Punching and juice and more

[DiNet]

Hi, finally stock is back with AGR tanks and boges. Ordered it and few packs of boge LR cartos and got some simple questions.
1 or 2 holes for juice: 70/30, 60/40 and 50/50 pg/vg ratios?
Hole should be punched near the bottom of a tank, that's the guideline and nothing else?
Do I punch hole before or after filling carto? I'm using condom method from pbusardo video.
The vendor had only black boges, do I need/must to scratch/peel w/e cover it is? If I need to can I use IPA (isopropyl alcohol) or better do that with vodka/water?

p.s. AGR carto puncher tool. Anything special with this one or same as others seen on youtube? Hear punch, half a spin and it's done?

 

[Baditude]

If you must choose to punch your own cartos (I don't recommend them, see my blog for the reasons why), use only the silver cartomizers, not the black. The black cartos have the sticker on them, and you don't want that in your juice. They are a PITA to remove, not worth the time or trouble. Save yourself the PITA and order the right cartos for your tank.

It doesn't matter whether you punch the holes before or after pre-filling the carto. You want the hole to be located in the lower 1/3 of the carto. I'm not familiar with the punch tool you have so won't comment on it.

 

[DiNet]

Ordered them before posted this thread anyway, only black ones in stock. Any guidelines on most effective way of removal that sticker?

 

[markfm]

They were a PITA. For me, I peeled them, then stuck the carto in a drill, fine grit sandpaper to remove the adhesive. (wear gloves, it'll heat up, plus eye protection) It was actually not too hard to do, but I vastly prefer getting plain stainless steel cartos.

Punching your own is fine, if you have a decent punch. The one I use provides minimal deformation (indent), no overall barrel warping, since the shaft coupler body (the thing the carto slides into) size is just barely larger than carto OD (a carto with a wrapper on would not fit in it). I'm able to consistently get a clean punch so it is just above the bottom endcap -- perfect location. The holes are always dead center.

(A shaft coupler body has to be properly machined, tight tolerances, since it is used on high speed rotating devices.)

 

[Chiku]

I've used vodka, it takes awhile but I was in a pinch and it worked. In the AGR tank I have found that even if the carto is a little deformed a bit it doesn't matter as much since the carto doesn't slide thru the bottom cap like a smoketech DCT where you are sliding it up and down. I had ones that didn't work in that type of tank work just fine in my AGR (hard to describe in words, maybe check out PBusardo's review about 7 minutes in).

 

[tnt56]

You can buy stainless steel carto's by the bulk at Boge Mix'n'Match (10 Box)
Just pick the option you want. As for carto punches. I've got two.
Boge Mix'n'Match (10 Box)
V2 Cartomizer Punch - Phiniac Rugged Pyrex Glass Tanks
Both do a nice job. The size of the hole is something you have to determine by trial and error. I usually just screw it down till it touches and then 3-4 turns. Works good for me.
I also really like these laser drilled boges.
ElectronicStix.Com · 510 Punched Cartomizers

 

[DiNet]

Cleaning the adhesive takes about a minute for me, used IPA.
Ruined only 2 cartos before making perfect one for melon boba... 1st one because of the bottle that made it look like it's heavy VG juice and I thought I'll need 2 holes... 2nd one hole was just little too big and was leaking.
So, not so bad

p.s. surevapes won't ship internationally, of course I'd buy that 10 pack if they did

 

[Jjshbetz11]

You can also use hand sanitizer to remove the glue after taking off the sticker. DON'T get it inside the carto. Just pump some on your finger and rub on carto and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then take paper towel and rub the carto in the same direction. The glue will peel off in that direction. Repeat process till free of glue. Then rinse carto well to remove any remaining sanitizer. I would take the recommendation of the others and order the bare carto's for ease.