Squape clone...

[the4thpower3]

No... Mine is not as bad as that but I tried using 28g wire on it again last night and I kept getting a hard short. The chimney is so close to the screw heads that by using a thicker gauge of wire the chimney would make contact with the screws....causing a short. This hcigar squape is a real joke. The anodizing on this thing is pretty flimsy....it can easily be scraped away.

I think the real Squape is probably a good atty but this clone is a joke. I am waiting for reviews of the Ehpro version...hopefully that is a much better atty.

I started off with 26 awg. I couldn't get my tank to seat fully closed.
I noticed the coating scraping away inside the top of the bell.
That's why I shaved my screws down.
I still had shorts using wire as thin as 30 awg.
The only way I could get it right was to wrap my leads completely around the screws to keep it from shorting.

Mine started leaking again.
I give up on this POS.
I'm gonna stick with Taifuns and Kayfuns until someone comes up with something better.

 

[EDO]

Yeah I hear ya...Hcigar really made a dud with this one. I can barely get the screws to catch 28g wire. I don't know how you were able to catch 26 gauge wire at the negative post. I can make 30g coils with this without it shorting and the vape is pretty good....but it is a tad finicky with cotton.

 

[Thao]

as I told here before - the clones do not have an ematal coating. That's why you get shorts! and to be honest - you deserve that! there is a reason why the original squape has an ematal coating. if you buy cheap, you buy twice

 

[twistedchild316]

as I told here before - the clones do not have an ematal coating. That's why you get shorts! and to be honest - you deserve that! there is a reason why the original squape has an ematal coating. if you buy cheap, you buy twice

I call BS.....I have both and never get shorts on my Tobeco clone.....

 

[Bionic]

I just sent mine back to vapegeek for a replacement of my bad chimney, great and quick respons from them.

 

[hazozita]

I call BS.....I have both and never get shorts on my Tobeco clone.....

Another satisfied Tobeco clone user here. Zero shorts, great vape. I have no doubts that the build quality of the original Squape is better than Tobeco, but considering that the clone was about $30, it has been a great value.

 

[jafmf95]

as I told here before - the clones do not have an ematal coating. That's why you get shorts! and to be honest - you deserve that! there is a reason why the original squape has an ematal coating. if you buy cheap, you buy twice

I WISH I could buy this thing twice! Or three times.

I call BS.....I have both and never get shorts on my Tobeco clone.....

Ditto. I've made quite a few slip-ups with tweezers and drivers on the head and I really expected to see at least a scrape by now....but nope. I wish someone was still carrying this

... I have no doubts that the build quality of the original Squape is better than Tobeco, ...

Normally I would agree, but in this case it's kind of subjective. The original I saw had some better knurling on the base, but had a polycarb tank. I'll take less detailed knurling and a pyrex tank. Personal pref....

 

[EDO]

as I told here before - the clones do not have an ematal coating. That's why you get shorts! and to be honest - you deserve that! there is a reason why the original squape has an ematal coating. if you buy cheap, you buy twice

Well in this case you're right but I have bought clones before that were as good if not better than the original. For example my Chi-you clone is an exact copy except the switch is better than the original. My Nemesis, Kraken, 69 Mod, AIOS clones are exact replicas and at less than 1/5th the price. So to say you get more by spending more is BS. But sometimes you get shafted and this Hcigar Squape is a prefect example...but that is the whole point of these forums....to get the word out regarding bad products and give praise to good ones.

 

[twistedchild316]

Great news guys! One of my followers local brought me by a Winsmoke Squape clone to build for him! And I must say the build quality is TOP NOTCH! Almost better than my legit Sqaupe. I have heard several people vow that the coating hasn't worn on them yet AND it has glass! And it comes with some nice accessories too....including a allen key! Here are some pics.....gotta get me one now!

 

[nelsonm64]

that's the one i'm holding out for. wish someone would do a group buy

 

[EDO]

Can you use 28g and 26g wires with the winsmoke Squape? With the Hcigar version I had an awful time trying to catch 28g wire with the negative post and when I did I kept getting hard shorts because chimney would hit the top of the screws. Is the draw similar to a Kayfun or is it much stiffer? Some of the clones have two holes at the 510 connector while some have one (like the Hcigar version).

 

[twistedchild316]

Can you use 28g and 26g wires with the winsmoke Squape? With the Hcigar version I had an awful time trying to catch 28g wire with the negative post and when I did I kept getting hard shorts because chimney would hit the top of the screws. Is the draw similar to a Kayfun or is it much stiffer? Some of the clones have two holes at the 510 connector while some have one (like the Hcigar version).

The airflow on the Winsmoke is losser than a legit KFL to me! Also to answer your other question.....
28 gauge micro coil on the Winsmoke Squape clone. 10 wraps @ 1.3ohm. LOVING this clone imparticular! Might sell my real Squape. Lol

 

[prophetr1]

great news guys! One of my followers local brought me by a winsmoke squape clone to build for him! And i must say the build quality is top notch! Almost better than my legit sqaupe. I have heard several people vow that the coating hasn't worn on them yet and it has glass! And it comes with some nice accessories too....including a allen key! Here are some pics.....gotta get me one now!

yup thats the one i got now i am just waiting on my astro clone.. So it will sit nice on casue i dont think i will be shelling out the money for a provari lol.......

 

[EDO]

For anyone who got a Hcigar squape clone....I think I figured out what is causing all the shorting in this device. As the 4thpower and I found out that the screws scrape the chimney and cause shorting in the device. I just couldn't believe that they would get the measurements so wrong for the length of the chimney. I watched a video of the real Squape and noticed that the chimney has no oring on top. There is a damn o-ring on top of the Hcigar Squape chimney which pushes the chimney down and causes the chimney to scrape against the screws....which causes the shorts once the anodizing is scraped away. The original doesn't have this oring and I don't think it is needed here. I have been vaping on it for the last few hours without the oring and not a hint of leaking yet....we'll see. No more shorting either. Actually the wicking and the vape have also improved a lot with the o-ring removed. I guess this is because the opening to the channels have gotten larger since the chimney is sitting higher. God this atty has been a PITA.

 

[nelsonm64]

For anyone who got a Hcigar squape clone....I think I figured out what is causing all the shorting in this device. As the 4thpower and I found out that the screws scrape the chimney and cause shorting in the device. I just couldn't believe that they would get the measurements so wrong for the length of the chimney. I watched a video of the real Squape and noticed that the chimney has no oring on top. There is a damn o-ring on top of the Hcigar Squape chimney which pushes the chimney down and causes the chimney to scrape against the screws....which causes the shorts once the anodizing is scraped away. The original doesn't have this oring and I don't think it is needed here. I have been vaping on it for the last few hours without the oring and not a hint of leaking yet....we'll see. No more shorting either. Actually the wicking and the vape have also improved a lot with the o-ring removed. I guess this is because the opening to the channels have gotten larger since the chimney is sitting higher. God this atty has been a PITA.

nice find! i'm sure this will help people out.

 

[the4thpower3]

Good call EDO.
Although mine shorts without the the top being screwed on. I check resistance before I even put it together. I'll get wacky readings and readings that keep changing or just a dead short. The only way I've been able to get it right is by wrapping my wires completely around the screws.

I hope your idea works for wicking though. With the bell sitting a little higher up on the wick channels - it very well may work better.


I have been running a super short wick to get juice to feed fast enough, but that caused flooding - and leaking out the 510.
Maybe after removing the o-ring I can go back to a longer wick which will help keep the center airhole from flooding.

Thanks EDO. I'll try it out. I would really like this Squape to work. And I don't really want to waste another $50 on a Winsmoke.

 

[jafmf95]

...
I have been running a super short wick to get juice to feed fast enough, but that caused flooding - and leaking out the 510.
....

Don't know if this will help, but I use Ekowool for my wick and found a video where the guy was putting a little mesh in the side liquid channels to assist in wicking. I use a little nickel foam instead of mesh, but it works like a charm. Wicks very fast, but doesn't allow it to flood. The key for me was to get the rolled up foam to just sit in the channels, not wedged in. I use a little eliquid to get it to stay in. I go from the bottom of the channel all the way up touching my wick. I'll try to get a picture next time I re-wick.

Put mesh/foam here:

 

[EDO]

Good call EDO.
Although mine shorts without the the top being screwed on. I check resistance before I even put it together. I'll get wacky readings and readings that keep changing or just a dead short. The only way I've been able to get it right is by wrapping my wires completely around the screws.

I hope your idea works for wicking though. With the bell sitting a little higher up on the wick channels - it very well may work better.


I have been running a super short wick to get juice to feed fast enough, but that caused flooding - and leaking out the 510.
Maybe after removing the o-ring I can go back to a longer wick which will help keep the center airhole from flooding.

Thanks EDO. I'll try it out. I would really like this Squape to work. And I don't really want to waste another $50 on a Winsmoke.

No Problem....

I only get shorts when I have the chimney on. I wasn't getting shorts in the beginning. I guess slowly when the anodizing got scraped away and the aluminum got exposed in the chimney I started getting hard shorts every time I put the top back on the atty. I know you filed down the screws ....believe me if you hadn't it would be shorting big time by now.

THis definitely should help with the wicking....it vapes much better now. Once I drilled out my airholes to 3/32 I started having wicking problems (getting dry hits)....this worked for me. I just hope I don't have leaking problems in the future. I am going through my second tank without the o-ring and its not leaking at all. Let us know how it works for you.

 

[the4thpower3]

I removed that top o-ring EDO.
I can't say it helped me much.
I've never hated an atty so much.
Gurgle, dry hit, leak, ...?!
Nutz to this thing.
I cannot stand it anymore.

 

[EDO]

Can't blame you at all...mine started leaking as well after the Third tank without the oring....I had filled it to the brim. But it wasn't leaking from the top like I expected but rather from the 510 connector....it had never done that before. I put some silicone tape on the threads of the chimney and that stopped it from leaking. It is vaping pretty damn good now. But anyone reading this avoid the Hcigar Squape like the plague. I am sure eventually they will get all the bugs fixed but as of right now it is crap. It is just too damn hard to get it to vape well.