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[Frew72]

Hi All.

Being skint and a bit of a tight arse I ordered a V2 from fasttech, which arrived this morning. Unfortunately there's 2 immediate issues.

1 - I can't get the bottom ring to unscrew from the deck...it's solid...sprayed with some of the magic release oil and it's not helped. Anyone got any ideas before I file this under B?

2 - The drip tip hole is too small, so my standard tips don't fit. I guess I can sand this out a bit to make it fit (assuming 1 can be resolved). Anything I need to know before getting in about it with the sandpaper?

I know i can go back to them with it, but for the money/time etc.  Cheap clones eh 

Cheers,

Frew

[zarf]

Hi Frew72,

I don't have one of these, but couldn't quite follow what you meant:

1 - I can't get the bottom ring to unscrew from the deck...it's solid...sprayed with some of the magic release oil

1. "unscrew" ?
2. Unscrew which "ring"? the o-ring(?), or the AirFlowControl ring, or the top cap's upper half, which retains the AFC in place ? (The top cap's upper half seems to be the only one with a thread...)
3. I'm guessing "the magic release oil" you used was something like WD-40 or MolySlip ?

---> Have you tried placing the the stuck portions in warm water for a while, as this may help release stuck bits.(perhaps even place it in very hot water for a few seconds and fish it out into a teacloth, for wrestling loose with another, dry, teacloth? ---> alert: don't scald yourself!)

Alternatively, try wearing some marigolds (rubber gloves,used in the kitchen) , or wrap rubber bands around respective bits, to provide extra grip. All parts should release with minimal force.



This looks to be quite a tidy atomiser. it would be a shame to bin it without it being given a fair shot...



ps. I am sorry I wasn't able to fully divine your intent - I'm dimmer than usual today.


 

[Frew72]

zarf, thanks for the reply...issue 1 resolved. I must be working too hard...trying to bloody unscrew the ring held on with the O rings.



Better behaving another look at the delrin...d'oh.

Thanks again.

[zarf]

relax. happens... xD

is it working ok now?

[Frew72]

I've still to coil it yet zarf, will do tonight. I've sanded out the delrin so everything looks like it'll work fine. I'll let you know.

Thanks again.

[zarf]

It is good to know that drip-tips may now fit it - that often helps. xD

No rush, but I look forward to learning whether you find it to be of any merit, as I have had one of those in my cart for ages, but have yet to actually commit to buying it.
(This Zenith V2 clone looks to be geared for ribbon wire, and I do happen to have a selection of ribbon kanthal lying around, of which I've used only a tiny portion to date...)

[Frew72]

hey zarf,

how does it look?



Seems to work pretty well...



Easy to build on and loads of airflow. Got it set up dual, about .8ohms. The only thing I'm having an issue with is the flavour, but I've only tried it with a new acrylic tip. The spraying with the release oil yesterday didn't help right enough I've cleaned it out, but may need to give it a few more cleans to get it sorted. The copper afc ring is quite light in colour also. The delrin not being cut right was a bit of a pain, but easily sorted, just needed to watch I didn't over sand it .

Hope that helps.

[zarf]

looks all right, I think. How's the switch button on that Stingray ?

I'd probably choose a different drip tip, but as long as it works, I suppose. I can't see whether you're using ribbon wire, yet the vapour shot looks fire.
I like any platform that looks easy to build on, and confirmed by owners to be as such.

With which other atomiser would you compare its vape?

[Frew72]

The Stingray's a pretty poor clone zarf. Button's press sealed so isn't adjustable, saying that it's not too bad with a flat top battery. Tiny throw on it so usable ok.

Hear what you're saying about the drip tip. The pic makes it look a fair bit lighter in colour than it actually is and I quite like the overall shape. Quite a wide bore on it, and it sits quite well after my sanding. Not got a lot of tips, but have tried a few other. Not decided what to go with longer term yet though.

I don't have any ribbon, so built with 28awg kanthal, wicked with rayon.

Only got a TOBH and a kayfun as just starting my journey with dripping, so haven't tried many to compare it to, but I prefer it to the TOBH. It hits hard and flavour since I cleaned it again is alot better. Might need to cut my nic content down for using on it...using 6mg homemade 70/30 vg/pg.

[zarf]

yeah. I really like the designs/motifs on some Stingrays (only engraved ones - not those on two levels), but I had read that the SR clones' switch buttons were questionable. For ages, I kept a few SR in my FastTech cart but eventually came to the conclusion that I have too many tube mods for this lifetime already, so I'll just make do with what I have (for now... xD). 
(btw, I believe some Nemesis clones' switch buttons fit some SR. Sadly, I don't think Nemeses switches and top caps are available to buy separately, but if you can borrow a Nemesis off someone, you may be able to test if its  switch offers any improvement.)

Drip-tips: whatever works is good. Looks are always secondary anyway.
I find that I don't really like very wide bores, with around 4mm being the extreme max I'll use with drippers, and I prefer a constant bore over a varying one. I also prefer outer diameters to be around 9mm (narrow), as I find larger OD distracting.
I reserve my narrow bores for taste sessions, and those drippers with less airflow. (I rarely drill out airholes, unless necessary - as in my Senio clone, now "archived" as it's quite crap, really)

Ribbon is great, but a pain to fix in place, so restricted by available fastenings. (why the Zenith V2 holds attraction with me)

I love using my TOBH clone - mine is not great on flavour, as it isn't a 1:1 clone, and has its top cap's skirt  remaining above its base's skirt which leaves its air-holes half-unobstructed above the restriction tabs. (Too much, "undirected" air, in other words.)
Still, as my best cloud-bringer, I have it do its rain dance daily. Often.
I may get a 1:1 version, in copper , for the looks. (secondary.right? lol)

Still, as you reckon you prefer the Zenith v2 to the TOBH, this gives me pause on getting another TOBH first. Decisions,decisions...

[zarf]

ps. I have had Tencel wick (Rayon), which I sourced from Scottish Fibres for £2.50/100g,  in a few drippers and a kayfun for the past month, but I'm in two minds on it.

I can't stand cotton taste, so it wins on that front.
It wicks brilliantly - much better than cotton. So, it wins on that front, too.
While still inexpensive, it isn't as cheap, nor as easily obtainable as cotton, so it loses on those fronts.
It seems a bit finicky to thread into micro-coils, in terms of maintaining the right amount of wick, so it loses to cotton there.
(I haven't tried freehand wrapping of a coil around a "clutch" (?) of Tencel wick yet, which may prove to be easier...)
 
And, I occasionally find it adds a very subtle undertone of an almost indefinable taste (woody? musty?) to a vape , which , while not intolerable as cotton taste is for me, lessens its appeal...

What's your take on using Rayon as a wick?

[Frew72]

Just got the rayon at the end of the week zarf so the zenith's the first I've used it in, and given the taste issue I'm not sure tbh. Planning on trying it in the kayfun tomorrow, so taste wise I might get a better idea. As for the wicking I get what you're saying, very wispy and sticks to the fingers more too. As I said it's early days for me, so might get used to it. I'll let you know how I get on.

I've tried my neme switch in the SR and can confirms it fits, just have to tighten down the contact pin as far as it'll go. I can probably live with the SR one though.

[zarf]

Ok.so Nemesis switch in a Stingray works. (well, for some variants, I suppose). good.

Tencel (Rayon) wicks also don't expand as much as cotton does when saturated, so one needs to use more wick than when using cotton.
In my earlier experiments I found threading it through micro-coils to be an irritation as I often ended up with too little wick, such that a micro-coil could end up withhalf its inner surface not touching the wick, so more likely to overheat. This was very noticeable as an "off-taste" with eliquids I know well.

To remedy this, I have had much better consistency by selecting a "clutch" of Tencel fibres, about twice as long as I need and half the desired diameter, and then using a length of kanthal, folded over, to grab that "clutch" halfway along its length, so as to use the kanthal as a "needle" to pull it through the micro-coil.

This requires that micro-coils be used, for their rigidity, but because I prefer lightweight coils (easier on batteries, and quicker to "sparkle") I also found I could easily distort/disturb the coils when pulling through the initial, folded-over portion of Tencel wick.

Overall, a bit more tedious than cotton, but with a far better taste to the vape experience, for me.

---

btw, you're welcome to join us in the 'community chat', as there's usually a handful of us that are online most evenings,  from around 10pm.



 

[Frew72]

Hi zarf.

I see what mean about the wicking....after a few draws the stuff had shrunk and I got that taste you're talking about. I've changed it to single coil and re-wicked it and the flavour is alot better. Also changed the acrylic drip tip which has helped too. Will try the clutch method next time I wick it.

Cheers for the invite to the chat, will try and get on during the week.

(ps done a bit of shopping yesterday...got an rdna30 coming  and a mini nautilus and mini aerotank )

[zarf]

(...)I see what mean about the wicking....after a few draws the stuff had shrunk (...)

That's interesting. I have read of some others claiming similar.

I do not find that happening at all, although I use "Tencel tops" from Scottish Fibres, which seems to be different to everyone else...
Which type of Rayon are you using?