New/green and could use some suggestions on mech mods, please...

[INFRNL]

I am new to vaping and I am trying to learn what I can from this forum. I believe I am pretty set on starting out with a mech mod. Here are some reasons why. I am open to any suggestions. Thanks

I have been smoking nearly 30 yrs, 2 packs a day. This past yr I am smoking 2-3 packs/day. I was drawn to vaping because of my cousin. For the past 2 weeks I have been looking into where to start. I am pretty dead set on a mech mod and here are a few reasons why:

I need something very durable because I work construction (directional drilling, heavy equip, etc.)

It needs to be able to withstand harsh environment abuse.

I want to use individual replaceable batteries (18350, 500, 650, etc) I need good battery life

I want the ability for future expansion

I do not want to start at entry level and do not believe the ego style units will withstand the abuse they might encounter.

I do not think I need to currently mess with anything digital. Just something straight forward.

I am very mechanically inclined and a quick learner. I can do just about anything I set my mind to, so it will be a fairly easy adventure starting off with a mod.



I am not familiar with whats available and I seem to be drawn to the classier high end mods. Here are a few that I have been researching:

Super T ELA
Nemesis
Poldiac
GP

I am typically partial to Quality USA products, but I also know quality can be found in other countries. I am not a big fan of MIC products as they are usually crap. I am open to suggestions and can provide more info if needed. I appreciate anything you guys/gal care to share. Thanks again.

EDIT: I will also probably start off with a couple different sized mods to cover my grounds. I know the mods I listed will take time to aquire, so I will most likely choose one to oreder but will need something I can also pick up right away.

 

[ECURiley]

the ones you descripted are very strudy, the nemesis is what I call a pretty mod, I wouldn't take it to a construction site. You may want to look a VTR its not a mech mod, its a Variable Voltage/Variable Wattage Mod that is extremely strong and durable. You get to use individual batteries with this device and are able to use numerous atomizers with this. It is something to look into. Check out Fasttech.com for this device and look at the reviews on youtube like pbusardo, grimmgreen, or riptrippers.

 

[Steam Turbine]

First of all.. Welcome to ECF!!!

Secondly:

I seem to be drawn to the classier high end mods. Here are a few that I have been researching:

Super T ELA
Nemesis
Poldiac
GP

I would not bring these on a construction site.... Dropping a 200$+ device on concrete would break my heart.

I do not think I need to currently mess with anything digital. Just something straight forward.
I want the ability for future expansion

Mechs are not straightforward, they require more knowledge and more tinkering... Variable voltages\wattage devices are more straightforward and allows for future expansion as well.

 

[INFRNL]

the ones you descripted are very strudy, the nemesis is what I call a pretty mod, I wouldn't take it to a construction site. You may want to look a VTR its not a mech mod, its a Variable Voltage/Variable Wattage Mod that is extremely strong and durable. You get to use individual batteries with this device and are able to use numerous atomizers with this. It is something to look into. Check out Fasttech.com for this device and look at the reviews on youtube like pbusardo, grimmgreen, or riptrippers.

Thanks, I will look into it. How long does it usually take to recieve items from fasttech? I have heard good and bad about them.

Also, this may sound crazy but I am not too worried about scuffing up a nice looking item. I typically buy items that appeal to me with the intent to use it. I have $200 spyderco/benchmade knives that I use on a regular basis at work. These items are to use, but I do understand your point of view and take that into consideration.

Maybe for work, I need something with a brushed finish that I can clean up with steel wool, etc.

Thanks again and will look into your suggestion.

 

[Steam Turbine]

what you could do however is to get a mech like the magneto and buy a kick, this will give you the ruggedness of a mech with the convenience of variable power.

 

[INFRNL]

what you could do however is to get a mech like the magneto and buy a kick, this will give you the ruggedness of a mech with the convenience of variable power.

I did not want to double post to reply to your op.
I am typically working in the dirt, and I am very care about not dropping items on hard surfaces. My cell phones cost me around $700 ea and I do not drop them. I would take the same care with an expensive mod but I do understand your guy's point.

I actually almost bought a Magneto yesterday, kind of glad i didn't. my local store wanted $70 and they can be had for $50 or less. I saw a review on it and the review was not so good. I do not know if my local store had something wrong with the unit I tried, but it had a hard time firing. Also you have to be careful what tank you use otherwise its too hard to draw off of It, I found out. Also the design allows juice to leak out of the top vents. Otherwise I really liked it.

I think I worded the straight forward part wrong in my op. I think I meant, that I do not want to currently mess with displays, vv, vw, etc. Hope that makes more sense. I do realize and understand that mechs can be/are more complicated.

 

[elfy]

Innokin iTaste MVP V2.0 - 101 Vape

its 40 bucks. thats four tens. start there if you want something 'fancy'

get decent pyrex tanks for it, learn how to make your own coils for em (and good wicks, wick material is up to you: cotton, silica, hemp fiber).

then get nice juices.

vape.

 

[INFRNL]

Innokin iTaste MVP V2.0 - 101 Vape

its 40 bucks. thats four tens. start there if you want something 'fancy'

get decent pyrex tanks for it, learn how to make your own coils for em (and good wicks, wick material is up to you: cotton, silica, hemp fiber).

then get nice juices.

vape.

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion but I am not a big fan of that style. At least not at this current moment

 

[Steam Turbine]

I did not want to double post to reply to your op.
I am typically working in the dirt, and I am very care about not dropping items on hard surfaces. My cell phones cost me around $700 ea and I do not drop them. I would take the same care with an expensive mod but I do understand your guy's point.

I actually almost bought a Magneto yesterday, kind of glad i didn't. my local store wanted $70 and they can be had for $50 or less. I saw a review on it and the review was not so good. I do not know if my local store had something wrong with the unit I tried, but it had a hard time firing. Also you have to be careful what tank you use otherwise its too hard to draw off of It, I found out. Also the design allows juice to leak out of the top vents. Otherwise I really liked it.

I think I worded the straight forward part wrong in my op. I think I meant, that I do not want to currently mess with displays, vv, vw, etc. Hope that makes more sense. I do realize and understand that mechs can be/are more complicated.

Ok! I think there is no way of convincing you to buy a vv device. So here is my

Mechs are good when used with low to sub ohm RBA's. They suck at running regular cartotanks, cartomizers, clearo etc...

This is where things can get dangerous if you don't know your stuff.

If you wanna follow through on the rba+mech path, I strongly suggest you to read Baditude's blog about the subject.

And then read about battery safety.

And then... read more about battery safety

You need to know what kind of battery to use, how to use ohm's law and it's relationship with battery safety (Amp limitation of batteries).

And then I will tell you to get anyone of the mech you listed (they are all kick ...) and then I will recommend buying a Kayfun Lite.

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

I concur on reading up on battery safety. That should be a priority if you're going to get into mech mods.

As a general rule of thumb, mech mods do tend to work best with low and sub-ohm builds, so if you're not yet into building your own coils and doing your own wicks, you may be better off with a variable voltage device that doesn't thrive on such builds.

Most VV/VW devices all you to run 1.2-1.3+ ohms and you won't be able to run anything below that (most, not all). The advantage is that you can adjust the voltage or wattage to your vaping style, which may or may not be what a mech can offer. The other advantage here is that a VV/VW style mod is going to allow you to be a little more consistent with vape quality. A mech mod starts strong and goes weak. A VV/VW mod will regulate the power from the battery to continually deliver a pretty consistent supply of power and vape quality.

If you're dead-set on a mech and refuse to go the VV/VW route due to digital display or other inner workings, the Nemesis Clone by HCigar is a good choice and I can vouch for it. The only semi-weak point on the mod is the locking ring. It's thin and if you drop it a ton you may dent it up and it may not lock properly. That aside, it's a pretty sturdy clone and it'll give you a chance to get into mechs without investing the $200+ a real Nemesis costs.

In terms of quality, the HCigar Nemesis Clone is great. The button is a little crunchy at first, but a little thread lube and your set. Mine now has a simply throw and works like a champ. No issues at all.


If you are going to get into low and sub-ohm builds with a mech, personally I'd recommend the following batteries:

Sony 18650VTC4 2000MAH 30AMP Battery - Eciggity

They're Sony 30 amp batteries with 2000 mah rating. I've rocked .5 ohm single coils on there without any issues and do so in my RSST Genny Tank. You can go lower on these specific batteries, if you really wanted to go with a .3 ohm coil, but I've not seen a *huge* or variable difference in vape quality between the two (that's me personally - others may beg to differ). The lowest I run is .5 ohms when I build coils - they give me more than enough vapor, excellent throat hit and flavor is off the charts.


If you want an awesome tank, the Kayfun 3.1 or Kayfun Lite are excellent choices. The build deck is simple and easy to use and the flavor from the tank system is awesome. EHPro makes Kayfun Clones so you can step into the water there without dropping $90-$100+ on the real thing as well.


That's just a jump-start. But again, just to reiterate, I fully agree with Steam Turbine. Battery Safety is a priority. Even though the above batteries work, are safe and I recommend them, I still recommend reading up on safety to get a full grasp on all aspects and to use the calculator below to work with ohms law.

Ohm's Law Calculator

 

[INFRNL]

Ok! I think there is no way of convincing you to buy a vv device. So here is my

Mechs are good when used with low to sub ohm RBA's. They suck at running regular cartotanks, cartomizers, clearo etc...

This is where things can get dangerous if you don't know your stuff.

If you wanna follow through on the rba+mech path, I strongly suggest you to read Baditude's blog about the subject.

And then read about battery safety.

And then... read more about battery safety

You need to know what kind of battery to use, how to use ohm's law and it's relationship with battery safety (Amp limitation of batteries).

And then I will tell you to get anyone of the mech you listed (they are all kick ...) and then I will recommend buying a Kayfun Lite.

I am not totally against the vv/vw units, but at this current moment; I think I am stuck on a mech mod. If you knew me better, you would know why I am the way I am.

The info you provided about regular cartotanks, cartos, etc, make sense. So I will need to look into an RBA as well.


I think my local store is way overpriced. I just looked up an itaste svd and my store is a good 30-40 more than others.
I guess I will continue the way I have been on mech mods.

I know about batteries but I will look at the links you provided.

Now, I think I need to figure something out that I can get right away to hold me over till I figure out exactly what I want in a mech.

I appreciate your time and info you have provided.

 

[INFRNL]

I concur on reading up on battery safety. That should be a priority if you're going to get into mech mods.

As a general rule of thumb, mech mods do tend to work best with low and sub-ohm builds, so if you're not yet into building your own coils and doing your own wicks, you may be better off with a variable voltage device that doesn't thrive on such builds.

Most VV/VW devices all you to run 1.2-1.3+ ohms and you won't be able to run anything below that (most, not all). The advantage is that you can adjust the voltage or wattage to your vaping style, which may or may not be what a mech can offer. The other advantage here is that a VV/VW style mod is going to allow you to be a little more consistent with vape quality. A mech mod starts strong and goes weak. A VV/VW mod will regulate the power from the battery to continually deliver a pretty consistent supply of power and vape quality.

If you're dead-set on a mech and refuse to go the VV/VW route due to digital display or other inner workings, the Nemesis Clone by HCigar is a good choice and I can vouch for it. The only semi-weak point on the mod is the locking ring. It's thin and if you drop it a ton you may dent it up and it may not lock properly. That aside, it's a pretty sturdy clone and it'll give you a chance to get into mechs without investing the $200+ a real Nemesis costs.

In terms of quality, the HCigar Nemesis Clone is great. The button is a little crunchy at first, but a little thread lube and your set. Mine now has a simply throw and works like a champ. No issues at all.


If you are going to get into low and sub-ohm builds with a mech, personally I'd recommend the following batteries:

Sony 18650VTC4 2000MAH 30AMP Battery - Eciggity

They're Sony 30 amp batteries with 2000 mah rating. I've rocked .5 ohm single coils on there without any issues and do so in my RSST Genny Tank. You can go lower on these specific batteries, if you really wanted to go with a .3 ohm coil, but I've not seen a *huge* or variable difference in vape quality between the two (that's me personally - others may beg to differ). The lowest I run is .5 ohms when I build coils - they give me more than enough vapor, excellent throat hit and flavor is off the charts.


If you want an awesome tank, the Kayfun 3.1 or Kayfun Lite are excellent choices. The build deck is simple and easy to use and the flavor from the tank system is awesome. EHPro makes Kayfun Clones so you can step into the water there without dropping $90-$100+ on the real thing as well.


That's just a jump-start. But again, just to reiterate, I fully agree with Steam Turbine. Battery Safety is a priority. Even though the above batteries work, are safe and I recommend them, I still recommend reading up on safety to get a full grasp on all aspects and to use the calculator below to work with ohms law.

Ohm's Law Calculator

Thank you, I appreciate the additional info. Looks like I have some homework to do.

as far as the Nemesis clone, I actually looked into it. If I went with a nemesis, I am torn between the hcigar and FT. I have heard good/bad about both, or one is better than the other for ea.

I just might have to go with a vv/vw unit for the time being until I get the mech mod situation worked out.

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

I have the Nemesis by HCigar and I have only good things to say about it in terms of it doing it's job and delivering a quality vape. Yes the button is crunchy, but lube fixes that. The kick ring was a bit difficult to get off at first (most clones aren't pristine clean, so there's some machining residue), but a quick shot of penetrating lubricant and it came off. Wiped that off and put some thread lube on there and it's now good to go.

Some complain about the springs and suggest a magnet upgrade for the fire button, but my springs stand strong and I can sit it upright and it doesn't fire. I only lock it when it goes in my pocket. That said, springs will wear down over time, but it's standing strong right now and I tend to vape heavy through the day.

The only other small issue is that the nemesis has a small, what appears to be, 2-3mm pin that goes into the button. If you remove the contact screw from the base and aren't careful, you may spring that little pin out and lose it. A replacement is about $8 from VapeRev and it's pure silver (which is probably why it's that much).


This is what it looks like:

Nemesis Replacement Pin


Is it perfect? No, but for $40ish, it's pretty sturdy and I'm not concerned about dropping it. I'd be more worried about the tank attached taking a hit over the body of the mod.


As for FastTech, shipping times vary. Some report 2-3 weeks, some 4-6 weeks or more. If you can wait, you're going to get a better deal but if you want/need something soon, you're most likely going to pay $20-$30 more for it depending on the mod.

The SVD is an excellent sturdy mod and before I went with the Nemesis, that's all I really used. It'll run 1.3 ohm up to 3.0 ohm coils w/o any issues. It'll also help you check the ohms of coils your build just in case you don't want to buy a meter or a meter box just for checking ohms. It'll read anything, but it won't fire everything, so low-ohm builds are a no-go with it.

Thank you, I appreciate the additional info. Looks like I have some homework to do.

as far as the Nemesis clone, I actually looked into it. If I went with a nemesis, I am torn between the hcigar and FT. I have heard good/bad about both, or one is better than the other for ea.

I just might have to go with a vv/vw unit for the time being until I get the mech mod situation worked out.

 

[Steam Turbine]

You will not regret a vv mod....

And if you want to get into rebuilding... I strongly advise doing so on a Variable/regulated/protected device. When you get the hang of it, move on to mechs.

 

[Sigmus9]

I think you may want to get the iTaste 134 or the Smoktech Bolt or the Stinger with a Kick and go to ibtanked and get a full tank setup. maybe 2. You can still get a mech mod with a dripper or a genesis style tank or a kayfun but those require a lot of tinkering and are not at all pocket friendly, almost all drippers and genis have to remain upright at all times or they WILL leak. accept for the kayfun, I hear I doesn't leak as easily.

I at first was was going to make the jump from eGos to a mechanical mod until I did my homework, yes mech mods and sub ohming with drippers will give you the best clouds and flavor but they are like having flashlights in your pocket that will leak your expensive juice out if they get laid on their side for more and a couple seconds. the iTaste 134 is a vv mod but is simple and has no screens on it but is a full sized mod for sure, the Bolt and Stinger are simpler designs but the Stinger can take a kick which will give you more flexablility. They will all do the job, will have a ton of power and battery life

 

[Steam Turbine]

the iTaste 134 is a vv mod but is simple and has no screens on it. I has a ton of power and battery life but is a full sized mod for sure.

Full Size is an understatement. HAHA

 

[KcKing913]

Do not buy clones from fast tech. They take like a month to come in and they are piece of crap. I would rather drop $200 dollars on mod that isn't mass produce and it will be worth a lot later as a collectible. Come on guys if you're going to quit smoking make it a life style. Spending an extra buck and that buck goes a long way. Now if you can afford those high end mods they have other mods that is pretty well built for a very resonable price.

 

[Sigmus9]

Ha! I was quoted just before finishing fixing some missed spelling errors

 

[Jonathan Tittle]

The biggest issue with Genesis style is the caps. They're not too pocket friendly. If you use cotton or something super-absorbent, leaking isn't as much an issue. I've laid my RSST down sideways and never had it leak on me, but pop it in my pocket and the cap can wobble and potentially pop off. Not a huge deal as long as you have a mod locked, but you may get your pants wet from the juice if it happens.

That said, the Kayfun doesn't leak if you fill it correctly. That's a task in itself, but overall, great tank setup and it delivers; even the clones do well and are nearly 1:1 barring minor differences (like screw height).

The 134 is huge and it's not really pocket friendly at all (nor is the BS Stinger), which is why I recommended the SVD, even though it has a screen. You can bring it down in size, though you can do that with any telescoping mod. I tried putting the 134 in my pocket and I can only imagine how raw my leg or back-end would be if it were in my pocket most of the time. The BS Stingers battery size is a 26650, it's massive.

I think you may want to get the iTaste 134 or the Smoktech Bolt or the Stinger with a Kick and go to ibtanked and get a full tank setup. maybe 2. You can still get a mech mod with a dripper or a genesis style tank or a kayfun but those require a lot of tinkering and are not at all pocket friendly, almost all drippers and genis have to remain upright at all times or they WILL leak. accept for the kayfun, I hear I doesn't leak as easily.

I at first was was going to make the jump from eGos to a mechanical mod until I did my homework, yes mech mods and sub ohming with drippers will give you the best clouds and flavor but they are like having flashlights in your pocket that will leak your expensive juice out if they get laid on their side for more and a couple seconds. the iTaste 134 is a vv mod but is simple and has no screens on it, the Bolt and Stinger are simpler designs but the Stinger can take a kick which will give you more flexablility. They will all do the job, will have a ton of power and battery life

 

[elfy]

I still suggest the MVP, it will get you what you want, which is vaping. You dont need to drive yourself crazy with all the nitpicky details - you can really plug and play.

Later you can decide what Mod to get (and you sound handy) or make your own.


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