If you're a tank lover, this could be the last cartomizer punch you will want or need to purchase.
Cartomizer Punch | InVape
Cartomizer Punch | InVape
The Best Carto Punch...IMHO
- Thread starter TUC
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forty bucks?
It sounds expensive, but considering I have spent in excess of $100 for various others, including two "cheap" saddle valves, the price becomes easier to rationalize. Especially if it is the first and last punch one purchases.
This wont work for those cartos that have the flanged end. I buy the prepunched flange but with some juices I need to be able to punch another hole. With this punch it says you have to insert it from the connector end. So I am still looking for one that I can use.
You are correct...this will not be useful if you use the flanged type cartomizers that are made for DCCT's.
This looks like it works just like the DIY carto punch that I paid $5 for and got free shipping. It works great> I don't see paying an extra $35 for someting that works just the same. Here is the DIY carto punch
Glad you like your DIY. I have tried that particular DIY, along with a couple others...and I still prefer the one from VIP Vapor Cigs, BY FAR!
But glad you like yours.
But glad you like yours.
I tried the saddle valve. Hated it. With a passion. It was impossible, and I was starting to waste money with how many cartos I was having to throw out. Saw this about 3 months ago or so and decided to take the risk. I've never looked back. If you want a truly easy and care-free carto punch, this is the one. Yea, it's $40. But you know what? It's worth it. $40 is not all that much, honestly. I am just flat-out overjoyed that I bought mine, only wish I'd bought it sooner.
It is a good punch but you have to be careful how far to turn the punch dial. I have the same one from a diff vender and if you turn it even just a tad too far you can pierce the carto's center tube resulting in unrecoverable flood. The thing I like most about these is that you can see exactly where you are punching the hole.
I just got some of the flanged cartos to experiment with but have been using my similar punch on 801 cartos for many months now. The 801 cartos have a collar at the base of the carto tube to accommodate the 801 threads. The collar creates the same barrier as the flanged design. These punches work just fine. you can put a slapyomama (filler tool) in the open end of the carto and insert that end into the punch tube. Works just fine.
There are many variations of the punch (Karla posted) available for purchase from venders for around $10-$20 fully assembled without the need to buy the parts separately. Here is one that even has a stop to prevent the tap from threading in too far: Carto Punch - Avid Vaper That "stop" is just a lock washer and can also easily be purchased for cheap at any hardware store and added to any of these style punches. On the one Avid sells, the lock washer is soldered, or glued/welded (uncertain) to the bottom of the screw head/wing-nut. I think these types are fine for a carry around/travel but you cannot see the exact location where the hole will punch thru and you also cannot see how big the hole is becoming as you turn (relevant to the viscosity of your juice). Karla, your way is certainly fine - especially if it is giving you the results you want and it is also good for those on tighter budgets. Being one of those who is in constant search of improving my vape experiences, I continue to try alternatives - C'fieds provides a market for any vape gear I don't want or use. I may lose a couple dollars along the way but I chalk those up to the cost of trying alternatives.
I have tried many different carto punches (including the saddle valve). I have not yet found one that I can consistently use with ease and accuracy (see the exact location of the hole and see the size of the hole while making the hole). The OP's listed punch comes the closest. The only problem I have with it is (on mine at least) the shape of the point is so long/narrow/sharp that by the time I turn the dial enough to drive the point in far enough to get a hole the size I want - the point has already gone too deep and pierced the carto's internal tube (creating the above mentioned unrecoverable flood scenario). This issue may be only significant to me and others with high (unthinned) VG thick viscosity juices that want medium and larger feed holes.
I have avoided using dremel to grind feed holes as I have been concerned about metal dust getting into the carto filler. A friend is going to show me how he does it to prevent any dust intrusion. Meanwhile, even though a bit of a PITA, I am using a three-step approach. After doing it for a while, I can now punch a carto with 2 medium feed holes at the bottom and two tiny holes (barely piercing the tube) near the top (helps keep top of the filler a bit more moist and seems to extend life of the carto) in three minutes or less. If you remove the driptip and look at the carto filler, many times that filler is fairly dry at that end. The carto coil runs vertically and if the filler is dry where the coil heats - it can begin to burn the filler which changes the flavor as well as speed the carto's demise. The tiny top holes allow juice to soak into the top filler as you tip the device to vape and/or if you lay the device down horizontally.
As I said, I use 801 cartos. I use the slap for two reasons: 1) as I pierce the top tiny holes, having the slap installed helps keep the shape of the carto (prevents it from bending as it lacks any internal support like the base has). 2) provides the needed length for the punch design posted by the OP. On the Saddle valve, I already know exactly how to align the carto to have holes exactly where I want them. I have always avoided using any sort of marking pen/pencil as I am never confident all marking residue is removed from the carto and that will be soaking in the juice I will vape. Even Sharpie perm marker ink dissolves quickly with e-liq. So, I use the saddle valve to mark/dent the carto. Then I use the one similar to OP's as I can easily see the dents and how deep the punch is going. For the top holes, as I said, I barely pierce thru the metal. For the bottom holes, I also barely pierce thru the metal (my punch is extremely sharp). To finish, I use a hand punch tool someone made but a sheet metal screw works fine too (if a medium/larger hole is desired, just choose a sheet-metal screw that is sharp yet broadens quickly instead of a longer/thinner point). Hold it steady and one medium hammer tap gives me the perfect base hole. All in all it takes me three minutes or less to punch each carto. Sometimes I'll just do a bunch if watching TV or vape chat channels, etc. As I said, it IS a bit of a PITA this way but I can see each step and rarely throw away new cartos anymore (saw many go straight into the rotary file before I started using this approach).
Someday someone will develop the end-all punch. But for now, I prefer my multi-step method because it just works consistently and seems to be very close to the time I see others spending matching, marking, punching and cleaning off their cartos - my way just seems to yield much more consistent results.
Hope something in this post is helpful to someone.
Happy
EDIT: Just took a closer look at TUC's (OP) link and realized it is not a vender, just describing the punch from VIPVAPORCIGS - this IS the exact same punch I have and use.
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I also use one of these and like it. I balked at first at the price, but started thinking of all the cartos I'm punching, and will punch. I tried a couple different saddle valves, which the point on them dulled pretty quickly, so decided to go with this one. It's going strong and I haven't regretted putting out the $40. I use washers under the punch lever so that I get the same size hole every time.
I have always believed in change and if the change is worthy then i would be definitely trying this, 40 Bucks is far more away from my reach but i should be saving something next month so that i can make a try...
What are the functionality that it provides if its charging that much ??? But it is nice and if we are about it then we can think to shed 40 bucks...
I had originally got the siam mod carto punch, which was great at first, but with all the punching I was doing it got dull so fast and the holes were getting sloppy and were warping my cartos so bad , that I was getting leakage and seeping. I bit the bullet and got the one from VIP. VIP actually invented it and COV copied it. It makes such neat and small holes, so precise. I still have the same screw in there with no signs of dulling. If youre a heavy hitting carto user it so worth it.
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