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Mechanical mod or not??

RedFive420

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hello all, for the past few months now ive been drippin and using an istick 100w. my ideal vape is duel twisted 28g coils around 35 - 45 W ......... thats just perfect for me........ so my question is, are there any advantages to a mechanical mod (besides how awesome some of them look)
 

OBDave

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No, but there are detriments - inconsistent performance through the life of your battery, having to build with precision and your end result vape in mind, not having a secondary ohm meter on your mod to check against the accuracy of the one you're building on, risk from draining your batteries too low or too fast, increased risk of shorts...

Look long and hard before taking the mech route - if "how awesome they look" is your main motivator, they're probably not for you. If you've got an electrical or scientific background, or enjoy learning about that kind of stuff and you're entertained by endless tinkering to get your vape just right, mechs can be a lot of fun. But lazy vapers or those who aren't ready to put a lot of time into learning about safety should refer first to the top half of this post.
 

robot zombie

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Mechs are dangerous and finicky... ...not worth the trouble for most people. They're becoming somewhat obsolete at this point. It's a niche form of vaping... ...the vaping equivalent to liking classic cars, film photography, all-analog audio, etc.

Unless you are someone who's willing to sit down for hours at a time nerding-out on batteries/builds, then I wouldn't recommend them. I personally enjoy tinkering with them and appreciate the unique character that mechs as a power source contribute to the vape, but I wouldn't say that it's any better or worse. Regulated is just different... ...and perfectly fine for most people. Unless you're super set on learning how to use a mech safely, I'd probably stick with the reggy. You will be disappointed by the results you get with the mech, although they can be made to perform on the same level as a regulated box.

The biggest advantage to using a mech is durability and simplicity. If you're using it and caring for it properly, there is very little that can fail in a mech - no wiring, no circuit boards, fewer points of contact. It's something small that you can take and knock around. They always just work, for years and years.

There's also the fact that you get raw power, straight from the battery (though this is a double-edged sword, see OBDave's post.) The amount of power you can get for the form factor is magical, but not without its caveats.

They're also just fun to use and build for. Building a coil that performs well on a mech brings its own form of satisfaction, as the difficulty curve is higher when you're building for something that runs at a fixed power level.

Now, if you're interested in learning more about what goes on under the top-cap, then by all means, buy a mech. It will force you to learn all sorts of things about the mechanics behind vaping. I always say that if you can build deliberately and effectively for a single 18650 mech mod, then you can get the performance you want out of any other device out there.

But do make sure you brush up on your ohm's law, battery specs, and so on. Know your mod, know your atties, know your batteries, and know your coils.


And this may just be coming from the sub-ohmer in me, but I don't think mechs are best suited to the power levels you're vaping at. Because of how they get their power and what lowering the power means for the size of the coil/thickness of the wire, low wattage doesn't work out so well. Mechs really shine in the low sub-ohm range, which is unfortunately not something you safely can jump right into on a mech.

Don't mean to discourage you from buying one. I'm just letting you know that there is a significant learning curve. Regulated devices work for you... as in, they do what you tell them to. But with a mech, you've got to work for it. The only limit to what you can get from them is your knowledge of them, but that is to say that you have to know what you're doing pretty well to get anything worthwhile out of them.
 
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BadLuckAndTrouble

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I love my Mechs, but they really only shine between .15-.3 for the style of vape I want.

This means I literally get 25-40min of continous (cloud after cloud) vaping out of my batteries before switching them out.
Even if they havent reached 3.7v they are not putting out the 105-115w Im looking for.
 

pulsevape

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Hells yeah there are advantages...they are not dangerous... that is fear mongering nonsense, until recently everybody used mech mods and there was no plauge of vapers crowding the emergency rooms of america total bullshit....they are no more dangerous than the chefs knife in your kitchen...use right great tool totally safe..use it foolishly you have a problem......
If you are an active person, if you are someone who likes to be outdoors alot, if you are rough on things, if you are someone who doesn't want to baby a piece of gear....then mech mods are great....you can leave them out in the rain, drop them in the river when you go fishing, drop them when they slip out of your shirt pocket..and all you have to do is take them apart.... dead simple...like taking apart a flashlight...dry it out...slap in new batteries and your good to go...there are not soldering joints, no chip....you can fix almost any of it by grabbing parts from a good hardware store.....I love that I don't have to worry about my mech mods, that I can fix just about anything that goes wrong with them, and I like the way they vape, probablly because I'm used to them....everytime a new piece of vape gear goes on the market you have fanboys that go out and buy tt and then parade around predicting the death of everything else...bullshit. Vaping is highly personal...I say give mechs a shot...you might find they are not your cup of tea, or you might fall in love with them.....they are also phallic shaped and may satisfly any homoerotic tendencies you have.
 

pulsevape

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also, for decades you walked around carring a burning ember on the end of little stick...out in the public streets, laying in bed , drunk out of your mind at parties..how safe is that....did you burn anybody...did you start a housefire....you don't need a degree in electrical engineering to vape safe on a mech mod.

If old Josh can figure out how to vape safe on a mech mod you can to.

 
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BadLuckAndTrouble

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Fuckin A. You gave me a good laugh today pulsevape.
 

nightshard

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Nope, they only look awesome, but modern box mods are superior in every other way.

Screw PC and I don't mean the computer.
 

smacksy

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I started out with mechs, learned about ohms law and how to build my RDA's safely... Even though I now have 5 high powered VW mods I still enjoy dripping on my mechs from time to time..

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
 

f1r3b1rd

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hello all, for the past few months now ive been drippin and using an istick 100w. my ideal vape is duel twisted 28g coils around 35 - 45 W ......... thats just perfect for me........ so my question is, are there any advantages to a mechanical mod (besides how awesome some of them look)
Honestly no. The only real advantage is that there is no circuitry to break. But there are other variables. -contact points, cleanliness and material. But, the price is as the battery drains so does your vape.
To some of us that started before the age of 100w mods, a mechanical was the only way to get good a RDA performance. For a while it was the only way to vape. But to some of us, it's something that is nostalgic and becoming a almost romanticized. Nothing other than a tube, a battery and an atty.
You also had to think about what was a safe build. You needed ohms law and physics to get the vape you wanted. You'll see alot of us vets preach safety and battery draw, we come from a vape population that had to know that. Its just as important on a regulated mod but often overlooked.

Plus even after an EMP the mod will still work.


A regulated mod is basically just a high wattage box built for as little amount of money as possible by people willing to work for the cheapest price they can find; with, the cheapest parts they can find. then Sold for as much money as they can get us to pay. It's rather soulless when compared to the elegance of a mechanical built by hand; and, requires thought to use.
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robot zombie

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@pulsevape and @f1r3b1rd makes some very good points about mech mods. OP would be wise to take what they have to say into consideration.

I suppose its not fair to say that they are dangerous. When you know what you are doing, they are perfectly safe. Even if you don't know all that much about them, they can be used safely. Whether or not it's worth the trouble is another story.

I just think that if your only reason for wanting to use one is for the aesthetic, then you've got your work cut out for you when it comes to making one vape as good as it looks. While you don't need a degree in electrical engineering, you do at least need to have a working understanding of how electricity works and what makes a coil behave in certain ways.

It's all very simple in practice, but it does present a real challenge for some, as it necessitates a different mode of inquiry than newer tech does. You have to consider things that you otherwise wouldn't. And the returns may not be worth it if you've already gotten comfortable with a regulated device - they're more user-friendly in some ways... ...or at least that much easier to get up and running with a very satisfying vape.

This goes beyond safety. It has more to do with the fact that you aren't going to be able to get the vape you've come to expect from your reggy box. You will have to take the time to find a different, but equally good vape. And it will not be the one you're used to. They are very rewarding devices... ...you learn to love mechs once you've wrapped you head around them, but it takes patience. You have to respect what they can and cannot do and learn to work with what you've got.

For people who started on mechs, as most avid mech users did, it's worth the trade-offs. But I have noticed that people who started doing their serious vaping on reggy boxes tend not to appreciate mechs as much. I say stick to what works for you, but if you've got some cash and time to kill, then mechs might be worth checking out on the side.

I think the OP has gotten all that he needed to reach a decision. There's plenty of great input, here. If you're interested in mechs, then go for it. Don't let me or anyone else tell you otherwise. Mech-heads consider them superior for a reason. They are the diesel engines of power sources.
 

BadLuckAndTrouble

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Honestly no. The only real advantage is that there is no circuitry to break. But there are other variables. -contact points, cleanliness and material. But, the price is as the battery drains so does your vape.
To some of us that started before the age of 100w mods, a mechanical was the only way to get good a RDA performance. For a while it was the only way to vape. But to some of us, it's something that is nostalgic and becoming a almost romanticized. Nothing other than a tube, a battery and an atty.
You also had to think about what was a safe build. You needed ohms law and physics to get the vape you wanted. You'll see alot of us vets preach safety and battery draw, we come from a vape population that had to know that. Its just as important on a regulated mod but often overlooked.

Plus even after an EMP the mod will still work.


A regulated mod is basically just a high wattage box built for as little amount of money as possible by people willing to work for the cheapest price they can find; with, the cheapest parts they can find. then Sold for as much money as they can get us to pay. It's rather soulless when compared to the elegance of a mechanical built by hand; and, requires thought to use.
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Droolin over those Stingray Xs and Manhattan lol.

If it helps you at all OP, I started on Pen vapes, went to regulated VV, then VW, and finally picked up a Nemesis.

Now out of everything I enjoy my Mechs the most.
The simplicity and intimate knowledge I have to have with my Mechs to enjoy them to their full potential makes it worth it. Like working on my Dads old Bel Airs when I was growing up.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Droolin over those Stingray Xs and Manhattan lol.

If it helps you at all OP, I started on Pen vapes, went to regulated VV, then VW, and finally picked up a Nemesis.

Now out of everything I enjoy my Mechs the most.
The simplicity and intimate knowledge I have to have with my Mechs to enjoy them to their full potential makes it worth it. Like working on my Dads old Bel Airs when I was growing up.

Thanks dude!!!!
The titanium one is authentic and my pride n joy :) the silver is a clone,
And that's not a Manhattan that's a flagship from smk.
 

BadLuckAndTrouble

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Thanks dude!!!!
The titanium one is authentic and my pride n joy :) the silver is a clone,
And that's not a Manhattan that's a flagship from smk.

That makes sense lol. I was wondering how you got a 22mm Manhattan lmao.
Ive even had a Flagship, dont know why I didnt recognize it.
 

f1r3b1rd

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That makes sense lol. I was wondering how you got a 22mm Manhattan lmao.
Ive even had a Flagship, dont know why I didnt recognize it.
They look very much alike, I just liked the switch more on the flagship, and I'm oc with everything needing to line up, that and I hate a gap
 

pulsevape

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Thanks dude!!!!
The titanium one is authentic and my pride n joy :) the silver is a clone,
And that's not a Manhattan that's a flagship from smk.
you keep talking that thing up everywhere you go I might have to go get one....the copper one is mighty pretty.
 

f1r3b1rd

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you keep talking that thing up everywhere you go I might have to go get one....the copper one is mighty pretty.
I can't help it bro, it is the nicest Mech i've used; and, at an unbeatable price for an American authentic.
Just do it......more temptation
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RedFive420

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You See, you're all talkin how cool they look. LOL......... awesome thanks for the responses so quickly. its kinda what i was expecting.
 

Fishman1704

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Hell I'm still chuckling over that Old Josh video. So I guess the secret to pulling 50+ amps out of a single 18650 is to just hold your nose. Who'd a thunk. Where's my build tools? I'm on it.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Josh still making vids
 

Fishman1704

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Yeah I know. I was just being facetious about his disregard for ohms law.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Lol, who is this ohm person? Lmao
 

BadLuckAndTrouble

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Damn lol, that is a tiny bit extreme.
Looked like good craftsmanship on the box though lol.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Just some guy. I think he worked for the government or something thinking he could put restrictions on us vapers. The nerve.
Baaahahahaha!!!! He and Kirschoff set out to ruin the lives of ex-smokers by limiting the usefulness of tiny things called electrons.
 

Fishman1704

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You nailed it. Where's Kirschoff's rule when they keep packing 90 people on a bus with a 45 person occupancy limit with no one getting off the bus? I'm starting to understand this Josh guy more and more. Vape on.
 

vap3r

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are there any advantages to a mechanical mod (besides how awesome some of them look)
A tad bit more respect. Just do it, post what you picked up and tell us how it vapes.
 

Superjeep

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I used to really like mechs and have several in the drawer but I just got really tired of having to change my battery what seemed like every hour because the vape started to drop off and was not popping like I wanted. I dont miss cleaning contacts, cleaning threads and having to build very specific ranges that usually only work on those mechs.

I have no issue with mechs but regulated has gotten so good its just not worth it for me any more. Having a mech around is really never a bad idea even if its just for a backup.
 

Fishman1704

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RedFive420 said:
are there any advantages to a mechanical mod (besides how awesome some of them look)


Durability. They're tougher. They last more than a few months before something in (non-existent) circuitry goes south. And did I mention they're duarable? With me, I buy mechs that don't have a single wire. None. I also prefer hybrid connectors but that's just me. You can get a pretty good rocket for pretty cheap too. While some mechs get quite pricey, you can find some real gems out there for under 30 bucks. I have one all copper mod clone I paid $14 for for at my local vape shop's sidewalk sale that really rocks.
As far as Superjeep's comments about the battery life, it might be a little bit of an exaggeration. I usually have 4 mech's going every day. Two tubes, a series box, and a parallel box. I swap out throughout the day to change flavors and vape experience. I just swap my batteries on the series box and tubes at bedtime. The parallel box I'm good for a couple of days. I find the Sammy 25R's are very good at holding their voltage. Once they start to drop under 3.9, they go and you can feel it. Thats what tells me to swap out. I almost always hit 3.5 volts when I put them on my charger. I really don't feel any discernible difference between 4.2 and 3.9. It's once it drops under 3.9 that I start to feel it. The Sammy's just seem to hold on at the upper end longer than any other battery I have, including my VCT's.
 

Superjeep

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Try rocking one or maybe 2 and tell me its an exaggeration:) Im not a multi mod guy but with mechs I kinda had to be or I was kicking oot batteries on a regular basis. Again I have no issue with mechs and respect your opinion and views so its good info. He really just need to sit down and think about HOW he vape or wants to vape.

I prefer not to have multiple mods with me. I take my main setup to work and thats what I vape and when I get home I switch between a couple devices. I prefer not to have to carry a bag full of vape gear with me when I leave the house for more than a few hours. With mechs I HAD to take multiple devices to work and multiple batteries because after a while I got that old school "ego battery" syndrome as you talked about when you know its time to change the battery because its just not kicking like I wanted it.

You can set mechs up and they can be sweet but you just need to look at what you do throughout the day and figure out which style will best suit you. There is also no rule that says you can not have a mech and regulated heh.
 

Fishman1704

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So true. I don't mind bringing multiples. I have a big lunch box anyway and as you know, when it comes to vaping, just because something works for you doesn't mean it'll be good for someone else. Oh and for the record, I swapped batteries on my reggy's too so that doesn't exempt you from having to do so. Just saying.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Funny thing about batteries, they only hold so much power,
I was swapping batteries 4 and 5 timed a day on my sxmini. My hexohm will run all day and into the next on one pair. The dna200 gets 4-5hours on a charge. my series box will run most of the day on a pair of batteries and my tubes maybe 3hours
 
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Fishman1704

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I think I would be kicking that sxmini to the curb Bro.

I usually only change my tubes and series box once a day, and my parallel box every other day. Having different builds for vape style and textures and being able to change flavors on a whim keeps the vapers tongue away.
 

f1r3b1rd

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Its to be expected running 55-60w on a single battery. But, it doesn't get used anymore, and hadn't since the DNA got here. but it illustrates the point
 

f1r3b1rd

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Ahh-- so you did kick it to the curb. ;)
Lol, technically they've all been kicked to the curb. but it was relegated to short time tank duty
 

Fishman1704

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That's right. No dripping and driving. Only reason I even have a tank. All my buddies would give me shit about dripping and driving all the time. Especially after driving for eight blocks with a top cap in my teeth wondering what a fella has to do to get a red light in this town. Had to get them to shut up.
Of course now that I drive with a tank, I can't buy a green light. Life sucks sometimes.
 

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