Let's Talk Hardware

[retic1959]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion, Retic. That looks like the perfect rda for me since it holds 1ml, just like my favorite clearos (T4s). I think I'll get one for sure. I also need a dripping atomizer for some juices I'm vaping which seem to clog wicks after about 5 drops. Do you have any suggestions for a dripper similar to the Mini Bully?

I use a cheap IGO -L for messing around , but to tell the truth I rarely use it anymore , the Magma is just as simple to rewick and I vape some heavy , what Bronze calls raw NET's in it , What I would suggest is if you don't have a problem with fasttech their 1 to 1 Magma clone is $15.79 , Chak has one ordered , RJ loves hers , and Dusty has 2 ordered , get a couple and set them up single coil for testing , if you look a few pages back to the photos Calve posted the Fasttech Magma is sitting on the big Panzer , the genuine item is on the golden army Panzer , the reason I,m suggesting you do this is the Magma doesn't leak , my IGO -L leaks and spits hot juice out the air hole , you might wanna check out a Stillare clone if you don't want to go with multiple Magma's though .

 

[Voltron]

I have actually sampled a few botanical eliquids lately (blue lotus, etc.), and they will gunk up my coils 100 times faster than the worst NET in the world. On the bright side, their effects totally justify the horrible mess and destruction they leave behind. I guess I should get the mini bully exclusively for these. Any particular coil and wicks I should be looking into? You know, something that can take the abuse.

 

[retic1959]

I have actually sampled a few botanical eliquids lately (blue lotus, etc.), and they will gunk up my coils 100 times faster than the worst NET in the world. On the bright side, their effects totally justify the horrible mess and destruction they leave behind. I guess I should get the mini bully exclusively for these. Any particular coil and wicks I should be looking into? You know, something that can take the abuse.

I use twisted 28ga wire in my RDA 's , it will take anything you throw at it , the rayon holds up better than cotton with better flavor , Sally's beauty supply sells it for $12 for 500ft , more than a lifetime supply , you can always go with silica if you're not interested in rewicking .

 

[Bronze]

I have actually sampled a few botanical eliquids lately (blue lotus, etc.), and they will gunk up my coils 100 times faster than the worst NET in the world. On the bright side, their effects totally justify the horrible mess and destruction they leave behind. I guess I should get the mini bully exclusively for these. Any particular coil and wicks I should be looking into? You know, something that can take the abuse.

If true, I'd get a cheapy little bully/Phoenix and wick it up with some cotton (or similar removeable wick) in a microcoil.

 

[Voltron]

I'm almost done now. The mini bully and 100' 28GA Kanthal. Now, which one burns less? Ekowool or silica? And what diameter should I go for?

 

[Bronze]

I'm almost done now. The mini bully and 100' 28GA Kanthal. Now, which one burns less? Ekowool or silica? And what diameter should I go for?

I haven't used ekowool. I'd go with 1mm silica. You can always stack it to whatever thickness you want. Four strands in a 2mm inside diameter microcoil works. Use a fish tape made of kanthal (and your fingernail over the exiting side) to pull it through. Fish two strands through from the middle of the strands so it folds over to make four strands as it goes through.

 

[retic1959]

I'm almost done now. The mini bully and 100' 28GA Kanthal. Now, which one burns less? Ekowool or silica? And what diameter should I go for?

Ekowool and silica are made of the same stuff , neither one burns at all , I've never used Ekowool but it's hollow braided silica , I 'd take Bronze's suggestion and go with rayon or cotton if the juice is that gunky , I can't recommend a size for silica because I don't know what size coils you build same goes for Ekowool .

 

[Voltron]

Ekowool and silica are made of the same stuff , neither one burns at all , I've never used Ekowool but it's hollow braided silica , I 'd take Bronze's suggestion and go with rayon or cotton if the juice is that gunky , I can't recommend a size for silica because I don't know what size coils you build same goes for Ekowool .

I was planning on following Bronze's tutorial when building my first coils. So I guess they'll be the same size as his.

 

[Bronze]

I was planning on following Bronze's tutorial when building my first coils. So I guess they'll be the same size as his.

Volt....you've been around too long to not have built your own coils. DO IT!!!!!

 

[Voltron]

I just noticed the silica wick from Lighting Vapes ($5.75 for 5') is much more expensive than the one from Got Vapes ($2.45 for 3.5ft). If it's higher quality I wouldn't mind paying extra. Anyone here know for sure?

 

[Bronze]

I just noticed the silica wick from Lighting Vapes ($5.75 for 5') is much more expensive than the one from Got Vapes ($2.45 for 3.5ft). If it's higher quality I wouldn't mind paying extra. Anyone here know for sure?

It doesn't cost anywhere near that much. Let me check for you.

EDIT...oh, you said silica. Sorry. Yes, it can be expensive. try this...

http://www.carolinavapes.com/Atomizer-Glassfibre-Wick-1mm_p_195.html

Factor in your shipping costs to PR. As if you didn't already know.

 

[Bronze]

For 28gauge from the same place....

Kanthal Atomizer Coil Wire, 28 gauge

 

[jefsview]

I had to bury my first AW IMR 18650 battery, as well as my k100.

The k100's 510 threads are worn out or cross-threaded and it's difficult to get anything to screw on correctly anymore. Earlier this week, I was dripping some Vapin Chimp in the Phoenix V1 clone and tightened it down hard. Fresh battery, that AW IMR 18650 inside. Nothing happened when I hit the switch. Again. Again nothing. Unscrewed the RBA, discovered the 510 pin pushed inside. Grabbed ahold of the k100 -- hot. Getting hotter. SHORT.

After pulling the battery out, I then noticed that a hunk of casing was missing from the negative end. Must have broken when I last charged it and hadn't noticed the hole before I placed it in the mod.

A bad vape night.

Both the k100 and AW IMR 18650 worked well for 14 months. But now I'm down a battery and a mech mod. After purchasing the M16 clone, the k100 had become my back-up. No cashflow to buy a new one at this time.

On the plus side: I've gotten really good at re-building T2 coils.

 

[retic1959]

I'm trying a different build in the Magma , dual twisted 28ga coils with a larger ID , 2.4 mm instead of 2mm , 7 wraps ohming at .5 , gonna see where this takes it .

 

[Bunnykiller]

I'm trying a different build in the Magma , dual twisted 28ga coils with a larger ID , 2.4 mm instead of 2mm , 7 wraps ohming at .5 , gonna see where this takes it .

to vape heaven

 

[retic1959]

I was planning on following Bronze's tutorial when building my first coils. So I guess they'll be the same size as his.

Until you posted this I thought I was talking to an experienced builder , I had no idea this would be your first rebuildable , I hope you have the rest of the gear you need , ie , multimeter , ohm meter , appropriate batteries etc .

 

[Bronze]

I had to bury my first AW IMR 18650 battery, as well as my k100.

The k100's 510 threads are worn out or cross-threaded and it's difficult to get anything to screw on correctly anymore. Earlier this week, I was dripping some Vapin Chimp in the Phoenix V1 clone and tightened it down hard. Fresh battery, that AW IMR 18650 inside. Nothing happened when I hit the switch. Again. Again nothing. Unscrewed the RBA, discovered the 510 pin pushed inside. Grabbed ahold of the k100 -- hot. Getting hotter. SHORT.

After pulling the battery out, I then noticed that a hunk of casing was missing from the negative end. Must have broken when I last charged it and hadn't noticed the hole before I placed it in the mod.

A bad vape night.

Both the k100 and AW IMR 18650 worked well for 14 months. But now I'm down a battery and a mech mod. After purchasing the M16 clone, the k100 had become my back-up. No cashflow to buy a new one at this time.

On the plus side: I've gotten really good at re-building T2 coils.

Jef...get yourself an M7 x 0.5 die and clean the 510 threads on all your attys. It will spare the threads on your mechs.

 

[jefsview]

Jef...get yourself an M7 x 0.5 die and clean the 510 threads on all your attys. It will spare the threads on your mechs.

It's just the aluminium the K100 is made from, and the fact that it's a fixed, non-adjustable 510 contact. About the only thing that fits on it correctly now if the Smok SCAR. But it was always a troublesome connection since the first day I got it. Can't complain -- it was free, won in a contest. But it was my first mech; the AW was my first battery. A year is a decent amount of time.

 

[Voltron]

Until you posted this I thought I was talking to an experienced builder , I had no idea this would be your first rebuildable , I hope you have the rest of the gear you need , ie , multimeter , ohm meter , appropriate batteries etc .

LOL! If I were an experienced builder, I definitely wouldn't be bothering you guys with so many dumb questions.

I plan on buying the multimeter from Walgreens or K-mart. I own several Spinners and an MVP2, which I can use it to measure ohm's, etc. Do I need more stuff?

One last stupid question...does the kanthal have to be 28? Does 26 or 30 make a huge difference? If it's basically the same thing, I could just buy everything I need from Gotvapes in one order (RDA, wick, and wire),

 

[Bronze]

LOL! If I were an experienced builder, I definitely wouldn't be bothering you guys with so many dumb questions.

I plan on buying the multimeter from Walgreens or K-mart. I own several Spinners and an MVP2, which I can use it to measure ohm's, etc. Do I need more stuff?

One last stupid question...does the kanthal have to be 28? Does 26 or 30 make a huge difference? If it's basically the same thing, I could just buy everything I need from Gotvapes in one order (RDA, wick, and wire),

26 is generally too fat and slow for coils. 32 is too thin to build microcoils. 28 and 30 are the mot popular. Either one will work. I use 30 myself as I found 28 was a little slow to heat up. But then I don't use a lot of power.