Trying to make my own kick like device?

[obediahx]

Hey,

So I'm trying to design and build my own device. I want to make it a simple mechanical telescoping device. But I also want to make it be able to become a regulated device, similar to what a kick does. However, I don't want to use a kick. I want to make a section of the device removable that has a screen and button that can adjust voltage and wattage but be removed to keep it purely mechanical when I want.

The problem is, I have no idea how to go about doing this, so right now it's just an idea. I don't know anything about circuitry or even what would be required.

So as a first method of attack to this problem, I'm posting here. Any expertise, knowledge, or thoughts y'all want to give me would be of great help!

Thanks,

Obediah

 

[tmassey]

this is never in stock, and it sounds like you want to build your own but theres always this. pretty much what your wanting.
CYBORG

 

[MorpheusPA]

If you put a DNA20 or DNA30 in a section of tubing you could attach it or not attach it as you prefer--attached, it would be a moderated device. Unattached, a mechanical.

Basically, you'd only need a connection for the positive battery at the base of your insert tube (and again at the base of the firing head), a connection that's the same as your intended battery at the other end of the insert tube so the head sees them as the same, and a passthrough for the button so it functions to fire both the mechanical and the electronic parts.

That last would take some work. While I can see a way that would function, it's a bit delicate.

 

[obediahx]

The cyborg does do most of what I want, but I do want to make it myself.

I thought about the DNA 20 but I want Both a variable wattage and voltage system and I would still prefer to make one, you learn more that way.

I'm not sure what you mean about how to set up the connection to make it mechanical.

Do you mean having a button on the removable piece as well as the regular battery tube?

 

[Chewy-bot]

how about a button on the base that can be used in mechanical mode, but can be locked on for regulated mode. A 2nd button on or near the voltage readout can fire the regulated board.

 

[Credo]

Maybe have a look at the Nivel Chip?
I'm not sure if it needs constant power like the DNA Board. I do know its display is something much simpler...the question is what sort of static memory it has after a power down (as you'd have when releasing the button on a mech).

The thing with doing a regulator with a live display, is that it's going to want constant power. To get that, you've got to replace the mech button with something else. By the time you go to all that trouble doing alternate plugs, threading, and strange work-arounds to settle the 'constant power' issue...you could easily (and probably at less cost even) just build yourself two really nice, complete, independent, and dedicated mods.

Leave out the 'display', or move to something that only shows a display while it's being fired, (something more like a Kick or Crown 2.0, has static memory to remember how it was set when power is not there, and either doesn't have to reboot after a power down, or does it ultra quickly)....and it gets a whole bunch easier.

If the DNA or Nivel board has a quick enough boot time, and if it remembers stuff correctly, and if it comes ON at power up...you could theoretically jumper the fire contacts always closed, and hit it like a kick? Again, the screen and adjustment buttons/pots, would only work when you're firing if all else went well. I dunno, but worth a try I guess...

If you're really willing to prototype your own board and software....
You could do something more like a kick, but just have the display work when it's being fired. You might even have a small battery built into it that has enough juice to run some kind of really efficient display (like LCD watches use) and allow tweaking the settings.

It might also be possible with some of the digital IC stuff out there to have little two sided boards that fit between the battery, modulation network, and the mech switch, and communicate by sending digital signals through the mod's walls (no wires or traces to get messages from one end of the mod to the other). Again, you'd have to get into some pretty involved PCB designs, and IC programming to come up with that (Why? A board like the DNA defeats the need for a mech switch anyway).

 

[Credo]

I'm not sure what you mean about how to set up the connection to make it mechanical.

Do you mean having a button on the removable piece as well as the regular battery tube?

The tricky part is this:
As far as I know, the boards with display screens are going to want constant power.
They use a semi-conductor switch to tell them when to fire (a mech button is over kill here...they don't need to be able to carry lots of current...they just tell the board when to fire and stop firing, and what adjustments to make, etc.).

Mechanical mods...when the button is up...break the circuit. There's not a thing you can do about it without getting rid of the mechanical button (or locking it closed somehow) or doing some pretty fancy engineering with 2 sided PCB boards that insert between stuff and run wires, tracers, or communicate somehow (digitally?) through the mod body, it's going to be a complicated ordeal to make that original mechanical button be able to fire the mod.

Is it possible? Oh yes....where there is a will and the cash, you can find a way to do it
By the time you get there...you could build separate mods...or just do completely separate 'tube assemblies' for the same head (atty connection part)...a regulated one with conventional switches (or even touch sensitive ones), and an unregulated tube with a mech button.

 

[Credo]

BTW, if 10 watts, or 5.5v (not sure the amp limit though...my guess is around 3 amps) is enough for you...The Crown 2.0, by Artisan Vaping has everything else you're looking for except a visual display.

VW from 5-10 watts.
VV from 3.5-5.5v
Resistance Checker

It beeps and sings tunes to you to let you know how it's set.

 

[Credo]

Finally.....
A DNA 20/30 (and some other stuff that is hitting the streets soon if not already) negates the need for a Mech. They can take sub-ohm coils, and blow you away with lots of watts. You can still run your 8 watt single coil sippers on them as well.

This day in age the primary advantage of a mechanical mod is that the button itself can conduct really high currents (amps) with minimal voltage drop. With regulators like the DNA, that's no longer a concern. The regulator itself compensates for any voltage drop in the network (at least with a good VW chipset like the DNA), and the fire button itself doesn't even need to carry a full amp.

A little google action can find boards that go up to 70watts (SuperMax). More of these high powered beasts will probably be hitting the streets soon if not already. No need for a mech......

 

[asdaq]

I've got a simple approach. The section with the regulator and screen and buttons also includes a fire button, like a DNA, zmax, etc. Most all these boards have an electronic fire switch built in. Since the mod tube is telescopic with a mechanical switch at the bottom, all one needs to do is defeat whatever plastic insulator in this design, to have the switch in a locked on position. One could remove the insulator, or even easier add a battery spacer magnet of the right size for use with the regulated module. Do all this in a dual tube design and you won't have a convertible mod nearly a foot long.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Credo]

I've got a simple approach. The section with the regulator and screen and buttons also includes a fire button, like a DNA, zmax, etc. Most all these boards have an electronic fire switch built in. Since the mod tube is telescopic with a mechanical switch at the bottom, all one needs to do is defeat whatever plastic insulator in this design, to have the switch in a locked on position. One could remove the insulator, or even easier add a battery spacer magnet of the right size for use with the regulated module. Do all this in a dual tube design and you won't have a convertible mod nearly a foot long.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Cool, hadn't thought of that style button.

Then he could start with something like this?
K100 Mod with Variable Voltage Kick Upgrade $29.75 USA | Vaping Cheap


And just redo the 'kick ring' to something long enough to hold whatever board he wants in there. Could probably even have it made on a 3d printer from one of the prototyping companies (I.E. Shapeways).

Makes sense...just pull that white nylon thinggy off the button spring and good to go.

 

[asdaq]

Or add a magnet to that screw on the switch. It might not be magnetic(brass) but the bottom of the battery is and the plastic spacer will keep it in place. The kick section could be replaced by a whole telescoping section, those boards are quite big.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Credo]

Or add a magnet to that screw on the switch. It might not be magnetic(brass) but the bottom of the battery is and the plastic spacer will keep it in place. The kick section could be replaced by a whole telescoping section, those boards are quite big.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Actually, now that I think of it I believe you can crank the K100 down to always fire without even removing the spring...though it compresses it quite a bit to get there.

Nice thing about this model is it how it has a kick ring section that screws out. It also gets you a decent 510 connector with ego threads.

Dimensions on the DNA are .65" X 1.3", so at 16.51mm wide it should fit in a tube that diameter.

 

[asdaq]

Heh, the module could be made of three kick sections then, not sure how the holes would line up with all the threads though. Oops, we need a screen window too.

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[Credo]

Heh, the module could be made of three kick sections then, not sure how the holes would line up with all the threads though. Oops, we need a screen window too.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Yeah, unless he has a nice machine shop or something...the easiest thing would probably be to have something printed up at shapeways. They can do metals and stuff for you. Could thread it after the fact if the printers can't do the threads too.

The 18mm tube size is big enough...just need the length, window, and button stuff going on.

You could also just cut the kick ring in half, have a 'clear insert' of PVC stuff fitted in that to extend the length (imagine KayFun window with the silver bands at each end), and put capacitive touch sensors instead of buttons in there (AT42QT1010 would be a good one...breakout borads exist that might be small enough too, but if not all it takes is a resister to get them up and running) Go with a smoky color...or let the world see the modder's board inside.

 

[asdaq]

If not the k100, there should be some of the shelf mod that has add on sections and the same threading throughout.

Also if we are going to overtighten the mood to defeat a spring, that probably isn't too good for a kick like module.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Credo]

If not the k100, there should be some of the shelf mod that has add on sections and the same threading throughout.

Also if we are going to overtighten the mood to defeat a spring, that probably isn't too good for a kick like module.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I agree...
I'm still thinking if I'm going to the trouble to make a DNA housing of some sort...I'd rather just do it 'right' from the top down...put in whatever battery type I want, conductive charging, touch sensors, the whole nine yards. Wouldn't cost much if any more than just doing the kicklet thing.

Then go buy a nice mech for mech purposes

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

I want to see a mechanical that has ... wait for it ... a mechanical method of adjusting the power delivered to the coil. 100% user serviceable, with tools.

A rheostat of sorts, nothing complicated.

In a world where chips do everything for us, mechanicals are a choice, a choice not for efficiency, and certainly not for those unwilling to learn how electricity works, but a choice that attracts the creative person.

Mechanical devices are a thing of beauty and functionality, they tend to outlast the digital counterparts by scores of decades with little to no loss in their original performance.

I have 100+ year old compass sets that out perform ones you can buy today, as an example.

Technology is wonderful, but it has yet to make us better, and in some cases has done its part in dumbing down our thirst for gaining skills and replaced that hunger with a desire to attain things that do stuff for us.

As for the chipped kicklike add on for mechanicals, add a safe/test/adjust/fire switch, want to perform any functio select the proper mode, press the fire button and you have power to the chipset in all modes except safe.

It seems simple enough to me.

Maurice

 

[asdaq]

Sadly there are two aspects of mech mods that have this feature that most all users dislike. Voltage sag as the battery depletes, and dirty contacts. I doubt anyone chooses these features, but they sure are relieved when they are gone.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Sadly there are two aspects of mech mods that have this feature that most all users dislike. Voltage sag as the battery depletes, and dirty contacts. I doubt anyone chooses these features, but they sure are relieved when they are gone.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Dirty contacts are a universal issue.

Voltage sag is not a huge deal, but yes it is there. Swap out for a fresh battery and your off to the races again. Go with something above 1ohm and battery life is reasonable if that's your aim.

The big deal with doing the DNA thing on a mod is no continual power to the chip set. And that funky screen, who wants that?

I'd be cool with micro sized dials and screws or rings to adjust settings. Think old school micrometer when imagining this idea.

Maurice