My latest mod, inspired by all of you.

[nicowolf]

I thought your answer was better, lol
And I was reminded that it's best to solder each part first by your post yesterday

Just a thought - how about you write a 'How to Solder' post as a new thread and get it sticky'd.

Mentioning lead-free solder, best tip to use, etc. Would be very useful.

Perhaps a few pics too

YEAH! We need some good, very basic stickied threads. A soldering basics, a battery mods basics, a wiring basics, etc. Each one with its own safety precautions. We also need a collaborative thread of modding tips and tricks.

 

[Shadowdr]

YEAH! We need some good, very basic stickied threads. A soldering basics, a battery mods basics, a wiring basics, etc. Each one with its own safety precautions. We also need a collaborative thread of modding tips and tricks.

Hmmm, is there any metal that solder won't stick to?

 

[nicowolf]

You know, after looking at all the hype on all these new products some of these companies are trying to sell and all the mods available, I still take my hat off to NicoWolf and the NicoStick. Using a protected battery and an on/off switch. One of the few out there that is doing this. There is so much hype and smoke and mirrors people are listening to or turning their heads away from because of the hype of these other things. It's actually pathetic in my opinion. Safety should be our first concern with anything out there. Sure there are some neat gadgets, but I for one am not going to buy one with unprotected batteries or an on/off or safety feature to it. Forget it.

We tend to be just a hair ahead of the manufacturers. We can implement our ideas fairly quickly. They have to research, do a cost/benefit analysis, run through some prototypes, do beta testing, create some hype, stir up some controversy, make molds for the new proprietary parts, then actually come out with the new model. We just get the idea, research it, source parts, stick it together, and share it with the world. We clean up the design later, beta test it ourselves while we are sharing it, and try to side step the controversy. Our way is much faster but not cost efficient and not profitable.

 

[nicowolf]

Hmmm, is there any metal that solder won't stick to?

Aluminum, not really a metal but looks like one and conducts like one.

Is your problem trying to solder to the outer ring on the DC Jack? I ran into that problem, that's why I soldered to the threads. When applying globs of solder to make the bridge that Apostle51 did, I had no trouble at all though.

 

[Shadowdr]

Aluminum, not really a metal but looks like one and conducts like one.

That figures, I think that is what I used for a center pole on the connector, I can tell it conducts from using my meter but I can not get solder to do anything but roll off it.

 

[kinabaloo]

Aluminum, not really a metal but looks like one and conducts like one.

I believe it is a metal But it cannot be soldered - that's certainly true.

Any large piece of metal is difficult to solder because the heat dissipitates fast.

Removing any grease and sanding the surface helps.

 

[nicowolf]

That figures, I think that is what I used for a center pole on the connector, I can tell it conducts from using my meter but I can not get solder to do anything but roll off it.

An easy test is to use a magnet. If the magnet is attracted to it, it is not aluminum.

 

[nicowolf]

That figures, I think that is what I used for a center pole on the connector, I can tell it conducts from using my meter but I can not get solder to do anything but roll off it.

Aluminum is not magnetic whereas other metals we use are. You can try to see if a magnet is attracted to it.

Also, you can make that connection physically if need be. Wrap your wire around the bottom of the center post several times, then insulate it, then assemble your connector.

 

[TnA]

Hmmm, is there any metal that solder won't stick to?

TEFLON!!! (actually....I suppose teflon doesn't really fall into that category, eh?? )

 

[nicowolf]

TEFLON!!! (actually....I suppose teflon doesn't really fall into that category, eh?? )

LOL Good one. I like that.

 

[kinabaloo]

you can make that connection physically if need be. Wrap your wire around the bottom of the center post several times, then insulate it, then assemble your connector.

You can solder the wire after it is wrapped on tightly to help hold it in place. Then insulate it.

 

[TnA]

Shadowdr, my assumption is that you are not using a Size N switch for your atomizer connection. So, out of curiousity, what are you using and where did you get whatever it is you are trying to use for a center pin?

 

[LuckySevens4U]

We tend to be just a hair ahead of the manufacturers. We can implement our ideas fairly quickly. They have to research, do a cost/benefit analysis, run through some prototypes, do beta testing, create some hype, stir up some controversy, make molds for the new proprietary parts, then actually come out with the new model. We just get the idea, research it, source parts, stick it together, and share it with the world. We clean up the design later, beta test it ourselves while we are sharing it, and try to side step the controversy. Our way is much faster but not cost efficient and not profitable.

True, and I understand that to a point.....these guys know that buttons can get pushed in pockets and handbags and they cannot be oblivious to unprotected batteries. All they do is hype these people out and hype their stuff out, but do any of them realize the legal liability if someone gets seriously injured from an exploding battery or gets burned on their skin from an atty getting all hot in their pockets? One company here that is hyping out their new stick is using UNPROTECTED batteries and tells me that if we were to ever use a PROTECTED battery basically, that the warranty would be voided. WOW what a concept. Now, why couldn't they have made their stick with a different battery that were made protected? Nico just did. That doesn't cost any more. No, they chose to use unprotected batteries so if protected ones come out in that model someday your warranty is voided. Unreal. Sorry to talk about this in your thread, but to me it is still on the subject matter because you guys are making mods and safety is a topic here. Otherwise I'll shut up. lol

 

[nicowolf]

True, and I understand that to a point.....these guys know that buttons can get pushed in pockets and handbags and they cannot be oblivious to unprotected batteries. All they do is hype these people out and hype their stuff out, but do any of them realize the legal liability if someone gets seriously injured from an exploding battery or gets burned on their skin from an atty getting all hot in their pockets? One company here that is hyping out their new stick is using UNPROTECTED batteries and tells me that if we were to ever use a PROTECTED battery basically, that the warranty would be voided. WOW what a concept. Now, why couldn't they have made their stick with a different battery that were made protected? Nico just did. That doesn't cost any more. No, they chose to use unprotected batteries so if protected ones come out in that model someday your warranty is voided. Unreal. Sorry to talk about this in your thread, but to me it is still on the subject matter because you guys are making mods and safety is a topic here. Otherwise I'll shut up. lol

They have invested an astronomical amount of money in bringing this to market. Plastci molds do not come cheap and do not change easily. In order for them to use a protected battery at this point would require a whole new mold because the protected cells are too big to fit in that body. To add a kill switch would also require that a new hole be added to the mold - adjusting the mold like that costs a chunk of change too. Now that they have made this investment, they must hype the hell out of it and sell it like their life depends upon it in order to make any profit out of it. They must shut you up before you create a panic amongst their customers. What they will probably do is create another model set to come out a year from now incorporating all the things you just asked them for. These things do not happen quickly in the retail world. We are not normally so close to the development process. Just hang out and wait. You will get a mass produced PV that has a kill switch and a protected battery, it just won't be this year. There are two more models that must be hyped and hocked this year.

 

[LuckySevens4U]

They have invested an astronomical amount of money in bringing this to market. Plastci molds do not come cheap and do not change easily. In order for them to use a protected battery at this point would require a whole new mold because the protected cells are too big to fit in that body. To add a kill switch would also require that a new hole be added to the mold - adjusting the mold like that costs a chunk of change too. Now that they have made this investment, they must hype the hell out of it and sell it like their life depends upon it in order to make any profit out of it. They must shut you up before you create a panic amongst their customers. What they will probably do is create another model set to come out a year from now incorporating all the things you just asked them for. These things do not happen quickly in the retail world. We are not normally so close to the development process. Just hang out and wait. You will get a mass produced PV that has a kill switch and a protected battery, it just won't be this year. There are two more models that must be hyped and hocked this year.

Yup, interesting, I always get poo poo'd at for asking legitimate things that many know I'm right in asking, but some want to either hide their heads in the sand or are cheerleaders and others that are profiting from it want to shut me up. Just like the addiction crap juice. The stick man started getting angry and defensive to me in a PM. I wonder why? Legitimate concerns vs. profits? ok. lol Yes, and you are right, then the next best thing that will come out they will be advertising protected batteries, safety features!! wooo hooo, but some of us are the bad guys for speaking up. Whatever. Rock on modders with the great job you are all doing with safety!!! You are leading the way!

 

[kinabaloo]

Yup, interesting, I always get poo poo'd at for asking legitimate things that many know I'm right in asking, but some want to either hide their heads in the sand or are cheerleaders and others that are profiting from it want to shut me up. Just like the addiction crap juice. The stick man started getting angry and defensive to me in a PM. I wonder why? Legitimate concerns vs. profits? ok. lol Yes, and you are right, then the next best thing that will come out they will be advertising protected batteries, safety features!! wooo hooo, but some of us are the bad guys for speaking up. Whatever. Rock on modders with the great job you are all doing with safety!!! You are leading the way!

You make a fair point though. Why, before investing all that money on the production line, were these issues not thought of? Thay are fairly obvious. To save a few pennies might well be the reason - not good considering the retail price. And it might be a shooting in foot.

ps: i don't know what model you have in mind; I am just making some general points based on the posts on this page. I'm really surprised there is an e-cig out there with an unprotected battery.

 

[LuckySevens4U]

You make a fair point though. Why, before investing all that money on the production line, were these issues not thought of? Thay are fairly obvious. To save a few pennies might well be the reason - not good considering the retail price. And it might be a shooting in foot.

Don't know. They wouldn't have been anymore expensive to do from the start. Makes no sense why they wouldn't want it to be the safest and best possible. A safety switch doesn't cost hardly any more money and designing with a protected battery with higher mAhs in mind in the first place would have just made a win/win. Some of these companies could end up with liability issues if something happens to someone. If I hear one more time with some of these mods when I bring up the safety feature to just unscrew the atty I'm gonna scream. lol Every time I bring this up to any of the new things out there, the GG, the SD, the Prodigy, they all just dance around it with unscrew the atty or noooooo the button never goes off no worries.

 

[nicowolf]

You make a fair point though. Why, before investing all that money on the production line, were these issues not thought of? Thay are fairly obvious. To save a few pennies might well be the reason - not good considering the retail price. And it might be a shooting in foot.

I never thought of a protected battery with the original NicoStick. I just listened when someone suggested using the protected battery. I could only change it so easily because I had so little invested - it helps that the person who suggested it also sent me the box and a sample of the battery. That meant it was important to them and would probably be important to others as well. Oversights are possible even with the big guys.

 

[kinabaloo]

Don't know. They wouldn't have been anymore expensive to do from the start. Makes no sense why they wouldn't want it to be the safest and best possible. A safety switch doesn't cost hardly any more money and designing with a protected battery with higher mAhs in mind in the first place would have just made a win/win. Some of these companies could end up with liability issues if something happens to someone. If I hear one more time with some of these mods when I bring up the safety feature to just unscrew the atty I'm gonna scream. lol Every time I bring this up to any of the new things out there, the GG, the SD, the Prodigy, they all just dance around it with unscrew the atty or noooooo the button never goes off no worries.

I think its misguided thinking but 'keeping costs down' always gets a big shout in product development decisions. Features are often thrown out to literally save pennies per item. Crazy huh.

 

[kinabaloo]

I never thought of a protected battery with the original NicoStick. I just listened when someone suggested using the protected battery. I could only change it so easily because I had so little invested - it helps that the person who suggested it also sent me the box and a sample of the battery. That meant it was important to them and would probably be important to others as well. Oversights are possible even with the big guys.

Indeed, but not when this is your industry, and youre about to spend a fortune getting the thing to market. A quick glance at a battery website to see what's available and one will see there's 2 types.

It would be as though you put the original NicoStick into production before barely getting an opinion on it!