Bullet mechanical mod review

The Bullet mod is a full-mechanical device made in the Philippines. This was purchased last July and has seen constant use. It is made of three tubes that allow you to use 18650 down to 18350 batteries. Below are images of the different configurations you can use depending on the battery you wish to use.

Using an 18650 Battery

 

 

 

At 18500

18350 Configuration

In  18650 mode, all three tubes are used. It is worth noting that this device will work with nippled and non-nippled batteries. The first and second tubes are connected via threads that one can use to adjust depending on the length of the battery. In 18500 and 18350 mode, the third tube is not needed.

I am no expert in metallurgy so I cannot say what type of steel is used. What I can say that it has been dropped on hard surfaces such as concrete resulting in marks where the metal hits hard surfaces. Despite this, it continues to function and these marks are only cosmetic.

Above is a picture of the bottom of the firing button. For those who prefer to have a locking mechanism when storing the device in a bag or pocket look for another device as this unit does not have one. The spring used in the switch assembly is stiff enough to prevent accidental firing and when stood upright there is enough clearance so that the switch does not touch anything.

On a flat surface, the switch cannot be pressed to activate the mod.

There is a plastic insulator that can be removed for cleaning and prevents any other part of the battery to come in contact with the firing pin.

The pin is made of copper and does require polishing every now and then. As stated earlier, this device has been in use for about six months and the pin hasn't been polished yet. Even without polishing, it manages to fire consistently.

 

 

For cleaning purposes, the switch assembly breaks down into four parts. The spring is quite stiff and can resist casual pressure. That said, at first one might find it too stiff when brand-new. It does soften over time. One thing I noticed is that the switch will sometimes rotate and fall off if one is not careful.

The device uses a 510 connection and a copper pin for good conductivity. The pin can be adjusted somewhat using a pair of pliers so flush-mounting an atomizer is possible.


Conclusion:

Overall, this device works very well. It is durable enough that dropping it won't damage the device and simple to use. It has a hefty-feel that I personally like and fires all the time. Things I don't like are the tendency of the firing button to loosen and the need of tools to adjust the 510 pin. Finally, one may be put off by the fact that it has no locking mechanism and only a stiff spring prevents accidental firing when inside one's pocket or bag.

Despite these slips, I would buy another one should I lose this. Why? It is easy to use, I do not need to think of whether it is locked or not and it's price is quite a bargain.

The Airborne Telescopic Mech Review

 The Airborne Telescopic mech is an all mechanical device made of stainless steel. Just like the Smoktech mech, it can use a variety of batteries ranging from 18350 to 18650.

     

After using this device for about four months, I have grown to love the versatility of being able to use a variety of batteries without having to disassemble and reassemble. Simply rotating either the upper or lower tube will change the total length of the device depending on the battery.

     

In terms of build quality, parts that are not threaded are press-fitted like the 510 connector which I found out about this when I accidentally dropped the unit on a hard surface. One thing I like is the spring on the switch is stiff enough that you can stand your mech without it firing. 

Speaking of the connector, it has a deep well so one need not worry of spills. It is a a bit of a chore to  clean as you can see some specks of dirt and dried up e-juice. Don't ask me how it got there because I use dripping atomizers.

The switch assembly is quite simple and easy to maintain. One interesting fact about this switch is that the white insulator on the far-left acts as a stopper for the battery. This means that you won't have to worry about the device auto-firing while screwing the tubes. This was one feature absent in the first version of the Smoktech mech which irritated my wife especially when it came to changing batteries.

This spring as I mentioned in an earlier paragraph is quite stiff. Some may be put off by this. Personally, I like it.

I do not know the proper name for this part. I do know that this part makes direct contact with the battery when the switch is pressed. I had to sand down the insulator as I experienced some misfires during the first month of use.

The switch. With the exception of cleaning the threads every now and then to ensure good contact, I have never experienced any problems. For some, the simplicity of the switch's design may be a let down but to me it is an advantage. I've dropped this device about five times, each time the device landed on this part, and I have yet to notice any real damage.

Conclusion:

I am quite happy with this device. The fact that I can use almost any battery made the purchase worth it. The use of stainless steel not only makes it durable but contributes to its good looks. As for "cons", the contact points could have been made of copper for a better connection and conductivity. For people with big or sweaty hands, the size and smooth surface may be a bit of an issue.

Overall, I believe that I made a good decision getting this mech. You can check the MyVape website for more information or go their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/myvape.airborne.

The RDA atomizer review

I first learned about this rebuildable atomizer while hanging out in a local shop. Looking like an over-sized ERA, I can't say I was drawn to it. It had a wick called the "octopus", so called because it uses eight strands of 2cm wick and they are wrapped with coil at one end. When assembled, it does resemble tentacles wrapping around the posts. 

The cap is made of aluminum. The machining is smooth, no burs or marks whatsoever. It had no problems accepting the drip tips I currently have though you may want to check if you choose to buy one. It comes in different colors such as black, gold, and I believe there is one in red. There is one air hole on the cap.

      

 

The body of the unit has two O-rings which keep the cap in place, but not tightly. So, don't hold your mech or mod from the cap because it might fall from your hands. It has an airhole on the side that leads to another hole just below the positive and negative poles. This means to draw air, you must make sure the hole in the cap is aligned with the hole in the body of the atomizer.

When it comes to rebuilding, this atomizer makes the task easy since the screws can be loosened or tightened without the need of a screw driver or allen key. The only gripe I have is the fact that the negative post is not attached but rather it just sits on a small pin so one has to be mindful when tightening the screw. 

Vapor production is of course dependent on your build. Using the octopus build, you get a decent amount of vapor, although I felt there was not enough air getting drawn in as I vaped. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to have a new air-hole drilled, starting at 1mm then enlarged to 1.5mm. Now I am getting more vapor without a loss in flavor.

Conclusion:

The size and number of air-holes is entirely up to the user. Since I don't plan on building dual coils, one hole is fine.

Because one does not need to use a screw driver, rebuilding is very easy, just be careful with that negative post. It is certainly easier to rebuild compared to a Phoenix and the price is very competitive.

Would I recommend this atomizer. If you are starting with rebuildables, yes I would and not just because of the price. The fact that it is a good platform for one to learn how to rebuild is enough to get one.

Smoktech Telescopic Mod

My wife and I have been vaping for more than a year now and have been cigarette-free for about six months. Since then, mechanical mods have been one our favorite "toys".

My wife purchased this in November of last year after having a less than pleasant experience with a Lavatube clone. For this post, I won't go over where it was purchased nor its price as I want to focus on the unit itself.

Looking at the picture above does not mean this is what the head will look like after five months of use. Early in January, I had to remove the wire that connects the head to positive contact point because it shorted out. I would've used something like a screw but I did have any at that time so I used some DIY wiring instead.

The 510 threads show no sign of wear and tear. One minor pet peeve is cleaning the well every now and then to remove dirt and the occasional spill-over.

Externally, the switch looks just fine. When using a 18650 battery, the throw of the switch is so short, a light tap on the switch will fire up the mech. With an 18350, the throw is longer. Sadly, this mech won't be using a short battery anymore. Currently, only 18650s can be used. My initial guess is wear and tear but it may have to do with how the switch is built.

The threads on the switch remain smooth when you lock and unlock the switch. The thread connecting the switch to body of the mech also remain smooth.

 

If you look closely, the spring is attached to base of the switch by what appears to be a silicone-based glue. It looks like it was simply poured in, I agree. This may have contributed to misfires or in some cases, "no-fire" at all.

I took the switch apart for the purpose of this post. One thing to note is that only one of the two e-clips remains.

The firing pin and base of the switch. The pin itself looks like it is made of copper. The e-clips I mentioned earlier fasten to the pin at the top and bottom.

The switch spring looks good with no burn marks and it has not gone "soft". The individual parts of this mech seem to be holding up.

Opinions:

When my wife first got this unit, it was trouble-free and whether it was a dripping atty or a dct tank, it worked fine. As it got "older", problems like misfires, the body getting warm from short use, the inability to use short batteries, and ever-increasing wobble of the when using long batteries became more noticeable. That is not to say that it is a failure. Remember, this is a version 1.1, and improved models may have resolved the issues we encountered. I do hope the makers did away with the wire at the head. Also, this version used a chrome plated finish and looking at the very first picture will show you what it looks like after five months. There is a stainless steel version now available in the market, so anyone wanting a mech like this should buy that one. One major advantage of this unit over other designs is that it can use almost any battery with an 18 mm diameter. And despite the issues I stated about the quality of the design, all these faults were capable of being addressed without spending a lot of money.  Overall, it is a fairly-built unit for its price.