Just some old mech & atomizers...

[TDC123]

I started with V4L ecigs several years ago. Then came the Ego/Vision mods with Kanger tanks. I upgraded and vaped on tube (mostly) mechs with Kayfuns/Russians for the longest time before finally giving in and using regulated devices. I had them out for fun today and thought I would take a pic. I've got tons of accessories for these tanks from various metals to hybrid top caps for the mods. Most of this stuff is a clone except for an authentic Russian. They served me very well for a long time. There is a Fogger on the black Nemesis tube and an Aqua V2 on the Hammer. The V5 Kayfun wasn't around back then but I was vaping it so I left it in the photo. There is a brass Derringer in there too. I have several of those in various colors/metals.

 

[BackDoc]

Great stuff!!

 

[HauntedMyst]

Agreed!

 

[stols001]

Lovely!

Anna

 

[Methodius]

beautiful collection! I'm going through this tube phase right now. Spot a couple of nice looking nemesis tubes in there. and damn... wish I could get a decent Hammer clone too. Did you have issues with the firing button and replaced it with the Chi You one like some many others did?

Searching for the Russians in the usual places but all the clones have gone awol. bah humbug!

 

[TDC123]

beautiful collection! I'm going through this tube phase right now. Spot a couple of nice looking nemesis tubes in there. and damn... wish I could get a decent Hammer clone too. Did you have issues with the firing button and replaced it with the Chi You one like some many others did?

Searching for the Russians in the usual places but all the clones have gone awol. bah humbug!

It wasn't the firing button but the 510 connection for the atomizer and yes I did replace it. The stock spring loaded one was a weak point in the mod.

It was almost funny. I used that thing a lot but it took me a few minutes to remember how to put it back together! At one time I knew how to swap location of the firing button and the 510 to configure it "backwards". Then it was really like a pipe in profile, especially with a long drip tip.

Yeah, those are all Nemesis clones. Back then there were good ones on FT and not good ones. I always researched carefully and got good ones. I think a couple of those are also HCIGAR clones and they were nice as well.

The Russian tanks were so fun and still are. You could get accessories cheap from FT and change the look from a smooth SS tube to a shorty tank in various metals with different colors of glass.

I vaped on these longer than anything else. The biggest surprise was the Tobeco Aqua V2. I always had trouble wicking it correctly before but yesterday it was vaping like a champ. Filling it is tedious though.

Whenever I try new juice I pull those Derringers out. Those little RDA's are great for sampling flavor.

The airflow does seem pretty restrictive now that my vaping style has changed so much but I'm not sure that's a bad thing at all. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from all that massive vapor and all those TC settings.

Plus the old tube mechs just look and feel so "right" when using them for some reason.

 

[TDC123]

Lovely!

Anna

Thanks Anna!

 

[Methodius]

A vaper after my own heart. recently found a Nemesis clone from SXK (apparently) over at 3fvape. Pulled the trigger and playing the waiting game now. I wish I could get my hands on a Russian or two. Ditto for a copper Derringer, think it would look immense (in a small kind of way) on a Calvert or similar.

I've recently ordered: copper Nemesis, Givo 57, King (the one with the lion on it) and the King Kong for 26650s. All of them SXK, if the vendor is to be believed.

 

[TDC123]

I had no idea they had become hard to get but I looked and you're right. The ones I purchased are no longer available. That's a shame too. Those Russian clones worked very well and were the best MTL tanks I ever used. No wonder people struggle to find good ones anymore.

When I get some more time I will set the Nemesis up in shorty mode with some derringers sitting on top and post a photo of it beside some of my mini regulated devices.

It was the onset of usable TC that got me to switch to regulated.

Building and tinkering is right up my alley and the old mechs/tanks were perfect for that kind of thing.

My Nemesis have some spring switches, some magnet switches and both work fine. I once found some 2mm magnets for the Nemesis I think on Ebay and they worked the best but it's a very stiff, very short throw. You could totally forget the lock ring with those in. The little fragile magnets and I did not get along.

If you start having hot button issues clean all the threads in the switch. If that doesn't stop it clean all the threads in the mod.

Post up when you get yours!

A vaper after my own heart. recently found a Nemesis clone from SXK (apparently) over at 3fvape. Pulled the trigger and playing the waiting game now. I wish I could get my hands on a Russian or two. Ditto for a copper Derringer, think it would look immense (in a small kind of way) on a Calvert or similar.

I've recently ordered: copper Nemesis, Givo 57, King (the one with the lion on it) and the King Kong for 26650s. All of them SXK, if the vendor is to be believed.

 

[TDC123]

One of those tanks is an orchid clone. It works very well too. It's a dual coil setup with a slightly less restrictive draw than the Russians have. It is the third tank from the left.

 

[Methodius]

One of those tanks is an orchid clone. It works very well too. It's a dual coil setup with a slightly less restrictive draw than the Russians have. It is the third tank from the left.

thanks for the tip. I see that most of those Orchid clones are also sold out/discontinued. Any thoughts on a V1 vs a V6? both seem to be quite popular. It amazes me somehow to think that these pieces are considered old school, when old school was five years ago at most!

also, what kind of wattages and resistances do you tend to put through those different setups? I haven't run anything higher than 0.5 on a mech mod... as yet.

 

[TDC123]

In the Russians you have a small coil in a small chamber and I kept them around .7 to .9. In the Orchid usually around .5 with duals.

 

[TDC123]

My FT order history will not let me go back far enough to identify exactly which Orchid I bought and I honestly have no idea which version it is.

 

[TDC123]

Regarding the Orchid...

I did some looking on FT and I think mine is the V4. It looks like the V6 is pretty much the same except for what looks like a friendlier deck to build on. They have a few V6 models in stock and even some V6 chimney upgrades with domed chimneys. All of it was pretty cheap. A couple of the V6 orchids had 4 stars and reviews were good. Worth a look.

 

[Methodius]

thanks for chasing that up for me. I was a bit stumped looking at all the different versions that are sold out. It looks like a challenging task wicking that correctly. I might pull the trigger on one of the V6s but it would be better if the tank was glass rather than plastic. there's also some variation from batch to batch, as I discovered recently with some rubbish "Kennedy" I bought and will promptly return...

 

[TDC123]

Yeah, that is always a chance you take with the China stuff. I would think it's possibly more risky with older atomizers. I didn't look to see how old the reviews were but you might do that before you buy. The orchid is a bit tricky to wick.

 

[Methodius]

Yeah, that is always a chance you take with the China stuff. I would think it's possibly more risky with older atomizers. I didn't look to see how old the reviews were but you might do that before you buy. The orchid is a bit tricky to wick.

The FT wishlist is getting longer and longer. As much as it's impossible to really compare on atomizer to another, I think I'd go for a Coppervape styled Hussar RTA before an Orchid. Are there some other old and somewhat forgotten setups you'd recommend?

 

[TDC123]

The FT wishlist is getting longer and longer. As much as it's impossible to really compare on atomizer to another, I think I'd go for a Coppervape styled Hussar RTA before an Orchid. Are there some other old and somewhat forgotten setups you'd recommend?

I didn't try all the old stuff. When I find something that works I tend to get multiples and stick with it. From the Russians I moved up to sub ohm tanks and have tried numerous "newer" rta's, rda's, and rdta's. Those newer ones have little in common with the older gear.

I still like my old gear for nostalgic reasons but the newer tanks do offer some conveniences that are nice like top fill, greater air flow/juice flow and capacity. Most of that stuff is 24mm or larger and wouldn't look very well on a tube mech, unless you had a larger diameter tube.

The old gear has it's quirks but the new gear does too. It's a little surprising that despite all the new gear that comes out most of the tanks struggle with leaks and other failures.

I find myself using more RDTA's and RDA's than anything else anymore.

I never tried one of those old school genny's. I should do that. I remember seeing people with them, tilting them all over. I would like a decent genny in 22 mm.

 

[Methodius]

So these guys arrived today.... All by SXK if you can believe 3fvape and the prices. I even wore gloves to welcome them and keep them clean... For now!

 

[TDC123]

So these guys arrived today.... All by SXK if you can believe 3fvape and the prices. I even wore gloves to welcome them and keep them clean... For now! View attachment 717051

There is something missing on top?! When you're through basking in the glare from those shiny new mods how about some pics in action.