Solutions To having the finish you want on the GG

[ESmoking1979]

OK guys, I posted the following comments on the "Shiny GG" thread. But afterward, I decided to open a new thread dedicated to polishing and buffing the GG models so that everyone can work together to come up with ways to have the best finish they can on their GG. I know some people like a brushed and mat finish, but some people also like shiny (I think most do, if they could resolve some issues). So I wanted to dedicate this thread to making the best finishes possible on the GG and get everyone's input. My following post will be what I posted in the "Shiny GG" thread.

Thanks guys and gals!

-ESmoking

P.S. If there is a similar thread to this, sorry, I didn't know. Let me know and I'll have this one shut down.

 

[ESmoking1979]

This is the comment that I posted in the "Shiny GG" thread prior to opening this thread...

Hi everyone. It's so great to be a new part of the GG team!

OK Imeo, I talked to Lisa and she helped answer some questons. She's a great gal.

This is what I am planning to do. I think this is going to help a lot of people in the forums who have these concerns and I will be sure to report my findings to everyone. The finish on my models is the most important thing to me because I am going to buy many models all at once and I want them to look the best they possibly can. And I like shiny things. So I made some phone calls today to some plating companies in my area who specialize in putting professional "iodized" (I think that was the word) plating on aluminum and brass. The people I talked to said they want me to bring them in pictures of the GG and bring in my Silver Bullet, but they said that they believe they can do what I want. And it's fairly inexpensive. It will only cost about $5-$10 USD per device (they said they'd do 15 devices for ballpark $75 USD). It will be a nice plated finish that should keep fingerprints and scratches off of the GG and not require any buffing or polishing for a very long time, but I'm not totally sure yet and this is what I need to find out more about, and ask more questions when I go to see them. I am going to drive to several different plating companies over the next few days to get their opinions and I will bring them my Silver Bullet and pictures of the GG's to look at.


I just wanted to know if anyone could tell me if the button on the GG's is removable so that they can plate the tubes only (and maybe the caps). Can the button come out completely to leave just a hole?

I believe that if this is a viable option, many people in the forums will like the idea if no one else has come up with it yet (not sure if it's been discussed). I just want to help everyone have the best GG possible. And I want people to have what they like. And I want to make sure that all of my models are to my liking. This is why I do so much research for me and everyone. And I like shiny things too.

What do you guys think of this idea?

Thank you!!!

-ESmoking1979

 

[Lisaf01]

Actually Lisa, now that I think about it, I have 2 Silver Bullets and I may just give it a try on one of them to see how it goes. If it works out good, then I can order my GG's shiny with confidence that it should work on all of them. I may do my Silver Bullet in the next few days. I'll let you guys know what I decide.

-ESmoking

Quoting you from the other thread - this is a good idea I think. Let us know what happens.

 

[abhowe]

Esmoking 1979, Sir..... Are you working on this endeavor with Mr Imeo..... How come you are not asking Imeo these questions...... I am 100 % sure that he has these answers since he is the inventor and sole manufacturer...... Just wondering Sir.....

 

[ESmoking1979]

Esmoking 1979, Sir..... Are you working on this endeavor with Mr Imeo..... How come you are not asking Imeo these questions...... I am 100 % sure that he has these answers since he is the inventor and sole manufacturer...... Just wondering Sir.....

lol. Yes sir, I have been going back and forth with Imeo, for days now, about this particular issue. We've discussed the Skinomi and various other things. He keeps insisting that I will regret a shiny finish due to fingerprints and scratches, but he will do it for me if that's what I want. Imeo does not have the tools and experience to do anything other than a shiny or in between shiny and mat finish. He is not experienced with Skinomi or laquer finishes, and does not have a production line to do this (as Lisaf01 mentioned in PM). He is experienced in machining and bringing us the best of a handmade product. But even though he's trying to talk me out of a shiny finish, I still like shiny finishes. I always will. I love the Silver Bullet's finish. But the fingerprints do suck. So I'm trying to get the forum members' heads together to come up with a solution to a long-lasting shiny finish (or even a long lasting mat finish, if that's your liking). If Imeo could have done this by now, I'm sure he would have.

Perhaps Imeo himself could look into finding a plating company to do this in Greece for us at a small extra cost to the buyer. What do you think, Imeo?

-ESmokin1979

 

[Lisaf01]

Imeo has already considered, probably every type of finish that there is out there and he has always chosen what he feels is the best for the product and the customers. The current standard allows for users who like industrial look and who like the shiny look. Any other standard finish would create more problems than it solves, I believe.

I do know that the biggest issue Imeo has with any type of plating is that it will wear off with use - and that type of wear is against everything he is trying to create with his robust and hard-wearing GGs.

So if you want to do this - it's entirely at your own risk - and that's also why I suggested only doing it with one device at first.

I think you may end up falling in love with the less mirror-like finish. You may surprise yourself. It sets the GG apart from everything else out there - but it is a subjective thing as I have said.

 

[ESmoking1979]

I know that the issue he has is that any type of plating will wear off with use - and that type of wear is against everything Imeo is trying to create with his robust and hard-wearing GGs.

Hmm, I'll have to discuss this with the plating companies when I go see them in the next few days. Now if it lasted say, a year or two, maybe longer, that would be fine with me to do it every couple years. But if it's going to wear off in a month or 2, that will be a problem. But it's not something easily discussed over the telephone. The plating companies would like to see the item and it's easier to ask questions face to face. I have a lot of work this week, so give me a few days to drive to some plating companies to see what I can come up with.

Any other ideas, suggestions, and/or input will be appreciated.

 

[ESmoking1979]

So if you want to do this - it's entirely at your own risk - and that's also why I suggested only doing it with one device at first.

Of course, that's understandable. It almost goes without saying. Especially since Imeo keeps trying to talk me out of a shiny finish. 8-o But glad you did mention it for other people's benefit.

-ESmoking1979

 

[Lisaf01]

Hmm, I'll have to discuss this with the plating companies when I go see them in the next few days. Now if it lasted say, a year or two, maybe longer, that would be fine with me to do it every couple years. But if it's going to wear off in a month or 2, that will be a problem. But it's not something easily discussed over the telephone. The plating companies would like to see the item and it's easier to ask questions face to face. I have a lot of work this week, so give me a few days to drive to some plating companies to see what I can come up with.

Any other ideas, suggestions, and/or input will be appreciated.

There is NO way that plating will last a year or two if you are planning on using the device daily. It will start to wear and rub off at the places where your fingers and thumb continually touch the body of the GG within months if not weeks.

I know you dream of shiny, but you may need to adjust expectations a tiny bit, although these are individual works of art - they are also work-horses and as such, whichever one(s) you use regularly are going to obtain some ageing characteristics, which only enhances them in my opinion.

 

[ESmoking1979]

There is NO way that it will last a year or two if you are planning on using the device daily. It will start to wear and rub off at the places where your fingers and thumb continually touch the body of the GG within months if not weeks.

Well, I plan to order several GG models. And I most likely won't use them daily. I have like 60 stock 801 batteries to last me a few years until the li-ion chemistry wears thin. Then I'll go to my mods. I'm stocking up in case the USA goes forth with the ban. Better to be safe than sorry. I have 125 801 atomizers, 2.5 liters of juice, 60 stock batteries (that will eventually go bad), 2 Silver Bullets, 3 VP1's, 1 PureSmoker Protege, 3 PureSmoker pass throughs, several stock pass throughs, 2 Super T1's, and I'm going to have the entire GG line up. But as far as using them daily, it probably won't happen because I plan to use up my stock batteries first. I'll just puff on the 6 volt devices on special occasions or when I have a bad day. But I'll discuss your concerns with the plating companies. Thanks for the heads up.

Any other input, suggestions, or ideas from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

-ESmokig1979

 

[vapn]

Anodizing will add resistance to your GG ... By careful with this... I talked to Steve at Puresmoker about the Prodigy and he had originally anodized it and the results were not good... I also talked to the maker of the Silver bullet and he warned me not to do this... I work with anodized aluminum all day every day building towers on boats and yes it does hold up well and stays shiny.. But adds resistance.. not good for our application. Keep it plain aluminum and just wipe it down when it needs it.. I use mothers mag wheel cleaner on mine.. Brings it back to the original shine I started with.

 

[Lisaf01]

If you don't plan to use them all that much, then yes plating may well be the best option for you personally (depending on what it does to the resistance as vapn says). I am sure we'd all be very interested to know what feedback you get from these companies.

Excellent about the stocking up - better to be safe than sorry - remember there's a shelf-life on juice though.

 

[ESmoking1979]

Anodizing will add resistance to your GG

(depending on what it does to the resistance as vapn says).

Sorry, I'm ignorant of this. I guess I could just google it, but maybe one of you could save me the headache. What do you mean by resistance? Does it have to do with the electrical current running through the device?

Thanks!

 

[abhowe]

Wish you all the best in your endeavors..... I bought the original GG Transformer from the inventor and manufacturer as well as artist......I will keep mine the way the artist intended......
Of course, it is everybody's right to do with what they want, once they own it..... I may be stupid, and that is OK..... But, if I was a creator of something, and people changed it, I would consider it a personnal insult to me as the creator and artist......
But, again, I wish you all the best, and hope you find a way to do it, where the finish stays for a long period of time..... Watch makers do it all the time...... I got watches that have their original finishes for several years...... Of course you can't do much about scratches..... How do the watch makers do it........

 

[ESmoking1979]

remember there's a shelf-life on juice though.

Yeah, I know. When it goes bad, I guess I'll just order nicotine from a chemist and buy a hazmat suit for protection. I saw hazmat suits online for $5-$150 USD. They're pretty cheap.

 

[ESmoking1979]

But, if I was a creator of something, and people changed it, I would consider it a personnal insult to me as the creator and artist......

Oh no, I would never want to insult Imeo. He's the nicest guy in the world, with the best e-cig in the world, and the best customer service in the world! I sure hope he doesn't take it that way. But I can see where you're coming from. I, like others, just want to have the best GG's possible to our likings and it doesn't hurt to put our heads together to discuss improvement.

When all is said and done, I may just take Imeo's advice and let him make mine with his own finish. But I always research and discuss big decisions like this first. It may not be a big decision to some, but it is to me because I'm going to spend a lot with Imeo.

-ESmoking

 

[ESmoking1979]

Watch makers do it all the time...... I got watches that have their original finishes for several years...... Of course you can't do much about scratches..... How do the watch makers do it........

Lisaf01 did suggest through PM to contact a jeweler. Good suggestion to both of you. I may try that. Let's keep on thinking!

-ESmoking1979

 

[Lisaf01]

I am sure everyone understands where you are coming from.
You're buying the devices and as you said, you're buying a lot and you want to make sure that you get exactly what you want.
I think you may regret any hasty decisions. Get them, live with them for a bit and then make up your mind.
That's my advice anyway.

 

[Lisaf01]

Lisaf01 did suggest through PM to contact a jeweler. Good suggestion to both of you. I may try that. Let's keep on thinking!

-ESmoking1979

Bear in mind that some jewellers will not have the polishing compounds that I suggested - the red "jeweller's rouge" is more common in jewellery workshops - it's less cutting than the other compounds - you would be best off with the other two I mentioned if you do decide to mirror yours.

 

[ESmoking1979]

Get them, live with them for a bit and then make up your mind.

But that's just the thing. Before I get them, I have to be able to decide whether to order a shiny finish frim Imeo, or an in between shiny and mat finish. Before I can make that decision, I have to first do all of my research, visit plating companies, jewelers, and take suggestions. Then the next step is getting them.

-ESmoking1979