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Merlin Mini Review by DeucesJack

Deucesjack

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Merlin Mini Review By DeucesJack


Finally I got my hands on a Merlin Mini. This RTA was sent to me by Augvape for the purposes of this review. This will not affect, alter, or change my opinion in anyway whatsoever. As per my history here you will get an honest straight forward review. Because of all the different ways you can set this tank up this review will be longer than most of mine.

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First impression of this tank out of the box is its well made with no burrs or machine oil. One wash and rinse was all it took and she was ready to vape. The packaging on the tank is well done. It comes in a tube with plenty of insulation. The package contains The fully assembled tank along with a second deck, obligatory o rings, spare grub screws, allen key, spare glass, 2 airflow restrictors, coils, and cotton. This tank is available in Black, SS, and now Gold.
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Let's start at the top and work our way down. In case you haven't heard I love the original Merlin drip tip. For me it's one of the most comfortable delrin DT’s on the market. I was very happy to see Augvape go with it on the Mini. The threading on the top cap is smooth and the juice fill holes are large enough to accommodate any type of bottle. The top cap also has a bit of knurling which is a nice touch. The barrel section has a slight conical design towards the top that tapers down to a much smaller chimney. The Mini does have juice flow control and the base is press fitted with two narrow openings for the airflow control. This is an extremely versatile tank that can accommodate most styles of vaping due to the numerous airflow adjustments that can be made.
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The Decks


This tank comes with two decks. A dual post velocity style deck for dual coils and a single post velocity styled deck for single coils. The single coil deck has the posts pushed back to the furthest point of the deck allowing you to run really beefy single coil builds. Just like the original Merlin. Because of the versatility of the single coil deck in this tank it took me quite a while to thoroughly test all the available airflow configurations. Let me explain. Not only does this tank come with two decks but in single coil mode you can run it with three different airflow configurations. Augvape includes 2 airflow restrictor pins (arp), one for a tight MTL draw, and one for a medium MTL draw. The tight draw pin is 1.5mm and the medium is 2mm. If you don't use any of the pins the airflow hole beneath your coil is 4.5mm. It’s really simple to switch between both decks. Simply screw out one deck and replace it with the other. There is no 510 pin to remove like other tanks with swappable decks. Kudos to Augvape on this design. It’s definitely a huge pro.


I tested out the tight (1.5mm) MTL draw first. For this build I used a simple 24 gauge SS coil of 8 wraps around a 4mm bit. It ohmed out at around .5 ohms. I wanted to use a simple coil for this test because most MTLers run low wattage on their builds. I ran this build at between 40-50 watts. Flavor on this build was really nice but the DT that I love so much really did not contribute very well to the whole MTL experience. Augvape would have been better served if they included a tighter, narrower bore MTL DT. It was a problem that was easily remedied by using my MTL DT but it would have been nice to include it especially if that’s the market you're targeting. This is a very capable MTL tank but to be honest it’s just not my style of vape when the tank is set up this way.


Next, I tested the medium (2.mm) draw. This draw is more of the way I like to MTL vape. It can be adjusted from a loose MTL draw to a restrictive lung hit. Again though, the stock DT really does not compliment this type of vape. When I run this setup I like to use a smaller bore MTL DT. Flavor this way is just fantastic. I used the same build as I did on the tight set up and I enjoyed the vape much better this way. Definitely a noticeable difference between the two and much more enjoyable this way.


Next, I ran the the single coil with no ARP. In my opinion this is where this tank really excels. For me this is the perfect restricted lung hit. The flavor this way is just fantastic. I did change coils for this set up and ran a nice beefy Alien Ohming out at .55 at 60 watts. The vape was flavorful, thick and wet. I took this build as high as 75 watts and it wicked fine while chain vaping. The cloudage was really nice for a single coil. This is exactly the type of vape I enjoy. When you set this tank up this way she’s a true flavor machine. I love running it with no ARP and the AFC wide open. For me this is exactly where this tank shines. I get a satisfying vape using half the coils I normally would, half the juice, half the wattage and half the cotton. It’s just a really efficient way to vape while still getting a truly great vape.


Lastly, I tested the dual coil deck. I ran the same exact Aliens I ran in single coil mode. Don’t let this lil guy fool you. In dual coil mode this thing can chuck clouds. The downside being because the tank is so small you'll be filling it up a lot. I mean she drinks the juice in single coil mode but in dual coil mode, fuggedaboutit. I would have loved to have seen some type of extension kit with it to make running dual coils on this tank more feasible. I chain vaped this tank in this mode just to see if the wicking would keep up and it wicked like a champ.
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Building and Wicking


Building and wicking both decks is super easy especially on the single coil deck. If you're a beginner to building than this is the tank to start with especially in single coil mode. Plus as your skills increase this tank will be able to grow with you. The grub screw holes on both decks are 2.2mm and 2.5mm so you can really jam in some nice beefy coils. The deck itself is 18mm. Grub screws are really nice and solid. They work very well with the provided allen key. Simply wick your coil, cut you cotton and gently tuck the cotton into the juice ports. One improvement they made over the original Merlin is instead of having the grub screws on the side they can now be accessed from the top of the posts. Yes, the new post design can now only accommodate a single coil but to be totally honest I don’t think I ever ran a dual coil setup on my original Merlins. Besides, if you want to run dual coils on the Mini all you have to do now is switch decks. This is an extremely well thought out deck system.


Juice Flow Control


This is the only real con on this tank besides a few nit picky ones I have. I really don’t think this tank needed any JFC. It just seems a little wonky to me. It’s really hard to adjust the JFC while the tank is screwed down. It has one of those JFC’s that require you to actually screw off the base for about a quarter of a turn. I've never been a fan of that style. So far when I fill mine I don't even shut the JFC down. I just open her up and fill. Never once has it leaked on me doing this. If you wick this tank right you just don't need JFC. So far no seeping at all through the base.


Conclusion


This is probably one of the most versatile RTA’s I have ever had the pleasure of owning. With all of the airflow options, deck options, and coil options this tank can accommodate almost any style of vaping. Definitely a worthy addition to almost anyones collection. This tank has the rare ability of being able to satisfy the beginner as well as the advanced user. I also really like the way this tank looks on almost every mod. This tank is one of my personal favorites and it’s definitely DeucesJack Approved. If you like this review and found it helpful feel free to give it a thumbs up and give me a follow.


Pros:


Versatile
Two decks
Drip tip
Flavor
Machined well
Many different airflow combinations
Ease of use
Accommodates big single coils
Easily switch between decks
Great tank for beginners that can grow with you as your building skills develop


Cons:


JFC could be better
Needs a MTL DT (should have been included)
Capacity when ran in dual coil mode


Specs:


– 24*42.3 mm
– Capacity: 2 ML
– 304 Stainless Steel
– Come With 2 pcs 18mm Decks
– Single Coil Deck Pre-installed
– 2*2 mm Squared Post Holes
– Single 4.5 mm Internal Air-holes
– Come With 2mm & 1.5mm Airflow Hole Inserts
– 3*4 mm Juice Holes
– Dual Coil Deck
– Velocity Style
– 2*2.5 mm Post Holes
– Dual 3*5 mm Squared Air-holes
– 3 mm Diameter Juice Holes
– Peek Insulator
– Gold Plated Brass Contact


Pics on different mods:
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Next tank up for review is the Oumier White Bone. You won't want to miss this one.
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Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 
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BrewBear

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Nice review @Deucesjack ! I bought one last night since I had to spend $35 at VaporDNA in order to get the Pico 200w for $19.99. Fair warning Deuces, if I don't like it, you'll have to trade me your Alleria:cheers:
Happy New Year one and all!!
 

Deucesjack

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Nice review @Deucesjack ! I bought one last night since I had to spend $35 at VaporDNA in order to get the Pico 200w for $19.99. Fair warning Deuces, if I don't like it, you'll have to trade me your Alleria:cheers:
Happy New Year one and all!!
Lol, thx man. I think you'll like it. It really can accommodate any type of vaper. Seriously though, I'd do that trade any day.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

Huckleberried

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So, the gap, between the DT and the top of the tank... is it not pressed in fully, or is that as far as it sits?
 

Deucesjack

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It's not pressed in fully totally my bad.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

Deucesjack

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So, the gap, between the DT and the top of the tank... is it not pressed in fully, or is that as far as it sits?
Fixed. I just had to. That just wasn't sitting well with the German side of my DNA. Lol.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

Huckleberried

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Fixed. I just had to. That just wasn't sitting well with the German side of my DNA. Lol.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
Jack, I'm sorry, LOL. Really, I've had DTs that did sit like that, so asked because of that.
 

Deucesjack

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Jack, I'm sorry, LOL. Really, I've had DTs that did sit like that, so asked because of that.
No not at all. I saw it, that's why I put the note in there but I was just being lazy. Lol. It was my OCD in the end that got me. Lol.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

Ryedan

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Merlin Mini Review By DeucesJack

I tested out the tight (1.5mm) MTL draw first. For this build I used a simple 24 gauge SS coil of 8 wraps around a 4mm bit. It ohmed out at around .5 ohms. I wanted to use a simple coil for this test because most MTLers run low wattage on their builds. I ran this build at between 40-50 watts. Flavor on this build was really nice but the DT that I love so much really did not contribute very well to the whole MTL experience. Augvape would have been better served if they included a tighter, narrower bore MTL DT. It was a problem that was easily remedied by using my MTL DT but it would have been nice to include it especially if that’s the market you're targeting. This is a very capable MTL tank but to be honest it’s just not my style of vape when the tank is set up this way.

-William Cowper

Great review @Deucesjack and I got a lot of good info on the atty from it :cool:. Kudos man :)

But, if you're going to review MTL performance at low power you would probably be better off using something other than 24 gauge Kanthal and do it at a bit less than 40-50 watts.

I vape some setups at 13 watts and some at 50, so I know there is a lot of variation between low and high power. 40-50 is at least middling and getting to high IMO.

Happy new year man :cool:
 

Deucesjack

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Great review @Deucesjack and I got a lot of good info on the atty from it :cool:. Kudos man :)

But, if you're going to review MTL performance at low power you would probably be better off using something other than 24 gauge Kanthal and do it at a bit less than 40-50 watts.

I vape some setups at 13 watts and some at 50, so I know there is a lot of variation between low and high power. 40-50 is at least middling and getting to high IMO.

Happy new year man :cool:
Totally agree, I probably should have built it closer to 1 ohm. I'm expecting the Cthulhu MTL any day now. When I get that I'll build it higher.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

Ryedan

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Totally agree, I probably should have built it closer to 1 ohm. I'm expecting the Cthulhu MTL any day now. When I get that I'll build it higher.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper

Looking forward to your review of the Cthulhu MTL. Only seen one of them so far. Vape on my friend :)
 

Johnnytraveler

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Great review.
For me I go through too much juice to have such a small juice capacity but it'll definitely be suited for those that don't
Or those that don't mind the constant add.
Agreed. First thing I look for in a tank is +4ml in capacity. Lots of great sub 4ml tanks out there. Just not something I'm going to use on a regular basis.

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.
 

OhmzRaw

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Nice review @Deucesjack I'm glad you're liking it. I got myself one of these and they are excellent in flavour. 2ml capacity is irritating sometimes but with such an easy top fill system I can't complain too much.
 

DP2Raja

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Excellent job Deuces! I read it while I vaped away on my own Mini. I've only had mine a week now and absolutely no complaints except juice capacity. Haven't even tried the dual coil deck because the single works so well. Plenty of vapor and tons of flavor.
 

Deucesjack

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Thank you all very much. The capacity doesn't bother me too much in single coil mode. For me it becomes an issue in dual coil mode. They should have made an extension kit for it even if it would be sold separately. I expect single coil tanks to be small. I'll gladly sacrifice capacity for flavor. They really hit a home run with this tank.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

CDroverNL

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just put in a GB order for one.. ss only but 16.82 flash sale - couldn't beat it :D
I did the same thing after seeing this...I gots a feeling that this guy's gonna cost me a small fortune! Lol
 

Deucesjack

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I did the same thing after seeing this...I gots a feeling that this guy's gonna cost me a small fortune! Lol

That may be true but the good news is if you go by my reviews your gonna have some great gear. Because you know if it ain't no good it gets the:
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Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

CDroverNL

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That may be true but the good news is if you go by my reviews your gonna have some great gear. Because you know if it ain't no good it gets the:
2f20d128371994a8548cf7749d1fdf3f.jpg


Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
Hahaha
 

Deucesjack

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raymo2u

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It doesnt have Juice Control FYI...people just think it does by the way it looks, when you close it up tight there is a considerable gap between the shielding and the wick holes, this was the optimum amount of wicking area but if you feel your not getting enough flow you can unscrew the tank to bring the opening into the wide open, this is not recommended by Augvape though. Every other point is spot on, it is a well written review and good insight for those that would think about trying it out...

I love my Merlin Mini and actually have a 24kt version being delivered tomorrow! The one complaint I have about this tank is the capacity, I wish it was 1ml larger but then again I build a bit lower then you would want for this RTA ;)
 
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raymo2u

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Would you happen to have a picture or three of the wicking?
I dont but I will do a wicking pictorial tomorrow if you'd like....The woman is using the Silver MM and my Gold Version arrives tomorrow....and that one is mine dammit! Thats when Ill be able to break it down and spend time with the guts..

Which Deck do you use most? I use the Single Coil deck most often but will do whichever you prefer or both.
 

BrewBear

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Thanks @raymo2u , I wick like DJLS or whatever the youtube guy's name/channel is. So far, so good. I only had it for a couple of hours and I'm using the single coil deck with the smallest airflow restrictor in place. I wonder if they fit the original Merlin, and if they do, can they be bought separately.
 

Deucesjack

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Thanks @raymo2u , I wick like DJLS or whatever the youtube guy's name/channel is. So far, so good. I only had it for a couple of hours and I'm using the single coil deck with the smallest airflow restrictor in place. I wonder if they fit the original Merlin, and if they do, can they be bought separately.
If the original Merlin ones don't and you need a spare let me know. You can have mine. I'll never use it.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 
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raymo2u

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h
Thanks @raymo2u , I wick like DJLS or whatever the youtube guy's name/channel is. So far, so good. I only had it for a couple of hours and I'm using the single coil deck with the smallest airflow restrictor in place. I wonder if they fit the original Merlin, and if they do, can they be bought separately.
Here's what I do for the Single Coil Deck.

I like using cotton Bacon because it has no taste, it doesnt taste like crap and if you dryhit it has better potential to hide that burned taste...plus it has a long life and its easy to manipulate!

Get a strip of cotton slightly .5 times bigger then the coil. Roll the end and pull it through the coil, if it has trouble getting through the coil remove some of the cotton...you should feel just a slight resistance pulling it through.
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Cut the ends just after the deck, I like to cut them 3-4mm from the decks edge. Then use your tweezers or pick and fluff the tips as much as you can..

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Push small bunches of strands into the pocket until its full but not packed...you want the cotton to be fluffy still and if there's alot of cotton thats not in the pocket thats okay....try cutting it so it sits on the deck around the opening...your holes should be walled with cotton so juice cant just flow in, it should be absorbed and pulled in. After you get it in the hole I like to push up just slightly up by the coil, this makes the tips in a arch pattern instead of a straight line with loose cotton on the bottom and tighter cotton on top...this makes all the cotton still loose and fluffy which helps with wicking and juice capacity in the cotton.

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Paint your juice on until it is soaked then fire the coil for 1-2 seconds then drip more juice on it and repeat for 2-3 seconds....then cap it and fill it and you should be good to go.
 

Deucesjack

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h

Here's what I do for the Single Coil Deck.


Get a strip of cotton slightly .5 times bigger then the coil. Roll the end and pull it through the coil, if it has trouble getting through the coil remove some of the cotton...you should feel just a slight resistance pulling it through.
e9e02af2930f2a39af88a0b692387c8d.jpg
d9eb2e036351ff6e05c8108abbfbc848.jpg


Cut the ends just after the deck, I like to cut them 3-4mm from the decks edge. Then use your tweezers or pick and fluff the tips as much as you can..

ff52652e55e361ccd0fe3203ca4c87f9.jpg
730fa37ff8d39c71d05d9ba8fd0384ed.jpg



Push small bunches of strands into the pocket until its full but not packed...you want the cotton to be fluffy still and if there's alot of cotton thats not in the pocket thats okay....try cutting it so it sits on the deck around the opening...your holes should be walled with cotton so juice cant just flow in, it should be absorbed and pulled in. After you get it in the hole I like to push up just slightly up by the coil, this makes the tips in a arch pattern instead of a straight line with loose cotton on the bottom and tighter cotton on top...this makes all the cotton still loose and fluffy which helps with wicking and juice capacity in the cotton.

091ab5e68902ddab39744c27e3ca143d.jpg
77e8d3089598958f1cc1018b33d8c6ea.jpg
Awesome wicking tutorial bro.

Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all it's flavour.

-William Cowper
 

BrewBear

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This isn't anywhere in the same zip code with @raymo2u as far as coils go, but it is a staged fused clapton on the Merlin mini single coil deck.
 

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raymo2u

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This isn't anywhere in the same zip code with @raymo2u as far as coils go, but it is a staged fused clapton on the Merlin mini single coil deck.
Looks more intricate then the one I posted earlier...BUT I just tossed this beast in it...kinda destroyed a fuse though strumming it with tweezers unfortunately...it still works really well though

IMG_20170105_184953806.jpg
 

raymo2u

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If I were within driving distance I'd take you up on it too!
Im pretty good at doing over messaging and with pictures/video...If your on instagram and are at the homepage check to see if you see my icon, if it says live click it...I always do tricks/tips and various builds in them...dont be afraid to message me and ask for advice or help....Ive gotten quite a few builders from the clapton stage to the intricate insanity you see me post myself in just a few days time
 

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