So, I bought an HH357....

[synic]

I figured I'd grab one just to try it out.

I really got into RBAs for the REO because I wasn't happy with the regular 510 atomizers that I had tried. Dry hits, the catch cup was always full of juice no matter what I did, gurgling, etc. I was happy with my RBAs. This HH.357 has kinda ruined me. It performs really well, it holds the juice so it doesn't end up in the cup, it's easy to clean.

I can't honestly say that I've ever made a coil on any rba that outperforms this in the three areas that matter to me most:

1. Battery Life (I get great performance out of the 1.5 ohm atty. Better than my usual ~1.0-1.3 ohm coils no my RBAs)
2. Vapor
3. Flavor (on the HH.357, the flavor is just ridiculous).
4. Leaking. Reomizer 2.0, ERA, can leak a bit out of the airhole. It's somewhat annoying. The hh.357 is much easier to keep leak free.

But, those pesky HH.357s are out of stock. And they are damn expensive. So I did some research and I also bought me a couple 2 packs of the Vapage AMG Hybrids. To me they aren't *quite* as flavorful as the HH.357, but they are still better than any coil I've ever made myself.

I've tried genesis RBAs (AC9, Zen, DID), various dripping RBAs (ERA, Reomizer 2.0, IGO-L, a7, Immortalizer), I have an Ithaka, Terminator, 4 Sperhoids, etc, etc. I /think/ I'm pretty experienced with RBAs. I feel like if I go sub ohm or dual coil or something I might get somewhere near the performance of these 510 atomizers, but then I'll be sacrificing battery life, and I really don't want to do that.

I'm honestly to the point that I'll spend $17 a month for a pack of Vapage AMG Hybrids and just keep the RBAs around for the zombie apocalypse.

Anyone have any thoughts? Do you all feel like your homemade coils are better than the HH357 or Vapage AMGs?

 

[Commie]

Some of my RBA setups outperform 357 by a long shot. Problem is, this is very subjective. The main thing I like about them is amount of vapor, with very little throat hit. It may be silly, but vaping doesn't seem very satisfying to me unless there's a ton of vapor fogging up the whole room.

If you're still interested in getting your RBAs set up more to your liking, you can describe what you've tried so far and with what materials, and I'm sure someone here may be able to help.

 

[karmakatie]

While I did enjoy the HH357's . I personally have never found better flavor/vapor or throat hit off of anything other than the RBA's.

 

[Big Hitter]

Do you all feel like your homemade coils are better than the HH357 or Vapage AMGs?

Yes with ease ......... I usually keep my RBAs around 1.3 and don't notice any difference in batt life.
Flavor is easily better for me with a RBA .... And thats the great thing if its not you can keep trying until it is. Everything affects the flavor down to a particular batch of wire or wick.

And the big bonus for me is my catch cup is always completely dry with my Chalice RBAs and I like the smooth draw of the side air hole.

 

[Big Hitter]

It may be silly, but vaping doesn't seem very satisfying to me unless there's a ton of vapor fogging up the whole room.

What happens if you vape with your eyes closed ??? Not satisfied anymore ?
Not picking on you and I know your not alone, but I am 100% the other side of things.
If I could get the throat hit without any vapor coming out I think that would be awesome .... Talk about stealth vaping

EDIT: Just tried vaping with my eyes closed .... pretty cool everyone should try it.

 

[Commie]

What happens if you vape with your eyes closed ??? Not satisfied anymore ?
Not picking on you and I know your not alone, but I am 100% the other side of things.
If I could get the throat hit without any vapor coming out I think that would be awesome .... Talk about stealth vaping

I can still tell how much vapor I'm exhaling

 

[nerak]

It always bothered me that vapor is what we want, that is what contains the nic. IF we keep vapor inside our lungs longer, it dissipates. If we blow it right back out how much of the nic is not getting absorbed? Now I realize in tests the vapor is safe. So, what happens? Does all the nic stay with us and just vapor from the VG and PG gets exhaled?

I have tried holding the vapor in longer. I find I am satisfied, getting enough nic with fewer hits.

Somehow the clouds of vapor filling the room impact my mind as wasted nic and flavor.

 

[MwSlim]

I ordered 2 customs a couple weeks ago and for the last few days they have been lost in the mail (supposed to be delivered on the 3rd) I'm waiting to hear back from Avid Vapor now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Commie]

It always bothered me that vapor is what we want, that is what contains the nic. IF we keep vapor inside our lungs longer, it dissipates. If we blow it right back out how much of the nic is not getting absorbed? Now I realize in tests the vapor is safe. So, what happens? Does all the nic stay with us and just vapor from the VG and PG gets exhaled?

I have tried holding the vapor in longer. I find I am satisfied, getting enough nic with fewer hits.

Somehow the clouds of vapor filling the room impact my mind as wasted nic and flavor.

It's not wasted! It's pretty! And runs me about 4 cents per day

 

[synic]

Some of my RBA setups outperform 357 by a long shot. Problem is, this is very subjective. The main thing I like about them is amount of vapor, with very little throat hit. It may be silly, but vaping doesn't seem very satisfying to me unless there's a ton of vapor fogging up the whole room.

If you're still interested in getting your RBAs set up more to your liking, you can describe what you've tried so far and with what materials, and I'm sure someone here may be able to help.

Honestly I've tried a lot. The one I've experimented most with is the ERA, and I've tried everything in there.

Silica (from various different sources), Ekowool, XC-116, Cotton, and bamboo. Lots of different coil configurations, but my favorites were:

• 5 wraps of 30 gauge around this random screwdriver I had, with bamboo wick. Came out to 1.2 ohms nearly every time. It's slightly warm, it's got good vapor (but not like the hh357)
• Micro coil, with bamboo wick. 11 wraps around a needle I've got, 1.7ohms. Lots of vapor, not very warm at all, and it only seems to be good for half a day before I have to change the wick.

I don't really want to go below 1ohm. It feels like a waste to me. I can currently get through an entire 24 hours on one AW IMR 18500, and I kinda dig that. I don't have to carry around anything but my REO and I'm good for the day.

 

[synic]

Yes with ease ......... I usually keep my RBAs around 1.3 and don't notice any difference in batt life.
Flavor is easily better for me with a RBA .... And thats the great thing if its not you can keep trying until it is. Everything affects the flavor down to a particular batch of wire or wick.

And the big bonus for me is my catch cup is always completely dry with my Chalice RBAs and I like the smooth draw of the side air hole.

What kind of wick and wire do you use? 1.3ohm is right around where I'd like to keep it.

 

[JC Okie]

I used ONLY 357s for months and months before the RBAs came out, and I loved them. They were the best vape I'd ever had......until I tried my first RBA. DONE! For me (very subjective like Commie said) the RBAs are hands down better in every way that counts for me: flavor and vapor production. (I don't care that much for throat hit.) Also, for me, the RBAs are "cleaner" and more reliable. And....they're much cheaper and last just as long. That's my 2 cents.

 

[synic]

I used ONLY 357s for months and months before the RBAs came out, and I loved them. They were the best vape I'd ever had......until I tried my first RBA. DONE! For me (very subjective like Commie said) the RBAs are hands down better in every way that counts for me: flavor and vapor production. (I don't care that much for throat hit.) Also, for me, the RBAs are "cleaner" and more reliable. And....they're much cheaper and last just as long. That's my 2 cents.

What setup is your favorite? Seems like I remember you being a cotton person...

 

[Commie]

The two setups that I like:

1. 30 gaugh dense microcoil, with loops touching, wrapped on a 16 gauge syringe needle, 2.2 ohms. With organic cotton ball wick. Wick has to be pretty loose in it, as it will expand a lot. 2.2 ohm seems pretty high, since I usually like 1.7-ish. But the coil being squished together somehow compensates for it.

2. XS 116 nextel. Torched til it glows red on a gas stove (butane torch is too hot for that), and then rinsed with water. 18 gauge syringe needle is stuck through the center of the wick to maintain shape and to keep it open in the middle, then the same 2.2 ohm dense micro coil wrapped around it. The needle in the middle comes out once the coil is installed.

Both setups have tons of flavor and vapor. First is much cheaper, second lasts longer

 

[super_X_drifter]

The two setups that I like:

1. 30 gaugh dense microcoil, with loops touching, wrapped on a 16 gauge syringe needle, 2.2 ohms. With organic cotton ball wick. Wick has to be pretty loose in it, as it will expand a lot. 2.2 ohm seems pretty high, since I usually like 1.7-ish. But the coil being squished together somehow compensates for it.

2. XS 116 nextel. Torched til it glows red on a gas stove (butane torch is too hot for that), and then rinsed with water. 18 gauge syringe needle is stuck through the center of the wick to maintain shape and to keep it open in the middle, then the same 2.2 ohm dense micro coil wrapped around it. The needle in the middle comes out once the coil is installed.

Both setups have tons of flavor and vapor. First is much cheaper, second lasts longer

Sergey, why do you torch the Nextel? Are you buying the stuff that isnt kiln fired? if so, from what I have read, it would take alot more and alot longer heat than the stove to remove the sizing. If you got it from big tex, it comes kiln treated to remove the toxins. Just curious

 

[Big Hitter]

What kind of wick and wire do you use? 1.3ohm is right around where I'd like to keep it.

Doubled over slica not sure if its 2mm or 2.5mm and 4 wraps of 30g kanthal ..... gives me 1.3 almost every time.

 

[synic]

Doubled over slica not sure if its 2mm or 2.5mm and 4 wraps of 30g kanthal ..... gives me 1.3 almost every time.

Yeah, see, with it being as simple as that, I don't know what I could be doing differently than what you're doing. Maybe I have a magic HH357 here.

REO Mini, HH.357 - YouTube

 

[durgidog]

I prefer my hh.357 to any of my RBA's. I've been using the vapage atties and they've lasted me 3 or 4 months a piece with occasional cleaning in pga. I agree that the flavor isn't quite as good from the vapage as with the hh.357 - I use a custom long barrel made for 100%vg. All of my juices are 90-100% vg and I think that rebuildable drippers (I use ss mesh wick) don't work as well as commercial dripping atties for such thick juice.

 

[nerak]

I prefer my hh.357 to any of my RBA's. I've been using the vapage atties and they've lasted me 3 or 4 months a piece with occasional cleaning in pga. I agree that the flavor isn't quite as good from the vapage as with the hh.357 - I use a custom long barrel made for 100%vg. All of my juices are 90-100% vg and I think that rebuildable drippers (I use ss mesh wick) don't work as well as commercial dripping atties for such thick juice.

I can't agree on that. I only vape 100% VG just like a lot of Reonauts. My RM2's give me the vape of any commercial atty. Yes, even the HH.357. They were great, but just do not compare with what I can make the RM2 do with my coils.

 

[synic]

I prefer my hh.357 to any of my RBA's. I've been using the vapage atties and they've lasted me 3 or 4 months a piece with occasional cleaning in pga. I agree that the flavor isn't quite as good from the vapage as with the hh.357 - I use a custom long barrel made for 100%vg. All of my juices are 90-100% vg and I think that rebuildable drippers (I use ss mesh wick) don't work as well as commercial dripping atties for such thick juice.

Maybe that's the problem here, I've got too much VG. Like 80vg/20pg. Maybe I'll go down to 50/50 just to see...