Mouth to Lung devices

bykfixer

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I'm a MTL'r.
Early on that was all there was. That has certainly changed. I work with a DTL'r who goes through 120ml a week. He takes a draw and you can literally see the level change in his tank. He uses a Voopoo Drag and various tanks. A former smoker for some 4 years now and he went from 3% to 1.5 and now zero nicotine. Bravo.

I can see the merits of the DTL way and won't dismiss it as satisfying to some. Yet like with flashlights I'm old school. When the flashaholic bug bit it was bright LED's for me. That was at a time when 500 sustained lumens from a P60 type setup was huge. But soon after I sought after old school stuff.

A vape setup for an MTL'r isn't hard to find. Trouble is they tend to be a hybrid device anymore. At least the beginner/ novice type. Being new to the modern vape I'm not that familiar with all of the available brands. Especially high end stuff that costs like a SureFire. I have found that if you want a true MTL device they can be had and at reasonable cost. Vape pens often times are made to be like an e-cig. Hybrids are becoming popular.

When you cook your juice at 10-15 watts you don't need a double battery setup unless you just don't want to be hassled with charging it very often. A 100 watt device is more than plenty.

I'm cooking my favorite sauces with a 30 watt pocket sized mod by Aspire and a 75 watt device by Innokin. Both are so-called starter kits and run under $50 at many online sites.

First I'll talk about the Innokin Kroma-A kit with an included Innokin Zenith tank.
A fairly basic setup about the size of a pack of cigarettes. It can do temperature control or watt control. It changes watts in .5 at a time. 10.0, 10.5, 11.0 etc. And it locks where you set it until you hold a plus or minus about 3 seconds. It can read all those metals up to titanium. Yet can read ni200 if that's still your thing. So if you're a builder it can figure out what you used. With temperature control you can do pre-fire temps as well. Not available for watts though.

To me the tank is the magic in this kit. The Zenith can be locked down air tight or opened up to 5 little holes. It comes with a 1.6 ohm Kanthal coil with decent sized wick points. The other coil is like 0.4 if I recall correct but I didn't even open it. They state the Kanthal lasts up to 5x. 5x what I do not know.

The coil is a plug in, threadless from the bottom. The base is like a cup and the top fill is by twisting the non removable lid. The glass is contained inside a solid frame so breakage is unlikely. Cleaning it out with a tooth brush is out, but it can be thoroughly cleaned with some imagination.

I found that if you don't clean the o'ring inside the air chamber before replacing the coil it can leak. A wet q-tip easily does that.

I like the tapered shaped 510 tip. It acts like a fine pipe. But it also comes with a straight side tip.

It fires in an instant, every time. You get a predicatable puff each time. The box has enough metal to feel solid but plastics in the right places make it lighter and easy to grip.
It's spring loaded too. That took a bit of getting used to for fear of cross threading.

Here's some pix:

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The display is basic

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The buttons are small but easy to use.

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The tank closed

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The opening is large enough for eye dropper type filling

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Airflow and threadless coil at the bottom

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Up to 5 holes on one side only.
Closes down completely tight.

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Coil meets chimney.

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Big fat o'ring where coil pack plugs in.

IMG_20180816_164349.jpg

4 exposed points for MTL flavor.

I'll talk about the tiny Aspire Rover X next.
That one has my favorite tank, the Nautilis X. Since the MTL at low watts is a juice sipper the 2ml tank is plenty. But it has a 4ml adapter and tank available.
 
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ven

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Cool stuff, i was a MTL as back 5yrs or so, it was the only option at the time anyway. I cant quite remember the switch to direct lung, but remember it taking a little getting use to technique wise . Dont mean weeks, hours/day type of time. I must have MTL for at least a year(maybe 2+), but the vape market moves faster than the mobile phone one! Its been some crazy pace over the last few years, now slowed down a little(no crazy new invention that i know of). Ceramic coils look a neat idea, long life etc etc, but not over sure yet. Changing to RBA type coils made the costs fall away fast, also gave me endless tweaking capabilities to fine tune that vape .

Packs of coils(generally and not the huge SMOK works of art that need 80+w just to get going)in 5 were around £10. One could last weeks........or days. The unpredictability along with loosing confidence, pushed me towards RBA types. I have spare cotton bacon in work as i do at home, as with coils. If it fails on me either place, it is literally a 5 min problem.............and thats taking my time.

Right now i am on a dual build, but no fancy clapton or alien coils, just standard 0.5ohm for an easier vape(lung wise). Having your lungs fall out of your ar5e grows old fast! As an almost constant vaper, i need a vape that does not get hot, just a nice luke warm type of flavour. I am on 19w and 0.25ohm....................smooooooth.

Back to topic, not cheap, but along with the russian, there are a couple of top dogs. Sourcing genuine kayfun would be recommended, but outlaying $100+ on a tank is a gamble to. Maybe a good $20 clone to see, but if pennies allow, it would hopefully be a buy once cry once and stop further purchases.
https://www.vapordna.com/Svoe-Mesto-Kayfun-Prime-MTL-22mm-RTA-p/svmkfp.htm
 

bykfixer

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Lately I'm digging on a Rover X by Aspire for my portable uses. Stealth.

It's a little dude that's for sure. But it feels pretty solid overall with no loose buttons and well machined parts. It's a 30 watt device with ability to do temp or watt cooking along with sensing coil types. It won't drive the space shuttle home but it's basic operation will get you a satisfying drag from the included Nautilis X MTL tank. It locks and does changes in tenths for watts. It has a lanyard provision and several vent holes at the bottom incase the supplied 2000 maH LifePo4 battery decides to vent.

The kit has a spare 2ml pyrex tank, a 1 meter cord, a pretty basic instruction book, a spare 1.8 ohm kanthal coil pack and a silky neck lanyard. Mine was charged from the factory so after letting juice soak a few minutes I was puffing away.

Now the dealer said it's a 60/40, 50/50 type device becuse of the wick style. Those are a couple of layers of a polyester mesh from days gone by. Breaths great with thinner, non sugary mixes. But over time the thicker stuff tends to close the pores of the mesh. My brother told me he preferred the seasoned wick over a new one since it tightens up the drag more like a full flavor cigarette. I agree. Oh, at the base of the coil pack there is a cotton ring.

The Nautilis X is a leak free top load, top coil system that breaths from the top too. Air draws in from the top, flows through a U shaped canal passing it over the wicks and the dual coils fire the liquid that is drawn in. Great idea on paper, but I think the choice of wick material could be better. Especially for folks looking for big drags.

It fires pretty quick. And consistantly. I've been using one for a week and overall am pretty satisfied at how it performs. I've carried it around in temperatures pushing 100°F and stored it on its side, even upside down with a mix that would be about 55/45 and no leaks whatsoever.

So how does it smoke? (I was told that using the word smoke in that context is frowned on in the vape world but for those trying to give up cigarettes it evokes an image of their soon to be former vice.)
Well at first it's pretty free. Even with the flow nearly closed. After about a half a tank it turns into a flavor machine that requires openening the air flow. The supplied 1.8 ohm coil works pretty well at 14 watts. Being the coil is so close to the tip anything higher ends up with a warmer vape. Anything lower ends up with a lot of gurgles. 10 was awesome, but I was plagued with spent juice hits more than I preferred. It's a female tip it uses so perhaps a longer tip would result in better results at warmer temperatures or less wet hit reaching the tongue at lower temperatures. I'll try a longer tip from a head shop on a Nautilis X on a larger device but the Rover X is more pocket friendly with the supplied tip.

For those switching from a pod or cig-a-like this thing is great. For the seasoned vapeist it may not do the trick flavor wise.

I'm using a 70/30 strawberry in it now to see if the thicker liquid will help with the wet hit thing. I take short drags so that results in leftover juice in all of my tanks regardless of airflow methods.

So now some photos of how it all works:
IMG_20180818_135014.jpg

It's a cute little dude

IMG_20180818_140306.jpg

The buttons.
On the left side is a micro USB charge port. I've smoked 2 tanks and had about 45% battery before charging it.

IMG_20180818_140721.jpg

The display.
Pretty basic setup that can rotate 180° for left handed folks who don't dig on reading upside down.
Five clicks for on/off. Instructions tell you how to lock it but thusfar I've had zero pocket fires or watt changes.

Leak free tank:
IMG_20180818_135346.jpg

The o'ring acts as a gasket too.
Nice design there. The o'ring meshes into the removable top like an o'ring and squashes against glass like a gasket (are you hearing me Smok?) Oh, and the bottom has a cnc mega tight threaded rod contact to the coil pack going through it for no leak there either.

IMG_20180818_140035.jpg

The airflow.
Simple genious there. Again, a wick that soaks juice better would provide better flavor. Yet I suppose Aspire knew we'd opt for thicker sauce and that could result in dry hits like pods that use organic cotton. Eh, it's pretty good.

For rich flavors like cakes and cookies it's great. But be mindful sugary stuff can clog the openings over time. Tart and sour juices may seem a bit muted since the fabric does not soak up juice like cotton.

IMG_20180818_135548.jpg

The tip.
Aspire chose a tip the exact size of a cigarette. Yet being it slides over the chimney, replacements and after markets are few and far between in 2018. Perhaps the resurgence of mouth to lung vaping and the vastly popular leak free Nautilis X can lead to these being more "marketable". One thing is certain. You slide it on and it stays. Like their gaskets, this was very well thought out.


One thing to note is the potential for the coil pack to stay fastened to the top at refill or coil pack change. That allows juice to flow onto the contact point inside the tank. If you're near empty, no biggy as you may be cleaning the tank anyway.
What I did was used a Nyquill style plastic medicine cup (about the size of a liquor shot glass) to pour remaining juice into and cinched the coil pack into the base with pliers. No need to romp on it, just a 2-3° twist will do. But have pliers handy when removing it at change time.

Another issue was leftover, unspent juice in the chimney. I rolled up a 1/4 inch wide piece of paper towel and inserted it into the air hole at the top. That soaked up the excess. Now a nudge with a toothpick yielded better results as it went in further.
One place said "hatchet chop" motion works too. But you have to remember to wipe out the tip or you get slimed on your next drag.

So there you have the Aspire Rover X kit. Quite the improvment over pods and cig-a-likes and a great sneak-a-puff for seasoned vapers.
I'm sure the market for this type of device will only grow more and more as more folks decide to quit smoking. And I suppose the big companies already have stuff in their lineup. But I liked the old school nature of the Rover X kit.

Rover X with a Nautilis X won't do this:
IMG_20180817_113906.jpg


What it will do is provide a nice old school mouth to lung drag or a hybrid mtl/dtl combo.
 

ven

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Cool write up and pics:cool: There are quite a few vapors on here knocking about, hopefully they will post as well:poke:

As for smoking :laughing: i say " no i dont smoke, there is no tobacco , no ignition/flame and no smoke!" Still a few say in work " you going for a smoke?" No no no!!!!!! Its not smoking :laughing: I will come and have a vape though;)
 

bykfixer

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As a former dope smoker I prefer "how does it smoke" over "how does it hit"..... how does it smoke is an old American Indian term I picked up from the movie Dances with Wolves for 'how smooth/harsh is it' refering to the "peace pipe" one smoked with.

Maybe when vape has replaced the combusted tobacco I'll be inclined to ask 'how does it vape'.
 

bykfixer

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IMG_20180820_184106.jpg

Stealth vapin' in a hotel room.

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My "cloud"....
Deep, long drags are not my thing.

I can take a sweet puff and hold it a couple seconds and nothing expels. Comes in real handy at times.
 
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bykfixer

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Bought a white copy of the Kroma-A kit as a backup and found some old school acrylic tips from a place in Oklahoma called VapeKings.

IMG_20180907_142038.jpg

The red one will become the backup.
 

ven

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Like it! Looks super comfy in hand with that styling. There are a few pistol grip types out there.....................:cool:
 

bykfixer

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Pic for Mike
kS4eK5fl.jpg


:laughing:

This is the fellow who will be teaching me coil building at some point.
IMG_20180908_081326.jpg

He was intrigued when I asked him how to build M2L coils.

The white Kroma was purchased simply because I don't really trust that the red one will make it past the 90 day warranty. It's a great little device in terms of of ergonomics. Easy to use, very comfy in the hand and all that. But it just feels kinda cheap if you know what I mean. Like heat or cold may cause fragile connections to fail or perhaps the eventual drop from 3 feet (1metre) will do it in.
I've yet to take it apart to see how it is built. It was designed by Phil something or other, some famous old school vape dude.
So to me it's like one of PK's lantern designs where he created ideas for the bells and whistles, the operation and outcome but the manufacturer used their parts to assemble the whole thing. Know what I mean?

I end up using the Kroma the most, yet know eventually it will play out when I least expect it.
 
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ven

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:laughing:

Almost.............almost! makes me want to dig out my dripper mutation X and get a pic, but just imagine a cloud and that is it. I took it to work for giggles, it worked(especially for me), every vape made me LOL as it was crazy.
 

bykfixer

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That's the shop I go to where after 30 minutes I need to clean my glasses. I used to ride their with my brother.
Used to but...

I won't ride with my brother lately. He vapes huge clouds. We're going down the road and I hear "thwwsssssssssssssssst" "ppwwwwwwwwwwuh" and suddenly my side of the cab is filled with chocolate smelling steam. I'm like "dude, roll your ******** window down" then when the air clears I notice... it already is.

He does it when approaching intersections with cars stopped, going over railroad tracks, making left turns etc. He might as well just close his eyes at that point because nobody can see out front or from either side for like 15 seconds.

I'm like "dude.... you are the reason vaping while driving is going to be illegal soon." At some point he reminds me that his wife fusses about all the smell in their house. I'm like "nah, really?"....
 
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