Homemade Vaporizers

[2clicker]

ok here is an update on my Hakko Vape. I have since added some extreme high temp silicone components.

first off is the tubing. its a short piece that helps couple the HC to the hakko sleeve. the sleeve itself goes up into the HC cutting off any access to the silicone to the air path.

Very interesting. Where did you get the silicone sheet and how much does it run?

I'm working on one of these. Waiting for the heat cover to ship. I went with the 936 to get some temperature regulation and good guess on how hot the iron is.

damn Rev im sorry i missed this

i got the silicone sheet and tubing from McMasterCarr.com

the sheet was like a 2" X 6" piece about a 1/4" thick. i believe the highest working temp with this stuff is 600deg. this should be taken into consideration when choosing a temp to start/heat up the hakko before its first use. but with my hakko i set the dial around 5 or 6 hundy and its ready to use within a minute.

i dont remember the tubing size exactly, but i do remember when first getting it the DBV HC fit VERY tightly so i thought i would need to re-order a dif size w/ larger ID. but after some fiddling i got it to slide in and that fucker isnt going anywhere. since then ive removed it and re-installed numerous times and its perfect.

ive got some others who are asking me to put one of these together for them. ive told them a couple times now that if they just buy the actual soldering station that they wouldnt have to make a temp dimmer/dial, but they insist that i make it so im going to. im going to try to convert as many of my friends to vaping as i can.

im also working on (loosely) a new all glass air path heater cover that will mate perfectly with a hakko iron. ive got an idea that im certain will work, but i need to get its specs and everything ironed out and then have a glassblower make it. im actually very happy with how this idea is coming along. it will attach to the hakko using the stock hakko nut/flange set-up. all glass air path and adapters available to cater your HC needs to your bowl.

anyone wanna start a vape company?

 

[Revvy]

Went with the Hakko 936. I figured built-in temperature regulation would be nice and not all that more expensive than the 456 when you factor in the price of a nice dimmer switch and face place to make it look somewhat legitimate.

In addition to the 936, I got a base plate, flexible arm, and microphone clip from Sam Ash, 5/8" ID vinyl piping, #8 clamps, and some nuts from Lowes, SSV Heat Cover and wand from vapeworld.com. All together it cost about $130 after tax.

The microphone stand is mounted directly onto the base unit. It's very sturdy and makes a good handle to carry the entire unit with. I would have liked for it to have been a little further forward, more towards the middle, but there wasn't room in the casing anywhere else. At some point I'd like to rehouse the base unit and wand into something a little nicer, but this'll do for now.

Mating the heat cover to the supplied 907 wand proved to be troublesome compared to the accounts of others posted here. Compared to the 456, the heating element is much shorter and it lacks the stage-like flange. In order to get the element deep enough into the heating cover, I had to mate the cover directly onto the wand. The metal shim is wrapped halfway around the ground(Electricians: Is that safe?) and the other half is inserted into the heat cover. Tubing sits tightly over the heat cover but loosely over the small amount of threading. Even with the clamp, it's loose and easy to move around. I'm not really sure what to do about that.

Another little problem that came up was that the unit was not getting hot enough, even when set all the way to 900 degrees. I had to recalibrate the stand before it would work.

Overall, I'm very happy with it although there's room for improvement. The hits are nice. Until I can figure out a way to improve the mating between the wand and the heat cover, I would advise people considering between the 936 and 456 to go with the 456.

 

[2clicker]

interesting revvy

that is the same soldering station im about to get for those friends of mine. and i too am using a small desktop mic stand to hold my hakko iron. good shit compadre!

i know the housings on those stations comes apart really easily. i was thinking of stripping it down and doing some custom paint, airbrush, or screenprinting. even sublimation like what 7th Floor is doing with there SSVs. the box does look bigger than i imagined, but still looks better than my home made dimmer.

unfortunate to hear about the elements size being an issue. the element on the 456 is robust to say the least. i assumed the heaters would be pretty similar in size throughout the lineup. hmmm a smaller HC might be in order here.

what about replacing the power cord on a 456 with the cord from a 908 iron...? that way the 456 would plug right into the 936 ESD station...? thoughts on that anyone...?

what actual iron came with your 936 station? the 908? on the replacement parts page it shows three different sized irons that work with it, but it doesnt say anything about the size of their elements.

there is also a digital version of this station for around $200.

*EDIT* i just thought of something... would it be too extreme to build a dimmer/outlet box into the wall in either my home or my office? or maybe build one into my desk at work all flush like...

and look at this monster!

 

[Revvy]

I highly recommend mounting the mic onto the unit. It was easy to put in and is very sturdy. Whenever I move the piece, I just grab it by the arm. It was super easy to take apart, all you need is a four inch or so long standard size phillips screw driver. Custom painting and whatnot would be very doable.

The box is about the same size as an electrical box.

I have no idea if replacing the cord would work. Do the offer replacement elements? That might be the easiest way, if a bit expensive. It would be fine if there were a better way to mount the heat cover. Like a custom bolt(The size is 5/8 but the threading is weird) that holds down the grounding spring and provides something for the tubing to attach to. Hell, it might even work if you could saw off the top half of the nipple cap.

Mine came with the Hakko 907. Perhaps the 908 would work better? Although it needs more than 0.4" longer to be long enough to use with the nipple.

Would not go with the digital version. The temperature is measured from the tip--That is, the tip that we've discarded. Any reading you get is going to be inaccurate. The 936 does a good enough job, giving you a calibratable dial and a light that tells you when it's ready.


Haha, I thought of the same thing while walking around Lowe's. A completely wall mounted unit would be awesome. By the way, have you looked at the high end dimmers? Home Depot carries dial dimmer with a blue LED that indicates power. There's some sleek designs all around. With a nice face plate and a box covering, you've got a nice looking power unit. All it needs is to have a single plug.

 

[2clicker]

well i would consider mounting a holder on my box, but then it wouldnt fit in the case im using.

ive been looking at alot of dimmer options. lutron and leviton mostly. i prefer a dial type dimmer, but i would love one with an on/off led.

that sucks about the 936 heater. i was planning on getting two of these stations, but now i may just make the boxes myself again. gotta have that indicator led tho.

 

[Revvy]

im also working on (loosely) a new all glass air path heater cover that will mate perfectly with a hakko iron. ive got an idea that im certain will work, but i need to get its specs and everything ironed out and then have a glassblower make it. im actually very happy with how this idea is coming along. it will attach to the hakko using the stock hakko nut/flange set-up. all glass air path and adapters available to cater your HC needs to your bowl.

anyone wanna start a vape company?

Custom heat covers really would be the best way to do it. The heat covers would mate to plastic nuts that screw on to the wand. The plastic nuts would be exchangeable, so the same heat cover would work for both the 456 and the 907 who have different connection needs. This would make the 936 much more viable than the 456, in my opinion. The heat cover would just need to have a sleeve for the heating element to slide into and you're set. This has the added benefit of increasing the thermal mass of the cover.

 

[2clicker]

hey Rev, what is the ID of the hole in the 907 nut? or what is the OD of the sleeve that comes out of the nut when in soldering iron form? also you said something about the threads on the nut being strange... how so? are they a fine thread? left hand threads?

creating a HC around the size of the 907 might be the way to really get the 936 to shine as a vape.

 

[stinkmeaner]

next time ill get the actual soldering station so that its a more refined product...

Why the soldering station? It would seem more practical to get a good variable temperature soldering iron with electronics in the handle. Check out the Goot PX-201, Goot is a division of Taiyo Electric Industries Ltd., Japan and are well known in the electronics field.

http://www.howardelectronics.com/goot/px201.html

 

[toxicc]

I've been looking at "hakko ceramic" on ebay out of curiosity, and found these "Hakko Replacement Ceramic Paper Filters" http://cgi.ebay.com/Hakko-Replaceme...772?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f021eb614

I wonder if they can be used as a ceramic screen for making a home made vaporgenie.

 

[stinkmeaner]

I've been looking at "hakko ceramic" on ebay out of curiosity, and found these "Hakko Replacement Ceramic Paper Filters" http://cgi.ebay.com/Hakko-Replaceme...772?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f021eb614

I wonder if they can be used as a ceramic screen for making a home made vaporgenie.

No the Vapor Genie uses a ceramic foam filter, in order to get the same results you would have to get one with a similar density
http://www.google.com/images?um=1&h...ramic+foam+filter&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

 

[Revvy]

hey Rev, what is the ID of the hole in the 907 nut? or what is the OD of the sleeve that comes out of the nut when in soldering iron form? also you said something about the threads on the nut being strange... how so? are they a fine thread? left hand threads?

creating a HC around the size of the 907 might be the way to really get the 936 to shine as a vape.

The ID is tricky because the nut is actually a combined plastic nut, metal flange/stage, and heat cover. The ID of the nut portion is 5/8". The threads are very fine. The ID of the flange portion is about 1/4" but this is very flexible. The flange is required to hold down the ground spring and I suspect help protect the electronics from heat. Here's a picture:

Wand that accepts the first two threads or so of a 5/8-11 nut:

For reference, here's the heat cover-heating element connection I've made. You can see the metal shim wrapped around the ground spring. The 5/8" vinyl tubing doesn't provide a very secure connection on the threads of the wand.

 

[toxicc]

he told me "we understand there are people using our products for medical use" and "we appreciate their needs and are happy to provide products that will work". basically they know that people are using their irons for herb and they are supportive of this. i was blown away.

Well with soldering iron kits like this it seems like they are discreetly coming in the vape manufacture business lol

 

[2clicker]

he told me "we understand there are people using our products for medical use" and "we appreciate their needs and are happy to provide products that will work". basically they know that people are using their irons for herb and they are supportive of this. i was blown away.

Well with soldering iron kits like this it seems like they are discreetly coming in the vape manufacture business lol

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2820/hak936rcr.jpg

that is the exact station. they sell those flame decal kits and market them to the RC hobbyist.

 

[2clicker]

hey Rev, what is the ID of the hole in the 907 nut? or what is the OD of the sleeve that comes out of the nut when in soldering iron form? also you said something about the threads on the nut being strange... how so? are they a fine thread? left hand threads?

creating a HC around the size of the 907 might be the way to really get the 936 to shine as a vape.

The ID is tricky because the nut is actually a combined plastic nut, metal flange/stage, and heat cover. The ID of the nut portion is 5/8". The threads are very fine. The ID of the flange portion is about 1/4" but this is very flexible. The flange is required to hold down the ground spring and I suspect help protect the electronics from heat. Here's a picture:

http://i.imgur.com/EHcTJ.png

Wand that accepts the first two threads or so of a 5/8-11 nut:
http://imgur.com/0Ai8d.png

For reference, here's the heat cover-heating element connection I've made. You can see the metal shim wrapped around the ground spring. The 5/8" vinyl tubing doesn't provide a very secure connection on the threads of the wand.
http://i.imgur.com/EHmAM.png

i asked about the sizes because the design that ive come up with will work perfectly with the nut on my 456. alsmost as if they were designed with each other in mind. the 907 nut looks similar to the nut on the 456. its smaller but seems to use the same flared end of the sleeve for the nut to hold it down. it seems the HC idea i have would not work with the 936 series of irons.

ill have to keep thinking. maybe i can just adjust the sizes of my design and it will work.

 

[2clicker]

next time ill get the actual soldering station so that its a more refined product...

Why the soldering station? It would seem more practical to get a good variable temperature soldering iron with electronics in the handle. Check out the Goot PX-201, Goot is a division of Taiyo Electric Industries Ltd., Japan and are well known in the electronics field.

http://www.howardelectronics.com/goot/px201.html

the only irons i am aware have the ceramic element were the hakkos

after receiving the response i got from them i wanted to use their product even more

ill have to check these out... thanks!

*EDIT* after looking at it a bit this iron looks like it would work great

i would like to see pics of the heater itself, but at 50 bucks that not that bad

ill check Frys

good lookin out stink

 

[stinkmeaner]

Yes the Goot uses a ceramic element and has the layout just like the one you are currently using so setting it up will be much the same. Scroll down on this link and you will see a diagram that shows the element. http://www.howardelectronics.com/goot/px201.html

Here is a picture of the exact replacement elements http://www.ekt2.com/EKT/prodView.asp?idproduct=251305 They are the same kind as the Hakko elements.

 

[2clicker]

Yes the Goot uses a ceramic element and has the layout just like the one you are currently using so setting it up will be much the same. Scroll down on this link and you will see a diagram that shows the element. http://www.howardelectronics.com/goot/px201.html

Here is a picture of the exact replacement elements http://www.ekt2.com/EKT/prodView.asp?idproduct=251305 They are the same kind as the Hakko elements.

wow nice

i wish it had the dimensions, but i can email them. i may have to mate the hakko flange and nut to it, but that is cheap and easy. im gonna have to get one of these.

good shit

 

[Revvy]

ill have to keep thinking. maybe i can just adjust the sizes of my design and it will work.

I think the easiest thing from a user's point of view would be to have a screw-on heat cover, like the Vaporcannon's. The details of the heat cover (Curved for ergonomics, sleeved for all glass airpath, etc) would be unimportant as long as it had the standardized threading.

To connect the heat cover to the wand, a custom doubled-sided connector would be offered for each wand. This lets the connector fit each different wand flawlessly.

Combined you would be able to purchase one heat cover that works with any and all wands or one connector that works with any and all custom heat covers.

 

[toxicc]

Hakko 556 SE Temperature Control Soldering Iron

http://www.tracysworkshop.com/p-19649-hakko-556-se-temperature-control-soldering-iron.aspx

Has the temperature control on the handle, temperature sensor, and cost less than a station. Anybody tried it? Looks like the best deal if it works great. It's new since august i think.

 

[2clicker]

Hakko 556 SE Temperature Control Soldering Iron

http://www.tracysworkshop.com/p-19649-hakko-556-se-temperature-control-soldering-iron.aspx

Has the temperature control on the handle, temperature sensor, and cost less than a station. Anybody tried it? Looks like the best deal if it works great. It's new since august i think.

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/658/556sewdial2.jpg

ok where did you find that?

ive been up and down the hakkousa website and have never seen that

looks promising as well

 

[toxicc]

Found it browsing ebay. It's in the stained glass part of hakko's website.
http://www.hakkostainedglass.com/

tracysworkshop.com has the lowest price it seems, and it's -5$ special right now.

They say that there is 10 temp positions, so i think it might not be possible to set it to a precise temps, if it's the case there will be a lot of degree difference between sets.....

 

[stinkmeaner]

That Hakko has been on the Japanese Hakko site for a while now, good that it finally made it to the States. Now that this one is available, I would go with the Hakko because the temperature range is lower, it starts at 400 deg F versus the Goot which has a low temperature of 482 deg F.

 

[2clicker]

They say that there is 10 temp positions, so i think it might not be possible to set it to a precise temps, if it's the case there will be a lot of degree difference between sets.....

yeah saw that as well, but ill bet they just mean that the dial has 10 "settings" on it. i doubt there are "stop notches" on the dial meaning you should be able to set the dial between the dots.

i think the hakko will work

ill probably order it this week and ill be the guinea pig

 

[Revvy]

Okay, after messing around with it for a bit, I've managed to get a good connection between the SSV heater cover and the 907 wand. I wrapped the metal shim entirely around the ground spring and very carefully worked it back and forth into the wand. The heat cover slides over the shim as normal and that holds it in place very securely.

The downside is the electronics are even more exposed to heat than normal.

 

[2clicker]

ok so after some more looking into ive found that the 556 Hakko w/ adjustable temp is a new model (at least for us here in the US). i was wondering if it was a model that was being discontinued because not alot of retailers are carrying them online or in stores. if it was indeed a discontinued item i would look elsewhere, but since its new it goes to the top of the list.

im ordering one now from that "tracys" joint. looks like its gonna come in around $90-$120 total to dress it up in glass vapeware and include a wand/whip and a marble stir stick. another 20 or 30 bux for a seahorse hard case for it. hell maybe even one of those slim cigar hard cases from pelican or seahorse would be perfect.

im making a couple of these for some friends. and a new one for myself of course...