Recommend an RBA for an RBA newbie?

[Don Graham]

It took me 3 weeks of very on-again, off-again attention from me, but the last three days have been wonderful vaping bliss. I've got the AGA T2. It took my third coil wrap and my second SS wick to finally get there, but now I get it. The flavor and the vapor are reminescent of the first couple of drags from an analog from what I recall. I was so impressed that I ordered my second AGA a couple nights ago from Mountain Oak Vapors. My Vapor Store has the AGA T2 also, but the pyrex tank is extra there.

Do your research. Watch videos of mesh preparation and rolling, and wrapping coils. Zen's video of the ZAP for Provape is stellar in learning how to pulse the coil and finding/eliminating shorts or "hot legs". Realize that your first attempts will not be stellar, and each time you re-do one it will be better than the last.

I've found my Provari to be invaluable in preparing the coil. Of course it can read the resistance. And being able to prime the coil with progressively higher pulses is ideal. It is able to "see" shorts in the coil that I can't by giving me an error code. I prod the coil as Zen does in the above video, and soon the Provari is satisfied, and I know it is then ready for the juice. I bought a multimeter specifically for use with the AGA and I haven't even taken it out of the box, the Provari can do it all.

I'm still a noob when comes to a rebuildable. If you have questions, there are plenty of helpful, supportive, and experienced people here willing to give their time helping new users. Take advantage of it. It will be worth it.

The wire and mesh that comes in the AGA kit is of questionable quality. If I knew then what I know now, I would put that aside and order mesh and wire in a quantity, you'll need it eventually anyway and it's not that expensive. You might also be able to find pre-wound SS wicks ready to use. A mini-torch will make it easier to oxidize the mesh and wire.

I used 30g wire and 500 mesh which I got from RTD Vapor.

Here is a place to get pre-made mesh wicks: Pre-rolled and oxidized stainless 400 mesh wick

 

[MiamiMom63]

Today I orderd the Igo-l rebuildable atomizer. I only have rebuildable tanks but wanted to try an atomizer that I could still use cotton wicks with and that wasn't real expensive. I also liked that its stainless steel. i think it should be good for me since I'm only familiar with the cotton wick type of setups. I haven't graduated to the SS mesh type of setups yet.

 

[Baditude]

Here is a place to get pre-made mesh wicks: Pre-rolled and oxidized stainless 400 mesh wick

That's exactly where I got mine. SSSSShhhhhh. Don't tell everyone. I should have gotten more than 5.

Someone told me that using pre-made wicks was "cheating". Why the heck should he give a damn? Rolling the wick was the hardest part of using an RBA for me. I don't care if it IS cheating, all I'm after is a great vape. This was the final piece of the puzzle for me.

 

[Don Graham]

That's exactly where I got mine. SSSSShhhhhh. Don't tell everyone. I should have gotten more than 5.

Someone told me that using pre-made wicks was "cheating". Why the heck should he give a damn? Rolling the wick was the hardest part of using an RBA for me. I don't care if it IS cheating, all I'm after is a great vape. This was the final piece of the puzzle for me.

I think the say goes like this: SMARTER NOT HARDER I live by this rule.

 

[supertrunker]

I found SS to be really easy, but getting the coils i wanted to be the hardest thing to achieve. Practise!!

In the end i have settled on a kind of hybrid cotton wick with a little SS saddle in the middle - which is easier to wrap a coil on than anything else and negates any need for machine screws, drill bits, paper clips and so on and that last me about 2-3 weeks of daily use. I use a cheap A7 from empire mods (<$20) - 32 AWG a1 kanthal and some 400 ss mesh from Ebay. The downside is now i cannot even recoil a damn Nova without swearing - but i can redo all my RBA's on a Friday night in about an hour!

I'd like to have a bash at a Chalice - but mrs T would kill me and they are hard to get hold of!

T

 

[tnt56]

Well since I lost all my kanthal to the carpet monster, I ordered some from eBay. Got both 32 and 30 guage. Also went ahead a got some 400 mesh SS. At least I'll have enough to feed the carpet monster and maybe enough to try and build a new coil.

 

[supertrunker]

That carpet monster does ok out of us doesn't he? I now do all my rebuilds and all intricate work on a white plastic chopping board i bought just for the purpose - i can see the wire better than on my desk, where i can only find it at all if i manage to impale myself with it!

T

 

[beanpusher]

for a dripping rda i would go for an rda octopus 9 bucks at discountvapers for a tank the aga t+ make sure you get plenty of wick, wire, and mesh. because you will find that you want to make it better and better and even more better than how you got it working now. i prefer 30awg kanthal, 3mm silica, and 325 ss mesh.

 

[Faylool]

Quick question. Can the Vamo do the same checking as the Provari re the hot spots coil thing? I have a ohm checker to but no multi meter and no Provari. I wouldn't mind having one but just keep spending my vape money on other things, like this world of RBAs now thanks ahead

It took me 3 weeks of very on-again, off-again attention from me, but the last three days have been wonderful vaping bliss. I've got the AGA T2. It took my third coil wrap and my second SS wick to finally get there, but now I get it. The flavor and the vapor are reminescent of the first couple of drags from an analog from what I recall. I was so impressed that I ordered my second AGA a couple nights ago from Mountain Oak Vapors. My Vapor Store has the AGA T2 also, but the pyrex tank is extra there.

Do your research. Watch videos of mesh preparation and rolling, and wrapping coils. Zen's video of the ZAP for Provape is stellar in learning how to pulse the coil and finding/eliminating shorts or "hot legs". Realize that your first attempts will not be stellar, and each time you re-do one it will be better than the last.

I've found my Provari to be invaluable in preparing the coil. Of course it can read the resistance. And being able to prime the coil with progressively higher pulses is ideal. It is able to "see" shorts in the coil that I can't by giving me an error code. I prod the coil as Zen does in the above video, and soon the Provari is satisfied, and I know it is then ready for the juice. I bought a multimeter specifically for use with the AGA and I haven't even taken it out of the box, the Provari can do it all.

I'm still a noob when comes to a rebuildable. If you have questions, there are plenty of helpful, supportive, and experienced people here willing to give their time helping new users. Take advantage of it. It will be worth it.

The wire and mesh that comes in the AGA kit is of questionable quality. If I knew then what I know now, I would put that aside and order mesh and wire in a quantity, you'll need it eventually anyway and it's not that expensive. You might also be able to find pre-wound SS wicks ready to use. A mini-torch will make it easier to oxidize the mesh and wire.

I used 30g wire and 500 mesh which I got from RTD Vapor.

 

[qgarcia]

i love the terminator c /ra from stormys vapor cellar. awesome build quality and very easy to set up. the system is flawless and even with thicker juice i still have not had a dry hit

 

[Baditude]

Quick question. Can the Vamo do the same checking as the Provari re the hot spots coil thing? I have a ohm checker to but no multi meter and no Provari. I wouldn't mind having one but just keep spending my vape money on other things, like this world of RBAs now thanks ahead

I'm not familiar with the Vamo. Does it do error checking? A multimeter only measures resistance of the attached delivery device and reads battery voltage, it won't provide an error code if a short is detected.