Stocking up Strategy?

[Ed Brown]

If indeed the vape mail ban puts an end to this party, I'm wondering how people are approaching it. Obviously there is cheap hardware and expensive hardware, with the idea that the "good" stuff will last longer. I'm thinking especially of box mods. For example, dna chips. Are they supposed to last longer than what you get in a $40 mod?

So, are you buying fewer good things, or more cheaper things? Are you saving the good stuff for some day in the future and using up the cheap stuff now? Or are you using the good stuff, thinking that it will last a long long time.

Myself, I don't have a strategy on this but am interested to hear what others have to say.

 

[Letitia]

I'm just buying a few things I know I enjoy using that I don't already have stashed. I do have a couple new mods coming in that should suit my preferences very well so might snag a few more if I get them in time and know I like them. Decided to wait until after the ban to sell off what I'll not use.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

I have "cheap" mods that have been in use for years. While others have posted here on ECF that they only last days or a few months YMMV.

Mainly because in late 2019/early 2020 stuff was being sold super cheap (and I was lucky to have come back to ECF in-time enough to find out about them), I opted for more cheap stuff instead of less good stuff (but I have little faith that the "good stuff" would last longer anyhow. People who buy that stuff probably tend to treat it with care and therefore they say "see, it lasts longer". But what do I know?).

Supposedly DNA boards are coated with [insert substance here] to waterproof them. With a little research I suppose one could do that to the boards in their cheap Chinese mainstream mods of they wanted to, with minimal cost and a little time. invested.

As I posted in another thread not to long ago, at this juncture, one who has not yet stocked up does not have the luxury of time.

Also, while tanks, rdas and mods are important, nic base is also important, as well as a freezer to store it all in. Without a plan and a stash for nic base, there is no use in buying hardware unless you just want to vape 0mg juice and chew nicotine gum.

 

[zoiDman]

My theory about Stocking Up is that Nicotine Base is/was the Highest Priority. Because without Nicotine, it Doesn't matter how many Mods or RTA's/RDA's I have.

That Done, I then Focused on what I Know Works and I Liked. To Me, It was Better to a Buy Replacement Glass for an RTA that I have and I like then to spend that same Money on a the Latest n' Greatest RTA I have never tried. And Might Not Like.

Same with Mods. My Daily Driver, a Wesmec Surface Squonker, Died on Jan 2nd. I got 17 Months out of it. I was Tempted to buy an Untried Mech Squonker to replace it. But I have 3 or 4 (or 7) misc Mech/Semi-Mech Squonkers. So I went ahead and got another Surface to keep my running total of Surface's at 4.

I think it is Easy to get into PBM (Panic Buying Mode). But Staying with things you Know Work and You like can keep the Spending Down.

 

[Ed Brown]

I'm good with nic base. According to the vacopolypse calculator I'm good for 25+ years, with conservative assumptions, and at some point in the future can start to transition from 6mg to 4mg to 2 mg to 1 mg... for an infinite supply. I'm 62 and you know the rest.

Mods have been the main area of concern. I've had 3 of them die on me in 3 years, so I'll need at least 25 mods in stock. Presently awaiting delivery of another 4.

What grim math this is.

 

[zoiDman]

I'm good with nic base. According to the vacopolypse calculator I'm good for 25+ years, with conservative assumptions, and at some point in the future can start to transition from 6mg to 4mg to 2 mg to 1 mg... for an infinite supply. I'm 62 and you know the rest.

Mods have been the main area of concern. I've had 3 of them die on me in 3 years, so I'll need at least 25 mods in stock. Presently awaiting delivery of another 4.

What grim math this is.

Mods, to Me, have always be the Weakest Link.

I tend to Baby the Ones I use. Things like Never take the Battery Out while the Screen is On. Trying to press the Buttons Gently. Keeping the 510 Connector as Clean as Possible. etc.

Not Sure if you have ever used a Mech Mod? But a Good Mech Mod has Very Little to Go Wrong. And something what Can go wrong can be usually be Fixed with a trip to an Average Hardware Store.

I Don't use Mechs anymore. But I have a Few (Squonkers and Regular) as my Ultimate Fallback.

 

[Ed Brown]

Yes, I'm presently using regulated and mech and have learned that there are bad choices even with mechs. For example one that is prone to arcing and chewing up the battery terminals. There was a whole thread about that. 3 of the 4 mods that are on the way are "better" mechs with constant contact switches. One of them has replacement switches readily available. The other is a premium regulated unit that is a gift to myself with my Christmas bonus.

 

[silkakc]

I'm planning on ordering a few of my mods from Fasttech and I have to figure out where I can ship nicotine to. MyFreedomSmokes will not ship Nic base to NY anymore so I will have to send it to a family member in another state and re-ship it to me.

 

[john1211]

I'm planning on ordering a few of my mods from Fasttech and I have to figure out where I can ship nicotine to. MyFreedomSmokes will not ship Nic base to NY anymore so I will have to send it to a family member in another state and re-ship it to me.

lnw still ships nic to ny

 

[Rossum]

Not Sure if you have ever used a Mech Mod? But a Good Mech Mod has Very Little to Go Wrong. And something what Can go wrong can be usually be Fixed with a trip to an Average Hardware Store.

I Don't use Mechs anymore. But I have a Few (Squonkers and Regular) as my Ultimate Fallback.

I started on regulated mods. They always died one way or another.

I've been using the same mech squonker as my ADV for 5-1/2 years now. As you said, there's very little to go wrong.

 

[G and C]

I did the vast majority of my stocking at the beginning of 2020 with all of the uncertainty that it brought with it. By the time Covid hit, I was feeling like I'm pretty good to go for life, and I still feel that way. I spent more money than I care to admit, but I am well stocked on mechs, as well as a whole lotta Aegis Solos and Max's since I've been using the same Aegis mod for the last 3-4 years without a single issue. They're pretty tough and well built.

And like someone else said, I took the direction of buying a lot of spare parts and glass for atty's that I already know and love, rather than buying a bunch of stuff I've never tried before. I have glass for daaaaaaays.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

And like someone else said, I took the direction of buying a lot of spare parts and glass for atty's that I already know and love, rather than buying a bunch of stuff I've never tried before. I have glass for daaaaaaays.

For most of my tanks, my approach was to buy old tanks that I already knew I liked on super clearance. That way I didn't have to buy parts, I just bought a bunch of that same tank, with the idea that some of them will used for parts.

 

[vaper1960]

Also, while tanks, rdas and mods are important, nic base is also important, as well as a freezer to store it all in. Without a plan and a stash for nic base, there is no use in buying hardware unless you just want to vape 0mg juice and chew nicotine gum.

I'm OK on most things (batteries and wire will still be available... have lots of cotton and rayon) It's the nic I am worried about... need to make one last order.

 

[G and C]

I'm OK on most things (batteries and wire will still be available... have lots of cotton and rayon) It's the nic I am worried about... need to make one last order.

I've been thinking along those same lines. One more order. Just in case I live a smidge past 124 years old, where the nic calculator says I'm stocked to.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

If something should happen on the legal front such that buying nic will be legal for a few years to come, I plan to continue to buy a liter here and there to diversify the age of my stash.

I only started stashing nic in Dec 2019 and my last purchase was in Dec 2020, so all my nic was bought within a 12 month period. In other words, my whole nic stash is roughly the same age, pretty much. When that year comes where the nic starts going bad, it's all gonna go bad at about the same time.

 

[pbxbelmar]

I'm WAY late to this party thinking I was set for a while - but not anymore given a March deadline. Need to get some Nic and a couple more set ups for my tootle puffing life. My very fave tank (Anyvape Cero) has been gone for a while and I just opened my last box. *sigh
Meanwhile, I do like the Phil B Zenith but it's big for my little mods (mostly iSticks).
Got lots of coils for the Zenith and will get more for the Ceros which use the Aspire BVC. Not a builder, so I'm stuck with stockpiling coils.
Any recommendations for mods that will fit a Zenith better? Haven't been shopping around for a couple years, thinking I'm good...best laid plans and whatnot.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

ny recommendations for mods that will fit a Zenith better?

Is the zenith 22mm or 24mm wide?

 

[CaveFurby]

@Ed Brown I know your post is from Tuesday, but if you're looking for a great recent mech, I am very impressed with this Trishul mechanical mod by Hellvape. Very well built and a constant contact switch that really impresses me. I have the brass one, and am thinking about picking up a black version. Might give it a look.

 

[pbxbelmar]

Is the zenith 22mm or 24mm wide?

It's a 24mm. Took me a while to find the box. Which did not have the measurement on it...so I had to find my measuring tape.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

It's a 24mm. Took me a while to find the box. Which did not have the measurement on it...so I had to find my measuring tape.

I assume you're from the USA?

If so eightvape has the Vaporesso Swag II Kit with the NRG PE tank ($29.88) and the Geekvape Aegis Solo Kit with with the Cerberus tank ($34.09). If you spend $100 you can get $21 off with code REBIRTH21 (good for the rest of January). Shipping not included in these prices. Will run about $7 to $12 depending on how many things you buy.

About the tanks:
Neither of those tanks are MTL as they come, however you can turn both of those into rebuildable tanks using the Ijoy EXO-S single Coil RBA ($24.87 shipped for a 5 pack). That seller "MTL USA" is legit, I've ordered many of those 5-packs last year and shipped quickly. That RBA restricts the airflow of those 2 tanks a little bit making them a little bit more MTL-ish with the airflow closed to their smallest setting. However realize both tanks are still going to be a medium to loose MTL, not a tight MTL.

With the NRG PE tank, because of the design, I would not use juice thicker than 50VG, maybe 60VG at the thickest, if using that iJoy RBA. For the Cerberus tank it won't matter.

If you don't want the tanks then you can probably try to sell them here on ECF.

The Swag II mod is rather tiny and will take up to 25mm diameter tanks (no larger due to top mounted protruding battery cap). The Aegis Solo is a bit bigger as it's a rugged mod, but still not that big (it will take 25+mm tanks). Both mods take 18650 batteries. Realize that both of these mods will be bigger in the hand than and istick 30W mod. But they are better for vapocalypse because they are replaceable battery mods. Treat them with care and they should last a good while.