Solution delivery idea

[katink]

Ah, wonderful to see you can enjoy this now as much as I am, Windblown!

There is a more elaborate (and perhaps better in mechanical respect, certainly if you make new ones regularly) way to make the cartridge work like this also (made soon after this one by Yo Han, another member of my dutch forum trying to make it even better). It involves gluing (well, actually using watertight paste that also fills up any openings at the side) the small bottom-piece of another cartridge upside down inside the cartridge, making one hole in the middle of that inside-piece to let the liquid through.
I'm not sure myself though, if it's okay to have part of the cartridge that you can never get to anymore for good cleaning. Plus I prefer the simplicity of the straw-solution... anyone can do this in 30 seconds, and it works equaly well as far as I have found (so far at least) once you get the hang of it (as to how much wool you need and how long the straw should be); and cleaning it out, plus making a bunch of them if wanted, is very easy (I keep one piece of straw at the right length in my 'work-box', so I can use that over and over for measuring off new straws).

@ SmokeyJoe; thanks for wanting to try it too Joe!

 

[leaford]

I want to try it, but I don't have a straw.

 

[katink]

:mrgreen: Almost any drinking-straw will do just fine, leaford. Those you buy a whole pack of for 20 cents or so, for kids parties. will do nicely. Just don't take 1-use (paper) ones; and don't take those very wide milkshake-straws (those are too wide to fit in the cartridge). Then just cut small pieces off as you need them. One packet will last a loooong time; just like one pack of aquarium-filter will be enough for years

 

[leaford]

Yeah. I think I'll just steal a couple from McDonalds.

 

[katink]

Excellent idea, I'm sure they will want to donate those to the good cause!

 

[leaford]

Yeah. I think I'll just steal a couple from McDonalds.

Well, mission accomplished, and they never knew what hit 'em!

So, I tried it, and so far I like it. It's giving me a much more consistent amount of vapor. Not so much more vapor than I can get with a regular cartridge, just more reliable. Kind of like the first few hits off a fresh cartridge, for longer. About two hours so far. Also, it's easier to suck on, and I think the flavor is stronger, too.

Next question is how long will a cartridge last, and will the smoke get thinner at the end.

 

[leaford]

I tried it on my mini, and it works there too!

 

[katink]

Really Leaford? Wow, wouldn't have expected it to work well there. Good thing you tried and showed it does! I never even tried it: shows me to not do things 'on expectation' so much

 

[quirky]

I dont know if anyone has pointed this out yet - but that "white wool" used in fish tanks is sometimes made of fiberglass.

 

[Oliver]

Yeah, that was pointed out to me. It's also known as rockwool and you DON'T want that!

 

[Klaue]

Would it be possible that someone could make some pictures of the process, maybe putting it on http://www.instructables.com/? Because I don't really get it

 

[katink]

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for: but if you go to this thread: http://www.e-cigaret.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793 and click beneath each picture, you will get small video-instructions of a lot of things concerning e-smoking (no language spoken, so that isn't a problem).

Hope this answers your question(s)

 

[NerdyCinderella]

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for: but if you go to this thread: http://www.e-cigaret.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793 and click beneath each picture, you will get small video-instructions of a lot of things concerning e-smoking (no language spoken, so that isn't a problem).
Hope this answers your question(s)

That is so cool of a link. Thanks katink!

 

[Klaue]

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for: but if you go to this thread: http://www.e-cigaret.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793 and click beneath each picture, you will get small video-instructions of a lot of things concerning e-smoking (no language spoken, so that isn't a problem).

Hope this answers your question(s)

I meant of the straw idea, but that's also a nice link (good thing that I can read a little bit dutch.. it often looks like swiss-german, at least if it's written down )

 

[katink]

Smokey-Joe: would it be a good idea to also put this link (instruction-video's) into your post that you made into a sticky, for beginning e-smokers, a few days back? Looks like the kind of thing they would be looking for early on? (Of course to be replaced once members here have made their own set of beginner-instruction-films, if that happens )

Hehe, nice that you can even read it a bit, Klaue As to the straw-story: sorry I misunderstood what you meant - which part isn't clear to you? Basicly: cut off (small) piece of a drinking-straw, put it in cartridge, then put wool (filtermaterial or part of a bought core) on top of it... then fill it with liquid - which part is giving you trouble?
Whether this straw really makes for a better experience, dóes depend btw on which cores/cartridges/filtermaterial you are using. I got myself a batch of Janty-cartridges short while ago, for example: and those simply don't need this 'enhancement'. But when I smoke e-cig material, and some other brands too; or when I make my own cartridges with the kind of material available for it: then it sure helps to keep the smoking-experience a pleasant one, without constant 'mucking around' needed to keep it smoking.

(Suggestion: Always remember though that most filling-material can melt: so don't smoke with too dry cartridge; and if your device is cleaning itself then best to shortly take out the cartridge until the device is done: then blow into atomizer to get any unpleasant taste/smoke out, then put cartridge back in again and continue smoking).

 

[Klaue]

Basicly: cut off (small) piece of a drinking-straw, put it in cartridge, then put wool (filtermaterial or part of a bought core) on top of it... then fill it with liquid - which part is giving you trouble?

OK, now I get it. But I think the idea is that the straw sucks up the liquid to the filling material - but how? And wouldn't it be enough to just turn it around for 1-2 seconds? (Or is this just to not to have to turn it around?)
Well, I think I should just wait until my e-cigarette arrives.. I think I will understand such things much better wehn I saw the parts myself

 

[leaford]

The straw makes a small reservoir of liquid, which is then drawn down into the filler slowly. Gives you a steady supply flowing through to the atomizer. I experimented with that. It worked great, but burns throught the liquid WAY too fast. And it's a mess to setup. I went back to regular cartridges. Besides, if you have a good performing e-cig, it's not really necessary.

 

[Minus Sign]

I think, in all honesty, that cartridge life is...a secondary concern.

To be honest, i don't need or want one cartridge that can go and go and go as much as I want a consistent hit between drags, and an even smoking experience per use. It appears to be the tendency, however, to reach for longer over stronger. Longer lasting, more use per cartridge. maybe we're looking in the wrong direction.

Real cigarettes give that satisfaction to me, one at a time. I can't reuse them (unless I only smoke half of one) but the hit they give me is by far stronger than any I've had from the e-cigar, even drip smoking.

To solve this problem from a consumer standpoint, while keeping them safe from a governmental one is certainly a tricky business.

My general suggestion: would it be possible to make a cartridge that was one use, high potency, and (along with the device, since a remodel would need to be done, most likely) had a cutoff time near a normal cigarette? The dosage per cartridge could be tweaked to guarantee that one cartridge is no stronger than the amount of nicotine in one real cigarette (and no weaker ). My guess is that these cartridges could be smaller than we have right now as well, allowing for more room for better atomizer construction and batteries...or shrinking the design to make it that much more portable.

As for design suggestion: Perhaps...seal the atomizer completely from the cartridge, and load each cartridge like a bolt action rifle. A breach on the side is used to insert each new cartridge. A wire mesh "piston" inside controlled by a small thumb clip "handle" outside could be used to push each sealed cartridge into a needle (or needles), which punctures the cartridge and acts as the atomizing contact point. If the needles are the length of the cartridge and thick enough, this effectively allows the atomizer to contact the cartridge from one end to the other, evenly per use. To prevent spent cartridges from becoming stuck, a spring can be set behind the needle to push the each cartridge back into the breach after use. Toss (or squeeze, depending on user preference) and replace with a fresh one each use.

I suggest this because the bolt action is a time tested design for quick and easy loading of an object into a tube. The added effect of using a needle to puncture each cartridge is that you can effectively create holes at both ends. This allows for, depending on the density of the cartridges innards, an air flow chamber through the cartridge no matter how it has been sealed.

How big would such a cartridge need to be? Half the size or a cigarette ....? Smaller than that maybe.

The biggest advantage of such a system would be in its "stopping point". Users would be actively changing cartridges, and would be better able to monitor how much they are smoking unlike the current system that lasts all day...unless they suck it dry in a couple hours. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits to the cause of e-smoking is that by reducing the intended uses per cartridge from a pack to a cigarette, any future claims that these cartridges contain "massive amounts of nicotine" would be inaccurate. You could honestly say that there is no more nicotine per cartridge than there is in a normal cigarette.

 

[Oliver]

@ Katink,

The videos are on the forum somewhere - I shall find them and link to them.

Thanks,

SJ

 

[TropicalBob]

I'm almost to the point where I think Loong Totem has the right idea with its V9. The cartridge and atomizer are a single, use-once unit for their battery. I'm blowing through atomizers as if they were disposable, so why not go all the way? If the atomizers continue failing as they do, I'll have to ask just how much enjoyment I get out of refilling cartridges, fussing with finicky Chinese suppliers, watching the dollars add up in search of the latest and greatest, etc .