Low Budget Shinyitis

Hello ECF,

I've been creeping for a few weeks now, but finally decided to take the plunge and make an account. After countless hours (days...weeks??!!) of research, hopefully I am at the point where I form some sentences together about what I'm looking for in a set-up and ACTUALLY make sense. I came here asking for help, so please feel free to tell me if you think I made a wrong decision on anything below.

So, here is my story...(cut to end to see the quick and dirty version)

First and foremost, what I WANT out of the build is excellent flavor. Not quite as important but still important is large clouds and a "cool" factor. I'm leaning way towards DTL over MTL, as I never smoked a cig in my life and have no nicotine addiction. This is something that will be used with friends or when I'm bored, so maybe 1-2x/week. I wouldn't say there isn't a budget, but let's say I have no prob paying for the best quality/functioning gear.

For the majority of my research, I was pretty set on going sub-ohm. But more and more I was reading how if you really want flavor, RDA's can't be beat. Then I start thinking about squonking more and more, and now I think that might be the best of both worlds. I get the convenience of the "tank" (not having to drip, which is what I was most concerned with), and all the flavor benefits. Any learning curve with the squeeze and determining the quantity (if you can squeeze too much) should be minimal. I really think it's a good option for me. I'm really curious what the pros think.

Now, surely you'd all make fun of me behind my back if I didn't acknowledge the elephant in the room: the atomizer. I need to learn a lot here, still. Any and all help would be appreciated. Single coil vs. double coil? Mesh? RDA? What I DOOOOO know is I have no problem paying for pre-builts out of convenience, assuming they aren't impossible to find in stock most of the time.

Equal in both importance and the level of my ignorance on the subject is (are?) batteries! I don't want to die, folks. So any recommendations on 1 vs 2 batteries, battery size, is also needed.

Once the battery thing is figured out, I can look at mods. I don't mind paying a pretty penny for a mod, but what I want is function and reliability first. As mentioned previously, I want "cool", but to a point. For reference, what I have been trying to figure out how to buy is something from BMM. So far, all attempts to get into said facebook group have come up short. But I like the challenge of the hunt, and am willing to see what it takes to get. I've looked at numerous other brands, but am willing to hear what you recommend! And regulated?

There doesn't seem to be any shortage of juice on the market. They all sound soooooo good! Lots of opinions out there, too. I looked all over the place for higher-end juice and ordered way too many already (around 1,000 mL). They range in VG from 50 (I fell for 5 pawns)-90ish. Can I smoke that range out of the same coil?

I'm sure I forgot something, but that is plenty to start!! Thanks so much for anyone who took time to read that and for any assistance they can provide.

Quick summary version:

This will be my first vape set up. I know little about the technical side, but have used vapes often over the past few years. I don't smoke (cigs). I think I want a regulated squonk w/ RDA (don't think the learning curve will be that bad), and plan to buy pre-built stuff instead of build my own if that's a thing. I need to find out what battery size and how many to use. Box mod is up in the air, and probably of least importance. Juice ranges from 50-90 VG currently. In the future, I will probably stay closer to 70. Don't let budget prevent a recommendation.  

If indeed the vape mail ban puts an end to this party, I'm wondering how people are approaching it. Obviously there is cheap hardware and expensive hardware, with the idea that the "good" stuff will last longer. I'm thinking especially of box mods. For example, DNA chips. Are they supposed to last longer than what you get in a $40 mod?

So, are you buying fewer good things, or more cheaper things? Are you saving the good stuff for some day in the future and using up the cheap stuff now? Or are you using the good stuff, thinking that it will last a long long time.

Myself, I don't have a strategy on this but am interested to hear what others have to say.  

Is the Kanger Subtank (mini, probably) a good way to get into rebuildables, or would you recommend I start with something else? If so, what? Please be as vague or as specific as you'd like. I'm not super particular about whether it's a dripper or a tank, as long as it's user-friendly and noob-approved.

Also, I'm going to be needing something to fire it, since I presume my little EVOD-twist won't have enough "umph" to get the job done. What I'd really like is to get a VaporShark rDNA-40, but the budget isn't going to allow for that for some time, yet. So, for the moment, I'm looking at the VS DNA-30, or the Eleaf iStick 30w which is like half the price. What would you say are the relative merits and flaws of each? Is there something about the VaporShark that makes it actually worth paying twice as much for, or should I keep the extra cash and just go with the Eleaf? Or, again, is there something else you'd recommend I look into before either one of those? Any input is appreciated, thanks!  

Hey everyone. Ignore my "days without a cigarette" ticker if it's still there; I haven't been back here in a while, and I'm going to reset it. Edit, 11/2/14: I reset it starting today. I vaped most of yesterday, but had a few cigarettes in the morning so I'm not counting it.

Long post ahead; if you want me to get to the point, scroll down to TL; DR: at the bottom.

I joined the forums almost a year ago, when I first got back into vaping, after the technology improved from my earliest attempt.

Without getting into too many details, I was gung ho, but failed at becoming a full-time vaper. I had a few periods of just vaping, the longest being a month, but mostly I've been a dual user or just plain smoker.

I had high hopes; I upgraded from my Evod kits to a Provari 2.5 with Nautilus tanks as a gift to myself as my quit date approached. I spontaneously decided that when I got the Provari and the tanks at the same time that I'd quit on the spot. I had plenty of juices that I liked the flavor of.

...But it didn't take. A low-level sense of panic-almost like a feeling of drowning which I felt in the back of my throat- would creep over me at certain points, and I knew that the only thing that would make it go away was an analog. With a limited budget, I started spending more and more of it on cigarettes.

I had heard of WTA, but I couldn't risk the money on something else that might go to waste. I couldn't risk sacrificing my budget and not having something to satisfy my demon- and for the longest time that meant a real cigarette. Withdrawal is utter Hell for me, a 2 PAD smoker. I can't concentrate, I'm irritable, and I don't even like myself. That's kind of a digression, though.

Fast forward to now. I had planned to go to a Native American reservation in my old home state to buy about 6 months worth of cigarettes (they're $2 a pack there). The trip would have cost about $600 all told. We had some unexpected expenses the day before my trip, and suddenly I was faced with a budget of $230- which meant I could either afford gas to get there, or some of the cigarettes at that price (if I could learn to teleport). The trip was off. There's no way to make my budget stretch as long as it needs to buying locally, even though premium cigarette prices are lower here than they are where I came from.

My lizard brain was going crazy at the prospect of the pain to come, until I remembered WTAs. I did some research, and things started looking better. Ultimately, I want to be a full time vaper, and if something can give me the missing link, I have to take the chance. I decided to go for it.

I ordered some flavorless DIY WTA, G.I. Joe, and Sahara from Aroma E-liquid, along with 2 more Nautilus tanks and a bunch of coils.

I really, really hope this works. I have no other prospects.

TL; DR: Sorry for the long explanation, but can any of you post your success stories of WTA, and how they finally helped you stop craving analogs, or made you enjoy vaping more? Feel free to really exaggerate. ;D I want to get as psyched as possible as I wait for my vape mail. Thanks in advance.  

Alright, it's been a while since I've been on ECF, so I figured since I've got a reason to post - I will. My 150w box mod shorted out my batteries, and the firing button and + button broke so now they're loose and disconnected. I figured since the warranty is still valid I'd exchange it or get my money back. But note I will NOT order from fasttech or anything that'll have me waiting a month for my purchase to get here. My budget is $70/usd, so I know my options are a bit slim. But here's my average vape set up: usually under 50 watts, but I'd prefer at least 60 watts+ on my device (I'd be willing to go with a 30 watt, but it'd have to be amazing for me to consider it). Coils on my RDA were usually under 1.0ohm (.2ohms-.8ohms) I HATE built in batteries so something I could use my 18650's in would be ideal (preferably dual 18650 but I'm willing to compromise), mechanical box mods sketch me out so I'd rather not get one of those. I don't care about the brand, as long as it's reliable, fits my budget and most of my preferences. Now that you have a base, lay it on me. What do you think would be a good new mod for me? I'm willing to compromise, but not by much. Thanks guys, I appreciate any suggestions.  

We are having a very small Thanksgiving at home. Myself, my mother, my two nephews and the lady next door (the same lady that saw me vaping on the back porch and yelled "OMG you have to stop vaping... it's going to kill you!") I rolled my eyes and thought "oh no... here we go again". My nephew is an ER doctor. Both the lady and my nephew saw that I was going out back to vape and asked about "the lung disease thing" I would have never brought it up but they asked so I explained. Both were very interested in what I said and totally trusted in what I said. It was so cool. Maybe not an actual "miracle" but such a good experience for me Happy Thanksgiving everyone... Peace out, vape on!  

I don't ever gripe ..... about anything ...., I am very quiet and to myself a lot. A proud introvert so to speak. But this has been bugging me a lot lately. People gathered in a group "mainly facebook" and laugh and make fun of their local B&M's House Juice. Because nothing under $30 for 30 ml is good enough for them. I have great juice that wasn't massed produced and labeled "premium" Or others who rip apart someone for having a clone or whatever. Not everyone has the money to spend on this high end stuff ..... So I guess that means they should verbally be ripped to {Moderated}.... and called a cheap {Moderated}. or whatever. I thought the vape community was supposed to stick together and support each other's goal of quitting smoking no matter what device, juices what not. We have more things to worry about with fighting supreme court for our right to vape, not singling each other out based on how much your setup costs. Just my thoughts. Feel free to speak your mind.  

It all started as I was bored one day and decided to drop by the local vape shop and see what they had for sell. Silly me I bought a "pod mod" to see what all the fuss with the devices was about.

Enter the mod on the far left. A "pod mod". I don't recall what it cost me but it was small and light and not very expensive and the sales person claimed "it won't leak" so I figured - what the heck, I'll get it and make up some 'salts' juice and try it out.

While it was fairly easy to fill and the sales person was right, it did not leak. It did suffer from a number of 'issues'. Namely dismal output, battery life and juice capacity. Did I mention that the "flap" to get at the microUSB connection for charging was challenging? While I tried to make use of it while I enjoyed my morning coffee after a few weeks of ether running out of juice or battery at just the wrong time I started looking else where. However now that I had 30ml of 50mg juice mixed up I though I'd 'upgrade' my "salts dispenser".

Move to the setup in the middle, a Nautilus mini clone (with aftermarket RBA) and a iStick40. While the RBA is downright painful to build on I left the 1.4 ohm Kanthal build on it and filled the 2ml tank with the 50mg juice. The iStick40 is said to have a 2700mah battery (and optional TC with NI coils). The iSticks have their USB ports on the bottom. So with the tank filled up and the iStick charged up I again went about my business. This setup was a vast improvement over the 'pod mod'. Better (but not great, after all it is a Nautilus mini) output, longer battery life and more juice. It felt good to be able to grab some gear out of my stash and put it to use. The setup did have its downsides, namely the filling of the tank. Tanks of this era are filled by unscrewing the bottom+coil/atomizer out of it and squeezing juice directly into the upside down tank and then screwing it back together. While I had a dozen or more of this style of tank in use in my early vaping days, I've grown accustomed to easy top fill tanks so started thinking that I could do better so back to the stash I looked.

Enter the setup on the right. While the mod itself is fairly new (Dicodes 21700) the tank is a eLeaf "Lemo2" (only slightly newer vintage then the Nautilus). This setup gives me 3.2ml of tank, even higher output, top fill ease, longer battery life and TC of the coil. The three drawbacks of this setup are that its MUCH larger and heavier than the pod mod that I started out with and the only way to get new energy into the mod is swap batteries. Last and importantly (for those that like to use coil wrecking flavors) is that the only way to service the coil is complete disassembly of the entire tank to gain access to the coil. (not much of a worry when vaping pure unflavored juice).

This is the setup I've been using while enjoying my morning cup of coffee though. Just all part of a evolution.  

I've been away from ECF for awhile but due to the influx of new devices, I recently returned (and got a bunch of new vape gear, but that's another story ).

Was just browsing the New Members forum and I am very disturbed by the amount of posts being made by people who have never smoked asking for advice on how to "blow clouds", "get into vaping" or even "get a better buzz" from vaping.

Of course, the vast majority of replies in these threads are from knowledgeable and helpful ECF'ers telling these poor, ignorant folks that it's probably a bad idea to start vaping 36mg juice in a sub-ohm device if you've never smoked...and that is great!

I just can't help to think that all these young (I'm assuming) non-smokers taking up vaping and "blowing clouds" can't be good for our cause and I find it quite disturbing.


FULL DISCLOSU I currently vape on an SX Mini / Goliath @ .4 ohms and can blow some pretty good clouds, but that's not what it's all about for me...it's about staying off the ciggies.  

Trump calls for ending FDA authority for regulating tobacco

Should Congress get onboard with this?

President Trump has proposed removing the Food and Drug Administration's responsibility for tobacco regulation in his latest budget request, a task likely to be met with backlash from tobacco control advocates.

The budget request, released Monday, calls for creating an entirely new agency nested under the Department of Health and Human Services to regulate tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Dimitris Agrafiotis (Vaping Greek) -- "double sided...at least we have some laws in place to protect us now. an independent body would have more power so depends on who is running it and the administration if it is good or bad... could be very bad."


Thoughts?