Relapsed to smoking...now I sound like Darth Vader

[Sheryl]

So after not smoking any cigarettes for months, vaping solely on my Eleaf Pico, I relapsed I bought the Wotofo Serpent RDTA, for DYI coils. Also started mixing my own juice, and just like that, everything went pear shaped. Juice started tasting horrible in the RDTA, so I lit up a cigarette Dec 2017, and have been smoking since. For a week in July 2018 I was solely vaping on my Eleaf again, not touching a cigarette, till that coil gave up the ghost.

Went to my RDTA, lasted 3 days and back on the Cigs because I got fed up with spitting juice and crappy taste. My Rebel Lion Strawberry Yogurt started tasting like everything else.

So I must be doing something wrong, for the RDTA to taste horrible enough for me to actually prefer an actual cigarette?

Today I bought the iJoy Mystique disposable tank out of desperation, because the Eleaf coils aren't stocked by Vape King, and I must say, it's pretty good. Better than the flavor I'm getting from my RDTA.

Definitely better clouds too. Looks like I'm one of those people doomed to use pre-builds only, because they taste better.

Please all hold thumbs and cross fingers and toes that I manage to stay off the smokes this time

 

[KarlDP]

You can do it @Sheryl stand strong in the fight against those stinkies..

But thats why this forum exist. So we as a community can support and help each other..

 

[Grand Guru]

So after not smoking any cigarettes for months, vaping solely on my Eleaf Pico, I relapsed I bought the Wotofo Serpent RDTA, for DYI coils. Also started mixing my own juice, and just like that, everything went pear shaped. Juice started tasting horrible in the RDTA, so I lit up a cigarette Dec 2017, and have been smoking since. For a week in July 2018 I was solely vaping on my Eleaf again, not touching a cigarette, till that coil gave up the ghost.

Went to my RDTA, lasted 3 days and back on the Cigs because I got fed up with spitting juice and crappy taste. My Rebel Lion Strawberry Yogurt started tasting like everything else.

So I must be doing something wrong, for the RDTA to taste horrible enough for me to actually prefer an actual cigarette?

Today I bought the iJoy Mystique disposable tank out of desperation, because the Eleaf coils aren't stocked by Vape King, and I must say, it's pretty good. Better than the flavor I'm getting from my RDTA.

Definitely better clouds too. Looks like I'm one of those people doomed to use pre-builds only, because they taste better.

Please all hold thumbs and cross fingers and toes that I manage to stay off the smokes this time

May be you should consider squonking. You can’t go wrong on RDAs. The Flavour is always there and the clouds too. Besides, building is easy and wicking is the most forgiving.
Best of luck with staying off the stinkies

 

[lesvaches]

Pod systems?

 

[Viper_SA]

Best of luck staying off the stinkies @Sheryl

 

[RichJB]

DIY coils and juice do take a while to get comfortable with. If you do the wrong type of build, don't mount the coils correctly, don't wick them right, make DIY recipes that aren't very good, vape at the wrong wattage, etc, you won't get a great vape. These things take a bit of time. The advantage of commercial coils and juices is that you're getting a product that is put together by someone who has been through the curve and knows. But you're paying a premium for it.

I'd equate it to transport. You don't have to learn to drive. You can hire an Uber and get an experienced driver to do all your driving for you. But you pay a premium. Learning to drive takes time and nobody does it without making mistakes. Those mistakes can cost you and discourage you. Yet most of us persist with it till we get to a point where we are comfortable driving.

If you are getting a better vape from commercial products, that is fine. It doesn't mean you need to ditch DIY. Persist with DIY and whenever it doesn't work well, use your commercial products as a back-up. The important thing is to keep experimenting. If you get poor flavour from your RDTA, don't do the same thing next time. Try a different type of coil or wire. Try more wraps or less wraps. Mount the coils higher or lower. Change the airflow. Change the cotton and/or thickness of wicking. Change the watts you vape at. And make these changes one at a time so that you can determine the effect of each change.

In order to find out what works for you, you also have to experience what doesn't work. What doesn't work isn't going to be a great vape. But it's an important part of the process. If I'd never made a bad DIY juice then, definitionally, I couldn't have made a good one either. Because I wouldn't know what defines good. The person who gets the least from vaping is the one who gets a set-up and it tastes fine, so they never change anything. Even if they're satisfied with the vape they're getting, how do they know that a 100% better vape isn't a simple change away?

 

[Jean claude Vaaldamme]

May be you should consider squonking. You can’t go wrong on RDAs. The Flavour is always there and the clouds too. Besides, building is easy and wicking is the most forgiving.
Best of luck with staying off the stinkies

What he said

 

[RainstormZA]

May be you should consider squonking. You can’t go wrong on RDAs. The Flavour is always there and the clouds too. Besides, building is easy and wicking is the most forgiving.
Best of luck with staying off the stinkies

What he said^^^

You can't go wrong with them. I had two and I am considering a squonk mod next month.

 

[baksteen8168]

Since everyone is recommending squonking to you (me included), Have a look at the Pulse 80w with a Recurve RDA. Or if adjustment doesn't bother you, look at the Wismec Luxotic BF Kit. Comes with a Tobhino RDA. (try to get the 2nd version with the silicone bottles as V1 had some chip issues). RSQ Squonker is also great. There is a Dovpo Topside in the classies that will be great too. And lastly, I've heard good things about the Pico Squeeze.

 

[Sheryl]

You can do it @Sheryl stand strong in the fight against those stinkies..

But thats why this forum exist. So we as a community can support and help each other..

Spanks! I've gone through two tank refills in like an hour. Probably going to burn through this iJoy before the week is done

 

[Sheryl]

Pod systems?

Uhm, what's that?

 

[Sheryl]

DIY coils and juice do take a while to get comfortable with. If you do the wrong type of build, don't mount the coils correctly, don't wick them right, make DIY recipes that aren't very good, vape at the wrong wattage, etc, you won't get a great vape. These things take a bit of time. The advantage of commercial coils and juices is that you're getting a product that is put together by someone who has been through the curve and knows. But you're paying a premium for it.

I'd equate it to transport. You don't have to learn to drive. You can hire an Uber and get an experienced driver to do all your driving for you. But you pay a premium. Learning to drive takes time and nobody does it without making mistakes. Those mistakes can cost you and discourage you. Yet most of us persist with it till we get to a point where we are comfortable driving.

If you are getting a better vape from commercial products, that is fine. It doesn't mean you need to ditch DIY. Persist with DIY and whenever it doesn't work well, use your commercial products as a back-up. The important thing is to keep experimenting. If you get poor flavour from your RDTA, don't do the same thing next time. Try a different type of coil or wire. Try more wraps or less wraps. Mount the coils higher or lower. Change the airflow. Change the cotton and/or thickness of wicking. Change the watts you vape at. And make these changes one at a time so that you can determine the effect of each change.

In order to find out what works for you, you also have to experience what doesn't work. What doesn't work isn't going to be a great vape. But it's an important part of the process. If I'd never made a bad DIY juice then, definitionally, I couldn't have made a good one either. Because I wouldn't know what defines good. The person who gets the least from vaping is the one who gets a set-up and it tastes fine, so they never change anything. Even if they're satisfied with the vape they're getting, how do they know that a 100% better vape isn't a simple change away?

Thanks for the advice.

I wasn't even in the queue when patience was handed out, nevermind last in the queue
The reason I was forced into doing it myself was because I look like a freakin storm cloud with the vape permanently attached to my face, and it was costing a fortune on coils and juice.

I don't wrap my own coils. I buy the pre-wrapped ones, and that worked great...for a while.
I cannot think what I could be doing differently, because the Serpent is pretty straight forward (I think) I don't like the fact that the coil is so close to the mouth piece, so it spits hot juice up.

At this moment, I am LOVING this iJoy disposable. A little too much I think

But I'm going to start the DYI again this week...keep on keeping on

 

[Silver]

Wishing you all the best @Sheryl

If you get other gear, make sure to keep something you know works as a backup (with enough juice that you like) so you dont have another relapse to stinkies.

 

[BATMAN]

Don't give up @Sheryl

I couldn't leave the cigs completely no matter how hard I tried.

But in just a couple of weeks I will be hitting a massive milestone.

I basically bought a MTL device and a berserker mini RTA along with some nic salt juices and I've never looked back ever since.

Trust me, it is not impossible!

 

[Silver]

Don't give up @Sheryl

I couldn't leave the cigs completely no matter how hard I tried.

But in just a couple of weeks I will be hitting a massive milestone.

I basically bought a MTL device and a berserker mini RTA along with some nic salt juices and I've never looked back ever since.

Trust me, it is not impossible!

Congrats on that @BATMAN!

 

[Quintusson]

I don't like the fact that the coil is so close to the mouth piece, so it spits hot juice up.

Maybe look at a RTA with a bigger tank then which then has the mouth piece further away from the coil. The Manta or the Aqua Master both have very good flavour and both of them have bigger glass sections which then helps with that. I would recommend the Aqua Master for a starter as the Manta, as brilliant as it is, if it's not wicked correctly leaks more than what our government can spend frivolously. The Aqua Master is more forgiving - it has not leaked on me once yet, but I have also been wicking for quite some time - and thus a more favourable tank.

 

[lesvaches]

Uhm, what's that?

MTL or DL pods systems like the lost vape orion or vaperesso zero.

 

[Hooked]

@Sheryl

It's absolutely vital to have extras of everything: back-up mod or coils, more than enough juice etc. so that you don't grab a ciggie out of necessity or because you don't have time to fiddle with vaping.

About the Eleaf coils: The Vape Guy @BumbleBee is the best vape shop for Eleaf coils. If he doesn't stock what you need he will order for you. You can order online and you'll receive your order in two days, even though his shop is in Tzaneen.
https://vapeguy.co.za/

Furthermore, if you need help or advice regarding anything to do with vaping, he's the best person to chat to. I buy all my mods from him because he has the patience to answer all my questions. And if you're considering buying a new mod / tank, he doesn't try to sell you something which might not be right for you. He listens to what YOUR needs are and advises accordingly.

The owner of The Vape Guy is on the forum @BumbleBee. You could easily PM him to have a chat.

As far as DIY is concerned, have you tried one shots? You can't go wrong with a one shot because the flavour profile is pre-mixed. It's like buying a packet of pre-mixed spices, instead of buying 5 separate spices. All that you need to add to one shots is VG, PG and nic.

Have a look at:
https://www.blckvapour.co.za/collections/flavor-monks-one-shots @Richio

https://alldayvapes.co.za/product-category/e-liquid-diy/diy-concentrates/ @YeOldeOke

 

[RainstormZA]

BTW what does Darth Vader sound like?

 

[lesvaches]

BTW what does Darth Vader sound like?

 

[Sheryl]

@Sheryl

It's absolutely vital to have extras of everything: back-up mod or coils, more than enough juice etc. so that you don't grab a ciggie out of necessity or because you don't have time to fiddle with vaping.

About the Eleaf coils: The Vape Guy @BumbleBee is the best vape shop for Eleaf coils. If he doesn't stock what you need he will order for you. You can order online and you'll receive your order in two days, even though his shop is in Tzaneen.
https://vapeguy.co.za/

Furthermore, if you need help or advice regarding anything to do with vaping, he's the best person to chat to. I buy all my mods from him because he has the patience to answer all my questions. And if you're considering buying a new mod / tank, he doesn't try to sell you something which might not be right for you. He listens to what YOUR needs are and advises accordingly.

The owner of The Vape Guy is on the forum @BumbleBee. You could easily PM him to have a chat.

As far as DIY is concerned, have you tried one shots? You can't go wrong with a one shot because the flavour profile is pre-mixed. It's like buying a packet of pre-mixed spices, instead of buying 5 separate spices. All that you need to add to one shots is VG, PG and nic.

Have a look at:
https://www.blckvapour.co.za/collections/flavor-monks-one-shots @Richio

https://alldayvapes.co.za/product-category/e-liquid-diy/diy-concentrates/ @YeOldeOke

I have 3 recipes that are winners, steep time (and my lack of patience) is the issue.

I've seen the one shots, added some to my cart on BLCK, just haven't checked out.
I have 3 Fav commercial juices at the mo, and want something similar to mix myself.

Rebel Lion Strawberry Yogurt
Orion Belt
Orion Northern Star

Any suggestions for something similar?

 

[Jean claude Vaaldamme]

BTW what does Darth Vader sound like?

 

[BATMAN]

Congrats on that @BATMAN!

Thank you my friend

 

[Pho3niX90]

I would strongly suggest to use any aglet cotton (shoelace/preloaded ect) specifically for your coild id. Also buy prebuilt coils (already rolled), this will make building the RDTA miles easier to build, and flavor will be consistent.

On how to wick it, have a look at a few youtube videos. You will master it with the ingredients above

 

[Pho3niX90]

Actually, PM me your address and I will get some to you