My First Mod (nicostick)

[BubbleBobble]

Wow! I did it, and so far this thing is smoking like a champ! I've been wanting to make a mod for quite some time now, and about a week ago I decided to do it. Wouldn't have been possible without these boards, thanks everyone.

While this mod can definitely be done by anyone, it certainly isn't a 1-2-3, done! type thing. At least, not if you don't have some soldering experience. The soldering was kinda a pain, and because I didn't know what I was doing, I ruined my first solder tip, and had to purchase a new one. I also broke my first switch and had to purchase another.

Anyways, here's some pics of my nicostick.


NicoStick size comparison (next to The Mini Copper):

The Guts of my NicoStick:

NicoStick in hand:

I have to thank nico for the awesome instructions and pictures (without which I wouldn't have been able to construct this mod). Thank you much my friend. The only piece of information that I felt was missing in the instructions was: When you separate the center (positive) piece of the atomizer connection to do your soldering; how do you get that rubber ring back in place to hold the positive piece in place/and also create a barrier between the negative (outside of atty connect.) and positive (center). I really had to jimmy ring that part of my mod. Wrapped the center piece in electrical tape, cut that white rubber ring in half, put one half on the top side of the atty connect and the other half on the bottom side. Hope it holds out. So far so good.

Now I'm starting work on my pipe mod (fog log style).

 

[jj2]

A thing of beauty and a lot better looking than my first.

 

[5cardstud]

Nice job, it looks real good. I leave mine together when I solder them. Learned that after I took one apart. Hoog used to have instructions on how to put them back together. I did it once but couldn't again.

 

[Shortstuff116]

Very nice job! I especially like the way that you recessed your atty inside the unit.

Did you use J.B. Weld? If so, how is it holding up?

 

[BubbleBobble]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. I appreciate it.

Nice job, it looks real good. I leave mine together when I solder them. Learned that after I took one apart. Hoog used to have instructions on how to put them back together. I did it once but couldn't again.

Yea, I learned my lesson. I tried for 30 minutes to get that little rubber guy back in his place From now on I'm leaving the atomizer connection's intact.

Very nice job! I especially like the way that you recessed your atty inside the unit.

Did you use J.B. Weld? If so, how is it holding up?

I used PC-Fahrenheit epoxy. I figured I might as well go with the heat resistant epoxy. So far it's holding fine.. but it has only been 6 hours?, so we'll see.

---

The only thing I'm worried about is the way I put that atty connection back together. If the positive and negative components of the atomizer connection were to touch could it result in a *boom*???

 

[Sci]

Nice job on this one! Clean.
When you take out the center post, notice which way the rubber ring was in there. When you put it back together, you want to put that back in first. Take a drop of e-juice & dampen the ring. Work it back in, then put a drop on the center post & work it back in. The juice makes things slip in place a lot easier. Just make sure it's dry before you vape with it.

Personally, I do like 5cardstud does. I solder it with the connector fully assembled.

 

[BubbleBobble]

^ Thanks for the advice, as I have 2 more connections with the ring out of place. From now on I won't be taking them out to do my soldering.

Do you know if the center piece (pos) of the atty connection and the outside piece (neg) make contact if that could result in battery failure/explosion. That's the only thing that has me concerned. Thanks for any help.

 

[Connman]

Nice mod job. Sorry to hear of the trouble from that center pin and rubber bushing. I`m lucky they never give me trouble but practice makes perfect I suppose. I put them back together as easy as they come out darn near now.
Anyhow even with the wasted soldering iron tip and switch if you add up the cost and it`s still under 23 dollars you saved money and even better have the knowledge to make more and fix your own. For this you did very good.

Personally myself I wouldn`t want a battery shorting out. It should shut down due to the protection circuit but what if? That`s the part that gets me.

You could maybe get some ideas in this thread if you can still get to it for a possible fix.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-mods/92236-rubber-atty-battery-connector-going-loose-epoxy-fix.html

I edited to add. You should notice this as a short though due to it will only happen when you are hitting the switch so you actually should notice just don`t keep hitting the switch and you should do ok.

 

[CloudBurst]

Welcome to modding, nice job!

 

[BubbleBobble]

Thanks for the responses. While I was constructing my mod, the center pin was loose and wiggly once in place; so I got the center pin where I wanted it and filled the bottom half of the atty/battery connector with epoxy to keep the center pin from moving or being pushed down by the atty.

Connman, so basically if the center post contacts the outside (-) the device will short? And that will only result in no vapor? If thats the case I feel a lot better about the whole situation, because the whole unit is so close to my face when in use. And after reading this and seeing the pictures I've been very wary of batteries, esp unprotected. But that seemed to have been an extreme case, and cause by unprotected batts being stacked. So, as long as there is no chance of that happening to mine, I'm not worried.

 

[Connman]

See this is a rather tricky area actually. How much do you trust the battery protection circuit. It should work but what if. I do however think that if the battery center is pretty much solid it should be good and you would notice the short as you more then likely would get no vape off it. Just be sure to keep an eye on it and you should be fine. Don`t overly tighten your atomizer either. Don`t forget this is just my

 

[duby]

grats on your first mod