So...anyone here have the tools and skills to convert a Cyclone?

[Tony Spectacular]

Please let me know how it works out for you. I do have a pin vise, but it doesn't do so well with metal. I can use it to start holes for my drill, but when I've tried to use it even to put a second airhole in caps it's more of a pain than it's worth. Good luck, though!

 

[Cliven]

Are you sure that the vapers vault cyclone is BF? It doesn't specify on the site

No. I don't think it is. That's why I'm thinking of doing the conversion to it. I am sure its a Top Feed but for the price......Its worth a shot at attempting the conversion to BF.

 

[Steamer861]

I drilled out my Helios from the bottom with out removing the pin I bought the smallest drill bit I could find
drilled up through the pin and then drilled into the pin at the base of the deck now it'a BF Helios
it wasn't that hard But I wouldn't try it with out a drill press

Assuming your referring to modifying the Cyclone to become a BF? I am tempted myself to do my own. I saw the 'insulator' slit method but I want to drill the post from the bottom. It seems so intimidating but when you look at it, it is really just a very small short drill into the post. I figure all I'd need is a good clamp or vice to hold the post to drill. Last night I even entertained the thought...Is there are any hand drills that would work? Something where I could just hold the post in one hand and drill twist with the other to 'drill' out? I'm going to check this out. Again, it sounds simple and I don't think it should be as hard as I'm making it out to be. Also, I found a place that has the Cyclone for $36 which actually isn't bad so I'd order a few more and do this to all of them.

....or am I dreaming?

Edit: Something like this....

View attachment 335646
Or smaller. What I'm looking for.....they're called Archimedean Drills. (not pictured)

 

[Cliven]

....... I wouldn't try it with out a drill press

That's what I've been thinking. I can find a cheap drill press at Home Depot for a little over $100 which isn't too bad but I can't justify using it for anything else. lol

In using your drill press, what did you hold your atty with to keep it straight?

 

[Steamer861]

I held the base with a vise I removed the o rings and just used buffer material so as not to scratch it The lip on the atty base held it straight in the vise
I don't have a drill press I went to a friends garage and used his I wouldn't spend 100 to buy one just for that

 

[Cliven]

... I wouldn't spend 100 to buy one just for that

No. I agree. I'll find someone that has one.

BTW - I freakin love your avatar!

 

[Anthony W]

Anybody know where I can get a Cyclone in Canada please ?!

 

[Filthy-Beast]

Assuming your referring to modifying the Cyclone to become a BF? I am tempted myself to do my own. I saw the 'insulator' slit method but I want to drill the post from the bottom. It seems so intimidating but when you look at it, it is really just a very small short drill into the post. I figure all I'd need is a good clamp or vice to hold the post to drill. Last night I even entertained the thought...Is there are any hand drills that would work? Something where I could just hold the post in one hand and drill twist with the other to 'drill' out? I'm going to check this out. Again, it sounds simple and I don't think it should be as hard as I'm making it out to be. Also, I found a place that has the Cyclone for $36 which actually isn't bad so I'd order a few more and do this to all of them.

....or am I dreaming?

Edit: Something like this....

View attachment 335646
Or smaller. What I'm looking for.....they're called Archimedean Drills. (not pictured)

With a hand drill I have to say dreaming. The Cyclone post is SS. A cobalt bit or 4 cutting oil and power drill needed. Most I've seen drilled from the top down. Cutting a channel with a Dremel in the post is also a good approach.

 

[Steamer861]

it's a lot shorter to drill up from the bottom you can use a Automatic centre punch to get the hole dead centre and no chance of destroying the threads in the pin

With a hand drill I have to say dreaming. The Cyclone post is SS. A cobalt bit or 4 cutting oil and power drill needed. Most I've seen drilled from the top down. Cutting a channel with a Dremel in the post is also a good approach.

 

[Cliven]

it's a lot shorter to drill up from the bottom you can use a Automatic centre punch to get the hole dead centre and no chance of destroying the threads in the pin

That's what I was thinking as I don't want to screw up the threads.

 

[Steamer861]

Your not likely going to find one in Canada the Vapers Vault deal is Great! I paid all most double that for mine from Mountain Oaks but it came BF

Anybody know where I can get a Cyclone in Canada please ?!

 

[Cyrus Vap]

I ordered one this week and get delivery tomorrow. I'm hoping it is authentic. it should be. I got it at Vapers Vault.

Thank you! They're 15 minutes away from my house so I'll let you know tomorrow, ordering two now and requesting to pick up

EDIT: so they emailed me back and said I could pick up in store today, and that they are authentic cyclones. I'm guessing like most Bay Area shops they have a drill press so it's tempting to ask them to drill through that bottom pin for me.

Anyone have any suggestions ? If you use the drill method you not only have to go through the bottom pin but also the center post right? Hmmmm

EDIT2: just re read the thread, it seems the center pin may end up being a single piece. I guess I'll have to investigate first

 

[B2L]

Inquiring minds want to know.....

Sorry for the delay, I decided to test on a Scar (Cyclone clone) that has been sitting in the back of a drawer for over a year.

Using a drill press I drilled through the bottom of the pin, using a wrap of electrical tape around the bit as a gauge for depth, and then across the pin just over deck level.





Sorry for the crappy pics, the iPad is terrible for close up detail pics.

The bit wandered a little going through the pin so the hole almost cut the pin in half but it works great. Drilling the center was fairly easy.

If I could find a method to make sure the bit doesn't wander ( I have an inherited tremor which makes my hands unsteady and along with my close up vision not being what it once was this is more difficult than it should be) I would not hesitate to do this for anyone, until then it's a crap shoot.

I'm going to try slotting the insulator on my TF Cyclone next and see if that works out. Insulators are much easier to replace than a Cyclone these days

 

[Chowderhead1972]

Looks like the center pin on the Scar is brass? The Cyclone is all stainless so I would imagine it will be a little harder to hold center.

To make drilling a little easier with a drill press insert the bit into the chuck deep so only 1/4th of an inch is sticking out of the chuck, cuts way down on the wander. What size bit did you use, did you drill a smaller pilot hole first?

 

[Cyrus Vap]

Great work B2L and thanks for the follow up.

Curious about the insulator slotting method. If there is glue in there (I think someone mentioned this) doesn't that mean the modded insulator will be loose after it's been pressed out, slotted and pressed back in? Worried about spinning center posts and all. Anyway I don't have the thing in my hand yet so just speculating. Apparently this hasn't been an issue for anyone

 

[B2L]

Looks like the center pin on the Scar is brass? The Cyclone is all stainless so I would imagine it will be a little harder to hold center.

To make drilling a little easier with a drill press insert the bit into the chuck deep so only 1/4th of an inch is sticking out of the chuck, cuts way down on the wander. What size bit did you use, did you drill a smaller pilot hole first?

Yes, the center pin is brass on the Scar and I imagine it would be more difficult on the SS post of the Cyclone which is why I want to try slotting the insulator. I would be all if I messed up the Cyclone. I used a 1/16th bit chucked up as far as I could into the press. I didn't drill a smaller pilot hole first, I probably should have but was hesitant to use a bit any smaller due to more flex in the bit.

 

[B2L]

Great work B2L and thanks for the follow up.

Curious about the insulator slotting method. If there is glue in there (I think someone mentioned this) doesn't that mean the modded insulator will be loose after it's been pressed out, slotted and pressed back in? Worried about spinning center posts and all. Anyway I don't have the thing in my hand yet so just speculating. Apparently this hasn't been an issue for anyone

Thanks Cyrus, I think I may have worked up the courage to tear apart a perfectly good Cyclone deck to find out, we'll see

 

[Cyrus Vap]

OK picked the cyclones up. Shop owner says they're so low in price because he can't get rid of them, has about 20 left. Didn't do any modding yet just cleaned them up and set one up for dripping. In the bay area at least no one knows what a bottom feeder is or what a bottom fed atty is for, or why you would use a small chamber single coil system like the stock cyclone because its all about mechs, dual coil drippers and lung hits out here with occasional kayfun or genesis fanaticism. So it totally makes sense that he's having zero luck unloading them.

 

[Tony Spectacular]

Sorry for the delay, I decided to test on a Scar (Cyclone clone) that has been sitting in the back of a drawer for over a year.

Thanks so much, B2L! I'll eagerly await further results if you conduct a stainless experiment. If you have a modicum of success my Cyclone deck will be in the mail toot sweet.

 

[B2L]

OK, this is going to be long and pic heavy, my day off and it rained off and on all day so I could either watch TV, nap or convert some drippers. Guess which I did.

I stripped down the Cyclone and an Igo W that I've had sitting around forever and converted them both to bottom feed. I learned a lot of things today.
1- I need better glasses
2- I need better lighting in my wood shop
3- Well, 3 is actually a lot of things I will share on the way

This is what I started with


I started with the Cyclone, go figure, soaked it in some hot water to soften the insulator, marked the spot for the feed hole and pulled the pin



I drilled the horizontal feed first, this wasn't as bad as I had feared due to being stainless. I made a little cut out in some cardboard, laid it in and taped it down. I used a center punch to set the spot and then drilled it out. Lesson 1 was use a new bit at least every other hole when drilling stainless.




Then on to the hole up the pin, I had the great idea to reinstall the post in the base and drill a 1/2 inch hole in a scrap of wood to hold the base straight and then drill it



Lesson #2, don't do it this way, ever. Why? Well, any halfway intelligent person would realize that you will melt the insulator

I drilled a 3/32 hole in the wood scrap, carefully tapped the post into it and left enough sticking out to grasp with needle nose vise grips to prevent it from spinning and completed the hole. I reinstalled it with a spare insulator from the Igo, it's not perfect but its working.


I then followed the same steps with the Igo, minus melting the insulator, and both are up and running.






A few Igo pics






All in all, a successful day, if y'all have any question let me know.

Sorry for the long post and the less than stellar photography, y'all have a great evening.
BTW, anyone know where I can pick up an insulator and hex screw for the Cyclone?