Let's talk hardware

[smitighe]

I'd like to leave coils but it depends on my mood when I'm swapping cotton. So far I've swapped one kayfuns cotton and left the coil for a few weeks.
The second one has been my training so I've done the entire thing at least once a week if not more to get my coil skills up to snuff.
Yarn has been perfect for me but that's just me. Everyone has different preferences so what works for me obviously doesn't do everyone else justice.
I don't clean the yarn or boil it and its good to go immediately.

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I have to agree. I have never had any off taste from the yarn. Just bold flavor. And it nothing to pull the old wick out, dry burn coil a few times till glowing on blow off. And the yarn is like 4 bucks for a big ball of yarn. Pffffffft. No brainer. I tried silica in the kayfun and it killed my flavor. So I will stick with cotton. Ill use the silica for my drippers.


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[XfooYen]

You should be boiling your yarn too, MP. Just because it's 100% organic doesn't mean the machines that produce it are...and the dozens of hands that touch it before it hits the shelves. I boil every type of wicking material I get as soon as it lands. Tie it in a loop. Boil it for 10 minutes. Change the water. Boil it again. Hang it to dry overnight. I buy no less than 15 feet at a time, so I haven't had to do this in months. Ekowool tends to have an off flavor more than other things, but everything tastes better after a good rinse. If your Ekowoll still tastes funky, you didn't boil it adequately enough.

it is not necessary to torch Eko to build a Kayfun. Torching stiffens it. You want the wick supple so it can hang over the deck and into the juice chamber (and loop back over if you want). I only torch Eko if I'm using it as a sleeve over cable wicks.

 

[speedydave]

I've got micro coils with cotton-hemp yarn in all my Kayfuns now. Beautiful vape with no floods or dry hits. I'm doing the build that was posted a page back. Instead of joining two pieces of wick, I make a micro coil and pull a folded piece of yarn through. After that, I trim two of the four opposing strands close to the coil so it ends up like the video. The rest I follow to a tee. Flawless, fail-safe build.

Where did you get your yarn? I tried looking at my local craft store as recommended somewhere at some point (I just remember someone recommending Michael's) but couldn't find a suitable diameter un-dyed cotton yarn. I never knew there were so many kinds of yarn until I went looking for wick...

I've been trying silica from a bunch of vendors but haven't found one that tastes "right" yet. I haven't been boiling it, which may be part of the issue. I got some ekowool in a bundle with wire and some other stuff in the classies and haven't boiled it and it tastes great. I did finally pick up some distilled water so I can boil all of my wicks as I'm sure it's safer in addition to tasting better without break-in. Just trying to find something that works before my Russian 91% shows up.

What's the boiling process? I've read a few different ways (boiling for 15-20 minutes straight, boiling 15-20 minutes while changing water out every 5, etc). I've seen mentioned that a "film" forms on top of the water when boiling silica - should I dedicate a pot to boiling wicks or is it not as bad as it sounds?

I feel like such a n00b again...

 

[Bronze]

Thanks bronze, I dont know why, maybe my ekowool is not russian original, taste weired. Getting lost with my RBAs, none of them give me a flavor as good as an ordinary clearomizer such as kanger t2...

Something is not right there tnt.

 

[Bronze]

You should be boiling your yarn too, MP. Just because it's 100% organic doesn't mean the machines that produce it are...and the dozens of hands that touch it before it hits the shelves. I boil every type of wicking material I get as soon as it lands. Tie it in a loop. Boil it for 10 minutes. Change the water. Boil it again. Hang it to dry overnight. I buy no less than 15 feet at a time, so I haven't had to do this in months. Ekowool tends to have an off flavor more than other things, but everything tastes better after a good rinse. If your Ekowoll still tastes funky, you didn't boil it adequately enough.

it is not necessary to torch Eko to build a Kayfun. Torching stiffens it. You want the wick supple so it can hang over the deck and into the juice chamber (and loop back over if you want). I only torch Eko if I'm using it as a sleeve over cable wicks.

I always boil it too X. Just as a precaution for all the reasons you cited. It's not a hard exercise.

 

[Dusty_D]

Boiled approximately 3 feet of 3mm and 2mm ekowool. The 3mm torched but not boiled wick is working fine on the RSST so far. No wicking issues but definitely lacking in flavour as opposed to regular silica..


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[XfooYen]

Where did you get your yarn? I tried looking at my local craft store as recommended somewhere at some point (I just remember someone recommending Michael's) but couldn't find a suitable diameter un-dyed cotton yarn. I never knew there were so many kinds of yarn until I went looking for wick...

I bought my cotton-hemp here: Lion Brand Yarn: Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp. Buy the Flour Sack White.

I've been trying silica from a bunch of vendors but haven't found one that tastes "right" yet. I haven't been boiling it, which may be part of the issue. I got some ekowool in a bundle with wire and some other stuff in the classies and haven't boiled it and it tastes great. I did finally pick up some distilled water so I can boil all of my wicks as I'm sure it's safer in addition to tasting better without break-in. Just trying to find something that works before my Russian 91% shows up.

For regular silica, I buy mine on eBay from markstradingcompany. Very good quality stuff. Comes with free 32AWG Kanthal too. Boiling silica is tricky because it can shred if you boil it too rapidly or it is low quality. I just soak it in simmered water for 20 minutes and hang it looped to dry.

What's the boiling process? I've read a few different ways (boiling for 15-20 minutes straight, boiling 15-20 minutes while changing water out every 5, etc). I've seen mentioned that a "film" forms on top of the water when boiling silica - should I dedicate a pot to boiling wicks or is it not as bad as it sounds?

Generally 2x 10-minute soaks is sufficient enough to rinse away any offensive residue. That's the most I have ever done with Eko or cotton and have never had any flavor issues.


Be aware that Ekowool is good for some and not for others. It's found a place in my arsenal, but overall I prefer cotton hemp and high quality silica over Ekowool. In the Kayfun, I find that microcoils and cotton yarn works best. When it's time to change the wick, I just pull out the old one, dry burn the coil and slip a new wick in. Flavor and wicking is superb. I do Eko in super sub-ohm coils (like below 0.4 duals) because it can really take the heat without risk of burning.

 

[DavidOH]

That's the trouble with mods that are not named Provari. They break easily by comparison. The VAMO is feature-filled but they do break. I still like mine though and has given me little trouble. The finish is worn off and the right button doesn't click anymore (but it works).

David, I'm assuming that top is pressed on. How did you pull it off. I have a mini vise (older than dirt) with notches on both jaws so it can grab a circle at four points. I would probably use that if I had to. Do you think you could have shot the cleaner in from the outside?

Home from work. Yes the cap is pressed on. I wrapped a bit of rubber gasket around it. Still got bite marks on it. Used channel locks to pry it back and forth. When I felt it give I would pry it then turn it a little and pry again till it came off. Here's a link with pics.
http://allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/22174/vamo-fault-code-top-overheating?page=1#scrollTo=412117 With the cap off the board wouldn't move. What worked to get it out was to push on the plastic that holds it in and slide it out first. Then the board fell out.

 

[DavidOH]

Weak power and misfires are a symptom of insufficient contact with the positive post. Were you using a Kanger Protank, by any chance? Those have a habit of making weak contact with certain mods whose pin lays flat. Protank positive pins are notoriously shallow and often make weak contact. It's happened to me many times with those things.

I was using my only Evod and cartos. It was acting the same on both. I also noticed two other things. Shorter battery life and the top was hotter than it was before.

 

[XfooYen]

I was using my only Evod and cartos. It was acting the same on both. I also noticed two other things. Shorter battery life and the top was hotter than it was before.

Could be the insulator under the Vamo's positive pin. Many have complained it needed replacing. Have you gone over to the Vamo owner's thread? There's a lot of discussion on how to fix it.


ETA: Check out this fix.

 

[MrPicC]

I'll start boiling or at least try it out once I get down south.. Too much going on right now to really hang yarn around the house with all the dust...

 

[Dusty_D]

Got a message back from lightningvapes about the snafoo with the 30g wire. He will be re-shipping with a bit extra plus using USPS Express to ship so it comes faster. Apologized for the inconvenience.

Sean will remain on my vendor list..

 

[Bronze]

Got a message back from lightningvapes about the snafoo with the 30g wire. He will be re-shipping with a bit extra plus using USPS Express to ship so it comes faster. Apologized for the inconvenience.

Sean will remain on my vendor list..

I'll bet you weren't the only one to get snafued wire. My guess is he is checking his stock.

 

[MrPicC]

Good for you dusty! Lightning huh.. I'm gonna need some 26-28 soon..

 

[Dusty_D]

Good for you dusty! Lightning huh.. I'm gonna need some 26-28 soon..

If planning on buying multiple items, use their web store. Saves on shipping. He clued me to that after I placed the last order. Lightningvapes.com


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[MrPicC]

Yeah once I get settled I'll need a ton of supplies honestly.. I've been using 29 gauge for a while.. Want to go lower for micros..

 

[Bronze]

My right button on the VAMO is sitting in. It no longer clicks. It still works though (for now). The chrome finish is worn through too. I'm thinking of taking it apart and refinishing it as well as trying to find out why my right button doesn't click anymore. Dug up a VAMO disassembly vid. Looks easy to take this thing apart.

 

[DavidOH]

Could be the insulator under the Vamo's positive pin. Many have complained it needed replacing. Have you gone over to the Vamo owner's thread? There's a lot of discussion on how to fix it.


ETA: Check out this fix.

Had it out. Looks like the insulator in a Protank head only bigger.

 

[DavidOH]

My right button on the VAMO is sitting in. It no longer clicks. It still works though (for now). The chrome finish is worn through too. I'm thinking of taking it apart and refinishing it as well as trying to find out why my right button doesn't click anymore. Dug up a VAMO disassembly vid. Looks easy to take this thing apart.

Just don't try to pull the board out. Push on the haft round plastic holding the board in place and get it to slide out. Then the board will fall out on it's own. You may haft to fix the ground when you have it apart, I have an idea for that if I have to take mine apart again.

 

[DavidOH]

I saw that vid also. And I forgot to say the Vamo has worked prefect all day.