On the quality of mechs

[retrox]

Very nice, BillyWJ. As a devout metalhead and erstwhile purchaser of many CD's, apparently I'm a fan of some of your work.

As for the topic at hand, I regard expensive (and often exotic, as many are difficult to obtain) original mechanicals as trophies of a sort. Out of the seven mechs I own, only one cost me more than $180, and that would be my Nzonic V3 Euro edition. All the others are clones of varying degrees of quality. The Nzonic was a nice reward for myself, and I don't regret purchasing it, but it doesn't see a great deal of use these days. It mostly just sits on my desk and looks bad .... And that's okay, because that Nzonic is my way of reminding myself that in my battle versus cigarettes, I'm number one!

 

[deanthemachine]

I designed the cover for Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction. Now tell me I've done no research. I'm a professional artist and corporate designer and Illustrator, I've been an artist my entire life. My portfolio site is www.fusedarts.com. I've worked for the likes of Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Great White, Asia, and many, many others, and that's just my freelance work. I won't list my professional sites, I don't want to be linked here for that.

Still want to play?

I stand by my opinion, the carved ecig mods they sell from him are generic and not that special - and not worth $3k. Looking at his other work, it's even more obvious he spends a lot more time and creative effort on other things.

You're art is definitely impressive, but I missed the photos where you engraved that impressive art by hand on a piece of steel the size of an ecig. I agree some his work seems generic from an artists view - especially the tribal one - and no way I am paying $3000 for his work, but there are not a lot of people doing it at that level, I am sure its time consuming, and more importantly there are rich people that vape too creating a demand.

 

[spawnsharks]

I think this might be appropriate.

This was a really great watch! Thank you for posting. I posted my rant about clones a few months ago when I joined, and that was enough of that conversation for me. When it comes down to it, buy what you like. Both sides of the argument have a certain level of validity, and neither side seems to want to actually listen to the other. But that's neither here nor there for my purpose now, which it to appreciate this video.

 

[xtwosm0kesx]

I designed the cover for Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction. Now tell me I've done no research. I'm a professional artist and corporate designer and Illustrator, I've been an artist my entire life. My portfolio site is www.fusedarts.com. I've worked for the likes of Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Great White, Asia, and many, many others, and that's just my freelance work. I won't list my professional sites, I don't want to be linked here for that.

Still want to play?

I stand by my opinion, the carved ecig mods they sell from him are generic and not that special - and not worth $3k. Looking at his other work, it's even more obvious he spends a lot more time and creative effort on other things.

Sure, ill play, mom lets me stay out till the streetlights come on.

Congratulations, you're one of ~5 people on the internet who can actually back up their bluster.

You should be very proud to have contributed to the cultural zeitgeist and to have worked with such great/talented artists.

I went back and reread your earlier comment and it is worded in a way that implies you are discrediting his ability as an artist, not necessarily just on that mod.

Now tell me I've done no research.

Looking at his other work, it's even more obvious he spends a lot more time and creative effort on other things.

So you're telling me you had looked at his site and all the amazing work he does prior to your earlier comment/me linking it?

 

[cramptholomew]

Btw, anyone looking for an inexpensive ($50) and well built mech mod, take a look at the Hamoriko SS from mini-ecig.com, I saw todd's review on it today, seems like a winner.
edit: they also have it in titanium for $84 which kinda blew my mind.
edit2: it's out of stock ... still, might be worth it to keep an eye on it.

I would pay good money for that mod. That's more than reasonable.

 

[Sucker_dad]

With all due respect to the OP, there is a huge difference in the economics of originals vs the clones.

Let's start with originals:
1: Designed and researched for countless hours before ever starting to machine
2: Machined by expensive skilled craftsmen in very limited quantity
3: Attention to detail for quality is job #1
4: Typically each Craftsman will machine every piece of each mod they make in this type of setting
5: Hourly wage is higher than average for these skilled workers

Clones:
1: A popular product is purchased and studied every detail is noted
2: A team of unskilled laborers is brought together and each one is taught to make one part and only one part
3: These laborers are cranking out thousands of these parts daily with no concern if they do what is intended and no concern for the final product
4: the wages are very low for this type of operation.
5: No/little quality control
6: If part fails/does not work it is replaced cheaply without studying why
7: Shortcuts whenever possible
8: Final cost for product is pennies on the dollar of the original.

I really have no problems with clones per say, but if you don't understand why the originals cost more you just aren't thinking about it very much. Nevermind the fact that the original work is stolen from the designer. I own 2 clones and will buy more in the future as I cannot afford the originals. I will however one day have a few of the originals. I have seen people talking about how they cannot tell the original from the clone and I don't see how they can't. First thing to do is look inside them. I know that my Nemesis clone is not machined inside. The tubes were made and the outside has been machined and polished but the inside is raw forging. The Stainless Chi is machined inside but not nearly as well as the outside. The engravings on both are very shallow in comparison to the originals. I am afraid to polish my Nemesis clone for fear it will remove them. The Chi is better but not as good as the Original. Yes I have seen both of both brands and the Originals are more refined in both cases. Do they work better? I doubt it, it is, after all, a tube to hold batteries.

 

[VIAWOL]

I drive a truck and I have been vaping for 3 months now. It had been a very frustrating experience at times for me. I feel as tho I have gone thru every type of pv trying to find what would work for me. The egos were fine but all the tanks leaked. I bought fancy tanks, they worked but were a hassle to keep maintained. I bought a vw mod, it worked great, I learned a lot about coils and rebuilding and electricity. Eventually it became frustrating, I felt like it was going goofy and again, I was tired off the tanks. I wanted a mech but could not afford a real one. I was attracted to their ruggedness and they seemed like the perfect thing to stand up to changing pressures and temps, not to mention low maintenance. I finally stumbled onto fasttech and was so excited I could barely contain myself. I had a month to wait before it arrived and in that time I learned more about clones, I began to feel guilty for buying it but when it arrived and I got it vaping I have since found the strength to endure that guilt. Honestly tho, for what I do it is the device that works the best for me. I don't want to smoke again so please forgive me for buying a clone.

This post was found in an ancient ruin, possibly left by aliens.

 

[BillyWJ]

Sure, ill play, mom lets me stay out till the streetlights come on.

Congratulations, you're one of ~5 people on the internet who can actually back up their bluster.

You should be very proud to have contributed to the cultural zeitgeist and to have worked with such great/talented artists.

I went back and reread your earlier comment and it is worded in a way that implies you are discrediting his ability as an artist, not necessarily just on that mod.





So you're telling me you had looked at his site and all the amazing work he does prior to your earlier comment/me linking it?

No, I'm talking about the work on the mechs, in particular. They're not worth 3k, compared to his other work, they're generic and nothing special. I mean what I say, if you mistook what I said, then fine.

And yes, i throw down.

 

[Foodacris]

Ever heard of Rolex?

 

[jrs99]

This was a really great watch! Thank you for posting. I posted my rant about clones a few months ago when I joined, and that was enough of that conversation for me. When it comes down to it, buy what you like. Both sides of the argument have a certain level of validity, and neither side seems to want to actually listen to the other. But that's neither here nor there for my purpose now, which it to appreciate this video.

Thanks! It really is worth watching I think and his attitude and craftsmanship have convinced me I need a new wallet.
His 100 year warranty is pretty sweet too "...have your descendants contact my descendants and they'll make it right".
My philosophy is you buy quality and you cry once, you buy cheap and you cry all the time. Yeah I do think some of the prices of vape gear is a little out there but there is a big difference in quality between clones and originals.
Sure i can go spend $30 on a Gerber knife that'll last a year or so but I spent over $100 on my Benchmade and it's been my daily carry for over 15 years and there's not a single nick in the blade edge.
I did just order my first clone, the hcigar nemi but if I like it I'll be saving up for an original. You get what you pay for.
Personally I can't see how people are happy with some of the cheap, basic setups but to each his own and that's their prerogative. I've spent some serious cash on my setups and they vape like a boss.

 

[meanckz]

Whatever the market will bear....

Go price some flashlights, simple flashlights....the prices on the high end is amazing.
And the first poster that says "but the light is smoother and hits better" is gonna get such a smack....

that giggled me

...also, until I had one, I couldn't understand the love relations with the Provari or Semovar, but now that I have those, I hardly use anything else anymore (and I have 2 SVD's and a MVP2 and some cheap mechs, which I use to check how my coils are firing)

 

[Zealous]

Well, I have very little experience with any mods as I've been using ego twists for the majority of my vaping journey. HST my experience with originals vs clones is thus:

I got an original 14500 mod during Christmas & I also got a clone (not of the same device; it's a Bagua). The original device I have works flawlessly & I'm very happy with it. The clone does not work at all. It's got some switch issue that I have no idea how to fix. So, from my point of view the original was worth the money I paid for it because it actually works & works well.

I know others have had good experiences with clones but I'm not one of them.

 

[Vermonster13]

All mods are knock offs at this point. The original ideas came from modders sharing there work freely back at the early stages and it grew into the market of today. A few minor changes here and there and a new name, bang you're in business.

 

[seahawkin]

Well there are collectors and like any collector I guess there is a status thing, but I wouldn't blow them off or dis em for it. Just like avid collectors or tinkers talking down to people who get what they need from a MVP2 and iClear 16s. This, at the end of the day, is about harm reduction. It has vastly improved my health and now I have something to be obsessed about that amuses me.

Now if you can get a high quality mech that does what you need, right on. I have noticed that they are all not equal, regardless of price. And I really can't fault someone waxing poetic about their Chi something or Nemesis as I am presently hitting F5 waiting for a ZNA. To each their own I guess.

 

[Riverboat]

I can't seem to understand, I really can't. A mechanical mod is a negative metal tube, with a negative and a positive connection. That's it. That's all it is. You press the button, complete the circuit, and woohoo battery discharge.

How can these companies have tricked this relatively intelligent community of forward thinkers into paying 100, sometimes 150 - 200+ dollars for a metal tube THAT DOESN'T EVEN COME WITH A BATTERY.

For the machining? SuperT machining is Top notch
For brass/copper/silver/gold/aluminum contacts? ELA has Rhodium plated contacts that will NEVER oxidize
Voltage drop? You mean, that 0.003 drop in voltage that is completely insignificant?

I just cannot seem to wrap my head around it. That's because you have never held an ELA in your hand and felt the quality

I really hope I'm wrong. But I just can't seem to justify buying any mech for any reason other than aesthetics. And on that note, clones are just as good aesthetically as their much, much more expensive counterparts. I have seen cloned mods with their crunchy threads and inferior fit and finish... Would you buy a cloned (FAKE) Rolex watch? OEM is usually the best

Can anybody else weigh in, maybe debunk my theory? I'd like to be wrong on this, but I really don't think I am...

This is my favorite mech mod manufacturer.... Super T ~ ELA
Made in the USA ....

 

[Stosh]

All mods are knock offs at this point. The original ideas came from modders sharing there work freely back at the early stages and it grew into the market of today. A few minor changes here and there and a new name, bang you're in business.

To the vapers that started 6 months ago and never used or seen a "Copper" or a "Don" and never built their own, what's on the market now is new engineering and exciting.

 

[WattWick]

All mods are knock offs at this point. The original ideas came from modders sharing there work freely back at the early stages and it grew into the market of today. A few minor changes here and there and a new name, bang you're in business.

As in tubular mods being tubular; yes. The button is where the magic happens. That's where they differ the most. A Nemesis is not a knock-off of a Poldiac. A 69 is not a knock-off of the ELA.

 

[Stosh]

As in tubular mods being tubular; yes. The button is where the magic happens. That's where they differ the most. A Nemesis is not a knock-off of a Poldiac. A 69 is not a knock-off of the ELA.

LOL, that's where they are similar to the buttons, designs and materials being experimented with for years by the modders, and shared in the Modding forum. The buttons aren't any newer than the tubes.

 

[wagiman boch]

long lasting
aesthetics
practical
passion

 

[WattWick]

LOL, that's where they are similar to the buttons, designs and materials being experimented with for years by the modders, and shared in the Modding forum. The buttons aren't any newer than the tubes.

I agree that they are similar in the way that they're all buttons. They are no more knock-offs than one TV is a knock-off of another. They're all just screens and speakers, right?