Fluxer Heaters, induction heaters for Dynavap

Abysmal Vapor

Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
@mr_cfromcali Been watching your thread for while ,all i can say is inspiring at the very least !
I have one question. What is the surface where the vapcapmeets the bottom ?Does it lies directly on the metal casing or there is some buffer inbetween ?
 

mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
Perhaps better an anti-slip pad glued to the bottom if wished?

It'll be easy to add a second strap or feet or pad or whatever if you feel it's needed after you try it. Personally, I like how simple it is.

I agree. I love the clean smooth look as it is... band/feet etc would just spoil that imo

Feet would probably make it snag a bit sliding in and out of pockets too.

As I said, I'll include one strap, which should be enough for most of us. If you want a 2nd strap, or 4 rubber feet, tell me when I invoice you, and I'll make a note of it then and include them. If this becomes a thing that everyone wants - in essence, if this becomes another requirement - it has implications for the overall cost. All of this stuff adds up.

@Hogni - I always appreciate your comments, even though my own sensibilities for the cases are more aligned with @Moses Baca and @Gray Area . Antislip pads (like these) are not expensive, but I am not sure how many people would want one? I am OK buying a pack or two to have on hand in case someone wants one. How about this: if someone wants an anti-slpi pad instead, let me know when I talk to you you about invoicing and shipping. I cannot afford to include all three items from the set { straps, feet, anti-slpi pads } - pick one, or at most, two.

My "bottom line" for the feet/strap/pad/etc.: My budget for this part of the build is less than $1. The straps cost me $0.75 each; the feet are $0.20 each (four are $0.80); those prices include shipping to me. As long as you are clear about what you want, and I can manage it for less than $1 per heater, I am OK with offering it as an alternate choice. Sound OK?

Thanks for the comments. More later.
 
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pxl_jockey

Just a dude
Guys I need to jump in here. After waiting so long to be able to talk about the Flux Deluxe, I keep forgetting to because the family’s home, messing up my routine and my mojo! Bottom line is I’m happy to report that the Deluxe is just amazing. It’s a beast and really does give me more bang per capful of herb. With the Deluxe, I get more hits per cap versus using a torch. Every time. No doubt.

Honestly I wouldn’t recommend sticking anything on the bottom as standard; it doesn’t really slide around. It slides around in my manbag (in its protective bag) and I imagine it would slide on upholstery or carpet like playing shuffleboard. But in all my use, I’ve not noticed a need for silicone dots. However if a person feels they need that, there’s a tonne of inexpensive aftermarket solutions.

Same for a nylon EDC case with a belt clip or MOLLE clip, I think it’s best for each person to get exactly what they need. Personally, I feel the Deluxe is still too heavy to walk with, clipped on a belt, I would lose my trousers. If you’re outdoors with a bag or knapsack, you could certainly attach the EDC case to an available strap. It’s absolutely wonderful in a coat pocket* or the aforementioned manbag, it’s not too heavy at all. Mr_C has done a remarkable job in getting this as small as the current technology allows. There might be lighter alternatives for an enclosure available but the batteries are the culprits really.

However the Deluxe makes the most of those three 18650s, both in performance and power management. I’ve been using it pretty much non-stop for weeks and I’m still amazed at this aspect. It just goes and goes and I don’t run my batts low at all. I suppose by turning it off after several vapcaps, the batteries aren’t working very long in terms of heating cycles. I can go days, using only this thing, and when I charge them it takes no time at all. Keep in mind that I’m 220 & not 110, so things do charge more quickly here.

It’s so bloody easy to pop the top off and flip the switch when you’re done, it quickly becomes routine. And the satisfying sound when the lid claps shut! The magnets used are very strong, no way it’s falling off by mistake, but not so strong that it would pose difficulties for someone with limited hand strength. The lid is wide enough and the edge is deep enough that popping it off doesn’t require fine motor muscles. You’re not feeling for the edge to pry the lid off, it’s a simple motion and it pops off! I’ve spent a lot of time on this aspect of testing to be sure that users with hand tremors and fine motor issues, arthritis or grip strength issues wouldn’t have problems using their Deluxe. An IH like this will open the world of vapcap for someone who might be frightened of using a torch or perhaps intimidated by the dexterity required to spin a vapcap while torching.

I’m happy to answer any specific questions that anyone might have and I will probably be back with another long post when I’ve realised all the things I’ve neglected to mention tonight. But I feel like I have gone on too much and I don’t want any of this to come across like hyperbole in an advertisement. :peace:


* hands pockets, not breast pockets. Bit too heavy and bulky for that, at least for my coats.

EDIT: for stupid mistakes and sentence fragments. :smug:
 
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AtomicPB

Well-Known Member
@mr_cfromcali thank's for giving us all those options to choose from. :tup:

When I saw your FluxDeluxe Project I instantly liked and still like the clean look of your induction heater.

Right after posting, I had the same sentiments that were mentioned by @Moses Baca and @Gray Area regarding the design and also that rubber feet might be annoying when trying to let the heater slide in ones pocket or bag. I just used a rubber band for something similiar (to keep a box closed) and since I am sometimes a little OCD ... those rubber feet just struck my mind when seeing the rubber band on the heater.

Your route to let customers choose from the mentioned options is a great idea. I am happy to be on-board, especially because you take every idea into consideration to make your product better since day one.

@pxl_jockey great post. Thank you for sharing your impressions. Not that it makes the wait easier. ;)
 
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Hogni

Honi soit qui mal y pense
@pxl_jockey, you need this one

6b5decd43beb2e35cc5dffb3b15fe52d.jpg


...or one of these

5fb4eecf6f6051ca6e04ce252cfad368.jpg



1e984a3b3bd4dee7e98b67830240c2c3.jpg


d2ef5d5501acd279b9ccf9e099ae000c.jpg


d2e214e3671c410d56a9c1e92febe411.jpg


f782100ebebd9ec1c730189cc69b2936.jpg
 

pxl_jockey

Just a dude
@pxl_jockey, you need this one

6b5decd43beb2e35cc5dffb3b15fe52d.jpg


...or one of these

5fb4eecf6f6051ca6e04ce252cfad368.jpg







d2e214e3671c410d56a9c1e92febe411.jpg

Hell yes I do! I can feel the old forgotten Texan in me! I’ve lost most of that, except for the accent. I never think about my manbag or feel self conscious until we get off the plane in Texas. Course I’ve got long hair too so I might as well put a snake on my head as far as getting strange looks! So these are a wonderful compromise and since it’s perfectly legal to carry concealed weapons there, a shoulder holster-looking thing surely won’t turn any heads. But those tough-looking Male Models scare me to death!
 

YaMon

Vaping since 2010
@pxl_jockey, you need this one

6b5decd43beb2e35cc5dffb3b15fe52d.jpg


...or one of these

5fb4eecf6f6051ca6e04ce252cfad368.jpg



1e984a3b3bd4dee7e98b67830240c2c3.jpg


d2ef5d5501acd279b9ccf9e099ae000c.jpg


d2e214e3671c410d56a9c1e92febe411.jpg


f782100ebebd9ec1c730189cc69b2936.jpg
In the states wearing one of these may make some people feel like you are carrying a firearm, and that could have any number of implications. If considering in the US, you might read some concealed carry forums.
 
YaMon,
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mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
@mr_cfromcali Been watching your thread for while ,all i can say is inspiring at the very least !
I have one question. What is the surface where the vapcapmeets the bottom ?Does it lies directly on the metal casing or there is some buffer inbetween ?

Hi,

Thanks for the comments! Just saw the question - sorry.

>What is the surface where the vapcapmeets the bottom ?Does it lies directly on the metal casing or there is some buffer inbetween ?

I use high quality, high temp tactile switches (link to MEC Switches 5ESH920 datasheet/specs PDF) that are rated to 160°C, so you can rest the vapcap directly on the switches. They are the large black squares in the upper left corners of these PCBs::

IMG-6463-private.jpg


I've been using these switches since mid-summer, so I have a good sense of how they hold up in an IH. They hold up well, as long as you don't overheat the cap.

Now, overheating is rare, but it can happen if your cap doesn't click as expected, or you miss hearing it. If that happens and the switch melts, you will need to send the heater back to me to have the melted switch replaced.

Thanks for the question. :tup:
 

Abysmal Vapor

Supersniffer 2000 - robot fart detection device
Hey !Thx for the reply. I guess i did not paid enough attention to the thread. So unit is switch once when the cap hits the switch right ?
I have IH from SDS where the cap sits on a high temp silicone ring at the bottom of coil and the cap rests on it. I do not like the smell of silicone so i added a glass button(from clothes) over it and now my cap rests on glass and i like it better. Maybe if you add some kind of buffer between the switch,either a button or a glass/ceramic screen (there 8mm diameter ones on DHGATE),it could avoid the melted switch scenario .
glass-honeycomb-filter-screen-fit-mini-ago.jpg
 

mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
Hey !Thx for the reply. I guess i did not paid enough attention to the thread. So unit is switch once when the cap hits the switch right ?
I have IH from SDS where the cap sits on a high temp silicone ring at the bottom of coil and the cap rests on it. I do not like the smell of silicone so i added a glass button(from clothes) over it and now my cap rests on glass and i like it better. Maybe if you add some kind of buffer between the switch,either a button or a glass/ceramic screen (there 8mm diameter ones on DHGATE),it could avoid the melted switch scenario .
glass-honeycomb-filter-screen-fit-mini-ago.jpg

Thanks, I'll consider it.
 

Mypd1991

Member
I agree with vapor, I thought there would be some sort of barrier between the plastic switch and the vapcap tip. Seems like it would be the easiest way to prevent any chance of melting the switch.
 
Mypd1991,
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mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
Post-holiday weekend update:

Hi all - hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday!

I spent some time in the shop over the long weekend and got a fair amount done.

I have a batch of ~20 heaters, with five completed and fifteen needing the final assembly and QC testing. Not as many fully completed as I had hoped, but the batch has advanced to the final stage, and I'll continue to push them out as I complete them.

Weekend yield: 5 completed; 15 waiting to be finished up. I expect to get those out in the next several days. :tup:

I refreshed many of the Deluxe pics on my web site to better reflect the current build and available colors, and I'll be adding additional pics as I build other heaters in colors.

IMG-6890-private.jpg


IMG-6903-private.jpg


IMG-6898-private.jpg


Takeaways from this first full batch: These things just take time to build. I'm very happy with the design, but these are hand made devices and they don't build themselves! Thanks for your patience while I make these happen!

Some odds and ends:

Deluxe Cases: - I am placing a large order this week for 50+ cases, including some colors that were previously unavailable. Will update with more info on those colors, etc, when I have it.

High Temp Tactile Switches: I ordered some of the glass inserts mentioned above for evaluation. I have A LOT of reservations about this approach - I doubt they are needed, for one thing - but after giving it some thought I agree that the glass inserts to which @Abysmal Vapor linked look like good candidates for this, so I'll check 'em out. Those will be at least a week in transit, so don't expect anything to change on this front for a while, if at all. I am of the opinion that these may solve one problem while introducing two more, but I'll check them out and report back.

I am still confident in the switches I selected - their 160°C operating temp rating is the highest temp rating of any tactile switch I can find by +55°C. They are an elegant, affordable, and simple solution, and I am a huge fan of all three of those things.

"The perfect is the enemy of the good." That needs to be said again. My design is pretty good, but I know it isn't perfect, and I'm sure we'll discover more of its flaws as we put it through its paces in the real world. It's a new thing, and that's going to happen. If we wait until it's perfect you guys won't be heating anything with these for a while.

Also, just to be clear: My heater design is not open for continuous review and revision. We can talk about it, and I'll answer questions on it, but at this point it has been tested, it works well, and I'm pretty happy with it. I'm reticent to changing it without actual data telling me I need to. You can look at it and decide you don't like it, or you don't want one until it has a particular feature, but it left the "open canvas" phase behind a while ago. Thanks for understanding.

Finally, I want to publicly thank @pxl_jockey for that incredibly kind review! Thank you! (I messaged him privately, but it occurred to me I had not yet acknowledged it in the thread, and it was too nice a review to let pass without comment.) It made my day. :D

Thanks, all! Hope Santa brought everyone what they wanted for Christmas. More updates to come this week as I complete more heaters. :science:

Cheers,
:leaf:
 
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Mypd1991

Member
OMG, I hope that's my purple heater. It's beautiful and they are by far the best looking and most portable IH's I've seen being made, probably the safest as well. Also I agree on that there shouldn't be rolling changes, you can see what the best solutions are and implement them in a V2 later on down the line. Just wanted to chime in since the more heaters I see you put out just hypes me up even more. So glad I waited to see yours evolve.
 

Jill NYC

Portable Hoarder
@Mypd1991 I feel you. I think the Red One may be mine. :wave:

So can we talk batteries for a minute? I assume all three batteries should be the same?
Or is it okay to use different ones?
I have a bunch of 18650’s already, but the logic in me says I should probably buy 3 of the same that are the same age to start...
Any favorites out there?

I should probably buy a bigger charger (right now, I can only charge one at a time) I am thinking of getting a 4 battery charger.

Yup, there is even a thing called BAS. Someone please show me the way.
 

Mypd1991

Member
@Mypd1991 I feel you. I think the Red One may be mine. :wave:

So can we talk batteries for a minute? I assume all three batteries should be the same?
Or is it okay to use different ones?
I have a bunch of 18650’s already, but the logic in me says I should probably buy 3 of the same that are the same age to start...
Any favorites out there?

I should probably buy a bigger charger (right now, I can only charge one at a time) I am thinking of getting a 4 battery charger.

Yup, there is even a thing called BAS. Someone please show me the way.

Definitely should try to have all the same battery so you have the same capacity (mAH) and CDR (continuous discharge rate) which is measured in amp's. I went with the LG hg2 which is a 3000mAH 20amp cell, which is currently the highest capacity and CDR 18650 out right now.

Most off brand batteries capacity and CDR ratings are fake and most people who know about and have tested batteries recommend to stick to the big names like Sony, LG, Samsung and Panasonic. If you want to learn about batteries there is a guy named mooch who is kind of the go to guy for battery recommendations in the e-cig scene. Another good few are the Samsung 30q and Sony vtc6, all rated very good. Here's a link to his testing and stuff.

https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/blogs/mooch.256958/

Also don't order off Amazon or eBay because the likelihood of getting fake batteries is very high.
 

Dank_Star

In space no one can hear you purr.
@Mypd1991 many thanks the above post. I was going to ask @mr_cfromcali directly for some clarification on battery options but that wont be necessary now.

elegant, affordable, and simple solution
I feel that simplicity of design often leads to the most elegant solutions and that is why I love your designs so much.
 

mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
Mine has arrived!

But erm...I forget to arrange batteries and the local vape shop (nicotine ones) decided to skip this little segment and stay closed until after NY. So no testing yet :/
It looks really cool though.

:clap:

Sooo glad it got there, and before New Years, too! Gah! That sucks that your local vape shop/battery source is closed until then. Boooooo! ;)

Also, it sounds like this custom's declaration worked for this shipment to the UK:

"portable wax carving tool heater"
gift
Value: USD$20


:cool:

Good to know!

:sherlock:
 

mr_cfromcali

Accessory Maker
Accessory Maker
Your Friday Fluxer update:

This project has seen a lot of progress in December, and this last week was another important one.

I began shipping heaters this week in quantity - a modest quantity, to be sure, but enough to demonstrate that I can complete 'em and get 'em out the door. I am working my way through the waiting list. The list still has more than 60 names on it, but I'm discovering that some are more committed to buying right now than others, so do not despair if you are deeper in the list, as it is moving along!

I expect more people to receive theirs within the next few days, so hopefully we will see some more reviews and impressions. Hopefully positive impressions, lol. I will also have more time to work on these this weekend. These are rolling now, and I want to keep the line moving along.

Odds and ends:

I am going forward with the project, and this week I ordered the supplies to make 50 more Deluxes: cases, battery sleds, battery management circuits, etc. :rockon:

So be patient - everyone one that wants will (eventually) have the opportunity to buy one. I just need to make 'em. :p

Case colors - expected restock dates:

Black - in stock
Natural - in stock
Red - in stock
Blue - 12/31 or 01/02
Dark Green: 12/31 or 01/01
Gold: 12/31 or 01/01
Gun Metal: 01/10
Purple (limited stock): 01/17
Orange (limited stock): 01/17

Power Meters:

This one is for @AtomicPB : As you all know, the Deluxe does not (yet) have a battery meter. There just wasn't time to wedge it into v1 - the project would have been delayed for another month or more, and delays like that can kill a project...

At the moment I have no clean way to incorporate a battery meter within the Deluxe's case...but I came up with this simple but effective external meter hack last night as I was searching for my multimeter. (What short term memory loss...? ;))

If you guys are open to a very simple solution, a "something is better than nothing" hack, I can whip these up in about two minutes, for under $2 each. I am open to including one with each Deluxe, at least for now:

power-meter-hack.jpg


IMG-6932-private.jpg

"Dorky power antenna? Why no, my good man, that's a dorky power meter."

Just plug them into the DC jack and press the button. The heater can remain off - their function is independent of the heaters. You can leave them plugged in if you want, though I imagine just plugging them in for a quick status check, then unplugging them. They shut themselves off, as you can see in this high-budget GIF I created:

battery-meter2.gif


What do you think? Is this useful, or just something to lose, or discover later in the clothes dryer?

I bought a quantity of these little battery meters over the summer to evaluate (for development purposes, it's quicker and sometimes even cheaper to buy 25 at once), and it would be nice to find a purpose for them, as I don't plan on incorporating them directly into the Deluxe. I have a different idea for the Deluxe v2, or v1.5 battery status meter...

Let me know your thoughts.

Stickers:

I have stickers! These are the inside lid labels:

IMG-6934-private.jpg


I also have Fluxer logo labels:

IMG-6935-private.jpg


The initial size for the logo stickers is larger than I expected, unfortunately, so I'll probably order another run of these - I think about half this size would be better.

The inside labels will come affixed (except for cases going to countries where that would cause issues with Custom's officials...) while the others will come loose.

Mother Fluxer: Sigh...the forgotten one. I will to return to it once I get past this wave of Deluxes, as it has something of its own to offer. :luv:

That's it for now! I'll have more updates over the weekend, I'm sure. Thanks again for your support!

Cheers,
:leaf:
 
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