I'm with you on this, Preloader. When I see a pic of the Twins Extension on a ProVari, it looks like the base has popped out like a piston or something, and I just want to push it back in.
Pimp my ProVari
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I'm with you on this, Preloader. When I see a pic of the Twins Extension on a ProVari, it looks like the base has popped out like a piston or something, and I just want to push it back in.
OK, here are my tips and tricks to powder coating a provari.
First when picking a color I would always go with a translucent color, the depth would just pop on them and it would also allow the lettering and design to show perfectly on the v2.5 provari. The brand I would use was Columbia Powder Coating.
Secondly the finish of the existing provari, satin silver or polished worked best if you didn't want to have to strip the existing finish if you are wanting to go with a translucent color. If you have any other color provari I would suggest sanding it, do not sand blast unless you want to have to sand and polish a lot. Sand blasting will make the finish a lot darker, again if you are using a translucent. If you choose to use a solid color then it really doesn't matter. Also if you are using a translucent color then you will want to do the extension at the same time as it can be hard to match the tint exactly if you don't, and again with a solid it doesn't matter.
Thirdly removing the electronics. Be careful here as it is easy to hurt the electronics. I have a post showing how to remove the electronics here. If you mess them up then be prepared to pay $40 to provape to repair. During this process you will also remove the bottom and screen.
Now you are ready to have your provari powder coated.
After having powder coated you will need to sand the inside of the tube where the top goes on, if not you will catch a heck of a time getting it back in. You will also need to sand the edges of the button hole and where the window goes in.
Before you put the top back on use a hot glue gun and secure your board back into place and let dry for at least 30 mins. When you go to put the top back on a rubber mallet works good. I would usually put the tube on a magazine or catalog when putting the top back on to ensure I did not scar the finish on the bottom.
First when picking a color I would always go with a translucent color, the depth would just pop on them and it would also allow the lettering and design to show perfectly on the v2.5 provari. The brand I would use was Columbia Powder Coating.
Secondly the finish of the existing provari, satin silver or polished worked best if you didn't want to have to strip the existing finish if you are wanting to go with a translucent color. If you have any other color provari I would suggest sanding it, do not sand blast unless you want to have to sand and polish a lot. Sand blasting will make the finish a lot darker, again if you are using a translucent. If you choose to use a solid color then it really doesn't matter. Also if you are using a translucent color then you will want to do the extension at the same time as it can be hard to match the tint exactly if you don't, and again with a solid it doesn't matter.
Thirdly removing the electronics. Be careful here as it is easy to hurt the electronics. I have a post showing how to remove the electronics here. If you mess them up then be prepared to pay $40 to provape to repair. During this process you will also remove the bottom and screen.
Now you are ready to have your provari powder coated.
After having powder coated you will need to sand the inside of the tube where the top goes on, if not you will catch a heck of a time getting it back in. You will also need to sand the edges of the button hole and where the window goes in.
Before you put the top back on use a hot glue gun and secure your board back into place and let dry for at least 30 mins. When you go to put the top back on a rubber mallet works good. I would usually put the tube on a magazine or catalog when putting the top back on to ensure I did not scar the finish on the bottom.
Awesome tips.
I'm doing the first run on a black ProVari. Will a translucent choice come out extremely dark if I chose to sand, rather than strip?
I'm doing the first run on a black ProVari. Will a translucent choice come out extremely dark if I chose to sand, rather than strip?
If you guys drive up the ProVari's price with all y'all's, "We need to contact ProVape about this finish!" before I get around to being able to purchase one, I swear I'm gonna "something something" bad!
Which is why I hope Pre goes with something truly unique. The 1st 2 blacks posted look too much alike to me. The green camo....meh....I'd like to see something that's so incredibly awesome it doesn't look like he put a wrap on it.
It will come out darker if you sand instead of strip, but with the translucent black it might not be that bad. I will warn you the translucent black shows a lot of the metal below on sharp corners of the designs.
The ProVari I'm using is black, the actual powdercoat may be translucent green. That's what I meant. Will a translucent green over a sanded black ProVari come out too dark to really appreciate the green?
Yeah, you would really want to sand that as bare as possible, otherwise it will come out extremely dark. Personally I would strip it.
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@osmo Thank you so much for your input! I have silver satins and a polished (although it's full sized and may be looking for a new home soon), so I guess I'm covered as far as sanding.
So with the colors, should we be looking for ones that actually say "translucent" in the description? I'm guessing this one wouldn't work then:
https://www.powderbuythepound.com/SOLARIS-BLACK-CHERRY-SPARKLE/
So with the colors, should we be looking for ones that actually say "translucent" in the description? I'm guessing this one wouldn't work then:
https://www.powderbuythepound.com/SOLARIS-BLACK-CHERRY-SPARKLE/
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Depends on what you mean by it working. If you have a 2.5 with the provari inset it the lettering will not be very readable and the design lines will not show as well. So really it would be up to you as far as whether it would work, but I would make sure on the finish you want before you do it as it is a pain to get powder coating back off a mod.
I meant "working" as in what you just answered. I could have phrased it a bit better. I'm trying to get a clear idea of what colors (or actually "types" of colors) would have the best results. The main problem is that I don't know the correct terminology and I'm trying to match the colors from the page of the vendor you use, to the one Preloader linked to originally - if that makes sense.
There are colors with the same names, but different properties (like transparent vs translucent) and different base requirements.
ETA: Did you use a base coat with your?
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