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Brand new DNA75 for $40?!

ttatlanta

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Just wanted to share my recent discovery, as there seems to be absolutely no information about this particular mod. I'm talking about Kanger K1. It's a stabilized wood DNA75 mod, and it is sold for well over $100 everywhere… Except for one place. And it's an all-metal mutation of the aforementioned mod, exclusive to AVAIL.

As far as I know, most vape shops hate AVAIL because they have a compliance department (thus making them FDA collaborators, I guess). I don't care; when I saw a $40 tag on the DNA75 mod, I bought a few. Sooo… here's an impromptu review and a few tips.

Pros (other than being a DNA75):
  • It's a $40 DNA75. For real! Cheaper than Evolv's bulk price on the chip alone.
  • The body is a solid chunk of metal. The void in a C-frame that's supposed to be filled with a slab of stab wood is filled with a die cast aluminum (or maybe the usual "zinc alloy"). As a result it's very heavy and totally bulletproof.
  • The screen is deeply recessed, excellent protection.
  • Buttons are machined from the solid metal rods.
Cons:
  • Single battery.
  • Button rattle. All K1s in the store had a rattle in the bottom buttons.
  • Extremely heavy for the size. With only 1 battery, it's heavier than my Therion 166 that has 2.
  • You'll be limited with 22mm attys, as anything larger is going to overhang.
  • Main body is a painted chunk of metal, so it is very slippery. Despite its ergonomic shape, it doesn't feel secure in your hand.
DIY tips:
  • Using a T5 screwdriver, remove 2 screws on a top and 2 at the bottom.
  • Pry the "body" from C-frame with soft but sturdy piece of plastic. An old credit card will do the trick.
  • If you want to fix the button rattle, DNA chip can be removed with #00 Phillips screwdriver (3 screws).
  • Shim the buttons with small flat washers (sand them down if necessary) to fix the rattle.
  • Get a sheet of Talon gun grip material in "rubber" texture to fix the slippery surface. One sheet is enough for 2 mods.
  • Clean the "body" with rubbing alcohol, wrap the sheet around, trim. Use an Xacto knife to trim the recesses that interlock with the front of the mod.
  • Reassemble.
  • Congratulations, you've got yourself a perfect $40 DNA mod! :stars2:

Here's of one of mine, already shimmed and wrapped with a Talon grip:

WSTTqAEl.jpg
 
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ttatlanta

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Oh, almost forgot. Talon grips will emit quite a strong smell for a few days. It doesn't matter on a gun, but you'll be sniffing it every time you vape.

The fix is very simple: wipe your new grip with a rag soaked in vanilla extract. Try to avoid the edges, as the glue may break up in alcohol. For a minute your mod will stink like an ice cream truck on fire, then it won't smell at all.

…Oh, and one more thing. The LED is kinda-sorta visible (sometimes) through a slot on a side of the fire button. I don't care for it, but if you want to have a Therion style LED – disassemble the mod, remove the chip and simply drill an appropriate hole. Personally, I'd fill it with clear epoxy to act as a lens, but you may leave it in its hole-y state… :teehee:

Update: one mod in a bunch that I bought had a 510 connector slightly off center. Easy fix: T5 screwdriver, loosen 3 screws around the connector, shift it, tighten back up… Done!
 
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Mikhail Naumov

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How in the actual hell are they selling DNA75 mods for LESS than the actual board costs wholesale..?

Something.. something ain't right there. As a modder, this has so many red flags for me. Either this dude is dedicated to losing money or there is a lie in the mix somewhere. This is just too good to be true.
 

fq06

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A price so good it can't be true, no way to contact them that I can see, their store locator can't seem to locate their store.
Seems too good to be true.
 

ttatlanta

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Something.. something ain't right there. As a modder, this has so many red flags for me. Either this dude is dedicated to losing money or there is a lie in the mix somewhere. This is just too good to be true.
If by "this dude" you mean me, chill. I have no affiliation with AVAIL, and I'm not the seller. I'm just the lucky guy who bought a bunch of DNA75 mods for $40 each. Retail (AVAIL is a US chain – at least here in GA they have a bunch of stores). And mine are not for sale.

Now, how could AVAIL afford such a pricing? I think they are just dumping the inventory. If you look at their website in a "sale" category, you'll find some absolutely ridiculous pricing… on out of stock items. According to the local store manager, when they are running the sale, it applies to all of the stores, and yes, their sale prices beat Chinese websites easily.

For a quick example, check their current price on iCare cigalike.
 

ttatlanta

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no way to contact them that I can see, their store locator can't seem to locate their store.
If you click on a "store locator", it will show all of their retail stores, 102 of them. On the opposite coast from you.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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I have an AVAIL near me, I like their Captain Crunch flavored juice, though it's been ages.

By this dude I assumed it was one person making these mods, as most DNA mods that aren't a recognizable brand are just a one man type deal.

I'm not calling you or AVAIL a liar, but you can't blame a person for seeing a $40 DNA75 and being skeptical. You're probably right, though. AVAIL is just dumping stock, the DNA75 wasn't a best seller and the DNA60 sort of replaced it.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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I've seen DNA200's in clearance on modding websites for like $15, especially right after the DNA250 was released. So I suppose I can see how a person would stumble upon a $40 DNA75 in 2017.
 

ttatlanta

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I've seen DNA200's in clearance on modding websites for like $15, especially right after the DNA250 was released. So I suppose I can see how a person would stumble upon a $40 DNA75 in 2017.
If I'm not mistaken, AVAIL's owner is a member of the same family that runs Kangertech… So I guess they've got a sweet deal in the beginning, and now just cutting their losses: AVAIL's typical clientele has no idea what DNA is, other than something related to the paternity test.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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If I'm not mistaken, AVAIL's owner is a member of the same family that runs Kangertech… So I guess they've got a sweet deal in the beginning, and now just cutting their losses: AVAIL's typical clientele has no idea what DNA is, other than something related to the paternity test.

The two times I've been inside an AVAIL I saw a LOT of equipment geared toward MtL and beginner vapers, so that would make sense. I only ever went in for that one flavor of CC juice.

This was the AVAIL in Chattanooga, TN.
 

ttatlanta

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The two times I've been inside an AVAIL I saw a LOT of equipment geared toward MtL and beginner vapers, so that would make sense.
From what I gathered from visiting their local stores, their current gear sales pitch revolves mainly around the PSK (Perfect Starter Kit, a pen made by Kanger) and a slightly higher end pen made by Aspire. The rest of their profits are from the e-liquid sales (which is probably more profitable than running a sushi joint). All other gear that they keep in stock seems to be an afterthought, oftentimes a weird one. I mean, Kanger Juppi! C'mon!
 

Johnnytraveler

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I like the dna75. Especially with a 26650. It suits my style of Vaping.

In looking at the kangertech (stab wood) version the top has kangertech written on it. Also the 3 screws holding the 510 (along with the 2 top plate screws) are in black.
The metal version doesn't have kangertech written on it and the 510 screws appear stainless, while the other 2 remain black.

Maybe these metal ones never got mass produced as kangertech only released the stab wood. Regardless $50 for dna75 is awesome. Digging the gun grip. Might try that with my other mods.
b6d0b911ca0c4bacd3594422538cf1be.jpg
4c2e2a424178f5f5297f7891f03eccf2.jpg
 

ttatlanta

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In looking at the kangertech (stab wood) version the top has kangertech written on it. Also the 3 screws holding the 510 (along with the 2 top plate screws) are in black.
The metal version doesn't have kangertech written on it and the 510 screws appear stainless, while the other 2 remain black.

All of mine have black screws everywhere and a Kangertech logo on a top, exactly like on a stab wood version. Perhaps they used a prototype for a catalog photo, or maybe they were planning to run it as a store brand initially (hence no Kanger branding on a prototype).

Maybe these metal ones never got mass produced as kangertech only released the stab wood. Regardless $50 for dna75 is awesome. Digging the gun grip. Might try that with my other mods.

Since the metal ones are not sold anywhere except AVAIL, I guess they've got an exclusive for this particular (sub)model… but overestimated its appeal to their clientele.

As for the Talon grip, it's a wonderful thing. All of my mods have either leather or Talon gripping surfaces.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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That's less than the Kanger proprietary mods usually cost, like the KBox 200. Damn.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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Pull the plug already. KF V5 + this mod. I know you want to! :confetti:

I actually told myself last month I was done buying retail mods unless they just demanded it, because as a Modder I've made just about every mod my vaping style and preferences could want.

I own two self-made DNA60's and one self made DNA75 that I'm running a 1S2P LiFePO4 on because I felt weird that day.

THOUGH, I may buy them to just tear out the board, as that's less than they cost wholesale.
 

ttatlanta

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I actually told myself last month I was done buying retail mods unless they just demanded it, because as a Modder I've made just about every mod my vaping style and preferences could want.
Someday I gonna retire… Then I'll buy a 3D printer and a CNC machine and start making my own mods & tanks. But not just yet.
 

Mikhail Naumov

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A 3D printer, hell yeah. Useful as fuck. A CNC machine is a COSTLY investment and considering how available and cheap the ATI CNC enclosures are, I can't convince myself to save up the $6,200 it would cost for the CNC machine I looked at.
 

ttatlanta

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A 3D printer, hell yeah. Useful as fuck. A CNC machine is a COSTLY investment and considering how available and cheap the ATI CNC enclosures are, I can't convince myself to save up the $6,200 it would cost for the CNC machine I looked at.
Many tools of my trade (I'm a pro photographer) are in a same ballpark, so $6,200 for a decent CNC is doable.
Still cannot convince myself to buy even a wood lathe though.
 
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thewarm

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We could be seeing a serious price drop on all DNA75 mods with the new DNA75C board about to hit the marketplace!
 

ttatlanta

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We could be seeing a serious price drop on all DNA75 mods with the new DNA75C board about to hit the marketplace!
Oh my, that gorgeous color screen really renders all other DNA mods obsolete! :cry:

(just googled a photo of the new DNA75C Therion; yeeesh!)
 

Mikhail Naumov

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Oh my, colors.

Evolv, make a 1,000W board, then you'll get my personal business back. You make awesome shit, it just isn't enough for me.
 

Johnnytraveler

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6 months ago I would have bought several of these. But with the imminent release of the 75c and 250c, I'm gonna start unloading all my dna devices. I'm so done with escribe. I'm tired of having to use my computer to program my mods. That's the biggest factor as to why I'm excited for the new color series chips. Couldn't care less about a color display. But onboard programming, count me in.
 

ttatlanta

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Couldn't care less about a color display. But onboard programming, count me in.
My first "serious" mod back in the days was the Sёmovar by SvoёMesto. It had just one button to perform every function, from firing to onboard programming. In Morse code of sorts. But it's been a long while ago. Now, in 2017, I find even a "5 clicks on fire, hold fire and up to lock the resistance, 5 clicks on fire to unlock the mod" to be very cumbersome UI choice.

Personally, I don't think that the color screens or onboard programming will give Evolv any substantial market advantage, other than a small boost in sales. What could make them a market leader forever though is if they put a Bluetooth chip on their boards, combined with the release of free / open source API. That last part is absolutely crucial.

Imagine a real time monitor (a la Escribe) running on your smart watch or a phone. Or using the mod as a security dongle to lock/unlock your computer by proximity. Beaming your settings to a friend's device, etc. Possibilities are literally endless.

Color screen, ha!
 

theclaw20

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What could make them a market leader forever though is if they put a Bluetooth chip on their boards, combined with the release of free / open source API. That last part is absolutely crucial.

Imagine a real time monitor (a la Escribe) running on your smart watch or a phone. Or using the mod as a security dongle to lock/unlock your computer by proximity. Beaming your settings to a friend's device, etc. Possibilities are literally endless.

Holy Sh** that would be incredible. I wish I was an engineer or somehow had the know how to put something like that together. You just envisioned the future of high end vaping. Fully customize on the fly from a smartphone app. Brilliant.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 

ttatlanta

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You just envisioned the future of high end vaping. Fully customize on the fly from a smartphone app. Brilliant.
Thanks! Unfortunately, I can practically guarantee that they will screw it up by not releasing the API (or charging developers an arm and leg for the access). So I guess sooner or later someone is going to create a high power voltage regulator for a single board computer (such as Raspberry Pi) and render DNA obsolete.

(does anybody here remember Vera Lynn Nivel chips?… they were all the buzz a while back))
 
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