Pen Atomizer Thread for Mod's

[panderson01]

What are some of the threaded thingies that are being used for the Pen atomizer connection.

The only thing I can find (through this board) is the radio shack jack.

I'm looking for other alternatives, preferably something like all-thread that is hollowed out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again, this is for the pen style.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Vince1]

The problem is that the pen uses a 9x.75mm thread which is a specialty size and nothing has it. If you have a lathe you can make your own, but I haven't found anything other then removing a battery or atomizer connector for the threaded piece.
Maybe someone else has found something close enough to work, I would like to know as well.

 

[BeRight]

As I learned, and have used, from another poster the 1/4" phone jack part number 274-252 from Radio Shack is a perfect and secure fit for 801 and mini-pipe ATMs.

Sorry forgot original poster name for credit.

Cheers

 

[breakfastchef]

I also searched for a penstyle (801) adapter in all the places other modders likely searched. The RS 1/4" phone jack is really the best alternative. You might be able to fashion a push-on type fitting, but that will not hold the atomizer securely to your device. Below are two photos of the connector in a Magnum 801 mod.

I took a screw, smaller in diameter than the barrel, and screwed it into a piece of outer sheathing from some Canare Starquad cable I had left over from making audio cables for my system. I used a Dremel tool to cut off the screw head and pointy end of the screw, making sure to slot both ends. I epoxied this assembly into the connector. Use a spare atomizer to gauge how far to push the screw and sheath into the phono jack barrel. Let it dry overnight.

The slots, for me, are important steps. The slotted portion inside the battery case is filled with solder and allows me to lay the connecting wire into the slot for better contact and stress relief. The exposed slot that connects to the atomizer can be turned with a screwdriver to make a perfect contact with different 801 atomizers. I find that some atomizers for pen-styles have a center conductor more recessed than others.

 

[Finster]

good stuff I love to tinker so I'm collecting all I can learn from the pros here and will through my hat in when I can

 

[patgwashere]

Hi Beakfastchef. I have a question. If you turn the inner screw isnt that going to turn the positive wire that is connected to the other end? wouldnt this risk breaking the solder?

 

[breakfastchef]

Hi Beakfastchef. I have a question. If you turn the inner screw isnt that going to turn the positive wire that is connected to the other end? wouldnt this risk breaking the solder?

When I say turn, I mean probably no more than 1/4 turn or less. That is not much.The key is to leave some play in the positive conductor inside the device so it is not stressed to the breaking point.

Another tip, if you are having hard draws off your atomizer, is to file or gind a flat area on two sides of the Radio Shack connector to allow for additional airflow.

 

[tinear]

I used a Dremel tool to cut off the screw head and pointy end of the screw, making sure to slot both ends.

could you perhaps use a set screw?

 

[breakfastchef]

could you perhaps use a set screw?

Set screws are excellent if you can find a suitable diameter. I bought some 1/4" set screws for the 1/4" phono jacks from Radio Shack and tried to simply sleeve them with shrink tubing. It did not work as the diameter was a tad bit on the heavy side. Grinding down the threads on the set screws is a PIA, but I will try it anyway for the sake of modding. It may be better to try and find a metric equivelant set screw that might fit better, but the Big Box DIY stores are not likely to have that type of item. So regular screws work in a pinch.

On my last trip to the Home Depot, I picked up some brass screws. They a little easier to cut and shape. If the damn e-cig batteries did not cost $12-$19, I would gut more of them.

 

[patgwashere]

When I say turn, I mean probably no more than 1/4 turn or less. That is not much.The key is to leave some play in the positive conductor inside the device so it is not stressed to the breaking point.

Another tip, if you are having hard draws off your atomizer, is to file or gind a flat area on two sides of the Radio Shack connector to allow for additional airflow.

Thanks for all the great tips. Now if radio shack would hurry up and deliver parts i can get started.

 

[planetofthevapes]

OK, I used that same thing that breakfastchef did, but I couldn't find a screw with a small enough head lying around. So, I took a small bit of tubing from a fish tank bubble air system thingy...it was too small to fit snug. So, i took that same length of shrink wrap (the stuff used for shrinking over wire solders and things) and fit it over the fish tubing...then inserted in the middle of that jack. Then, I took a screw with a flat tip (and I chose one that would require a flat head screw driver, I'll explain why later) and screwed it UP through my little tubing that I squished in the center of the jack. Once it protruded up a bit past the plastic tubing, I put my atomizer on it, then pushed the whole tubing section up just a bit to make perfect contact (it's snug but does allow for some pushing from the atomizer and from the user to make perfect contact each time a new atomizer is put on, in case it needs adjusted, it has a bit of slack)...I then soldered my positive lead into the flat head screw driver slot (it works so perfectly that after soldering, it looks like a wire going into a metal pin, this sucker won't come loose!). VOILA...works perfectly. The flat tip of the screw makes EXCELLENT contact with the positive contact on the atomizer. Oh, and be sure to use a very fine threaded (not deep) screw that doesn't QUITE slide right through the tubing that you fit in there...that way it screws in with just a bit of force, but doesn't chew up the tubing and ruin it...would hate to eat part of it away and cause a short.

 

[Jim Davis]

could you perhaps use a set screw?

Remember that if you're trying to fit up with an existing part, these things are made overseas and 99.9% of them are metric. Most set screws with the Allen type heads are also hardened and will be a ..... to work with. Stainless is also hard to work with.

I would love to get a hold of one piece of every atomizer & battery connector made, in order to measure the thread sizes and make a chart. This is really the first step, to identify each piece. The rest will fall into place.

If you really want to get into something like this, I say the first step is to look into an adult education program in your area, and take a basic machine shop course. (If you don't already know the basics.)

 

[first2di3]

I think what someone needs to do is ask if we can buy some of the 801 atomizer connectors from one of the manufacturers... that would be ideal if I could buy a bag of 10-20 battery connections for 10$

 

[breakfastchef]

I think what someone needs to do is ask if we can buy some of the 801 atomizer connectors from one of the manufacturers... that would be ideal if I could buy a bag of 10-20 battery connections for 10$

That would be great, but, depending on the type of mod you are making, factory atomizer connectors do not always work well. If you look at your atomizer, the center condutor is recessed into the barrel. On some models, the conductors is recessed more than others. You will also note that batteries are just lightly smaller in diameter so when you screw on the atomizer, it can screw in deep enough so the center contacts meet.

If you took a standard battery connector and made, say, a JuicyBox clone using a AA project box from Radio Shack, you would be mounting the factory connector to a flat surface. That flat surface prevents the atomizer from screwing down enough for the center contcts to meet requiring that you cut the atomizer down. I know, I have a JuicyBox mod that required that I modifiy an atomizer in order to work.