Mechanical Mods: What's the Attraction?

[Firestorm]

I prefer to use mechanical mods for many of the reasons already mentioned: simplicity, durability and self-sufficiency. I use RBAs exclusively and I have no interest in sub-ohming. My target resistance is 1.3 to 1.5 ohms and I don't vape to impress other people with clouds - I vape because I find it preferable to smoking cigarettes and I seek flavor. I like the small form factor of a bottom-button mechanical mod in 18350 mode and you aren't going to find an APV that is smaller (due to the space taken up by the electronics).

 

[TrentTC]

Saying things like if you're not interested in blowing big clouds then there is no reason to get a mech is false. Thinking that people only have mechs for sport isn't true at all either. Saying mech mods are dumb because it's dangerous to run low or sub ohm coils is false also. It's ignorant to spout off on something that people really don't know anything about. I have both vv/vw devices and a couple of mechs and I rarely use the vv/vw devices. Not because I want to blow big clouds but because the quality of the vape with a mech and a genesis atomizer or rda with a .6 to 1 ohm coil can't be beat. Yes, you need to understand ohms law and amperage limitations/battery safety in order to run builds like this but with the right precautions it is no less safe than a vv/vw device.

 

[tj99959]

I first started looking at mechanicals when looking for a back-up PV that would still work even if hell froze over. (and the FDA could still make that happen). My thought was that if I couldn't use the PV for a hammer, and then still vape it, it wasn't a reliable back up.
That first mechanical is almost three years old, and still looks & works perfectly. That was also long before RBA's or sub ohm vaping.

I can easily switch from a carto tank on my Provari to a RDA on my mechanical, and never miss a beat. I can easily make both vape the same if that's my desire. So, for me, a mechanical is just an 'alternative', but they're a damn good one.

 

[Jazzi Mike]

It is stupid, but a lot of people think RBAs are for mechanical mods or they work better in one. In the New Members forum, I see multiple posts about what mech mods to get with an RBA every day. I'm honestly surprised there are not more reports of injuries due to batteries exploding.

I blame stupid videos on YouTube. People post videos of themselves blowing these huge clouds and people want to emulate that. Mechanical mods allow you to fire atomizers with resistance below 1.2 ohms and are less likely to break if you drop them. Outside of this, there is not much that will be different from the vape, except oft not being able to regulate the voltage.

Currently, I do use a Reo Grand. I realize this is technically a mechanical mod, but it still is more than a stupid battery holder. I'm planning on getting a VV grand soon, so I can have some options

 

[Myk]

It is stupid, but a lot of people think RBAs are for mechanical mods or they work better in one. In the New Members forum, I see multiple posts about what mech mods to get with an RBA every day. I'm honestly surprised there are not more reports of injuries due to batteries exploding.

I blame stupid videos on YouTube. People post videos of themselves blowing these huge clouds and people want to emulate that. Mechanical mods allow you to fire atomizers with resistance below 1.2 ohms and are less likely to break if you drop them. Outside of this, there is not much that will be different from the vape, except oft not being able to regulate the voltage.

Currently, I do use a Reo Grand. I realize this is technically a mechanical mod, but it still is more than a stupid battery holder. I'm planning on getting a VV grand soon, so I can have some options

I think it's a thought that you have to do sub-Ω in a RBA/RDA because that's what everyone talks about.
I don't really like sub-Ω (at least not duals, never tried a single but the thought goes against my thoughts on vaping). My RBA/RDA tend to come out 2.0-1.3 respectively. I think the 1.3Ω dual RDA takes way too long to heat up with a mech and works better on a VV. My 2Ω RBAs would be a joke on a mech. The 1.5Ω dual RBA would be in the garbage can if I had to use it on a mech.

My 1.3Ω dual RDA does sit on my mech and I just hold the button until it starts cooking. But it does better on a VV.
I'm not really sold on duals either, other than they deliver nicotine and by throwing a dual with my normal mg into my mix I make sure not to run my body low now that I'm losing my addiction to smoke and the smoking habit.

 

[Kaisen]

Saying things like if you're not interested in blowing big clouds then there is no reason to get a mech is false. Thinking that people only have mechs for sport isn't true at all either. Saying mech mods are dumb because it's dangerous to run low or sub ohm coils is false also. It's ignorant to spout off on something that people really don't know anything about. I have both vv/vw devices and a couple of mechs and I rarely use the vv/vw devices. Not because I want to blow big clouds but because the quality of the vape with a mech and a genesis atomizer or rda with a .6 to 1 ohm coil can't be beat. Yes, you need to understand ohms law and amperage limitations/battery safety in order to run builds like this but with the right precautions it is no less safe than a vv/vw device.

If you're running 0.6Ω (which is considerably sub-ohm) you will need a mechanical, as nearly zero vv/vw devices will fire it

Understanding Ohm's Law is only one part of safety. With a mech mod there is nothing stopping you from accidentally putting in a battery backwards. It will still fire. If you short your coil, it will still fire. If you set it down and the fire button is accidently depressed, it will still fire for as long as it is pressed. All of these things are significant safety hazards that are automatically thwarted by a regulated device.

For a truly-new vaper attracted to mech mods for whatever the reason, these are hazards they may not know about.

Anything can be safe if you are knowledgeable and take appropriate precautions. When you're new to it, neither are likely.

 

[IMFire3605]

If you're running 0.6Ω (which is considerably sub-ohm) you will need a mechanical, as nearly zero vv/vw devices will fire it

Understanding Ohm's Law is only one part of safety. With a mech mod there is nothing stopping you from accidentally putting in a battery backwards. It will still fire. If you short your coil, it will still fire. If you set it down and the fire button is accidently depressed, it will still fire for as long as it is pressed. All of these things are significant safety hazards that are automatically thwarted by a regulated device.

For a truly-new vaper attracted to mech mods for whatever the reason, these are hazards they may not know about.

Anything can be safe if you are knowledgeable and take appropriate precautions. When you're new to it, neither are likely.

What are you talking about no regulated devices will fire a 0.6 ohm coil? DNA20 operated devices most of them will run that coil all day long without so much as blurting out an error code. Other than that I agree with the rest of your comment. Safety and understanding are all key.

I still prefer my regulated devices, I own an MVP V2, SVD, and an iTaste VV V3 which are used with my all day vape liquids and attachments. I stepped into my first mech for simplest of reasons and that was for the purpose of re-building my other Mod attachments, and cleaning the coils, as only a mech allows you to repeated pulse fire a button without shutting it off. I have only recently stepped into sub-ohm RDAs, and still they make me nervous to build to low, even with a vape safe fuse, currently all 4 (Smoktech RDA (Octopus), Smoktech Mini RDA (Squid), 2 Igo-W's) at 2.2 Dual on the Octupus I run on the SVD cranked all the way up to throw something the face of a loud mouthed sub-ohm zealot, Squid is at 2.6ohm single for juice testing, the 2 Igo-W are 0.6ohms and 1.1ohms respectively, excluding the Squid which is wicked with Silica, all 4 are wrapped nano or micro-coil with cotton ball.

It is still all subjective and relative to the end user, and even a new user using a standard Protank on a Mech can get off cigs easily and reliably.

My list of why I stepped into a Mech.

1) Building, re-building, and cleaning coils - the ability to rapidly pulse a coil hot to check for shorts, hot spots during an initial build or re-build, and to burn off carbon on the cleared coil before re-wicking when time to clean it are invaluable
2) As a reliable backup device to my other devices
3) When lounging around and just want to relax with a nice tasting liquid, dripping on my low ohm drippers

 

[TrentTC]

I didn't just say all you needed to know is ohms law. I also mentioned amperage limitations and battery safety. I'm also not recommending for someone new to vaping to go get a mech and start building sub ohm coils. I was saying though that with the right amount of knowledge it isn't dangerous to run builds that are low or sub ohm and there are a lot more reasons that people use mechs and builds like this than just to blow clouds and look cool as was stated earlier in the thread.

 

[Ryedan]

Currently, I do use a Reo Grand. I realize this is technically a mechanical mod, but it still is more than a stupid battery holder. I'm planning on getting a VV grand soon, so I can have some options

A mechanical Reo is no more safe than any other good mech mod with a collapsing spring i it.

 

[tj99959]

A mechanical Reo is no more safe than any other good mech mod with a collapsing spring i it.

Except the Reo has a mighty BIG vent hole in it's side.

 

[Kaisen]

What are you talking about no regulated devices will fire a 0.6 ohm coil? DNA20 operated devices most of them will run that coil all day long without so much as blurting out an error code.

If you will re-read my post, I said "nearly zero vv/vw devices will fire it"..... I don't think there are very many newbies with DNA 20 mods, or even very many DNA 20 mods in the world compared to all vv/vw devices. So, yes, nearly zero. There are always exceptions, and the DNA 20 is one of them. 99% will not fire under 0.8Ω and 95% will not fire under 1.0Ω. The vast majority will not fire under 1.3Ω, and even if they will, cannot support a quality vape there.

Mechs have their place, and I personally think they can be great. What I was discussing was the safety aspects for new forum members. Not arguing in the least, you all have valid points?

 

[Myk]

and even if they will, cannot support a quality vape there.

That's where you lost me. This concept of some kind of magical "quality vape" (which I assume is referring to PWM).

Quality is a personal taste issue. We can't proclaim aspects of personal taste "quality".
My 1.3Ω does better on a VV according to my tastes, therefore the vape is of higher quality.

 

[Kaisen]

That's where you lost me. This concept of some kind of magical "quality vape" (which I assume is referring to PWM).

Quality is a personal taste issue. We can't proclaim aspects of personal taste "quality".
My 1.3Ω does better on a VV according to my tastes, therefore the vape is of higher quality.

A DNA 20 will only push 20 watts, no more. So if you are trying to push a 0.6Ω coil with only 20 watts, that's an equivalent to 3.4 volts (Ohm's Law). That's like using a BLU cigalike. Is that a "quality" vape?

 

[NicoHolic]

A DNA 20 will only push 20 watts, no more. So if you are trying to push a 0.6Ω coil with only 20 watts, that's an equivalent to 3.4 volts (Ohm's Law). That's like using a BLU cigalike. Is that a "quality" vape?

No, it's more like using four 5 watt BLU cigarettes simultaneously. And even that's not a good analogy.

 

[NicoHolic]

doubled...

 

[rhean]

It's all personal. I'm waiting on a mech mod, and I chose that over something like a Provari for the same reason that I prefer my treadle sewing machine from the stone age (1914 lol) to modern ones with all manner of gizmos. There are no electronics, no snazzy plastic bits, nothing to break in a treadle. The only replacement part is a belt. I wish that the mech mod had something like a treadle to get it going over a battery/charger arrangement--edit: totally understand that would be impossible

 

[Myk]

A DNA 20 will only push 20 watts, no more. So if you are trying to push a 0.6Ω coil with only 20 watts, that's an equivalent to 3.4 volts (Ohm's Law). That's like using a BLU cigalike. Is that a "quality" vape?

Quality. No. Power. Yes.
Even if what you say is true (not saying it isn't, but I don't know how the DNA works, eVic is an "and" limit, Vamo seems to be an "or" limit) the person may like 3.4v or even like Blu.

I have my 1.5Ω RDA at 3.2v. That's where it tastes best to me with the liquid that goes into it. It produces plenty of vapor. Who are you to say whether that's quality for me or not?
Everything but my 1.5Ω and 1.3Ω duals make me happy below what I could get with a mech yet the VVs give better quality to my taste because they are regulated. I have to stack with the 1.5Ω to be happy, the 1.3Ω is satisfactory at fresh battery mech levels but a VV can hold that longer that consistency is "quality" to me.

I think too much attention is paid to wattage and volts in determining "quality". Johnson Creek's Vea is 2.8v which makes for some pretty low wattages. They've actually responded to customer complaints (people who tend not to be caught up in the numbers and just want to be happy with the results) by increasing the Ω.
I wasn't too happy with their cartos because I don't like filler and because I am caught up in the numbers I haven't spent the money to try their clearos, but quality of the vape isn't a complaint I've heard (not really hanging out there much since going all DIY and rebuildables though).

It's all personal. I'm waiting on a mech mod, and I chose that over something like a Provari for the same reason that I prefer my treadle sewing machine from the stone age (1914 lol) to modern ones with all manner of gizmos. There are no electronics, no snazzy plastic bits, nothing to break in a treadle. The only replacement part is a belt. I wish that the mech mod had something like a treadle to get it going over a battery/charger arrangement--edit: totally understand that would be impossible

A bike and a generator with a passthrough

I was going to say solar panels but figured that would be too new for you

 

[Ryedan]

Except the Reo has a mighty BIG vent hole in it's side.

Very good point tj. Plus it opens easily and quickly, no unscrewing required which is IMO is another safety feature.

OK, I was wrong. Ignore my first comment, this makes more sense

 

[rhean]

A bike and a generator with a passthrough

I was going to say solar panels but figured that would be too new for you

I like the bike idea, though it could be impractical for driving Solar panels would be cool! Tragically we haven't seen the sun in some months here in Wisconsin.

 

[Ryedan]

A DNA 20 will only push 20 watts, no more. So if you are trying to push a 0.6Ω coil with only 20 watts, that's an equivalent to 3.4 volts (Ohm's Law). That's like using a BLU cigalike. Is that a "quality" vape?

IMO a quality vape involves more than just watts and coil resistance. Yes, for me a 0.6 ohm coil is not optimum at 3.4V (19 watts) in an atty set up for 3.7V (23 watts). But it's still a much better vape than a Blu or a typical unmodified clearo could ever be.

A 1 ohm coil at 3.7V (14 watts) with a smaller air hole and a micro coil can be just as good for me as a 0.6 ohm coil at 3.7V (23 watts) with a large air hole. Both are quality vapes, but they are different and I appreciate both.