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Scrap lumber and a drill-press... and a little time, and I made these to hold my tanks and eGo-style batteries... Yes, the round one is a solid-round closet-doorknob I also use a Plano tackle-box (the tiny, two-tray ones) to hold all my spare parts and coil-making materials... an even smaller one (double-sided fishing lure case) holds my dead Kanger coils while I'm waiting to rebuild them.

And honestly, quality of the juice has a lot to do with how it performs so don't cut corners there either.

Welcome... I saw your other post, regarding the VTR, and while I'll champion them for being a dependable work-horse, and perfect for people that need a rugged device at work/home... for the price... and having to invest in a $20-40 charger and at least $20-40 in batteries (for starters) on TOP of a $80-100 device... I still stand behind my suggestion of the Eleaf iStick. For the price you'll be paying for the VTR and all the necessary parts to make it work, you can buy 4 or 5 iSticks! They're smaller, lighter, output higher Wattage, and charge by your cell-phone charger (in about 4 hours if fully depleted). I can't speak to their durability (yet), and some have said the 510 threads are "weak", but I have no experience with that (and many people have stripped-out their 510 connector on the VTR, too). I love my MVP (brother to the VTR), and the iStick is very similar. Another down-side to having big-bucks tied-up in only one "device" is the "what-if" scenario... What if the device malfunctions? Having 20 18650's do no good at that point... so you should have at least one or two other devices to fire your tanks Bottom-line, for any person just starting out, I always try to suggest you keep the equipment simple (and plentiful, as in extras / back-ups), so you can spend your extra cash in the "quest for juice", lol Your mileage may vary, but I'll give an example of a recent experience I had (needing backups)... I left the house for a day-trip on my motorcycle, carrying a mech-mod, MVP, and two eGo batteries. During the day, the mech-mod malfunctioned, my MVP was depleted as an emergency charger for my cell-phone, one eGo died after about 20 hits, and the last eGo ran out of juice about 20-min after I got home! Being stranded away from home, in the middle of nowhere, without a working battery is a horrible place to be... which is why we stress back-ups, back-ups, back-ups... and even a $10 eGo battery is better than nothing!

yeah it looks solid but I haven't had any real hands on time with it. Other than picking it up and pushing the hell out of the buttons

I consider Efest to be as far from reputable as you can get. Even labelling them as 'IMR' is laughable. True IMRs are LiMn2O4 or abbreviated as LMO. Panasonic makes no cells with that chemistry. This is a Panasonic rewrap. https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fvape.li%2Fefest-imr-18650-3100-mah-20a-attention-ces-batteries-sont-dangereuses%2F&sandbox=1 Here is a test from one of the flashlite forums. The bottom 2 traces are at 20A discharge. Note the initial voltage drop, can't even do 3.2V. Pathetic. Also note the poor tracking (the different results) between the 2 samples tested for each trace. Looks like they are using Panasonic cast offs that are dumped into the loose cell market. Here is a test of the Samsung INR18650-20R which they rate at 22A continuous @ 2000mAh Here we see the Samsung at 30A ( which is 36% MORE than it's stated 22A rating) manages ~3.65V out of the gate. At 20A looks like ~ 3.82V. We also see that up to the 20A trace it pretty much hits it's stated mAh. Also note how well they track, this is also a test of 2 samples, for the most part they look like one single trace.

You're welcome. And listen to Bebop and Compenstine, they won't steer you wrong. Comp has Fadora Vapor, one of our favorite juice vendors. As you've already experienced, he's very helpful and his juices are... OMG, phenomenal. If you want some high quality juice and solid advice on his juices, listen to Comp. We love him and his juices around here a LOT!

I like 1.8 ohms on a pro tank 2, but you should be able to push it to 3.7 a 3.8 comfortably. It really just depends on the juice at this point. If you don't change anything else (coil, power ) you should check out some juices. 50/50 pg/vg is going to be a nice starting point. Then just find the flavors you like. If you want less vapor go to 60/40 or 70/30. Want more vapor go to 40/60. For you right now it's all about finding the juice.... I also like as low as 1.5 ohms but you gotta have the right juice cuz it's hot and lots of vapor Good luck.

Gracious! This will be my "obnoxious to annoy the wife with plumes of vapor" tool.

Sorry, I don't have time right now to get a good pic and put it up but this is the one I use. http://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Crystal-Cosmetic-Organizer/dp/B00G1D3GDI/ref=sr_1_103?ie=UTF8&qid=1419803622&sr=8-103&keywords=acrylic+makeup+organizer The little square lipstick holders are perfect for eGo style batteries, they also fit my Magneto mech mod and Provari mini and Evod . (oops. Meant Evic)

IMO, a good beginner RDA is the Magma. I picked up one (Infinite clone) a few months ago, and still love it... Easy to build on, easy to adjust, works in single or dual-coil configurations, lots of air-flow (directly under the coils for max flow), and the DEEP juice-well allows you to really pile in the juice so you don't have to drip more every 3 or 4 hits! You can usually pick them up online for $15-25, depending on the site, and the Infinite clones are excellent clones. BTW, I also have an HCigar Stillare and Omega, and I've not even built coils for them yet That should tell you how much I like the Magma....

I did a weeks worth of research before I went on and bought my zna. Originally I wanted an a-mod, but came across szgrstar.com

Earthling speaks with much wisdom. While I love my VTR, it rarely gets used anymore due to its sheer weight and heft. While it makes a great self defense accessory, it's not something that is what I would consider to be user-friendly. The newer Eleaf iStick that Earthling speaks of gives off more power, is more portable, less cost, and would be much more versatile than the VTR. Despite all the different battieries and mods and APVs I have, my next purchase is the Eleaf iStick. With 20 watts available, I'll be able to use some of the newer tanks that are coming out. The VTR maxes out at 15 watts and isn't enough. Get whatever makes you happy but really, get at least two (if not more) back ups. We never take back ups seriously enough until we're in a situation like what Earthling said. Then, the light bulb goes off and we're left scratching our heads thinking, "...so this is what they were talking about..."

Here's a link to a post I made for people starting out -- just like you. With a Vision Spinner or the Spinner II, you start at the lowest setting (3.3v) and vape. Go a little higher, vape. Repeat until you get a slight burnt taste then back it down just a touch. That's where the sweet spot is for the juice you're using. How often you change the coil will depend on what kind of juice. A sweeter, darker juice will gunk up your coil faster so you'll need to change it more often. Lighter colored, less sweet juice will work with your coil for a longer period of time. We have excellent juice vendors on site through the VT store. Fadora is one of my favorites. Compenstine is a member here and he'll help you till the cows come home to make sure you get what you need.

Things have been moving on quickly. This is probably a good bet and cheaper than the VTR with double the wattage. http://www.myvaporstore.com/iPV-Mini-30-Watt-MOD-Pioneer4you-p/p4u-ipv30ss.htm For just a few bucks more than the iStick (with it's wonky 510 connector) you get a PV with a well respected YiHi chip and a much broader range of options. Features and Specs: Loading resistance: 0.5 ohm -3.0 ohm Output Voltage range: 3.0 V – 8.0 V Output Wattage range: 5.0 w – 30 w YiHi SX130 chip Floating top pin Visual operating system Low voltage protection Low resistance protection High input voltage warning Output short circuit protection Reverse battery protection Dimensions: 3-3/4"L x 1-9/16"W x 7/8" Utilizes one 18650 battery (removable and sold separately) USB charge port

I think given the fact that the iStick fires high compared to other vv/vw devices you may in fact be at a similar "sweet spot" to what others see around 3.7-4 volts with the 1.8 ohm coil heads. I know my kpt2 mini rarely handles over 4 volts for me as well.

Me too, haha. Seems like years away and I'm not doing a thing except one day trip to my sister's in Napa.

Thank you! What a great forum

I find I can get more vapor production and better taste using the Wattage settings.It allows you to adjust better for coil and juice. I started out using the voltage settings and found that the wattage was better for me. This is part of vaping you need to find what works for you. Try setting your wattage to say 5 watts and take a vape. Then, set it for 15 watts and take a vape you will see what I mean. With the High PG this may give a slight nose burn. If so try 12 watts it will lessen the nose burn.

The higher resistance in your coils (like 2.5 or 3.0), the faster your battery drains and will need to be recharged. Higher voltage/wattage does not equate to better vapor. It just means you're drawing more power. There's nothing wrong with using a 1.8 ohm coil -- that's my preferred for all of my Pro Tank and Davide tanks, it's so versatile and user-friendly. 3.3v might be just a tad too low for a 1.8 ohm coil. What you might do is start there, vape. Turn it up just a bit. Vape. Keep doing that until you get a burnt taste. Turn it down a notch. That should be the sweet spot for that particular juice.

Oh Absolutely! ^^^^^

Thanks man!! Just checked. 60/40 is what I use, had NO idea lol

LOL One more reason to say Ummm no. LOL

First, welcome to Vapor Talk. Now, what were you using that's so expensive? Can you give us a brand name so we can know where to start? I don't know of anything that doesn't come with a wick of some sort, even direct drip atomizers have a little bit of wick. If you could also let us know what the PG/VG ratio of juice you were using, that would be helpful. We're all sorts of "I want to help" around here. I'm sure others will be along shortly to lend a hand.

Well well.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w2p09Iu11U I used 26 gauge Kanthal on a 3mm bit, 4 turns and have an 0.8 Ohm coil. I ran some organic cotton trough and left about 2mm hanging out of the sides. There is a gap between the bottom of the hole in the head and the deck base, so as the head is designed there will be about 1mm of juice in the bottom of the tank that you cannot wick up. The 2mm of cotton I left outside the holes soaks up what's below the head inlet. I vaped a tankful today and took it to empty. Works like a charm

OMG, I think I just hurt myself laughing so hard!

First off, I'd like to thank you for your service to your community! I have family and friends on our local FD and I know how much courage it takes to do what you do. I think if you bought the istick you would be happy with the performance as well as the size (to keep things out of sight). Although I don't have one, the nautilus mini or full size seem to get great reviews from a ton of ppl. I also agree with the "stealth vapeing" idea. The best part is for you, if you are off duty/home you don't have to. It changes nothing other than what you or others see as far as the vapor is concerned. Bottom line, go for it! Good luck sir!

If you want a workhorse that has some umph, I'd go with a Vision Spinner II. Yes, it's a one-trick pony (variable voltage only), but it just works. Out of all the APVs and mechanical mods I own, the batteries that get the most use are my Vision Spinners. Even my Provari (the Lamborghini of APVs), sits to the side while I grab my Spinners. I believe the Vapor Talk store has the best/lowest prices on Spinners that I've seen. You'll want at least two to start so that you can use one while the other charges. Three or more is preferable so you have back ups of your back ups. We stress that here. You can never have too many back ups. Ever. As for tanks, I'd go with a Kanger Pro Tank 2 (KPT2) or Kanger Pro Tank mini. The regular Pro Tanks are bigger around in diameter than the Spinner. The mini has the same form factor. Add some 1.8 ohm coils (1.8 ohms will give you the biggest bang for your buck and are the most versatile), and you're in business once you decide on the juice. Ask questions, you'll get lots of good advice and suggestions here.

Hey, can I get in on this study of yours? I have a whole garage full of tools like power drills and such.

I literally couldn't have done it if I hadn't stumbled upon you great folks here. 25+ years smoking and you folks squashed that within days!

Welcome to V|T! I remember family members who were Fire Fighters 20-30 years ago... and they were ENCOURAGED to smoke, to condition their lungs to tolerate the environment of their jobs... oh, how times have changed Tam's info is really good... you just have to try a few juices to find what you like, and what suits you. Tobacco blends of e-liquid do not "smell" like traditional cigarettes, because the nasty smell of those is from BURNING of the plant material (and the 4000+ added chemicals). There are some juices, however, that will have a very good "taste" of tobacco... again, flavor is subjective, so one that I think is "good", you may think tastes like wet socks Another thing to consider is that as you vape, your taste and smell receptors will HEAL, which means you will begin to taste/smell things you forgot existed... and foods/drinks will all taste differently next week, the week after, and perhaps in 2-3 months, you'll regain 99% of your pre-smoking taste-buds. Equipment is subjective too, and you'll have fun trying different devices... TRUST ME! As for something pocketable and stealthy, you'll probably want to go with an iStick (the new iStick mini is due out any day, too), or an eGo-style battery (stick-battery with button near the top) in a 650mAh, 900mAh, or one of the XL's in 1300mAh (fatter, but same height as 900mAh battery). Higher mAh just means more puffs between charges... higher the better, but that also means more size Tanks, also subjective... but most will agree you can't go wrong with Kanger tanks (best prices), Aspire Nautilus-mini (or full-size), Davide tanks, and there are a few other preferred tanks, too... Kanger, Aspire, and Innokin tanks are probably the most readily available from your local shops, though... Feel free to ask more specific questions... we all have opinions, and are happy to share

When I first started vaping like everyone else I thought I needed a tobacco flavor and found a pretty good one for me at Sweet-Vapes. Before I could go through the 120ml I bought I no longer wanted tobacco and started experimenting with flavors and ended up with a flavor from Fuzion I still vape almost exclusively. Nothing smells as bad as cigarettes. If anything people say my office smells like scented candles. Most people think they like or need tobacco flavors at first but when your tastebuds start to heal you will most likely find you want something different. Most do, some continue to vape tobacco its an individual decision. I know nothing of the IStick. I have always used Vision batteries and will most likely never switch. Solid performance and all the features I want for around $25 each. I use Davide tanks but only with single coils.

That "inhale feel" you're talking about is referred to as "throat hit" in the vaping world. While vaping will give you a similar sensation, it's not going to be exactly the same as inhaling on a real cigarette. The amount of vapor you get depends on several different factors. You can lessen the amount of vapor with your e-liquid ratios. Inside e-juice, you have the option (with most vendors), for how much nicotine, PG/VG ratios you want. Here is a rough breakdown for you, it's not exact but will give you an idea of what does what. higher nicotine = more throat hit If you smoke full flavored cigarettes, that's about the equivalent to 24 mg of nic. Lights are 12 mg, ultra lights are 6 mg. Keep in mind that when you start vaping, you're going to be getting off of a lot of things other than just nicotine. Many of us on the forum will recommend you start at around 24 mg of nic to get you through the cravings and withdrawal from the 4000+ carcinogens that your body got used to smoking cigarettes that you'll no longer get with vaping. You can work on lowering the nic level later when you're totally off the analogs. Here's an example: When I smoked, I used to go through a pack of Marlboro Lights per day.When I took up vaping I started with 24 mg of nic in my juice. That got me through and within a few months I got a few other lower nic juices and bounced around a bit. Even now, two and a half years later, I keep everything from 24 mg (when I can't vape as often), 12 mg for my "normal" vaping, some 6 mg and even 0 nic for when I'm chain vaping and/or an hour or two before bedtime. With nicotine being a stimulant, I don't want my sleep disturbed because I'm hyper on nicotine. PG is propylene glycol. This is the flavor carrier in the juice and also gives you that throat hit. Higher PG = more flavor, thinner juice, more throat hit, less vapor VG is vegetable glycerin. More VG = thicker juice (can gunk up coils faster), slightly sweeter flavor, more vapor, less throat hit, not a good flavor carrier Keep in mind that, although you want less vapor, if you're wanting to get off of traditional cigarettes, seeing the vapor is part of the psychological "satisfaction" we get from smoking/vaping. Most people start out at a 50 PG/50 VG ratio and go from there. If you inhale and hold it for 10 seconds, you'll see a noticeable decrease in the amount of vapor that comes out no matter what your PG/VG ratio. That's how we "stealth vape" in situations where we're not supposed to be vaping. Ask lots of questions. We have a wonderful group of friendly and informative members here. Welcome to Vapor Talk.