Squonking is great (second attempt)

My experience, over here in Ireland, is just so different from yours. I intend to return to Chiang Mai this Christmastime, for a year or so, at least, so it's nice to be a member of this rapidly developing Thai vaping community.
You guys are really limited to China products, which are the future, no doubt. Kanger subtank minis rule, etc.
and they really do, especially on price - China cannot be beaten.
Me - I'm old (67) and don't do direct lung inhales - I use Hellfire drippers and squonkers mainly (now), but they're simple (read boringly simple) and expensive. They vape great though.

Here's a review of my new squonk mod - just to illustrate the differences we share.



As my battery charger has arrived (for my camera) I can now put up a few pics of my new T-mod 18650. This one, with the snakeskin engraved pattern, was $450. The basic 6061 version is $400.

Made by Tom, of T-mods fame, on e-cigarette forum, it's milled from a block of 6061 aluminium alloy, so it feels solid in the hand, and is pretty indestructible.
For some reason, Tom is not keen to offer a Titanium version - but you can have brass, copper, 7075 or 7068 aluminium alloy, and pay additional costs.

Anyone familiar with a Reo will know how it works, as it's fairly similar inside, but much more rugged. A strong magnet, fitted in a recess, holds the battery in place, as well as a torx key for undoing the top of the mod.
Some sideways battery rattle is possible, however this hasn't happened to me yet. The switch has a rubber pad on the end, which pushes down on a brass springy plate, to make battery contact.

The 510 connection is threaded directly into the aluminium top, and has an adjustable positive pin (brass or ss). The bottle holds 10mls of juice, and fits snugly in it's hole, where the two cutouts allow a thumb and forefinger pinch for squonking.
And the top of the mod is held onto the body by two captive torx screws.
A common (for Americans) way of attaching the atty is to adjust the positive pin so as to leave about 3mm air space under the atty. A cute rubber vape band is used to cover the gap. Not everyone does it this way, but I'm too idle to set the T-mod up how I would like it, and that's the way it came.

Pics:

**Updated**

At the second attempt we have success. I didn't know that the mods on Vapepit forum were so sneaky as to make copying pictures impossible.
Anyway, that's my new squonk mod, and it works very nicely indeed. Expensive though.

 

squonking (and bottom feeders) is indeed a great thing. People who are into REO style mods swear by them, and it wasn't until I saw how a bottom feeder works that I understood why.

 

I've never owned a squonking type mod but have tried ones that @Darth Vaper has and they work nice. Maybe the only reason I never invested in one is the additional consideration of seeking out an RDA with the supporting 510 connection or a kit connector that allows it.

 

Yes, there is a lack of good atomisers that come ready for bottom feed. It's worth it though, as it's like dripping, but with a big juice reservoir, so you get the intense flavour from dripping, with the consistency of vape that comes with using a dripper, and lack of juice darkening as the tank empties, that happens with tank atties. Plus no leakage, as you can quickly empty a dripper sized reservoir of juice in a few good lungfulls, then stick it in your pocket.
Hellfire do good bottom feeder atties, which are expensive, but there must be good Chinese ones on the market by now. I will try to find some.
For flavour, AND clouds, this one is brilliant, but they are sold out at the moment. Bottom fed Raptor - The Attysmith

 

The lack of atty's was a drawback. While the REO's areawesome, the drawback is that actual REO's aren't cheap, and the Chinese had not expressed an interest in cloning bottom feeders until fairly recently. There is a clone of the mark bugs on gearbest (I actually bought one). I have not gotten around to building it yet (because I need to buy the bottom feeding mod).

 

Yeah, for the most part, squonking requires you to buy authentic. I don't know of any cloned attys that have a hollowed 510 for squonking and mods are just now showing up. I have always thought it was a great idea however the makers of these mods are still in the mentality that they are creating artisan products with artisan type prices. I just don't have the kind of money it takes to invest in a $200+ mech mod regardless of how nice it was made. I do hope one day it might become more mainstream with fairly inexpensive mods and attys as it is a great idea. By the way Fridgemagnet, That is a beautiful mod!

 

@SD: No, no, no. I don't need to buy more stuff! Stop tempting me.

 

FYI for you cheapskates out there:
Smokeless Owl Style Bottom Feeder Mechanical Mod Kit with RDA Atomizer - 510 Thread-26.50 and Free Shipping| GearBest.com
Reo Grand Style Mechanical Box Mod with 6ml On-board E-liquid Bottle-25.95 and Free Shipping| GearBest.com

What I'm waiting for is a bottom feeder mod in 14500. REO makes one but no clone that I'm aware of.

**Updated**

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks for "help". I'll get to the vapor flask after I get done with the lifesize 3D tardis...

 

Thanks Sub, I may just give one of those a shot along with hollowing out a derringer.

 

Yeah, I don't know about hollowing out a derringer. I just found the clone atty that I got off of GB. This probably would suit your purposes better than hollowing out a derringer. The diameter of it is about the same size as an ego battery.

Chalice III Style Rebuildable RDA E - Cigarette Atomizer-11.83 and Free Shipping| GearBest.com

 

This is a Hellfire Viper 14mm squonk atty - I hope lots of pics is ok?
The positive post swivels around to wherever you want it to be. Makes getting a coil placed nicely real easy.




This importing situation is a bugger. There are few enough dedicated squonk atties as it is, without customs trouble.
Does it vary according to which country the package comes from? I've been stuck here in Ireland with a heart problem - hopefully now fixed, so I want to return in time for Christmas (escape Christmas more like) - looks like I'd better bring loads of juice, and gear with me, and risk Swampy customs.

 

Vapage makes a decent squonker. Own 2 of em: the standard and the XL (should use the past tense for the XL which bit the dust... but it was 100% user error). Get an original Diver by Atmistique for 38 euro new or a rash of clones was also recently released. That way you wont be dependent on consumable products and you can tune your builds to your own taste. Have not managed to get great clouds from the Diver but flavor is strong, it is a decent set up at a fraction of the cost of other bottom feeders. Vapage is running a weird sale where you can get 2 for the price of one. Weird because it does not seem to be time restricted and if you are not paying attention you could just as easily order 1 for the same price as 2. Sort of want another but not 2 and you cannot mix up the order for 1 of each size and get the 2fer. If anyone wants to get one for half price send a pm before October. Will be over in the United Soviet States then and could mule one back for you. Also you could put alomost any atty on a vapage with just a female to female 510 adapter. The atty would then serve as the method of securing the shell on the base, you would shelve the cone (look at pictures if you care, it will make sense). The only problem is getting a snug fit for everything. Kind of a PITA with cutting some rubber or using a bunch of orings, etc. The only thing you gain from all the fiddling is just a "feeling" its better, does not effect vape quality, there is just a minor rattle when you handle it. Strangely, it seems really important when you are caught up on it but it is really stupid. Maybe your brains are not as afflicted as Darth's but he was technically left for dead for a short while there...

The chalice III is tiny and difficult to get a good build on between the posts and over the air hole. Vertical is no go because the clearance in height is also super restricted. Once you get something working though it is decent.

If you have even the most gimpy rotary tool skills you can easily turn any atty into a bottom feed. Just cut a SLOT into the center pin. I centered hole would require actual skill but a slot along the length is stupid easy. Have successfully converted a number of atties this way. @todd has a blurb on it here.

If sawing anything at all is not your style - the VELOCITY clone came with a hollow center pin. At least the one obtained from FocalECig did. Come to think of it, cannot recall any other vendor offering it with the BF pin. Ordered from Focal, no complaints.

So there you go. 2 cents, unsolicited. Enjoy.

**Updated**

To answer your questions @fridgemagnet : Cannot recall anyone having trouble shipping gear in, just juice. If anyone has had a negative experience with gear, will stand corrected. Just have not noticed anyone mentioning it and personal experience proves no problems ever. Juice just forget it unless you like to gamble. You could get it, you could also lose it. Who wants that? Walking your juice through is your best bet. Never had an issue. Cheers.