Natural sponge as cart filler.

[sunnyday]

After experimenting with many combinations of Fluval, Quilt batting, felt, I think I may have hit the muthaload of cartridge filler. I can't believe a search for "sponge" turned up nothing on the forum but apparently nobody has thought of it. I bought a small, netted bag of all Natural sponge from Lowes, ($4.74) took a chunk and soaked it 30 seconds in hot water. Stiff as cardboard until you soften it up. Squeezed it out, blotted the excess H2o, cut off a piece and crammed it loosely into a cart (DSE-901). Cut a piece large enough to fill every nook and cranny of the cart. WOW, took 12 drops, started to “puddle” and yet no mouth full of liquid, tons of vapor.
Important to NOT pack it so tight it has no room for absorption.
Still analyzing, traveling the day with 8 X 901 units on the passenger seat, assorted flavors.
Looking for signs of sponge taste … nothing. Doesn’t “strand” and thread out like Fluval or batting.
Looking for duration before it breaks down and loses its retention value.
Will keep you posted.
Anybody else ever experimented with sponge?

 

[crashtestjeep]

no but keep me informed....may be the greatest find yet....

 

[Lightgeoduck]

sounds promising... let us know how it goes

 

[CatVTTV]

What a brilliant idea....and you are right, why has no one thought of it before now...

 

[doots]

I use Sham Wows. Works good too..

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

Sunny -- Many have tried it. It just doesn't let go of the liquid well enough to keep an atomizer wet. Also they give an odd hay like flavor to liquid after a while.

For small cartridges like a 510 or 901, the stiffer Lipton Tea Bags in the Pyramid (PTB) shape work wonderfully (it is a woven gossamer organza material, PET plastic).

For larger cartridges (801 and 302 penstyles) the poly batting is still the best thing to use.

 

[doots]

I have tried all methods suggested and the best yet is cotton cigareete toobs.

good ole cotton..

yes,
the same as in cigarette filters,

no known problems as described above. IMO.

 

[sunnyday]

Sunny -- Many have tried it. It just doesn't let go of the liquid well enough to keep an atomizer wet. Also they give an odd hay like flavor to liquid after a while.

For small cartridges like a 510 or 901, the stiffer Lipton Tea Bags in the Pyramid (PTB) shape work wonderfully (it is a woven gossamer organza material, PET plastic).

For larger cartridges (801 and 302 penstyles) the poly batting is still the best thing to use.

Well Hell, thanks. Wonder why I couldn't find a referrance on the forum.
After 2 days I'm seeing them begin to shrink, I'll observe how long till unusable. Haven't had any "hay" taste as yet ... probably if it dries out completely. I'll let ya'll know. Thanks.

 

[Lightgeoduck]

Well Hell, thanks. Wonder why I couldn't find a referrance on the forum.
After 2 days I'm seeing them begin to shrink, I'll observe how long till unusable. Haven't had any "hay" taste as yet ... probably if it dries out completely. I'll let ya'll know. Thanks.

Thanks for the update... keep us posted I don't want to use my wifes sponge in vain... I mean we already have 2 kids don't need more

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

LOL Duck... gah!!!

I remember the determining factor now. I did some research on line, and found some info on toxicity with sponges. They carry bacteria, and just were even listed as dangerous by the FDA (ok, yah... those a-holes what do they know really...). The info. was based on sea sponge when used as a menstrual sponge (have all men just exited this thread? LOL) but the info. is valid when using with an inhalant I think: "The FDA banned menstrual sponges in 1981 after a University of Iowa study reported that sand, chemical pollutants, bacteria, and fungi were found in natural sponges. ``Since sponges are a natural, organic product, the levels of these substances can not be controlled or regulated,'' they explain.
I ended the experiment with better safe than sorry.

I even tried the some natural loofah sponge (from a gourd). Ewwww man. Thought it was going to work, and after it finally started to hold/release the liquid the taste was pretty 'natural' and nasty. I put the rest of it it in the shower to use instead. Figured it was worth a shot... didn't post my results since it was a failure.

Big thing is to find something that allows a slow release of at least 80% of the liquid. I wasted a bit of liquid on experiments. I still have some ShamWow kind of stuff sitting here. Until I do some material research, I'm not shoving it in a cart. I had some BuffPuff and it had a polyer binding agent in it (not using that either, so into the drawer for cosmetic use it went). It is important to know what it is you are putting in your cartridges.

The PTB releases 90% of the liquid you put in the cart, can be reused a zillion times, doesn't keep in flavors and is a quick rinse and replace. So far it is my favorite for a 510. Haven't come up with anything else that works for the 801 and I've been looking for about 6 months!!

Let us know how you manage if you decide to continue to use them.

 

[Lightgeoduck]

OH Hellen, you went back to the OP,, I thought you were helping me out with my personal issue I was scared for a moment(natural loofah AGH!).....

But that is cool info to store in the back burner... because we are to assume the sponge idea will surface again... and need to know where to reference for an accurate reply

Thanks

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

Duck, this guy used his wife's sponge as cart filling.

 

[Tecratk]

Hellen, have you tried the brass pipe screens as cart filler? Is there a reason they aren't used?

 

[jerrydon10]

Hellen, have you tried the brass pipe screens as cart filler? Is there a reason they aren't used?

There is for me. I had to soak the atty in alcohol overnight to get that awful metallic taste out.

I've tried the natural sponge too. It didn't work near as well as the straw mod for me.