Hand Crafted Custom RBT Milaana

[Bravesst]

Now available, beautifully handcrafted RBT Milaanas, complete with RBT patented heater technology. I will refurbish your current unit with a brand new body and whatever else it needs, or create a brand new and unique, custom Milaana from scratch. Choose from multiple styles.

To get started drop me an email or PM and we can talk about options. My prices start at $250. Turn around time is about one week.

Free shipping on all orders. 14-day money back guarantee for any reason, and 1 year warranty on all hand crafted vapes sold.

Look forward to seeing you at http://vapwood.com

Thanks FC,
Mike

Mr. Sapele

Maple

 

[Bravesst]

Hot off the presses....

My latest version of "The Stack", not even on the website yet

• Rounded on all 4 edges for extra comfort
• One Inch Stack stands above the main body
• Cherry my favorite "feeling" wood, so nice in the hand
• Diagonal Grain for beauty and added strength
• Buried Epoxy Free GONG
• Cherry Capped Battery Cap
• Recessed Switch for smaller profile
• Front vent hole you can control
• Same RBT patented heater tech

 

[Bravesst]

Today's build challenge: Relocate the switch to the battery side.

Been thinking about this for weeks. I drew it up dozens of times. I might have something viable, useful. You see, the battery is longer than the GONG, so it doesn't seem practical, but once you add a stem, the GONG side is longer overall (as far as stealth). So.... why not bury the GONG about an inch, and insert the stem deeper, with less stem showing (shortens).

Here's the difference from what I've been doing. House the battery higher, above the GONG, not level or below, step it down only about 3/8 of an inch from very top of the unit. In other words, the battery will be housed in what used to be the "airspace" next to a loaded stem. This should create room under the battery for the switch, without anything really getting bigger, possibly even smaller, in future builds once I hash this all out.

Now, I need to reconfigure the cavities that currently exist under the heater and battery that house the wires, switch, battery connectors. It seems complicated right now, but after it's done, I'm pretty sure it will be much less so. The question will become, is it really better or worth the effort? Harder or easier. Beautiful or ugly. Cool or lame?

We shall see. The prototype will be born tomorrow, let's hope it survives the cut.

Pics to follow, tomorrow is a big "work" day...

 

[Bravesst]

As promised, I didn't finalize length yet. I can slice up to an inch or so off the bottom. Not sure what direction I wanna take. Gonna use it for a few days and see what feels right.

 

[Diggy Smalls]

Very interesting. Very nice bodies you have here, this reminds me of the vapcap custom stems a little bit but these are way more involved it looks like. The stack looks pretty.

 

[Bravesst]

Very interesting. Very nice bodies you have here, this reminds me of the vapcap custom stems a little bit but these are way more involved it looks like. The stack looks pretty.

Everything Cherry looks 'cherry'... Thank you so much. This prototype will evolve a bit, but I am happy to say, it's a practical build, and I can reproduce it without too much extra work. I just posted a pic at http://vapwood.com. I call it "Eye of the Storm".

I can do this build, with the stack, on a "rebuild" or "built from scratch". I've got some more pics posted on my website, which is a work in progress.

 

[Bravesst]

As promised, I didn't finalize length yet. I can slice up to an inch or so off the bottom. Not sure what direction I wanna take. Gonna use it for a few days and see what feels right.

As it turns out, long end is staying. The way the logistics worked out, I can trigger with my index finger, keeping my hand away from the heat.

 

[Andreaerdna]

@Bravesst you do have very good wood skills, I like both the simple way you discarded epoxy and the finish of yours Milana from what I see on pictures

Would you be able to move battery door on the opposite side?
(if battery goes crazy while in use and starts to vent you will have the venting shit right in your face being my point)

 

[Bravesst]

@Andreaerdna
This was just an experiment. I agree with you after a day of testing. This change actually brings battery closer to your face, not further away, and is more complicated to build. Might work if battery loaded from the bottom, which is an awesome idea and being worked on.

 

[Bravesst]

Today's Challenge,

Relocate battery access to bottom. Thanks @Andreaerdna.

I was able to do it, not super hard once I figured it all out. Hope all went well, but many variables for a first prototype. Either way, it's totally doable, whether every last detail is worked out or not.

Epoxy free
Bottom battery

We're moving in the right direction

 

[KeroZen]

Does it still stands upright with the bottom battery?

 

[Bravesst]

Does it still stands upright with the bottom battery?

Not yet, but I'm not sure I care yet...

 

[KeroZen]

You might not but medical users surely will. A lot of people with disabilities and/or limited movement are amongst us... Loading and using the device with a single hand is really important for many of them.

That being said: standing Milaana with inserted glass stem = recipe for sure disaster when it falls.

 

[Bravesst]

So, here' s the prototype. Got it right the first time. I can already think of 3 or 4 things that will improve on the next build, which will have to wait a couple of days, supplies a hair low, waiting for a few shipments.

I'll be buffing this bad boy up the next day or two, it's a bit rough around the edges right now, but as a prototype, it's actually really nice. Once some conditioner hits that cherry grain, POP. Gotta sand it down to #400, then some super fine steel wool to really smooth the grain.

My latest build: Let It Lie
This build is a winner

 

[Andreaerdna]

So, here' s the prototype.

My latest build: Let It Lie
This build is a winner

this is awesome!

 

[Bravesst]

this is awesome!

I'm going to build the crap outta this prototype.... I have 18 AWG silver plated, copper wire enroute, but until then, I can only build bodies. Maybe I'll put together a couple while I wait.

These bad boys are currently for sale (along with a few other models). If anyone is interested in purchasing anything you see here or on the website, feel free to send me a PM.

 

[Bravesst]

After a day and a half of use, this latest prototype is proving to be very practical, as well as a ripe with ideas to make it even better. I find myself holding it at the switch end using my index finger to press. Nice accident...

A pic is worth a thousand words and I'm tired from Milaana building....

 

[KeroZen]

I'm not super fond of the look of that last one, but it's a matter of taste I guess.

I have another challenge for you: Alan proved with the iHeat that it's possible to do without the glass. What about trying to make a milaana with wooden female WonG?

You could keep the glass tube around the heater if you like. And to keep the heater screen in place you could have a circular groove directly in the wood just below the tip of the WonG.

Up to it?

 

[Bravesst]

@KeroZen
One step at a time...

In the meantime, I am really loving this bottom battery vape in my hand. The "lower stack" has become a potential handle where I can trigger with the index finger and hold like an Arizer Air. I can extend this on the next build a hair to have it fit my hand a bit better.

I installed an acorn nut over the thumb nut, sort of a cap for the protruding screw, but also serves as a double lock for the battery, nice to have at the bottom where you're not looking at it. I like it away from my face. I even like the copper cap now, all looks sweet with the screw centered.

I've been putting the vent hole in the front, was gonna change it, but I found that if I accidentally covered it, the hit changed. With some playing around, I realized I can effect suction and air flow a bit, just another factor to control to step up / down the hit. Not mandatory to use it, but it's there if you'd like to. With some experimentation, I'm getting the best results from a 1/16 drill bit, but hand worked open a bit to say 3/32.

Getting ready to rebuild this style once again, with about 3 or 4 improvements.

 

[KeroZen]

Another challenge: make a fully cylindrical Mi with the battery inline with the heater (check the X-Vape 2 Pro thread to see what I mean)

Alright this one is silly... But definitely consider the WonG. Less glass to break would be a very nice feature for many users and it was requested many times in the thread.

 

[Bravesst]

Thanks for the honest feedback, much appreciated. Alan is a super talented guy, and his ideas, vapes are top notch stuff. I love the entire WONG idea.

For now, I'm on a very enjoyable creative journey, with each build having a certain amount of potential, beauty, functionality, and value in its own right. Hopefully, I'm on the road to the "perfect" Milaana, which will be different things to different ppl.

With the help of some really cool people, I've come a long way in the vape building process. Right now I've got some really cool ideas brewing, but tomorrow I'm gonna focus on the last build and see where it goes. Either way, I'm enjoying the crap out of the process!

I'm in a win-win here.

 

[Bravesst]

I've been doing web design for many years, mostly in the fitness industry. So, when I started building Milaanas, the natural progression was to come up with a simple website. Previously, I wrote HTML from scratch, a very tedious and time consuming job. With this new project, I went with GoDaddy. The offered a reasonably priced, ridiculously easy to use, site builder. Thank you GoDaddy!

Website building truly could not be simpler. What you see here was a few hours work that would have taken me days to achieve, and much sleeker, cross functional on all browsers, devices. Here is the new Vapwood at: https://vapwood.com/, still a work in progress, but now I can focus more on vape building and just pop up new images, ideas, offers in no time. Very cool.

 

[Bravesst]

If all goes well, I'm going to unveil my new design later today, inspired by @KeroZen 's challenge.

THE CHALLENGE:
Make a fully cylindrical Mi, with the battery in line with the heater.

Not so silly...

 

[ductaperape]

If all goes well, I'm going to unveil my new design later today, inspired by @KeroZen 's challenge.

THE CHALLENGE:
Make a fully cylindrical Mi, with the battery in line with the heater.

Not so silly...

Im really curious how this will turn out.

 

[Bravesst]

As promised. I worked feverishly all day. Some stuff will obviously improve, but this was the most straight forward build to date. As a matter of fact, forget everything else, my efforts for now will be improving this unit.

Measures 1 3/4 inch square with 3/4 round overed edges. Feels nice, won't roll. This also means the heater is further away from the surface on all four sides.

Stands about 7 and a half inches tall, with GONG buried about 3/4 of an inch, which means I could shave a half inch or so off the top.

No epoxy, glue, or adhesives of any kind. The top cap and bottom battery housing are screwed to the base. The screws on this unit are buried, but not plugged. I want to be able to take apart for now. Screws change everything.

Grain runs the long way because of its shape, as there is only a drop of end grain top and bottom, and the caps are screwed, not relying on gluing end grain (not really advised for strength reasons).

The switch is completely recessed, and sits about index finger high from the bottom. I like to trigger with the index vs pinky, but any finger would work. Note, I find myself flipping the unit and using my thumb.

This unit is cherry. I love cherry for every reason, beauty, workability, durability, handles heat, and on and on.

Been thinking about improving the battery cap, but it functions nicely on this unit. I don't like standing up my unit, but I'd like to give ppl the option, and I'm working on an alternate bottom cap.

I'm am very happy how this project came together, and feel very confident in the integrity of this unit. Because my raw supplies are limited, I will sell it with a trade in (cracked GONG and all), for a limited time at $150, brand new it's $250.

Battery Inline
BILaana...