new member intro from Texas

[kkay59]

Okay so I am going to knock the first post out. I am a 54 year old woman. I quit smoking analogs a week ago. I decided that I was going to have to learn about vaping. So I just went to a tobacco shop that had starter kits. They talked to me a little about it. They told me about a vaping store here. I didn't even realize we had one. If I had known that, I would have gone there first. Anyway, all of this vaping stuff is not that easy to learn on your own. There is so much information it is incredible. None of my friends vape, or I'd get help from them. So I have been reading on the internet about it. I found this site, and some stuff on You Tube etc... The info and helpfulness here really drew me in. So I signed up. I have been doing a lot of reading about it. I don't have the money to get crazy with it. But I want some gear that will serve me well for the long run.

I told my daughter who is 23 that I started vaping. She freaked out...LOLLLLLLLL. (my son is in the Army, I haven't told him yet) Oh well, she is happy I quit the regular analog cigarettes. I didn't want to, but decided I'd better. So far I am enjoying vaping more than I thought. I will like it better once I have some nicer equipment, and better juice. The juice I have is "okay", but not really exciting. I did try Five Pawns in the Absolute Pin. I really liked that one. But I'd already spent a fortune on this stuff. Maybe next month I will take the plunge and buy that one.

 

[Susan~S]

Hello and welcome to the forum kkay. Glad to have you here!

 

[ElConquistador]

Congrats on the one week milestone! My story is exactly the same as yours. I started out over a year and a half ago with a starter kit from a local shop, with no idea what I was doing, joined here and started learning. Just keep reading and you'll learn exactly where to go from here.

 

[Steelgirl]

Welcome! I'm in Houston! I was in your shoes a little over a year ago. Read every thing you can on ECF. It's a wealth of info! And YouTube like you said is super helpful. A good mod like Vision Twist or similar is great set up. You will find many eliquid trails and tribulations, so just be prepared. Myself, I like a wide variety so I started making my own. Congrats on your new life!

 

[kkay59]

I didn't know there were vaping forums. I bought an automatic cigarette almost a year ago. Let's just say it didn't excite me. I bought it for an emergency back up.
I have immersed myself into learning the past few days. One of my goals is to find who makes good juice, that doesn't come from China, or imported. I have a feeling the local store might be using imported ingredients. (except for name brand stuff like Five Pawns) The tobacco store thought I should go with 24 mg to start for nicotine. I could kick my .... for buying 18mg. I had already quit the cigarettes. I should have started with 12 mg maybe. I am going to work down to 6mg, or maybe 0. Well that is my goal. I can't say that I will get there. The other juices I bought were 12mg. So I have been mixing them with the stronger juice.

 

[EBates]

Welcome aboard
Yeah, there is a lot to learn. I've been vapin' for over a year and still learn a thing or two most days. I was lucky and found my all day vapes (ADV) early, but still must have gone through 30 different flavors (that all seemed great until I vaped 2-3 tanks). As you can, get a backup battery and tank. Backups will help keep the cigs away.

 

[kkay59]

I already bought the starter kit, and 3 kinds of liquid. Then I went back and bought another battery. Then I went back and bought another charger for the Ego style battery for the house. (the other is in the vehicle) While I was there I bought two tanks. I noticed the cheap starter kit tip was missing the o ring. That ticked me off. They didn't have replacement o rings, or tips with o rings. Oh well. I might chunk that tank. The battery was a 900 mah Visionary or something like that. That one did not come with the kit. I got two Aspire bottom loading tanks. All of that has set me back quite a bit. I need another battery too. Thinking of a mod for that. I want to be able to have 3 different flavors going on. I also don't want to be out of battery power.

I am a firm believer in back ups. The store here is not open 24/7 like the convenience stores. It would be too easy to go get a pack of cigarettes if I was not able to vape. I was not a heavy smoker, but a long term one. I have quit on and off for years. This time I have to make it stick, or just forget about it.

 

[ElConquistador]

Backups are wonderful things. It sounds like you're off to the races.

 

[stretchmanjr]

Welcome to vaping, and fresh air! It can seem overwhelming at first, but as long as you grasp the concept you can learn as you go. I did.

 

[stretchmanjr]

Oh, and don't be afraid to ask questions! Fellow vapers/drippers are generally helpful and we all think we know everything. So you might get a couple different answers depending on experiences, but nobody will be annoyed or call your question silly. We were all in your shoes at some point.

 

[EBates]

Well done! I fully expect that you will git-r-dun.

 

[williamclarkonet]

Okay so I am going to knock the first post out. I am a 54 year old woman. I quit smoking analogs a week ago. I decided that I was going to have to learn about vaping. So I just went to a tobacco shop that had starter kits. They talked to me a little about it. They told me about a vaping store here. I didn't even realize we had one. If I had known that, I would have gone there first. Anyway, all of this vaping stuff is not that easy to learn on your own. There is so much information it is incredible. None of my friends vape, or I'd get help from them. So I have been reading on the internet about it. I found this site, and some stuff on You Tube etc... The info and helpfulness here really drew me in. So I signed up. I have been doing a lot of reading about it. I don't have the money to get crazy with it. But I want some gear that will serve me well for the long run.

I told my daughter who is 23 that I started vaping. She freaked out...LOLLLLLLLL. (my son is in the Army, I haven't told him yet) Oh well, she is happy I quit the regular analog cigarettes. I didn't want to, but decided I'd better. So far I am enjoying vaping more than I thought. I will like it better once I have some nicer equipment, and better juice. The juice I have is "okay", but not really exciting. I did try Five Pawns in the Absolute Pin. I really liked that one. But I'd already spent a fortune on this stuff. Maybe next month I will take the plunge and buy that one.

Welcome!! I'm sure any of use here will be glad to anwser any of your questions

 

[Tygerlovesdeb]

Hello fellow Texan. Welcome to the greatest vaping community on the internet. There is an encyclopedia of information here from people who have been vaping for many years. Just take your time and remember that opinions are only as good as the source who offers them. Not all opinions are right on track and some are just outright nonsense. The art of taking advantage of a forum is to sniff out the nonsense and find the true gems of information, which this website is loaded with.

You do not have to spend a fortune to vape and the great news is that it is definitely cheaper than smoking. I have been vaping now for about four months, so I am definitely not an expert. I live in College Station and frankly there is only one vape shop here that I really trust the quality of products and advice that I receive from them. That said, please let me give you a few tips that may be of some help to you.

You don't have to spend a fortune to buy a good vaping device. Though exotics and rare stuff can be pricy, there are many good mechanical and regulated mods (another word for a vaping device) that you can obtain at a reasonable price.

Try to stay with devices that are made with a food grade stainless steel. There is a reason that all manufacturers of food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are required to use stainless steel for decreased chances of contamination. The cleaner your device the better it is going to be on your lungs.

Be careful of cheap made or home made juices. Juices are not currently regulated by the FDA and many vape shops may use chemicals that are not first rate or safe to vape. Try to buy recognized brands that are heavily marketed on the internet. Google has a wealth of information on the most popular juices. Trying to go cheap on something you are breathing in to your lungs is irresponsible and ill advised.

Seek out people who have been vaping for at least a year or more. The vaping community is very unique and filled with a lot of people who have used it to quit smoking. Not only will you find support to help you get through the tough times of wanting to go back to cigarettes, but you will learn a lot about what devices are worth owning and those that are not. Many people can help you to find cheaper prices on equipment and good juice, so use the resources of this site to its fullest extent. Also, check out the manufacturer threads. Often you find smoking specials and some free stuff there.

Good luck and may God bless you. Your choosing to vape verses smoking is a decision you will be long proud of.

 

[Steven G]

kkay Hello and Welcome to the ECF Sounds like you are off to a great start congratulations

 

[12Cats3Dogs]

Welcome to ECF kkay. Congrats of your move to vaping. Believe me, you will breathe easier. I'm also new only vaping for 2 months on the 7th,. I have learned tons from these forums.

I use a Provari 2.5 and could not be more pleased. I would highly recommend you check it out. They are made by Pro Vape and have an excellent reputation.

 

[ReigntheGamer]

Welcome to ECF, Tex! A lot of fellow Texans here on ECF, that will be glad to help you along your journey!

 

[RosaJ]

Welcome to ECF and congratulations on your decision to quit smoking.

I've been vaping for a few years now and my advice to someone new is to get an eGo Twist or Vision Spinner type battery they're in the $30 or less range. As for the tank, I recommend Kanger Evods, they're easy to fill and easy to replace the coils without major drama. I buy the "hardware" from Discount Vapers, I've found they have the best prices.

I don't know where you live in Texas, but there are quite a few vape shops in most major cities and suburbs.

Happy Vaping!

 

[kkay59]

Thanks for the tip on food grade stainless steel. I have not heard of that one before. I live in east Texas. I might go to another city in the area, to see what vaping stuff they have, that this store does not. I like to see things in person. I don't want to buy something sight unseen, and find it is too large or something. I was thinking of buying the
Innokin iTaste MVP 2.0, but I hate to spend more than I need to right now. I am too intimidated by buying tanks that need to be totally redone with wick and so forth. I know I can view some videos, but it does seem like work. The two tanks I have are supposed to use the same coil, at least that is what they told me at the store.
Aspire CE5-S clearomizer is the cheaper one I bought. Then I also bought the Aspire ET-S clearomizer. At this point I really can't say I like one better than the other. One reason I bought these was because they told me they had good customer feedback on them, and they were the least likely to leak. I like the look of the ET-S one better, but the tip I am not especially fond of. It will be a bit cold in the winter. I guess I could get another tip for it, at the store. I see you can take the tip off, but if you do with juice in it, it is a big mistake. The tip on the CE5-S pulls out with no problem, but I'm not sure about buying replacement tips for it. Mainly what they seemed to have in the store was drip tips. I don't need massive clouds of vapor, so I doubt if I will be dripping.

 

[daleron]

Welcome to ECF kkay, make yourself right at home