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Keep buying set ups not satisfied help!

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Hey all,

So ive been vaping for 5 months, quit smoking and switched to vaping due to being a single dad and not wanting the cost and health risks. I switched over with juul and stuck with that for 3 months but was spending almost as much on pods as I did smokes and wasn't satisfied any more so I began my search for a good vape option. I really enjoy nic salts and have been trying to stick with them but the pod mods ive gotten have sucked. I found a few that have ok features and im using them but I think I need a real mod system with options. I currently have a autopak dolphin by joy tech that I really like but I go through 1 to 2 coils a day with the thing SIGH it really hits like a dream for me with o.6 ohm coil and 30mg juice but between the coils not lasting and not being able to find spare tanks I ended up buying a new super hyped pod mod the CT1 from Next Mind. Just received the CT1 and im going to return it, the self cleaning feature is awesome! and the coils are freaking amazing and it looks awesome but it just wont give me a strong enough hit and im chain vaping chasing the hits I get from the dolphin. I told myself last night I would give it a chance but this morning pulled out the dolphin because I just couldn't get what I needed from the CT1. :(

Im very handy (Build complicated electronic component's as a hobby) so I can handle the more advanced Mods but everything I read is that I cant use the better devices with nic salts and im a pretty hard core hitter need that crazy nic levels. Also I don't have the money to keep buying new devices but im ok with spending a good amount on the right device I will use for a year plus. PLEASE HELP
 

jwill

The Great King of Nothing
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 2 Years
VU Challenge Team
Reddit Exile
VU SWAT
Welcome to VU dude. You are not in a unique position on trying to find the perfect vape, lots of people go through this when starting. If you are handy, (aside from the flurry of recommendations that will soon be coming your way) you might also consider an RTA/RDA and twisting your own coils either from simple resistance wire or premade coil wire. This will allow you to rewick your device as needed and keep the cost down on operating it.

With the nic salts you will need to drop the level if you start going down in ohms and up in power. This will help keep you from getting nic sick and vaping throat fire.

If you do not need tons of clouds and are purely chasing nicotine, you could use a MTL RTA and a low power device which opens up a lot of doors for frugality.

What are your requirements? What is your budget? Where are you in the world?

People around here love to help others shop. Let us know your criteria.
 

gbalkam

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Reddit Exile
Maybe it's time to take off the training wheels and ride a big boy bike? Basically... you just aren't happy with the vape you are getting from pods.. ergo.. time to get away from the pods. I would suggest a mod with 80-100w (or higher if you wish) and a tank with rebuildable deck (build your own coils) or RDA (no tank, you drip ejuice onto the wick and then vape. RDTA (rda with tank) are also nice.
You say you are going through 1 or 2 coils a day... I go through 1 coil every 7 to 14 days. I just change the cotton when it starts tasting funny.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Welcome to VU dude. You are not in a unique position on trying to find the perfect vape, lots of people go through this when starting. If you are handy, (aside from the flurry of recommendations that will soon be coming your way) you might also consider an RTA/RDA and twisting your own coils either from simple resistance wire or premade coil wire. This will allow you to rewick your device as needed and keep the cost down on operating it.

With the nic salts you will need to drop the level if you start going down in ohms and up in power. This will help keep you from getting nic sick and vaping throat fire.

If you do not need tons of clouds and are purely chasing nicotine, you could use a MTL RTA and a low power device which opens up a lot of doors for frugality.

What are your requirements? What is your budget? Where are you in the world?

People around here love to help others shop. Let us know your criteria.


Thanks for the quick reply. Im going to do a quick bit of reading on RTA/RDA and get back with answers to your questions along with any questions I have after reading. Going the buildable route is very enticing for me because im very much a hands on like to control my toys type of guy, even to the point of building my own versions of every day items just to see if I can. Im USA based and budget is pretty much whatever I need to spend in order to have a enjoyable and long lasting set up. Upfront cost doesn't matter as long as the long term cost is acceptable within reason. I don't mind spending a few hundread up front in order to not have to spend tons of money monthly.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Maybe it's time to take off the training wheels and ride a big boy bike? Basically... you just aren't happy with the vape you are getting from pods.. ergo.. time to get away from the pods. I would suggest a mod with 80-100w (or higher if you wish) and a tank with rebuildable deck (build your own coils) or RDA (no tank, you drip ejuice onto the wick and then vape. RDTA (rda with tank) are also nice.
You say you are going through 1 or 2 coils a day... I go through 1 coil every 7 to 14 days. I just change the cotton when it starts tasting funny.


Thank you for the quick response RTA/RDA really sounds good going to dig in on the forum a bit and do some research then get back to you guys for more specific advise on exact set up to purchase to make sure I get this right or close to right.
 

gbalkam

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Reddit Exile
I like a Tsunami RDA for flavor. I also like IJOY RDTA combo
 

Chainvapor

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
my 2 cents for what it's worth.

A single coil MTL RTA (MTL = Mouth to Lung) will only give you small puffs and can be satisfying with high nic salts. If you looking to keep from buying a lot of juice, this would be the best option IMHO.

The other option is where I am at in my vaping journey. After 10 years of vaping I got to the point where I wanted incredible flavor, so I went to larger setups with higher wattage. These setups are DL setups (DL = direct lung). This method of vaping requires very little nicotine to be satisfied and most who vape this method are around the 3mg nicotine level. Large clouds and amazing flavor but get ready to buy a lot of juce.

These are the only 2 methods that I know of to be really satisfying in different ways. YMMV. Either way, you will get all kinds of varying opinions on vape gear and methods because we are all different.

Happy Vaping!
CV :)
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Ok after doing a bit of research ive narrowed it down a bit. RDA is out and not a viable option for me due to having to 1. carry juice around with me and 2. having to drip juice when I need to vape. Here are my reasons for eliminating RDA, I am a single father of two young children one of which is severely disabled so having a easy almost hands free way to vape is crucial. Also not constantly having dangerous component's/juice laying around is important to me. Im fine with taking time each day to build/fill/adjust and so on but having to do it all day long would not work for me.

RTA looks great for me from what I can see and also read a tiny bit about RBDTAs not enough to really know what it is exactly but it looks doable also.

Now a few quick questions on RTA.
1. Whats the difference between RTA and lets say a kit Mod you would buy on a vape site for example a 220w Tank Mod vape kit or are they one and the same?
2. How much time does it take to build/setup per day? (like could you set up in the morning in a reasonable time frame and be able to vape all day)
3. For a good high end set up with all the supplies and extras needed what would the budget be?


And finally to answer questions asked above.
1. Im in the USA
2. Budget would be highest a few hundread dollars but if I can keep it between $50-$125 ide be a happy camper. With that being said I absolutely do not want to sacrifice any quality or ease of use for budget because if its not right I will just end up buying new stuff.
3. Im not a cloud chaser and am more focused on getting the right amount of nic that I need but the clouds do help psychologically to think im getting a good vape so maybe a balance would be good but not completely sure at this stage in my journey.
4. My requirements are going to be as follows, high vape production, flavor is important to me but not the most important, I don't mind throught hit but am not a fan of bad throught hit because I do smoke a lot and it causes a really bad sore throught at the end of the day, reliable lasting set up, Most important to me is low cost long term to run (don't mind spending upfront to eliminate cost long term). My reasoning is this, I have the money now to get what I need but due to being a single dad there may be times when money is tight and in those times having low cost to run is important for me to be able to justify vaping.


One last important thing before I post this response...
Im aware people get sick off of high MG nic salts when they do big clouds but understand I was a almost 3 pack a day smoker and since starting to vape I went to juul and ended up smoking 3 pods a day within a month or two, then switched to pod mods and ended up using a joytech dolphin 50w podmod with a 0.25 ohm tank and 50MG nic salts without getting sick but switched to 30 MG for health concerns and worked my way to a 0.6 ohm coil and was am happy with that coil/30 MG salts. So point is im not your normal noob lol. I also would be all for lowering the MG nic salts as low as possible and taking bigger hits if needed and am not concerned with using more juice as juice is fairly inexpensive, if I were to say go through a bottle of juice a week ide be more then happy.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Welcome to VU dude. You are not in a unique position on trying to find the perfect vape, lots of people go through this when starting. If you are handy, (aside from the flurry of recommendations that will soon be coming your way) you might also consider an RTA/RDA and twisting your own coils either from simple resistance wire or premade coil wire. This will allow you to rewick your device as needed and keep the cost down on operating it.

With the nic salts you will need to drop the level if you start going down in ohms and up in power. This will help keep you from getting nic sick and vaping throat fire.

If you do not need tons of clouds and are purely chasing nicotine, you could use a MTL RTA and a low power device which opens up a lot of doors for frugality.

What are your requirements? What is your budget? Where are you in the world?

People around here love to help others shop. Let us know your criteria.


Answered questions above would love your input ^^^^
 

Just Frank

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
You should get a Berserker mini tank and a mod of some sort. The type of mod is up to you. Single battery for compact size or dual battery for longer life between cycles.

You could also get a kit. A kit is just a mod with included tank. The tanks screws off and you can screw a berserker mini or whatever you choose on it.

If you're going to wrap your own coils and wick them I suggest watching some videos on Youtube. Be mindful of your ohms and all that stuff.

I have a berzerker mini setup here. I also have an older Icare. They both seem to hit around the same. The berzeker has the way better flavor experience. I can also make or adjust the coil to however I like.
 
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Explosive

Member For 1 Year
You should get a Berzerker mini tank and a mod of some sort. The type of mod is up to you. Single battery for compact size or dual battery for longer life between cycles.

You could also get a kit. A kit is just a mod with included tank. The tanks screws off and you can screw a berzerker mini or whatever you choose on it.

If you're going to wrap your own coils and wick them I suggest watching some videos on Youtube. Be mindful of your ohms and all that stuff.

I have a berzerker mini setup here. I also have an older Icare. They both seem to hit around the same. The berzeker has the way better flavor experience. I can also make or adjust the coil to however I like.

Ok so the mod itself has nothing to do with rta or building your own coils but is just the set up that runs it correct?

I will watch a few vids today for sure to get a feel for the experience and also will look into the berserker

Thank you for the help
 

Just Frank

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Ok so the mod itself has nothing to do with rta or building your own coils but is just the set up that runs it correct?

I will watch a few vids today for sure to get a feel for the experience and also will look into the berserker

Thank you for the help
Yes, correct. The mod is what powers the atomizer. You will want to check for "Best MTL RTAs" (mouth to lung - re-buildable tank atomizer). Those have a tighter draw and can be used at lower wattage. They are more salt nic freindly than your bigger more airy RTAs.
 

Smiling Ogre

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
There are a ton of RTA's that provide wonderful vapes. They are however all different in regard to the vape they provide. Some are mouth to lung, some are direct to lung, some are in between. Some produce more flavor, some or fog. Some hold more juice than others. Some are easier to build than others. The list goes on. Per your background, I'm confident you are on top of simple electrical interrelationships e.g. voltage, resistance, current, power. Still, there is some study that may help you out. Understand the different types of wire used in vaping and how they are used. Check out Steam Engine wire calculators as they are a real convenient way to design a coil with resistance and heat production in mind. Pick up some simple tools if you don't already have them for coil building. You can get an exhaustive list using google. Snag a milli ohm meter specifically designed for use with RBA's. I use a Coil Master Tab 521 for example. Watch vape reviewer's do builds. I won't recommend any as I think it's best to just find one you connect with. Builds in an RTA will outlast a premade coil head so there is really no "daily" prep time involved.

I don't want to recommend a specific RTA. I talk and communicate with a lot of vapors and there is a plethora of criteria that make an RTA "the best" and every vapor uses a different subset of criteria to make that determination.
 

WPMac

Silver Contributor
Member For 1 Year
Unlisted Vendor
Ok after doing a bit of research ive narrowed it down a bit. RDA is out and not a viable option for me due to having to 1. carry juice around with me and 2. having to drip juice when I need to vape. Here are my reasons for eliminating RDA, I am a single father of two young children one of which is severely disabled so having a easy almost hands free way to vape is crucial. Also not constantly having dangerous component's/juice laying around is important to me. Im fine with taking time each day to build/fill/adjust and so on but having to do it all day long would not work for me.

RTA looks great for me from what I can see and also read a tiny bit about RBDTAs not enough to really know what it is exactly but it looks doable also.

Now a few quick questions on RTA.
1. Whats the difference between RTA and lets say a kit Mod you would buy on a vape site for example a 220w Tank Mod vape kit or are they one and the same?
2. How much time does it take to build/setup per day? (like could you set up in the morning in a reasonable time frame and be able to vape all day)
3. For a good high end set up with all the supplies and extras needed what would the budget be?


Welcome to the deep end of the pool :D That's not an insult but this can be a rabbit hole so to speak. There is SO MANY options. And since everyone has their own unique tastes and preferred vape style, it's kind of a trial and error until you find what works for you. Your best bet is to look around the forums and get a feel for the "recommended" hardware in your price range. There are a million and 1 sub-$100 mods on the market that work just fine. The high end equipment is nice but not required for a good vape

Regardless of what atomizer you choose to use ... If your a chain vaper your going to have to carry around juice. Just like your going through 3 pods a day your going to go through more than a tank a day. There's just no way around it.

So, the bad news is, you are correct. It does not sound like an RDA is right for you. The good news is filling an RTA is quick, just a few seconds, and easy.

1) A sub-ohm tank (the tanks that come with kits) are designed to accept only prefab coils made specificly for each tank. They cost an arm and a leg for high nic chain vapers because you have to throw them out when they go bad and replace them. If your anything like me you might get a couple of days out of 1. An RTA is a tank that allows you to build your own coils. Bulding your own coils allows you to fine tune your vape experience. Different gauges and alloys will give you different vapes. SO you can mess around till you find what works for you. Building can be extremely simple. Take a piece of vaping wire, wrap it around a rod. Screw it into your atty. Push some cotton through it. Put your tank on. Fill it. Vape. Another option is to buy premade coils. There are a few of us on the forums who sell coils at reasonable prices. The other major bonus to building (or buying) handmade coils is once they start to get funky you can take out the cotton, clean the coils, re-wick, and keep vaping on the same set for a looooooong time. There are those who go for 6+ months on a single set of well maintained coils. I have a couple of rta's that have the same coils in them for months.
2) The only daily "setup" is filling the tank. Building a set of simple coils can take as little as a couple of minutes. Cleaning/Rewicking is the most time consuming part and your talking about 5 minutes after you get the hang of it.
3)I don't know much about high-end. I've been vaping on $50-$80 Mods and $25-$40 atomizers since I made the switch from clearomizers back in 2012. You can spend 200 bucks on a mod and then another 100 bucks on an atty easily in the high-end market. And if you want to do that go for it. But I would suggest starting on the ground level and decide that later down the road. There are plenty of low cost quality hardware out there.
 
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WPMac

Silver Contributor
Member For 1 Year
Unlisted Vendor
ok youll have to read my reasponse inside your quote box on my last post ... no clue what syntax error is in there ... but I can't seem to fix it.

FIXED IT!! lol
 

Smiling Ogre

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Ok so the mod itself has nothing to do with rta or building your own coils but is just the set up that runs it correct?

I will watch a few vids today for sure to get a feel for the experience and also will look into the berserker

Thank you for the help
Yes that is correct but there are some considerations. Will the mod accommodate the RTA without hideous overhang? Will the mod provide enough power for the type of build you wish to use? Even if the mod will provide enough raw power, how long will the battery(s) last under the load you choose. Watching vids is good. Even if the reviewer is a moron, you will pick up on different criteria by which to judge a mod.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Welcome to the deep end of the pool :D That's not an insult but this can be a rabbit hole so to speak. There is SO MANY options. And since everyone has their own unique tastes and preferred vape style, it's kind of a trial and error until you find what works for you. Your best bet is to look around the forums and get a feel for the "recommended" hardware in your price range. There are a million and 1 sub-$100 mods on the market that work just fine. The high end equipment is nice but not required for a good vape

Regardless of what atomizer you choose to use ... If your a chain vaper your going to have to carry around juice. Just like your going through 3 pods a day your going to go through more than a tank a day. There's just no way around it.

So, the bad news is, you are correct. It does not sound like an RDA is right for you. The good news is filling an RTA is quick, just a few seconds, and easy.

1) A sub-ohm tank (the tanks that come with kits) are designed to accept only prefab coils made specificly for each tank. They cost an arm and a leg for high nic chain vapers because you have to throw them out when they go bad and replace them. If your anything like me you might get a couple of days out of 1. An RTA is a tank that allows you to build your own coils. Bulding your own coils allows you to fine tune your vape experience. Different gauges and alloys will give you different vapes. SO you can mess around till you find what works for you. Building can be extremely simple. Take a piece of vaping wire, wrap it around a rod. Screw it into your atty. Push some cotton through it. Put your tank on. Fill it. Vape. Another option is to buy premade coils. There are a few of us on the forums who sell coils at reasonable prices. The other major bonus to building (or buying) handmade coils is once they start to get funky you can take out the cotton, clean the coils, re-wick, and keep vaping on the same set for a looooooong time. There are those who go for 6+ months on a single set of well maintained coils. I have a couple of rta's that have the same coils in them for months.
2) The only daily "setup" is filling the tank. Building a set of simple coils can take as little as a couple of minutes. Cleaning/Rewicking is the most time consuming part and your talking about 5 minutes after you get the hang of it.
3)I don't know much about high-end. I've been vaping on $50-$80 Mods and $25-$40 atomizers since I made the switch from clearomizers back in 2012. You can spend 200 bucks on a mod and then another 100 bucks on an atty easily in the high-end market. And if you want to do that go for it. But I would suggest starting on the ground level and decide that later down the road. There are plenty of low cost quality hardware out there.


Great info and advice! Im going to be doing a ton more research today on and off the forum and hopefully will start picking up the stuff I need to get started tonight. Im thinking I may buy some pre-made coils to start with well I figure it out and decide whether I want to build my own or just keep buying them depending on price (plus gives me a reference to see how a pro builds them) If you want to send me some prices im DM or what not ill be in touch within the next day or two and will help you with that wire addiction lol.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
There are a ton of RTA's that provide wonderful vapes. They are however all different in regard to the vape they provide. Some are mouth to lung, some are direct to lung, some are in between. Some produce more flavor, some or fog. Some hold more juice than others. Some are easier to build than others. The list goes on. Per your background, I'm confident you are on top of simple electrical interrelationships e.g. voltage, resistance, current, power. Still, there is some study that may help you out. Understand the different types of wire used in vaping and how they are used. Check out Steam Engine wire calculators as they are a real convenient way to design a coil with resistance and heat production in mind. Pick up some simple tools if you don't already have them for coil building. You can get an exhaustive list using google. Snag a milli ohm meter specifically designed for use with RBA's. I use a Coil Master Tab 521 for example. Watch vape reviewer's do builds. I won't recommend any as I think it's best to just find one you connect with. Builds in an RTA will outlast a premade coil head so there is really no "daily" prep time involved.

I don't want to recommend a specific RTA. I talk and communicate with a lot of vapors and there is a plethora of criteria that make an RTA "the best" and every vapor uses a different subset of criteria to make that determination.

Completely understand and respect your point of view and agree with you on finding/doing my own research. Thank you for the advice!
On the simple tools I need, I build custom LED grow lights have been for years so I have just about every tool out there but assuming these tools are very vape builder specific do you have a kit or site that you recommend to get the basic tools im going to need?
 

jwill

The Great King of Nothing
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 2 Years
VU Challenge Team
Reddit Exile
VU SWAT
Ok after doing a bit of research ive narrowed it down a bit. RDA is out and not a viable option for me due to having to 1. carry juice around with me and 2. having to drip juice when I need to vape. Here are my reasons for eliminating RDA, I am a single father of two young children one of which is severely disabled so having a easy almost hands free way to vape is crucial. Also not constantly having dangerous component's/juice laying around is important to me. Im fine with taking time each day to build/fill/adjust and so on but having to do it all day long would not work for me.

RTA looks great for me from what I can see and also read a tiny bit about RBDTAs not enough to really know what it is exactly but it looks doable also.

Now a few quick questions on RTA.
1. Whats the difference between RTA and lets say a kit Mod you would buy on a vape site for example a 220w Tank Mod vape kit or are they one and the same?
2. How much time does it take to build/setup per day? (like could you set up in the morning in a reasonable time frame and be able to vape all day)
3. For a good high end set up with all the supplies and extras needed what would the budget be?


And finally to answer questions asked above.
1. Im in the USA
2. Budget would be highest a few hundread dollars but if I can keep it between $50-$125 ide be a happy camper. With that being said I absolutely do not want to sacrifice any quality or ease of use for budget because if its not right I will just end up buying new stuff.
3. Im not a cloud chaser and am more focused on getting the right amount of nic that I need but the clouds do help psychologically to think im getting a good vape so maybe a balance would be good but not completely sure at this stage in my journey.
4. My requirements are going to be as follows, high vape production, flavor is important to me but not the most important, I don't mind throught hit but am not a fan of bad throught hit because I do smoke a lot and it causes a really bad sore throught at the end of the day, reliable lasting set up, Most important to me is low cost long term to run (don't mind spending upfront to eliminate cost long term). My reasoning is this, I have the money now to get what I need but due to being a single dad there may be times when money is tight and in those times having low cost to run is important for me to be able to justify vaping.


One last important thing before I post this response...
Im aware people get sick off of high MG nic salts when they do big clouds but understand I was a almost 3 pack a day smoker and since starting to vape I went to juul and ended up smoking 3 pods a day within a month or two, then switched to pod mods and ended up using a joytech dolphin 50w podmod with a 0.25 ohm tank and 50MG nic salts without getting sick but switched to 30 MG for health concerns and worked my way to a 0.6 ohm coil and was am happy with that coil/30 MG salts. So point is im not your normal noob lol. I also would be all for lowering the MG nic salts as low as possible and taking bigger hits if needed and am not concerned with using more juice as juice is fairly inexpensive, if I were to say go through a bottle of juice a week ide be more then happy.
'

For your price range and requirements the world is your oyster dude. You can have pretty much anything you want really. You will get no shortage of recommendations for different devices so I am going to limit mine and make a few other recommendations since I mostly vape RTA's and have some ideas on something that can get your sorted out.

Building does not have to be a big thing and depending on your e-liquid choices it can just be a weekly rewick and dry burn. It literally only takes a few minutes once you get the hang of wicking your devices and twisting up coils is equally as easy. So the time drain can be minimal if you so desire it.

As for setups I think you should get two different RTA's and I think the ones that are about to be recommended are good choices and will be explained.

Modfather 25mm RTA
http://themodfatherinc.com/the-modfather-inc-25mm-rta/

This produces satisfying clouds and excellent vapor production. Its also incredibly easy to build on and wick once you get the hang of it. Its also not leaky once you learn how to fill and burp it.

Innokin Ares RTA
https://www.elementvape.com/innokin-ares-24mm-mtl-rta-phil-busardo-dimitris-agrafiotis?enter=true

This is a really easy to build and wick MTL RTA, very forgiving for those new to building RTA's

The reason I recommend two of them is this:

You can generally buy the same e-liquid in varying nic levels. Buy one at the regular nic you like and use that in the MTL RTA, Buy the same liquid in the lowest salt nic level or 0mg and dilute that same liquid down to about 3mg. This will allow you to use the lower nic level when you want to chain vape and not get ill and the MTL when you want to just get a fix.

You can also use the modfather forever as you bring that nic level down over time and get a very consistent experience over and over. These two literally take minutes to setup once you know them and they are both of above average quality and fit on most mods without looking stupid. This may not matter much yet but it will once you get sucked into things.

A couple of spools of wire and some good cotton will carry you a long way with these. If you can stand Nichrome 80, 22g is a solid choice for the Modfather and 24-26g is great for the other. They are also very inexpensive and readily available at most vape shops if you get in a bind and need it now.

Buying these and a couple of decent quality mods will leave plenty of overhead for good batteries and a charger. The RTA's will go the distance and you will absolutely fall in love with the modfather and appreciate the ease of use from the Ares.
 

PoppaVic

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
"hideous overhang" is an OCD issue for some.
"kits" generally contain a crap mod or a crap atty - this has been true for years.

I handrolled about three packs a day - with half or no filter.. So, I was vaping about 30mg juice - and still smoking on and off - for 2 years, a dozen different tanks, and at least as many mods - as the promises and tech continued to change.

I would recommend checking out Vaping With Vic - rolling thru the last year or 2 of tank reviews, (if it's at least a year old the prices should be lower - newer means more easily available).
  1. Stick to 22-25mm tanks for now, with at least 4ml capacity - or you will start getting frustrated.
  2. Certainly top-fill ONLY - more frustration-reduction.
  3. I never liked the "sub-ohm tanks" - with expensive coil heads, (they are definitely 'expensive' compared to making your own coils).
  4. Single coil tanks are cheap & easy to feed and use, with excellent flavor
  5. Dual coil tanks can offer better flavor.
  6. I've pretty well converted over entirely to top-air intakes, too - much less drama and cursing over missing seals, improper vacuum, etc. (I managed to score a few OBS Engine Nano's (discontinued) and just love 'em). The OBS Engine II is a dual coil and still in production, and a new Nano is rumored to be in the works.

I had excellent luck with Eleaf dual-cell mods - those got sent to my brother after several years of my use - and are still in service. I'm currently relying on a pair of Vt133 DNA200 mods. I managed to get my pair used, cheap - the paint is awful on mine, but I touch it up periodically. The important part is it simply keeps working. I stick to power/wattage mode and they are quite well made.
 

Smiling Ogre

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Completely understand and respect your point of view and agree with you on finding/doing my own research. Thank you for the advice!
On the simple tools I need, I build custom LED grow lights have been for years so I have just about every tool out there but assuming these tools are very vape builder specific do you have a kit or site that you recommend to get the basic tools im going to need?

You can take a peak at a Coil Master DYI V3 kit. Nice assortment of essential tools. It even comes with a decent milli ohm meter. There will be some duplications of what you already have but you can sort that out. Each tool is sold separately as well.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
'

For your price range and requirements the world is your oyster dude. You can have pretty much anything you want really. You will get no shortage of recommendations for different devices so I am going to limit mine and make a few other recommendations since I mostly vape RTA's and have some ideas on something that can get your sorted out.

Building does not have to be a big thing and depending on your e-liquid choices it can just be a weekly rewick and dry burn. It literally only takes a few minutes once you get the hang of wicking your devices and twisting up coils is equally as easy. So the time drain can be minimal if you so desire it.

As for setups I think you should get two different RTA's and I think the ones that are about to be recommended are good choices and will be explained.

Modfather 25mm RTA
http://themodfatherinc.com/the-modfather-inc-25mm-rta/

This produces satisfying clouds and excellent vapor production. Its also incredibly easy to build on and wick once you get the hang of it. Its also not leaky once you learn how to fill and burp it.

Innokin Ares RTA
https://www.elementvape.com/innokin-ares-24mm-mtl-rta-phil-busardo-dimitris-agrafiotis?enter=true

This is a really easy to build and wick MTL RTA, very forgiving for those new to building RTA's

The reason I recommend two of them is this:

You can generally buy the same e-liquid in varying nic levels. Buy one at the regular nic you like and use that in the MTL RTA, Buy the same liquid in the lowest salt nic level or 0mg and dilute that same liquid down to about 3mg. This will allow you to use the lower nic level when you want to chain vape and not get ill and the MTL when you want to just get a fix.

You can also use the modfather forever as you bring that nic level down over time and get a very consistent experience over and over. These two literally take minutes to setup once you know them and they are both of above average quality and fit on most mods without looking stupid. This may not matter much yet but it will once you get sucked into things.

A couple of spools of wire and some good cotton will carry you a long way with these. If you can stand Nichrome 80, 22g is a solid choice for the Modfather and 24-26g is great for the other. They are also very inexpensive and readily available at most vape shops if you get in a bind and need it now.

Buying these and a couple of decent quality mods will leave plenty of overhead for good batteries and a charger. The RTA's will go the distance and you will absolutely fall in love with the modfather and appreciate the ease of use from the Ares.


Thank you very much. So happy I came to this site wasn't expecting such a response and great information. Im starting to get a order together now have to go check direct vapor for parts and such and do some google but im most defiantly going to grab these and give your recommended setup a try. Will get a few pre-made home made coils from WPMAC to start me off and also dissect well I build a few of my own and do the trial and error thing. Thanks again
 

WPMac

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Completely understand and respect your point of view and agree with you on finding/doing my own research. Thank you for the advice!
On the simple tools I need, I build custom LED grow lights have been for years so I have just about every tool out there but assuming these tools are very vape builder specific do you have a kit or site that you recommend to get the basic tools im going to need?
You can get started building with any old wire cutters (I start with nail clippers), a rod to wrap your coils around as long as you know the Diameter of it (would be good to have a few options). Most people start with a micro screw driver set ranging from 1.5mm-3mm. Some ORGANIC cotton. do not use cotton balls. And a coil calculator ... http://www.steam-engine.org/coil.html . And an ohm reader with a 510 connector (a good quality regulated mod works as well) Really thats about it. There are a couple of more tools that are useful, but not required.

Recommendations-
You can get a good coilbuilders kit from https://www.coil-master.net/ or your local vape shop that has everything you need, as far as tools go, for 30 bucks. Or, if you have most of it and want to save some money, there are super cheap jigs out there. And ceramic tweezers are like 5 bucks. Almost my entire building setup is crap I've had for many years that came out of my pre-vape toolbox.
There are a ton off vape cotton brands out there ... My personal choice is Cotton Bacon.
Obviously you'll need some wire. The two most used alloys are Kanthal and NiChrome. You can find suppliers and reviews on them here -- http://vapingunderground.com/threads/wire-quality-sources.310245/
And check out this thread -- http://vapingunderground.com/thread...ld-from-beginner-to-advanced-and-more.413083/ -- for links to each stage of coil building. Don't be overwhelmed by the intricate coils. You can get a decent vape from plain wire. It will be up to you if you want to delve deeper into the craft to fine tune your vape experience.

But before you fire up your first coil make sure you understand resistance, amps, volts, and battery safety. The horror stories of people melting and blowing up their devices are real. But, The majority of that is user error. When used correctly, the chance of having problems like that are slim.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
You can take a peak at a Coil Master DYI V3 kit. Nice assortment of essential tools. It even comes with a decent milli ohm meter. There will be some duplications of what you already have but you can sort that out. Each tool is sold separately as well.


Perfect thank you for the help.
 

jwill

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You can shop around different places and save a few $$$ on those devices. If you get in a jam and need some assistance let us know, there are several of us on here who are daily modfather drivers so you will not have any issues getting that working. If you go the Ares route there is a great youtube tutorial I can dig up for you that makes it super easy. Might give it a day or so as others will have some recommendations. @CactusFanaticus has been on a salt nic bender with RTA's. Might be able to point you in a sound direction.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
You can shop around different places and save a few $$$ on those devices. If you get in a jam and need some assistance let us know, there are several of us on here who are daily modfather drivers so you will not have any issues getting that working. If you go the Ares route there is a great youtube tutorial I can dig up for you that makes it super easy. Might give it a day or so as others will have some recommendations. @CactusFanaticus has been on a salt nic bender with RTA's. Might be able to point you in a sound direction.


Ok yeah for sure I tend to rush the hell out of things so im going to at least grab the modfather and a tool kit and keep watching the thread taling with people. This forum is amazing and you guys are great usually takes forever to get any usable advice on nich specific forums with a lot of crap in between but you guys are both welcoming and love your nich so im going to make this my home and have some fun with this. Deff a lot of info and such to go through but im going to be a regular. I have some stuff I need to get done this morning so ill be on and off today checking for new comments and asking questions as they arise.
 

CactusFanaticus

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Member For 2 Years
Some good recommendations above. Personally I’ve been really enjoying the SALT RTA, sounds like OP can handle a bit more nic than me lol but the good thing about the salt is it comes with several sets of coils to try at different wattages while studying to build your own. You could try the ones designed for regular e juice if you need a stronger hit. It’s small but holds a good bit with the bubble glass and is super easy to fill.
That along with a reasonable priced single 18650 mod like a eleaf pico would come in under budget. The draw is a bit tight to vape more than 30-35 watts IMO, if you feel you need more air and power than that I’d say go with a larger rta like others have recommend, good luck!
0001550_coilart-salt-rta-black.jpeg
 
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Jinx'd

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Member For 2 Years
I didn't see this mentioned. and being an FNG, take it with a grain.

stay away from the brand SMOK for a mod. I have been reading around here, and it is said that the quality and reliability is not the greatest.

good luck, and it is kinda fun when you get it figured out. I am rowing this boat now.
 

Vape Fan

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Thank you very much. So happy I came to this site wasn't expecting such a response and great information. Im starting to get a order together now have to go check direct vapor for parts and such and do some google but im most defiantly going to grab these and give your recommended setup a try. Will get a few pre-made home made coils from WPMAC to start me off and also dissect well I build a few of my own and do the trial and error thing. Thanks again
Don't rush it.
I'd go with a dual battery mod so you can run the day without having to swap them out. Don't want to be out and about and have to carry charged batteries with you. You could point us to a couple you like and we can comment on it.
An external charger and 4 batteries should be on your list as well. It's important to get the proper batteries, which includes the proper brands to choose from.
I agree with you that juice is cheap enough to not be a consumption concern even if it's not nic salts.
Also agree that, you can get pre-made coils but there are some differences in the way they are made and the metal used, that make up the characteristics of the vape.

I suggest to not buy anything till you have a completed list that we can all look at.
Mod
Tank(s)
Charger
Batteries
Coils
Wicking material
Juice

You won't find everything at one site, and there's guidance for sites too.
 

Vape Fan

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.RTA looks great for me from what I can see and also read a tiny bit about RBDTAs not enough to really know what it is exactly but it looks doable also.
Now a few quick questions on RTA.
1. Whats the difference between RTA and lets say a kit Mod you would buy on a vape site for example a 220w Tank Mod vape kit or are they one and the same?
2. How much time does it take to build/setup per day? (like could you set up in the morning in a reasonable time frame and be able to vape all day)
3. For a good high end set up with all the supplies and extras needed what would the budget be?
RDTA has the tank under the coils. You put the wick in the wicking ports and it wicks from the bottom. Most hold about 2 ml some go up to about 4.
1. Like said about kits - the mod, or the atomizer, is most always sub par for an exacting personalizied setup.
2. Not per day. Time between cleaning the coil and rewicking varies on use and juice. Sweeter juices require it more often. I vape sweet juice and rewick about every 4 days.
3. High end can be very expensive, could be hundereds. But higher end than the usual plethera of average gear, is very affordable.

For getting quality of everything in that ^ list I made, $250ish unless you get more than 1 atomizer. I would lean towards 1 at a time.
 
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gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Hey all,
I'm very handy (Build complicated electronic component's as a hobby)...
Perfect, This is right up your alley and in technical terms far less complicated than what you're already into.

...everything I read is that I cant use the better devices with nic salts and im a pretty hard core hitter need that crazy nic levels.
The great thing about vaping is that you can tailor literally EVERYthing exactly how you want. You can safely vape whatever nic levels you enjoy in whatever device you enjoy them in with a bit of research and wisdom.

Also I don't have the money to keep buying new devices but im ok with spending a good amount on the right device I will use for a year plus. PLEASE HELP

Just pick something high powered and durable for now, along with an easy to build RTA

Those are just suggestions, but something like them will get you in the neighborhood and no matter WHAT you get, you'll probably wind up wanting something else sooner than you think anyway. Not that your first purchase, whatever it winds up being, will necessarily be bad, but that's just the way it works for most people.
 

AnkouSitan

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Member For 1 Year
Well if you are wanting to go the way rebuildable route you can pick up a Gen3 Wismec dual for about 40$. It’s nice and compact and handles 30mm RTAs without overhang. If you just want the nic rush I would suggest the Lost Vape Orion. You can use the .5 pods with salts and they average 7-14 days at 9-12$ for 2 pods. A bit more expensive than RTA but more portable.
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Don't rush it.
I'd go with a dual battery mod so you can run the day without having to swap them out. Don't want to be out and about and have to carry charged batteries with you. You could point us to a couple you like and we can comment on it.
An external charger and 4 batteries should be on your list as well. It's important to get the proper batteries, which includes the proper brands to choose from.
I agree with you that juice is cheap enough to not be a consumption concern even if it's not nic salts.
Also agree that, you can get pre-made coils but there are some differences in the way they are made and the metal used, that make up the characteristics of the vape.

I suggest to not buy anything till you have a completed list that we can all look at.
Mod
Tank(s)
Charger
Batteries
Coils
Wicking material
Juice

You won't find everything at one site, and there's guidance for sites too.

That’s a great idea I’ll get a full list and post it that way I know what I’m getting is decent and also compatible. Good advice thank you.
 

Hoggy

Member For 3 Years
As far as cheapest (on top of best IMNSHO) wicking, my vote is for rayon. It is also the fastest wicker, as tested by a couple reviewers or so. There is also no sock taste, as there is with regular cotton types.
You can go for the 40ft box linked in my sig to try, or even like what I did, is go for the 3lb/900-ft box for ~$20 from the start --- there is also a 500ft box for ~$15. The bigger boxes may literally last for your vaping lifetime. You just want to make sure it's 100% rayon, and with no 'outer layer' being advertised on the box.

I could post about some attys, but I'm sure your already well confused by the dizzying array of responses. :eek:

But I'll reiterate about either the coil-master coiler, or the Kuro Coiler - along with steam-engine.com. The coilers will come with tips/ends of known diameter, and produce very pretty coils (because that is what's most important, right? ;)). Also, a thicker gauge wire like 24g or 22g kanthal or stainless-steel 316L, will last a very long time - IMO for the life of the atty, if need be, or until you get bored. You just take the old wick out, dry-burn, and put the new wick in - ad nauseum.
 
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WPMac

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As far as cheapest (on top of best IMNSHO) wicking, my vote is for rayon. It is also the fastest wicker, as tested by a couple reviewers or so. There is also no sock taste, as there is with regular cotton types.
You can go for the 40ft box linked in my sig to try, or even like what I did, is go for the 3lb/900-ft box for ~$20 from the start --- there is also a 500ft box for ~$15. The bigger boxes may literally last for your vaping lifetime. You just want to make sure it's 100% rayon, and with no 'outer layer' being advertised on the box.

I could post about some attys, but I'm sure your already well confused by the dizzying array of responses. :eek:

But I'll reiterate about either the coil-master coiler, or the Kuro Coiler - along with steam-engine.com. The coilers will come with tips/ends of known diameter, and produce very pretty coils (because that is what's most important, right? ;)). Also, a thicker gauge wire like 24g or 22g kanthal or stainless-steel 316L, will last a very long time - IMO for the life of the atty, if need be, or until you get bored. You just take the old wick out, dry-burn, and put the new wick in - ad nauseum.
Wow a dedicated rayon user!!! Haven't seen one of your kind in quite a bit :D
I've been thinking about picking some up to give it another try. It has been many moons, and many vape styles ago, since I've tried rayon chords. What's your vape style? What types of coils and power have you tried rayon with? Is there a concern with melting the wick at high temps?

And a quick response to the pretty coils being important. Well wrapped, evenly spaced coils ARE important. The shape of the coil is a factor in the resistance it provides. As well as how it preforms. An even flow of electrons will cause the wire to heat evenly, vaporizing more liquid at once and at a similar temp. If there are kinks or difference in shape across the coil the electrons get jammed up (or flow much more quickly) causing cool/hot spots. This is even more important when multiple coil builds come into play.
 

Hoggy

Member For 3 Years
Wow a dedicated rayon user!!! Haven't seen one of your kind in quite a bit :D
I've been thinking about picking some up to give it another try. It has been many moons, and many vape styles ago, since I've tried rayon chords. What's your vape style? What types of coils and power have you tried rayon with? Is there a concern with melting the wick at high temps?

First, the biggest misconception is that rayon is not plastic, so it never melts. It's just a purer form of cellulose fiber, which I think has been reported to burn at a slightly higher temp than cotton, but I never really tested it.

I mainly do contact coils and vape between about 10 (for chocolates) to 40 watts - but mostly ~27-30. I've read that at higher wattages than that, it becomes more important to make sure the rayon is tighter in the coil - as being the opposite of cotton, rayon shrinks when wetted, since every fiber is going in one direction.
 
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Chainvapor

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"hideous overhang" is an OCD issue for some.
"kits" generally contain a crap mod or a crap atty - this has been true for years.

I handrolled about three packs a day - with half or no filter.. So, I was vaping about 30mg juice - and still smoking on and off - for 2 years, a dozen different tanks, and at least as many mods - as the promises and tech continued to change.

I would recommend checking out Vaping With Vic - rolling thru the last year or 2 of tank reviews, (if it's at least a year old the prices should be lower - newer means more easily available).
  1. Stick to 22-25mm tanks for now, with at least 4ml capacity - or you will start getting frustrated.
  2. Certainly top-fill ONLY - more frustration-reduction.
  3. I never liked the "sub-ohm tanks" - with expensive coil heads, (they are definitely 'expensive' compared to making your own coils).
  4. Single coil tanks are cheap & easy to feed and use, with excellent flavor
  5. Dual coil tanks can offer better flavor.
  6. I've pretty well converted over entirely to top-air intakes, too - much less drama and cursing over missing seals, improper vacuum, etc. (I managed to score a few OBS Engine Nano's (discontinued) and just love 'em). The OBS Engine II is a dual coil and still in production, and a new Nano is rumored to be in the works.

I had excellent luck with Eleaf dual-cell mods - those got sent to my brother after several years of my use - and are still in service. I'm currently relying on a pair of Vt133 DNA200 mods. I managed to get my pair used, cheap - the paint is awful on mine, but I touch it up periodically. The important part is it simply keeps working. I stick to power/wattage mode and they are quite well made.

Speaking of single coil tanks. I have 2 of the Augvape Intake RTA tanks and I LOVE THEM!! Best single coil tank I have use to date.

CV :)
 

Explosive

Member For 1 Year
Heres the list ive come up with so far,

1. the modfather RTA (it was recommended to get the 25mm but I like the chimney kit add on for the 30mm is there any difference?)
2. Sigelei Snow Wolf Vfeng 230W TC Vape MOD or Sigelei TOP1 230W TC Vape MOD
3. Batterys: Samsung 30Q INR18650 3000MAH dual battery's
4. Dual battery charger (Haven't picked one yet)
5. Coil masters DIY V3 kit
6. Cotton bacon prime

That's as far as ive gotten so far been a busy week. The mods are what I need advice on. I like the looks of the second one the best and its the cheaper of the two.
 

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