SD Screwdriver, first impression.. Very bad.

[nos2k]

*** Ill try to follow up on this review after using the SD more ***

Hey

Well, i have read alot of reviews on the Screwdriver SD kit, and so i had to order me one.

I ordered the black sd with the mini fitting, after reading around a bit it seemed it would do me best, as it fits carts with my dura-c.

And, well it begins good, cause this thing got here in 2 days flat - i was NOT expecting it until next week, but shipment was the fastest ive seen so far, thanks for that.

However, then ( and remember i got this thing 2 hours ago ) it begins to go slightly wrong.

Now i know the kit here is a "homemod" kit, so to speak, but i was expecting more at the price i must admit.

First off i bought mine at a 107 GBP, which is.. basically more than youll pay for any other kit out there. And i received... an envelope (not a package mind you, good god, no why would you put this thing in something that might protect it ), with bubblewrap on the individual pieces. Bubblewrap is your friend, yes, but in my world its your friend when its INSIDE a package. Not a tiny envelope. Afterall, if i dont want to drop this thing ( and from what i read, i really dont ), then id rather not have someone else do it over and over again, only protected by 2 rather small layers of bubblewrap.

That aside, it also kinda kills my mood visually - i mean.. come on. It would have cost you nothing extra to put it in a package, and had a little folder in there, and all the pieces in a little box. Just a plain white box would have been better.

I then read the instructions, which is on a printed piece of A4, with spelling errors as if its written in rather alot of haste, and well.. the wording on it as well is also a bit .. it just seems "I type what i think and dont edit" to me.

Dont get me wrong, it has the info you need, but again - what your eyes see IS often half the product-feel.

I then assemble the screwdriver itself, - which was very easy;

Take out the atomizer, screw it in, and start vaping.

Before i did that i read instructions; You might have to prime, yada yada.

Fine, i puff once on a new cart it tastest awful. I pull out cart, drop two drops on the atomizer, then try again. This time it works! Miraculously, - however theres absolutely no hit, and not alot of vapor production. So .. kinda disappointed after reading those "OMGZOR I OPENED UP MY SD AND TOOK ONE HIT AND MY ENTIRE STREET DIED!!!! TRUE SOTRY!!111oneoneeleven".

So im thinking, fine - it says to keep cart wet, not too wet, and you might have to prime atomizer with 5-6 drops. So i do that, and i top up cart - i also try the liquid they included as it says "The carts are prefilled with standard 18mg stuff, the liquid you top up with ( the included ) is our 24mh stuff".

So i do that. More vapor comes, but .. in my opinion, so far this thing gives less vapor than my dura-c and less throat hit.

Then i tried to take a dura-c cart and attach, seeing as its bigger, and i dropped some MLB high nicotine in it - a bit more smoke, and i can feel it now, but it wasnt impressive. And after about 4 drags ( of 3-4 seconds ) i tasted burnt again, and i had to top up once more.

Then my first atomizer died.

Im hoping its flooded, i tried blowing it out and all, and now i left it to dry by itself, before attempting more radical stuff.

Im now trying out various dura-c carts / and the original ones, - hoping theres a breakin on the atomizer that will suddenly make it ROAR to life and impress the pants off me, but so far this thing is seriously dissappointing to me.

I took a drag off my Janty dura-c to compare, and as i mentioned above, much better throat hit, and about the same vapor as the best vapor ive had on this SD, with every hit. I then took a hit with my Jantystick, and it reminded me why i bought it - massive vapor, massive taste, big nice mellow hit.

So - yeah, very very very dissappointed so far. Any recommendations, ideas? Or .. is this the SD?

--> Notice, i will update this review after i use it more - who knows, it might jump to life, but i thought after all i read about the SD that i should post MY experience with it as well, seeing as if i personally had read a review like this one, i would have thought twice about buying it. And thats how i feel right now - i regret my purchase. So lets hope that will change majorly - soon.

 

[dumwaldo]

First off i bought mine at a 107 GBP, which is.. basically more than youll pay for any other kit out there.

OH so Smoking Everywhere doesn't sell in the UK huh? 8-o

Seriously though, you have only had it for two hours. Give the atomizer a day or two to break in and for you to familiarize yourself with a different type of atomizer. Don't rush to judgment.

The throat hit from the two devices will never be the same. The 510 atomizer runs VERY hot and as a result the throat hit comes across harsh. The 901 atomizer runs a bit cooler and the throat hit is smoother. The 510 will 'burn out' flavor more than the 901 will. the 901 has a single exterior hole atomizer and the 510 has two holes concealed in the threads.

They are apples and oranges.

Give yourself a little time and don't expect your SD to be a 510. Allow yourself to enjoy its own merits rather than benchmarking it against a 510.

I mean after all, you didn't mention a word about the dead 510 battery after an hour but the SD can go into the double digit numbers of hours without a dead battery. OH YEAH, you have only had it for two hours.

DW

 

[nos2k]

OH so Smoking Everywhere doesn't sell in the UK huh? 8-o

Seriously though, you have only had it for two hours. Give the atomizer a day or two to break in and for you to familiarize yourself with a different type of atomizer. Don't rush to judgment.

The throat hit from the two devices will never be the same. The 510 atomizer runs VERY hot and as a result the throat hit comes across harsh. The 901 atomizer runs a bit cooler and the throat hit is smoother. The 510 will 'burn out' flavor more than the 901 will. the 901 has a single exterior hole atomizer and the 510 has two holes concealed in the threads.

They are apples and oranges.

Give yourself a little time and don't expect your SD to be a 510. Allow yourself to enjoy its own merits rather than benchmarking it against a 510.

I mean after all, you didn't mention a word about the dead 510 battery after an hour but the SD can go into the double digit numbers of hours without a dead battery. OH YEAH, you have only had it for two hours.

DW

1) Smoking everywhere doesnt sell in the UK .. what? on earth are you talking about?

2) I know what a throat hit is. I have a dura-c and a jantystick, they both deliver massive throat hits. Even if the hit was 10 times that, it would be a throat hit, still. The sensation im getting is burnt taste. Just the same as i would get on the dura-c, and the jantystick if its too dry.

3) I have tried dripping 3-4 on the atomizer and smoking without a cart - i can get one good drag, then its burnt again.

4) I have tried a prefilled cart that _came_ with the kit, i can get a semi good drag from it that tastest half burnt, and half ok - and then the rest is burnt tasting.

5) Give it a few days to break in? No. I will give it a week to burn in and get better, but i will not accept that its unsmokable for a few days. Nor will anyone else. Furthermore none of the other devices i have, NOR the ones my friends have, have ever tasted bad and kept tasting bad. Ive had this thing for .. hmm 4 hours now or so - and i have yet to get more than one good hit, before its burnt.

6) Im asking here, posting here, to get help or feedback. Not to flame a product. But if i pay that much ( or any amount really ) i expect my product to work. Having said that, i also state in my post that i will update this review as needed, INCASE im the one faulting it - im the one doing it wrong. But i need to figure out how to do it right, before i can say i am doing it wrong.

 

[nos2k]

update ( as promised on the first post )

It seems that my problem was that one atomizer was defective ( died after 4 puffs ) , and that the other atomizer had an extreme relationship to the primer material or something.. cause ive done the burn ins, 5 drips, dripping directly, burned off, blowed it, - and so on for 4 hours (!) and NOW, its starting to work.

Thank god

So ill update this review as my experience with it broadens, and i hopefully begin smoking on it - and again hopefully enjoy it =D

--- one thing i did find out so far, is that you cant ( or it doesnt seem like it at the moment ) drag on it like you would on basically all other e cigs ive tried , - you cant hold down the button for 1 sec and then slowly suck. Your suck has to be of some caliber - not that you have to do a massive draw, or that its hard to draw from, you just have to put "some" weight behind the draw, or it wont work optimal. Once you get used to that it is quite nice.

 

[tribalmasters]

Good to hear you are having better luck with your screwdriver. You will grow to love it I am sure Some 901 atomisers at times can be very hit and miss, keep a load spare and enjoy the long battery life!!

 

[nos2k]

Good to hear you are having better luck with your screwdriver. You will grow to love it I am sure Some 901 atomisers at times can be very hit and miss, keep a load spare and enjoy the long battery life!!

Thanks. Im trying to get to like this but its _very_ hard. I am now up to 7 drags before i have to redrip directly on the atty or i get a burnt taste ( the cart cant take anymore fluid ) - so ...

Pisses me off that i always get the faulty stuff. =/ But i must admit, that honestly, even the good drags ive had, which does produce alot of vapor, and does have a throat hit, is not anyway near as good as my jantystick. So in that sense, if that doesnt improve, ill be quite sad. I know theyre different beasts, and part of why i bought this was the design - i love it. But i was atleast expecting it to measure up to the JS in standards while vaping.

But lets see.

 

[tribalmasters]

Hmmm I think you are right! I too have not had much luck with cartridges and having burnt taste in my 901 passthroughs! Normal 901 batteries were fine with them but cartridge use was no good on the powerful passthrough but only some atomisers were like that!! Perhaps the same is true for the Screwdriver. It may be best to just drip with your Screwdriver and current atomiser for now, there are adapters for your Screwdriver to allow penstyle atomisers to be used

 

[nos2k]

Hmmm I think you are right! I too have not had much luck with cartridges and having burnt taste in my 901 passthroughs! Normal 901 batteries were fine with them but cartridge use was no good on the powerful passthrough but only some atomisers were like that!! Perhaps the same is true for the Screwdriver. It may be best to just drip with your Screwdriver and current atomiser for now, there are adapters for your Screwdriver to allow penstyle atomisers to be used

yeah well but that brings me back to thinking; If this doesnt work with what its being sold with, then .. why sell it with that set?

I dont care if this things get a bit bigger, or has different carts. I just want it to work. Im at the point now that if this burnt taste doesnt go away or this one last atty thats living doesnt sparkle up and show me something over the weekend im going to ask for a full refund. I cannot be arsed having to order 5+ attys for this SD not knowing if im expected to drip on every 3-4 drags ( of a 3-4 sec duration ) in order not to have it taste burnt, ya know?

Then my JS is more than enough for me. As it is right now, - its by far outdoing the SD. but then again, i could have gotten a bad one - from all the reviews ive read, it sure seems that way. It still doesnt change the fact that if your experience is bad with a product, it will take alot to change it. Unfortunately. Trog seems like a very decent guy, and i really wished for this to blow me away.

 

[tribalmasters]

I think its probably more of others using it as a dripping cig tho I see no reason not to use carts since its 3.7 volts like a normal e-cig! I wonder if anyone more knowledgeable on this problem can help out with this!

Screwdriver owners where are you!?????

 

[scrubadub]

The 901 SD doesn't really perform at it's best with dripping and you need to top up the cart frequently as it guzzles the juice.

Unfortunately the reports of massive vapour production with the SD are a bit misleading. All it does is allow the 901 atomiser to perform as if it were connected to a brand new 901 battery. It performs like this for many hours between charges and the batteries live for a few months. If you don't like the 901 atomiser however then it may not satisfy as it's not going to miraculously turn it into a 510 or Classic. It's the longevity of the batteries and the cheap spares that are the main advantages with the SD.

I'm assuming it's the 901 version you have if so have you thought of maybe swapping it for the 801 version? It sounds like you prefer that style of atomiser.

 

[nos2k]

I think theyre here:

help.. with my SD please? - ECigScrewdriver

It seems im being sort of molested for stating facts about my faulty SD (or the atomizers) - .. And i thought it was a board for getting support on. But Trog doesnt seem too keen on helping.

Anyways.. i guess ill have to give up.

 

[nos2k]

The 901 SD doesn't really perform at it's best with dripping and you need to top up the cart frequently as it guzzles the juice.

Unfortunately the reports of massive vapour production with the SD are a bit misleading. All it does is allow the 901 atomiser to perform as if it were connected to a brand new 901 battery. It performs like this for many hours between charges and the batteries live for a few months. If you don't like the 901 atomiser however then it may not satisfy as it's not going to miraculously turn it into a 510 or Classic. It's the longevity of the batteries and the cheap spares that are the main advantages with the SD.

I'm assuming it's the 901 version you have if so have you thought of maybe swapping it for the 801 version? It sounds like you prefer that style of atomiser.

Well i have tried a 901 before, as a penstyle - and it reminds me a bit of the dura-c. If _only_ it worked like that id be a happy camper.

The 801 im guessing is the same that the jantystick uses?

Yeah id love to exchange it for that. But it would still require Trog to begin some sort of dialog with me, i suppose. Id do anything at this point to be honest.

 

[scrubadub]

The 801 is a penstyle and is the same type as the jantystick uses. The 901 is often refered to as a mini but isn't a penstyle. It does look similar to a Dura-C without the button.

Did you email Trog before posting on his forum? He's had issues with people attacking his business publicly and gets a bit grumpy and suspicious about that kind of thing now. He's always been fine to deal with privately in my experience however. I'm not being a fanboy, I can appreciate you're frustrated but emailing him might get a better response.

 

[nos2k]

Well thats fine and all, but to be honest, if he has that kind of issue with his forum, - dont have a forum. Enough said.

If you can handle having your own business, you MUST be able to handle the aspects of that business. Period.

His forum is labelled "Screwdriver Support". So i am posting relevant issues in a relevant forum, created i suspect, for this purpose. If he then has ANY issues with me posting there, then its his problem not mine. And i dont mean to be rude, but i can not be expected as a customer not to use a Screwdriver Support forum, for.. support for my screwdriver.

If it turns out the atomizers are to blame, fine - so be it. Not his fault. It IS his fault however, that he has replied me ONCE in the thread i started, saying "You can return the SD, its not for everyone" basically. He could have just said "It sounds like the atomizers, you need to replace both of them" - and then i could have said "Arent they under warranty" he says "no" i say "oh well" and order new ones.

End of friggin story.

Sorry, but im just a tad annoyed at his reluctancy in helping me. As far as i can see ( and i also posted this ) im about the only one on his entire forum that has issues with the screwdriver. Isnt that MUCH more reason to actually help me get it sorted out? To show in his OWN forum, that he IS customer service minded? To me, - and mind you ive read tons of reviews on the SD, and tons of people claiming hes the worlds best guy and most decent human being to have lived, - it seems the direct opposite at the moment, with the treatment ive got. It seems like he doesnt want to help me, but would rather i just shut up, go away, and return the unit. How on _earth_ does that make me want to support his business, or in any other way even think about recommending this product to others?

And in all of this, please remember, i DID purchase the bloody thing. I did say "please help" on his forum, and i did start out nicely asking for help, saying I might be the problem but i was hoping for some guidance.

I just do not see how this is my fault, or it can be put on me to do something differently than how i did. Im actually beginning to feel slightly humiliated by the fact that i have to defend myself over a unit that doesnt work. Regardless or not if its the atomizers, - still - IF it is ( which it probably is ) the atomizers, then its hardly MY fault, as a customer to be quite surpriced that both of them fails within one hour.

Or am i completely wrong? If so please tell me and i will re-read my posts and see what i can change.

 

[surbitonPete]

The main thing that gives any and every e-cig it's characteristics for throat hit, taste and amount of vapour are the atomizer you are using and the voltage you are running it at. Unfortunately you do have to try loads before you find your own personal favourite.

 

[nos2k]

I know.

I have the mini fogger, the dura-c, the jantystick, for that same reason. Ive tried the 901, and various intellicig copies, ive tried the GG, so i do have an idea of what i want.

And this is not the problem. Even IF the SD suddenly works, and it doesnt give me what say the JS gives me, then ill still be happy about it. As its not ordinary and something else. But a burnt taste, and the inability to take more than one maybe two drags before i have to drip directly on the atomizer again in order not to make it taste burnt - is NOT - what i, or anyone wants. Then its no longer a matter of taste, what liquid you use, etc - something is wrong, and i have to identify the fault. And thats what im trying to do.

Ill report back once i try a 901 atty in it, that i KNOW works.

 

[surbitonPete]

I know.

I have the mini fogger, the dura-c, the jantystick, for that same reason. Ive tried the 901, and various intellicig copies, ive tried the GG, so i do have an idea of what i want.

And this is not the problem. Even IF the SD suddenly works, and it doesnt give me what say the JS gives me, then ill still be happy about it. As its not ordinary and something else. But a burnt taste, and the inability to take more than one maybe two drags before i have to drip directly on the atomizer again in order not to make it taste burnt - is NOT - what i, or anyone wants. Then its no longer a matter of taste, what liquid you use, etc - something is wrong, and i have to identify the fault. And thats what im trying to do.

Ill report back once i try a 901 atty in it, that i KNOW works.

The thing is that the problem you are describing isn't likely to be anything to do with the sd it'self it's an atomizer or even juice problem.

 

[nos2k]

The thing is that the problem you are describing isn't likely to be anything to do with the sd it'self it's an atomizer or even juice problem.

And if you scroll back, thats my conclusion as well. The juice is ruled out though as ive tried 6 different juices now, in fresh carts.

 

[surbitonPete]

And if you scroll back, thats my conclusion as well. The juice is ruled out though as ive tried 6 different juices now, in fresh carts.

Sorry ....hopefully trying another type of atomizer will be your solution.

 

[nos2k]

Dont be sorry i appreciate the inputs.

I think the type of atomizer isnt as important as getting one that works.