Looking for a Surprise area rebuildable atomizer guru

[silentnights]

I've only been vaping for a month now and am planning on going to the next meet. I am in a bit of a jam through. I desire the best flavor I can get out of my juice. Started with a vivi nova and I could taste the silica wick. Switched to an atomizer and had great results but....dripping. Moved onto a carto tank and I'm still tasting the polyfill sometimes. Other times I get a nice pure taste (usually when it has been sitting over night). The options I have left that I feel will give me the best results for what I am looking for are:

Rebuildable atomizer: did clone, genesis clone, etc for around $30 total cost of ownership

Or

Bottom feed mod with atomizer: reos plus an HH.357 atty for around $200 total cost of ownership.

I purchased a did clone, tried the Petar K method but I'm missing something, something probably fundamental which is why I'm looking for a local guru so help me find my perfect vape experience.

If you live in or around suprise and would be willing to give me a hand, I would like to buy you a beer.

Thanks,

Josh

 

[BlackChad]

If youve only been vaping a month, and have only had this RBA for a short time I honestly wouldnt worry too much about not being very good at it straight away. I wont get my RBA for another few days but I can tell you from all of my research that the learning curve is steep on these things and you cant expect to be great at it immediately. I wasnt familiar with the method you referred to so I watched a video on it and it looks more complicated than wrapping the thing the standard way. Also, what did you do with the wick and what are you using for material? I can try to assist you, but I'm sure theres got to be someone here with more experience than me.

Also, in your search for a great solution did you happen to try the Kanger T3s? I know the taste your referring to and the T3s are the first thing that really blew me away in my vaping experience. Just a cheap suggestion if you decide RBAs aren't for you.

 

[silentnights]

Thanks for the reply Chad. Starting from the back and working forward...I purchased a T3 but can't currently use it on my device of choice because of its non standard size (can't use it on my vamo or lavatube).

The generic genesis I purchased had the option for pre-built wicks, which now sounds like a bad idea. They are pre oxidized 400 SS built straw like and cut to fit what I bought.

The Petar K method made perfect sense to me, pre wrap my wire around a drill bit that fits in the wick hole of my atty. I can wrap it without the center post getting in my way and I can fiddle with it a bit before it ever goes onto the atty. Then I just pop the drill bit into the wick hole and connect both ends of my coil. Pull out the drill bit, do some quick dry fires to stiffen up the coil and fix it in place then add my wick.

I think that my coils aren't tight enough though. KidneyPuncher is having a Cave Creek meetup on Saturday that I'm planning to go to. I plan on absorbing as much info as I can from him (and I'll probably funnel another $100 into his pocket for new shiny vaping materials).

 

[BlackChad]

I would give this video a watch:

Seems like hes using the same method and has a lot of key little points in there to hopefully help you out.

He mentions wrapping the coil around the drill bit literally as tight as you can. The tighter the better. Also, the closer together you get the wires on there the better. And he also explains why. Another few things you might be missing, which he mentions, are to make sure the drill bit is exactly the width of the wick hole, make sure your wick isnt touching the bottom of the tank (thus grounding it), and to make sure your wick is exactly the same width as the hole so it will stay still where it is if you dont touch it.

Also, if you want to try a kanger t3 just get a 510 to ego adapter and you can pop it right on there if you want to give it a shot. They're only like 3 bucks or you can wait until your vape meet where you will probably get all the help you need. Good Luck!

 

[silentnights]

Yep, my coils look exactly like that, perfectly spaced 30ga kanthal A-1 nice and tight and it is still shorting. I asked Kidney Puncher to bring me a mech mod to tomorrows meet so I don't destroy my back up ego since it is currently heating up the battery itself. I'm getting a top, or middle top hot leg and no amount of fiddling with it is making it go away. I'll get it one day, and hopefully tomorrow is that day.

 

[sanman969]

I'm pretty close to Surprise and use a number of different Genesis-style atomizers. I would be glad to get together and help.

Shoot me a PM.

 

[TBinAZ]

The genesis clone you are using has a lot to do with the end result. Is it a full sized DID clone, or a mini? I would suggest looking at one of the AGA or RSST attys. Much more room to work with as far as wick size and the ability to work with the coil once installed, especially when using 30awg.

I have been messing with the ceramic wicks for a while, and have to say that they give the truest flavor of anything I have tried yet. Plus, there is no SS shorting of the coil to contend with. I have another candidate coming in the next couple of days, and this may just trump what I have been using as far as ceramics so far. Will report back once I have it in hand. There is a very informative thread here on ECF about what I'm referring to.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modding-forum/362182-next-big-thing-porous-ceramic-wicks.html

 

[silentnights]

New reports, I went to the Cave Creek meetup this past Saturday and met up with Craig from Kidneypuncher.com. I purchased an Aga-T2 from him as well as a true mech mod. I also picked up some 500 SS mesh and some nomex sleeving. He said my coils look well spaced and that I'm doing everything mostly right except he thinks my wick is shorting against the wick hole. I built a wick and just lightly torched it after rolling it and put a small section of nomex on top and then wrapped a coil which did not short but also doesn't appear to be wicking well at all.

TBinAZ - I have looked at the ceramic wicks, but I am clumsy and they are expensive. I have closely been following the thread on using 7x7 316L stainless steel braided wire rope. I have a few ideas of my own which may end up working amazingly but cost an absolute fortune to prove out. Thread is: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/rebuildable-atomizer-systems/375999-wire-rope-wick.html I now have what I believe to be a mini DID clone and an Aga-T2. I would like to also get my hands on some of the Kanthal D ribbon wire.

Sanman969 - PM incoming

 

[Serial70]

I have a fairly extensive knowledge of RBA's and I live in Litchfield Park. If you still require assistance, just let me know.

 

[davelog]

Hey Serial, know of any place in the valley where we can find kanthal ribbon?

 

[Serial70]

I ordered like 10 meters of .5mm x .1mm ribbon on eBay a while back along with 100ft of 30ga and 100ft of 32ga wire, and honestly I found that it is harder to work with than wire and still renders the same results. I gave the ribbon away to a buddy of mine in CA or you could have had that. I stick with 32 or 30 now for genisis and 28 for silica wick atties. No local dealers yet, although a couple of local places are talking about carrying some RBA supplies soon. As a matter of a fact, I was at the bar with Matt from .... Out and Chris from Vapor Vortex last weekend and they both brought it up. I don't know if they are going to carry the basics or some of the more experimental stuff, but I've been harassing Chris to get ceramic wicks, so if he can get it, I'm sure he will stock some up.

 

[urby2112]

Only been at this a couple months myself so I am by no means a guru here! That said, I had the wicking problem with my AGAs at first too. IMO they seem to break in after a little use and time for the juice to saturate the oxidation. Many suggest opening the air hole to 1/16 for better vapor but I prefer the stock draw. My best results for wicking and vapor have been to roll the wick solid with no hole in middle (unlike a straw), very tight, and oxidize only the top where it hits the tank and coils and a little at the bottom in case it hits the bottom of the tank, so basically unoxidized in the middle. It should slide freely in the wick hole but not slide by itself either. I don't use the fill screw either as I've heard the tanks can vapor lock. It won't leak unless you leave it tipped over for a while as the hole is pretty small. As for top hot spot, bend your wick close to the top post and wrap the wire counter clockwise on the top and bottom posts. If you're mechanical that seems counter intuitive but it seems to work and I have heard it suggested many times. Tiny washers can help too but I have not needed these.
Hope some of this helps. Think I've watched every youtube video out there on this subject. I almost threw in the towel and sold mine on the classies. Don't get frustrated and put it away when you do and come back to it. When it does all click it is worth the trouble as the flavor is wonderful!

 

[Serial70]

I my experience, if you roll the wick solid, the amount of space you leave around it in the wick hole directly affects how well it wicks, or whether or not it "vapor locks." What I mean is, if you roll a solid wick, the space around it in the wick hole is what allows air into the tank, so a smaller solid wick actually works better than a larger one, and you can keep the fill screw in. With the hollow wicks, it seems that you want that to just fit in the wick hole, with little gap between the sides of the hole and the wick, as it uses the center of the wick as the air inlet for the tank if you keep the fill screw in. I don't have to worry about fill screws anymore, I recently acquired a z-atty-pro and a z-atty-u which are the only genny style I use regularly. Everything else is for experimenting, I have a dual wick dual coil aga-t2 right now awaiting the second air hole to be drilled in it, and one that is getting some braided ceramic wick installed soon too.

 

[silentnights]

I don't check in for a week or two, and then this happens. Serial, thank you greatly for the offer of assistance. I'm good now though. Got everything working nice and smoothly with some XS-18 from kidneypuncher (Dave, KP has the ribbon kanthal in stock), and lots and lots of practice wrapping coils.

 

[davelog]

I don't check in for a week or two, and then this happens. Serial, thank you greatly for the offer of assistance. I'm good now though. Got everything working nice and smoothly with some XS-18 from kidneypuncher (Dave, KP has the ribbon kanthal in stock), and lots and lots of practice wrapping coils.

Yep, I couldn't find anyplace in town to just walk in and buy some, so I ordered from Craig at KP a few days ago - it came in the mail Friday. I got it and some 28ga Kanthal, both of which vape nice, but the 28ga fits the narrow confines of my mini A7 better. When I can afford to pick up the new REOmizer 2.0, I'm betting that ribbon is gonna ROCK.

 

[TBinAZ]

Yep, I couldn't find anyplace in town to just walk in and buy some, so I ordered from Craig at KP a few days ago - it came in the mail Friday. I got it and some 28ga Kanthal, both of which vape nice, but the 28ga fits the narrow confines of my mini A7 better. When I can afford to pick up the new REOmizer 2.0, I'm betting that ribbon is gonna ROCK.

The ribbon Kanthal is a bit more tedious to use as it's more "springy". Especially with any kind of silica. I have relegated that to genesis use mostly, but is still a bit more difficult to keep tight wraps. I am happy as a clam using 30awg for pretty much anything else, especially rebuilding Kanger BCC heads.

I burned both of the Reo springs I have. Kind of bummed about that. The mini A7s aren't playing well with it at all. Time to buy a rebuild kit or two. Thinking about offing the Reos Mini I have. Can't hold a candle to the VMods I have been using the past few months. Great product.

 

[davelog]

Unless you melted your button, you don't need a whole rebuild kit, the springs alone are like 4 bucks and take all of 10 seconds to swap out. Just DON'T stretch it out and keep using a collapsed one - it won't collapse again, and the next short will do actual damage.