet.. Mine isn't going to last too many more disturbances. I wonder if the vvn grommets would fit. If that grommet breaks... it's game over unless I buy a whole new tank!

I'm going to check if the grommets from a dud will work. They're a little shorter, but the diameter looks similar. I meant to check it this last build and forgot to do so. If they do work, Sure Vapes has them.
 

JD1

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I just rebuilt my drunker with the grommet for a dud and it works. No issues so far, and I don't for see any potential for future issues. It's a little shorter, and the outside diameter of the lip is a hair smaller, but the diameter of the tube part and hole for the pin are the same or very close, and as I said, no issues putting it together.

I had lost the top grommet from one of my duds and had to make a makeshift one from the mouth piece of a ce2. When I ordered my drunker from sure vapes, I was delighted to find they had replacement grommets for their vulcan, so I picked up a couple. The next day, I found my original grommet and put it back in my dud, but if I hadn't lost it, I probably wouldn't have been on the look out for a replacement lol. And little did I know I was getting something that would work for the drunker at the same time. :vapor:

Edit: Just to be clear, Sure Vapes lists these as the top grommet for their vulcan.

(And on another note, if you're looking for the bottom grommet for your dud, it's the same as the top grommet lol)
 
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adeline

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That's great to know!!

Now all I need is for someone to tell me how to take apart a CE2 without destroying the ceramic cup. Pretty sure I chipped it with that screwdriver. That was after I bent my tweezers!! I hated those things, but I kept them. I'd like to be glad I did, but now I'm down to 3, and no clue how to take it apart.
 

JD1

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That's great to know!!

Now all I need is for someone to tell me how to take apart a CE2 without destroying the ceramic cup. Pretty sure I chipped it with that screwdriver. That was after I bent my tweezers!! I hated those things, but I kept them. I'd like to be glad I did, but now I'm down to 3, and no clue how to take it apart.

Lol. Oh Lord, Adeline, I about spewed coffee on my keyboard when I read that.

Ok, Miss I'm Not The Most Dainty Girl, here's a method that might work for you.

The ceramic is press fitted and glued to the shaft so they are hard to get off. The ceramic is easy to break above the slots so avoid any pressure at all above where the slots start. However, they'll take a lot of pressure from the bottom. Roll up part of paper towel, loop it over the shaft under the ceramic. Grip it tightly and try to pull the shaft out. Once the bottom edge bites into the paper towel from the force, try to twist the shaft to break the glue. Make sure you are gripping the edge of the bottom of the ceramic, if you allow your finger and thumb to ride up too much above where the slots start, you'll probably break it. It should come off, but if it doesn't go to plan b.

Plan b. Put it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for a couple of hours, then try plan a again. Hopefully the metal will contract enough you can finally twist it off.

Plan c. Take a hammer and beat it off. Yeal, you'll smash it, but you'll feel better, and the shaft makes a great coil wrapping rod. It's what I use for my duds and the drunker both.

Getting the wick and wires out isn't an easy task either. This is the way I did it but there might be better ways.

1. Pull the coil out with a pair of tweezers or thin nose pliers by stretching out the coil until you can see the little joints at the bottom. Snip below those joints with small scissors if you have them, or bend the wire back and forth until it snaps off.

2. Hold bottom edge of the ceramic and pull the wires out downward. Again, we're avoiding any force above where the slots start in the ceramic. As Mack noted, the red wire seems to be glued. Hold it with pliers below the ceramic and strip the insulation with a second pair of pliers or something. Then pull the wire out of the insulation in the ceramic.

Good luck. :vapor:

Edit: Don't throw away your chipped ceramic if it's just a chip off the side. If push comes to shove you might still be able to use it.
 
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