Mark Bugs Bottom Feeding Rebuildable Atomizer (prototype) initial impressions

[Roxxette]

Keekers with a new coil specially with kanthal your not going to taste a lot of your liquid, it needs a "break-in" but when you rebuild again you can use a lighter and burn the piece of wire your going to use a couple of times (it will glow red) and that will get rid if not all most of the funky taste and it will be ready to enjoy your liquids.


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[hildicat]

My Chalice finally arrived today and luckily, I've had some time to experiment.

First off, I'm a little sad to say that even though it seems to fit in my Str8tek bottom feeder the atty just doesn't fire up. I tried to wiggle out the center post a bit, but its on there snug and I didn't want to ruin it right outta the box.

I then took the stock setup and set it on my Provari and it metered out at 2.0v. Good enough I thought to try her out on me Reo Grand. Gave her a couple of primer squonks and let it sit for a minute. The first vape was nice, and got better after some more use, but I had two issues right away. First, the stock wick being so miniscule, I could seriously only get two good drags at best before it dried out. Second, 2.0v was just a little too cool of a vape for me on the Grand.

I then spent the after noon with various re-builds.
1/0 cotton candle wick wasn't too bad - got a 1.7Ω coil, left the legs a little long and wrapped them around the posts. This was okay, but the taste was a bit off and the wick seemed a bit too big for that small space. The draw was stiffer and it almost seemed like it couldn't wick fast enough.

I then made several attempts using 100% rolled cotton. I had a hell of a time with this. Got very nice wicks but my coils kept shorting. I would try each setup on my Provari first to check resistance and so as not to collapse the spring on my Grand if I got a short. Well all of my coils, 4 to even 7 wraps were reading between 1.0 and 1.5Ω, plus I was getting that familiar metallic taste that comes along with shorted coils. Its a shame, really, because the cottom roll proved to be an excellent wick. I left enough to wrap around the posts and sort of pad the bottom of the well. It would stay very moist for several drags.

Finally, I cut a small, single layer of cheesecloth and rolled it to form a wick. Wrapped it 7 times with Kanthal A1 32 and got a very nice 1.7Ω coil. Put the whole thing together and left the 'legs' of the wick a bit long to wrap around the posts and under the coil. This is the best set up I've tried, so much so that I'm done tinkering for now and am just going to enjoy this as long as I can. It does get better with each vape as the coil is breaking in nicely.

I think I may revisit the cotton roll again as I suspect my coil making ability might not have been up to snuff, and I do want to try ss mesh as well, but I'm more than happy as it is right now.

One thing that I did notice... I ended up making my coils with a strong bias to one 'hemisphere' of the Chalice. As it happens the air hole lines up exactly on the opposite side. I unscrewed the top cap 1/2 revolution so that the air hole is lined up directly in front of the coil and its a world of difference. I thought I was getting good vapor before, but now I'm getting CLOUDS! Its a smoother vape as well, less kick in the throat, but still very nice and the flavor is stellar.

And last but not least, a little vape-porn for your evening pleasure...

 

[rondasherrill]

Is this your first rebuildable hildicat? If so then kudos, that is one fine coil. One thing, in the pic above, it looks like the second coil from the left is touching the brass post. If so then it's ending the circuit there.

 

[hildicat]

Thanks Ronda! The Chalice is my first 'true' rebuildable, but I have been re-wick/coiling Vivi Nova heads for the last several weeks, plus I've been watching all the videos I can get my hands on. Scott (igetcha69 on youtube) has some VERY well done and extremely informative videos if you want to learn how to coil for both SS mesh and silica/cotton.

 

[strprswpr]

Found this on another forum....Figured it could help.

 

[house mouse]

I then spent the after noon with various re-builds.
1/0 cotton candle wick wasn't too bad - got a 1.7Ω coil, left the legs a little long and wrapped them around the posts. This was okay, but the taste was a bit off and the wick seemed a bit too big for that small space. The draw was stiffer and it almost seemed like it couldn't wick fast enough.

Good to know about the 1/0 being too big for the Chalice. I've been using the 1/0 in my Penelope with great results, but I have a smaller gauge of candle wick here(3/0 I think) and I believe I'll start with that size. The cheesecloth really intrigues me though, that looks like a really good possibility. I'll have to pick up some on my next grocery run.

 

[hildicat]

Yeah, the cheesecloth is amazing stuff. Its food grade, doesn't need to be pre-boiled, readily available at most grocery stores (and cheap!) and has virtually no break in period. I did initially find it difficult to use the cheesecloth because its so, flimsy, and the strands can get everywhere. Then Quigsworth posted his method on the cotton wicks thread and the light bulb finally lit up. I've been using this for the Vivi Nova heads, and now with the Chalice with very good results. Just take a single layer, keep unfolding the cloth until you cant anymore. This is tricky cause its so thin its sometimes hard to tell. The I cut a piece about 1 inch wide by whatever, maybe 3 or 4 inches. Fold it into thirds the long way so its now 1/3 inches by whatever. This helps keep the thin strands from flying away. Then twist it a bit starting to form a rope, then just roll it between your palms. You should get a very tight, neat rope that swells a bit when its wet.

 

[house mouse]

Yeah, the cheesecloth is amazing stuff. Its food grade, doesn't need to be pre-boiled, readily available at most grocery stores (and cheap!) and has virtually no break in period. I did initially find it difficult to use the cheesecloth because its so, flimsy, and the strands can get everywhere. Then Quigsworth posted his method on the cotton wicks thread and the light bulb finally lit up. I've been using this for the Vivi Nova heads, and now with the Chalice with very good results. Just take a single layer, keep unfolding the cloth until you cant anymore. This is tricky cause its so thin its sometimes hard to tell. The I cut a piece about 1 inch wide by whatever, maybe 3 or 4 inches. Fold it into thirds the long way so its now 1/3 inches by whatever. This helps keep the thin strands from flying away. Then twist it a bit starting to form a rope, then just roll it between your palms. You should get a very tight, neat rope that swells a bit when its wet.

Do you put your coils on it looser because it will swell when wet? Or wrap them tight?

 

[hildicat]

Do you put your coils on it looser because it will swell when wet? Or wrap them tight?

I line up the wick with straight pin, then wrap the coil around both together, then pull out the pin before installing. I don't think its absolutely necessary, but it works for me and the wick doesn't choke around the coil when it swells.

 

[pianoguy]

I made one of AnilomNor's vertical mesh setups last night. I felt a little like Mr. Magoo when trying to get it all lined up - LMAO! It starting to get broken in and working pretty well. I think I'll be happier with this thing when I get a VV Grand, though.

 

[Keekers]

I made one of AnilomNor's vertical mesh setups last night. I felt a little like Mr. Magoo when trying to get it all lined up - LMAO! It starting to get broken in and working pretty well. I think I'll be happier with this thing when I get a VV Grand, though.

Ditto about the VV Grand! I'm not fond of dripping.

 

[Keekers]

P.S. Bugs told me, "to put the wick on top of the hole ... look at the holes of the screws....it is designed to make the wick to stay between the screws not on the side."

 

[Xaria]

As much as I want to play with the coil and wick, I am still using what came with it. It is still reading 1.8 and I have put about 9 ml through it thus far. I noticed most of us are using the provari to check for shorts and ohm readings. Even though I use cotton, on a Bulli RA and Vivi Nova rebuild, I don't think I will be using it in my Chalice. I catch myself running it dry at times and would rather have silica or mesh there. Hope the rest of ya will check back in too.


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[MXBNW]

Checking in:

less then a day now on the standard wick and wire. Its doing OK. I will be putting in a higher oHm set up some time today.

I will also post a few photos latter this evening after work slows down a bit

 

[hildicat]

It got the same note from Mark about placing the coil between the two posts, so I thought I should try it. I found this difficult the first time, so this time I made four wraps around a skewer, set it between the post trying to best line up the legs with the holes. Tightened everything up and it read 1.7Ω. I then slip out the skewer and inserted a rolled piece of cotton batton. Left a little of the cotton hanging outside of the coil to catch more juice. I must say, this is quite good, and this method should allow me to build very repeatable coils. I can also easily slid out the wick If I need to dry burn the coil, then insert a new wick.

 

[Keekers]

Nice work!

I'm so excited for my wire to come in the mail so I can start practicing!

 

[rondasherrill]

A trick to putting the coil in the center: use a needle or glasses screwdriver to make wrapping your coil around the wick easier. Leave the legs around the coil about 1.5" long, and leave it on the needle/screwdriver until after you have your coil in place.

Having long legs gives you something to put through the holes and easily pull tight from the other side, and waiting till afterward to remove the wick/coil from the needle/screwdriver makes it so that pulling the wire through the holes doesn't risk messing up your coil.

 

[DukeBlue]

Hildicat that's a very good idea. I had one heck of a time trying to get the coil in the posts with it on the wick. I will give this a try, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[house mouse]

I got mine this morning and have been playing with it throughout the day. I'm not entirely bowled over with it. The draw is a bit stiffer than what I prefer.(not unbearably so, just different). It's difficult to know when to squonk again to avoid dry hits. What I've been doing to avoid it is squonk, vape twice, then squonk again. That works, but it also requires me to pay close attention while I'm vaping. Makes it a bit difficult to lose yourself in a book or a movie if your counting vapes between squonks. Vapor production is pretty decent. I'm a little worried about being able to make coils for it because the platform is so tiny, however someone is going to disassemble one and put it back together on Vape TV tonight, so I'll probably feel better about it after I see someone do it. Love the design of it. The polished 1 blew me away when I first saw it and I'm happy with it in real life too. So I'm just kind of in the middle on it right now. Don't love it, but certainly don't hate it either. It might grow on me given enough time.

 

[MXBNW]

Good to hear you got it.

Yes its a different animal and has some learning curve to it.

Keep up posted.

I got mine this morning and have been playing with it throughout the day. I'm not entirely bowled over with it. The draw is a bit stiffer than what I prefer.(not unbearably so, just different). It's difficult to know when to squonk again to avoid dry hits. What I've been doing to avoid it is squonk, vape twice, then squonk again. That works, but it also requires me to pay close attention while I'm vaping. Makes it a bit difficult to lose yourself in a book or a movie if your counting vapes between squonks. Vapor production is pretty decent. I'm a little worried about being able to make coils for it because the platform is so tiny, however someone is going to disassemble one and put it back together on Vape TV tonight, so I'll probably feel better about it after I see someone do it. Love the design of it. The polished 1 blew me away when I first saw it and I'm happy with it in real life too. So I'm just kind of in the middle on it right now. Don't love it, but certainly don't hate it either. It might grow on me given enough time.