Question about drilling bigger airholes.

[$andman]

Does anyone know if cutting/drilling stainless steel compromises the "stainless" properties? Like will it be more prone to rust? I'm not an expert on metalurgy, but I think that stainless steel is created by electroplating chromium onto the surface of steel. It seems that drilling a hole in it would leave an area that is unprotected by chromium. Maybe I'm wrong though and chromium is a component of the steel itself. Or maybe they both put it in the steel and put an extra few layer on the surface. I figured someone on this forum would know and probably lots of members could tell me what happens when you actually do it.

While I'm at it, are there any other pitfalls to drilling bigger airholes?

 

[Jaymzifer]

Integrity? No clue, I would imagine the juice had properties to prevent rust in a tank. Pitfalls? Neglible, a lot of the juices I use see an improvement in performance in my tanks. I use heavier VG mixes, 100%, 80% so the larger holes are a blessing. Holes or slots? That's a whole other debate.

 

[rallie_art]

@sandman as per experience as I am working in a engineering company whenever we ruin a stainless materials/piece it will accumulate rust in time.

 

[Flyer]

I'vd done it. No integrity related problems have arisen. But, go slow, meaning increase the size slowly to be sure of the effect if gives you. Easy to go too far and get more airy than you really wanted.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Yep very tough to drill SS but it can be done. Re: air holes....on my Don I actually cut a slot further down on the brass connector because, as noted by other Don users, the draw was tight. Works like a dream now BUT in cutting the slot it was a very slow and tedious process.take connector out, remove pin, put in vise, cut a touch, put it back together, reattach to PV and test, etc...

 

[CaptainDucky]

I just got home from the hardware store from purchasing a self tapping saddle valve and hope to open the hole in my new tank cart this evening. I heard form one of the forum members and a vape shop that this will work well. Wish me luck!

 

[sailorman]

Stainless is an alloy of which there are different grades, depending on what is mixed with the steel, so the "stainless" is integral but the quality varies widely. You can assume cartos are the lowest grade, but rust is still so slow to form on even the cheapest stainless that your carto will burn out or clog long before any rust has a chance to accumulate. Even if it were to accumulate, it's not like the fast oxidation that happens to regular steel or iron. It takes forever to actually penetrate the surface and if, by some small chance, rust started, it would be instantly swept away by the juice anyway. Serious corrosion to stainless is almost always restricted to cracks, crevices and stress fractures in the metal itself. Plus, it takes oxygen for rust to form and juice doesn't have much of that.

 

[Flyer]

I just got home from the hardware store from purchasing a self tapping saddle valve and hope to open the hole in my new tank cart this evening. I heard form one of the forum members and a vape shop that this will work well. Wish me luck!

In this, you are talking about opening up the weep holes in the cart that juice flows through. This has nothing to do with air flow. I might have misunderstood the OPs real question.

 

[$andman]

I appreciate the help. The reason I'd asked is because the 808 to 510 adapter covers the airholes on my Viva Nova 2.5. I think I'll start by cutting bigger notches in the adapter and see if it is any better. At only $4 cost it's not a big risk.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I did the same thing except it was with the connector that comes with my Don. Just do a little at a time and as I said it's tedious if you want it to turn out right. A friend did the same mod to his connector in about 10 secs and then wondered why the draw was so airy LOL.
Good Luck.

I appreciate the help. The reason I'd asked is because the 808 to 510 adapter covers the airholes on my Viva Nova 2.5. I think I'll start by cutting bigger notches in the adapter and see if it is any better. At only $4 cost it's not a big risk.