Discontinued RBT Milaana 1, 2, 3

[SquirrelMaster]

Sure looks like rbt along with @Unklmark68 are back at it with products going online shortly?

About Us

I was very happy to hear that on his IG live. I can't wait to see the small batch of exotics he made up as well.

So if I wanted to see if my 1.5 would go a little faster I could try bugging we've coppery pick contact and/or cranking the screw more aggressively?

I wouldn't crank the screw down too aggressively, just enough so everything is snug. Wirtdog had it a little loose before. For cleaning you'd have to have a look at the underside of your pick and if it looks discoloured at all I'd clean it up.

 

[WirtDog]

It sounds like she's running great now! That's exactly how I tighten mine if I understand you correctly so there is no play. With the brass pic maybe the oxidization was increasing the resistance of the device which would explain the difference in output before and after? I'll have a look at the underside of my pic and see what it looks like but I don't believe I've noticed any build up. If it sits for a bit instead of being used more frequently that could cause the need for a cleaning. I don't remember hearing anything on cleaning the pic for electrical contact on any Milaana but my memory isn't always trustworthy.

Continuing to follow your advice with positive results. I wondered from time I received the Mi3 how Ryan arrived at this design with respect to the nut that locks down the brass contact and guitar pick because if you do not put finger pressure in parallel with the battery the pieces are at a slight angle until it locks down? Then, you have the issue of 1-1.5 mm play if you press down with finger pressure. If you do what I have started doing...using a finger with downward pressure to set the pieces in the correct position and snug up the nut you end up with a more solid electrical contact and less wear and tear on threads of nut and screw? I do think this is a difference that makes a difference because the batteries all seem stronger and more in line with user experiences from this group.

I have a Brilliant Cut grinder with all 3 grinder plates. I tried a course grind for the Mi3 and felt I got better extraction with less harshness. Need to test more to make sure I am not imagining the difference.

Could you please point me to a source for the glass beads and screens needed to modify for cooling with the short stem? Think that needs to be my next move.

Appreciate your help! Your feedback hit home! You are exactly right that one needs to focus on one vape at a time when learning to use and then later to optimize. There are many little details that make a difference in function and the experience.

I was very happy to hear that on his IG live. I can't wait to see the small batch of exotics he made up as well.


I wouldn't crank the screw down too aggressively, just enough so everything is snug. Wirtdog had it a little loose before. For cleaning you'd have to have a look at the underside of your pick and if it looks discoloured at all I'd clean it up.

Agree!! I have been an over tightener all my life. Now that I am older just a little bit wiser. No need to crank down on that nut. It just needs to be snug. Bigger difference was pressing on the brass contact triangle to take out that 1-1.5 mm slack.

 

[despeRAWdo]

Does anyone have any good tips or suggestions on how to clean the heater on the Mi3? I have little bits of material stuck between the bottom screen and the glass walls.

 

[Ratatat]

I’m starting to find my hit and really love it. I think there’s a similarity between the Milaana and Enano vapor for convection taste but the Milaana has more presence and punchiness. It’s like the same stereo signal but with better bass, mid and treble response giving a brighter flavour.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Does anyone have any good tips or suggestions on how to clean the heater on the Mi3? I have little bits of material stuck between the bottom screen and the glass walls.

You just mean the heater screen? The best you can do is try to use a small needle or toothpick to carefully poke out the little bits, while holding the Mi upside down and blowing air as well... Sometimes you just can't get them out, tough for someone like me with OCD, makes sharing more difficult! Though I do have enough Mi's to do so lol

 

[despeRAWdo]

@Shit Snacks yup the heater screen area. I've tried with a toothpick from SBL couldn't get a lot of it out. Had ok results with cotton swabs. Im going to try blowing in the air intake though, I hadn't thought of that before. Just a nuisance, doesn't seem to affect the vapor quality.

 

[arb]

I see milaanas on sale now on the site.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

Continuing to follow your advice with positive results. I wondered from time I received the Mi3 how Ryan arrived at this design with respect to the nut that locks down the brass contact and guitar pick because if you do not put finger pressure in parallel with the battery the pieces are at a slight angle until it locks down? Then, you have the issue of 1-1.5 mm play if you press down with finger pressure. If you do what I have started doing...using a finger with downward pressure to set the pieces in the correct position and snug up the nut you end up with a more solid electrical contact and less wear and tear on threads of nut and screw? I do think this is a difference that makes a difference because the batteries all seem stronger and more in line with user experiences from this group.

I have a Brilliant Cut grinder with all 3 grinder plates. I tried a course grind for the Mi3 and felt I got better extraction with less harshness. Need to test more to make sure I am not imagining the difference.

Could you please point me to a source for the glass beads and screens needed to modify for cooling with the short stem? Think that needs to be my next move.

Appreciate your help! Your feedback hit home! You are exactly right that one needs to focus on one vape at a time when learning to use and then later to optimize. There are many little details that make a difference in function and the experience.



Agree!! I have been an over tightener all my life. Now that I am older just a little bit wiser. No need to crank down on that nut. It just needs to be snug. Bigger difference was pressing on the brass contact triangle to take out that 1-1.5 mm slack.

I don't remember if someone told me to tighten the the way that you and I do but I think I just naturally did it to keep good electrical contact.

I prefer the coarse and medium plates for my RBT gear and I'd definitely agree that a coarse grind is smoother. A fine grind gives me more clouds but flavour drops off faster. If you're getting better extraction with the coarse plate I'd keep rocking it. You could even try throwing a whole nug in and breaking it up after every hit or two. Flavour is really nice this way.

For glass beads, smaller quantities of borosilicate can be tougher to find as they generally sell them in 1lb jars that can cost a bit. Soda-lime glass for cooling would "probably" be fine (check the temperature ratings) and you can find them on Amazon. Walter stern 100C iirc. With Bud back (woohoo!) he is selling 225 - 3mm borosilicate balls for $9 USD. I'm using 4mm in my stem but 3mm would be ok as you'll keep them a little loose anyways. Then you just need some rimless basket screens to keep them secure inside your stem. There is a seller on Ebay that has some for a good price.

I'm really glad your enjoying your Milaana, they are one of my favorites.

@despeRAWdo
The best tool I have for cleaning out around the screen is the Elev8r pick. If you have a needle for threading or a pin those might work too. I poke at pieces, upside down while blowing in to help dislodge material. It'll never be perfect but what's left doesn't impact taste imo and is barely visible.

 

[Shit Snacks]

@Shit Snacks yup the heater screen area. I've tried with a toothpick from SBL couldn't get a lot of it out. Had ok results with cotton swabs. Im going to try blowing in the air intake though, I hadn't thought of that before. Just a nuisance, doesn't seem to affect the vapor quality.

Oh yeah I did not mean blowing through the intake, I just meant turning Mi upside down and blowing the bits as you poke em loose.. Also yeah a steel toothpick is what I use gently (old original arizer air accessory I kept when I sold mine) mmhmm just an ocd

 

[pakalolo]

I wondered from time I received the Mi3 how Ryan arrived at this design with respect to the nut that locks down the brass contact and guitar pick because if you do not put finger pressure in parallel with the battery the pieces are at a slight angle until it locks down?

What is the arrangement of your washers? This sounds to me like you need another washer below the contact.

 

[WirtDog]

What is the arrangement of your washers? This sounds to me like you need another washer below the contact.

Factory washer arrangement from Ryan. I have not changed anything. If you use technique similar to what I described the alignment is perfect to my eye. I was surprised that made a difference but now I have no lack of heating capability. The technique would also save some wear and tear on the nut and screw over time.

 

[Ratatat]

I see milaanas on sale now on the site.

rbt.md has 2 custom Milaana’s up for auction now on Instagram too

http://instagr.am/p/CGLtFLpnQv8/

 

[GetLeft]

Factory washer arrangement from Ryan.

I recommend ditching the pick if you don't really need it. Things fit better. The pick was not an original part of the Mi design, after all. A fun and perhaps useful feature for some (and a good for marketing I guess) but not an enhancement as far as my usage goes. Less is more, sometimes.

rbt.md has 2 custom Milaana’s up for auction now

I shouldn't be recommending this 'cause doing so runs the risk of more comeptition when I start my bidding but if anyone here enjoys the Mi experience and doesn't have a Mi 2, I recommend getting one if you're lucky enough to be able to do so. I like the weight and the size of it more than the 3 (or the 1 / 1.5 which are close to the same size and wieght as the 3). The 2 is sleek enough to fit into a pocket more easily than the 3 (I don't carry my 3 in my pocket) which adds value in the protability department. My 2 isn't as hot as my 3. I need a few more seconds to get my 2 up to the temps I like and I find the 3 to be more consistent in its performance, but ithe 2 easier to tame in the end and a truly protable vape.

 

[RELAX]

For glass beads, smaller quantities of borosilicate can be tougher to find as they generally sell them in 1lb jars that can cost a bit. Soda-lime glass for cooling would "probably" be fine (check the temperature ratings) and you can find them on Amazon. Walter stern 100C iirc. With Bud back (woohoo!) he is selling 225 - 3mm borosilicate balls for $9 USD. I'm using 4mm in my stem but 3mm would be ok as you'll keep them a little loose anyways. Then you just need some rimless basket screens to keep them secure inside your stem. There is a seller on Ebay that has some for a good price.

I threw some 6mm quartz terp balls in my short cooling stem this weekend, it works great! The 6mm balls stay between the first cooling dimple and a basket screen, without needing an extra screen to secure them. I fit about 10-11 6mm balls in the bottom section of my short cooling stem. My long cooling stem looks like it'd fit twice that many balls, I need to order some borosilicates.. quartz is overkill.

 

[purpletweed]

I threw some 6mm quartz terp balls in my short cooling stem this weekend, it works great! The 6mm balls stay between the first cooling dimple and a basket screen, without needing an extra screen to secure them. I fit about 10-11 6mm balls in the bottom section of my short cooling stem. My long cooling stem looks like it'd fit twice that many balls, I need to order some borosilicates.. quartz is overkill.

Using balls in stems for the Mi is surprisingly effective. I have this little nub from @khelek41girl which is absolutely stuffed with 3mm balls and it's kinda nuts how well it works.



If you don't want to buy a ton of boro balls from somewhere, you can find some in small quantities on Amazon

 

[Rab42]

Using balls in stems for the Mi is surprisingly effective. I have this little nub from @khelek41girl which is absolutely stuffed with 3mm balls and it's kinda nuts how well it works.



If you don't want to buy a ton of boro balls from somewhere, you can find some in small quantities on Amazon

i dont need a nub mouthpiece, i dont need a nub mouthpiece .. if i keep repeating it, it might work. It looks amazing what type of wood is that?

 

[purpletweed]

i dont need a nub mouthpiece, i dont need a nub mouthpiece .. if i keep repeating it, it might work. It looks amazing what type of wood is that?

It's Amboyna burl! It's probably about time for me to give my Mi2 & stem a rub-down with some oil; they're looking a bit dull. You can better see what the wood looks like freshly-oiled in this post:
http://instagr.am/p/CER1Z4BHIg6/
My favorite thing about using a really tiny stem and just sticking balls in it for cooling is that I don't have to take the stem out to store my Mi when I'm out and about with it. I bought a sleeve which fits the Mi with the nub I'm using still on it, though I'm thinking I'll try and find a sleeve which loads from the top rather than the side. The only thing to keep in mind with the boro balls is that every once in a while you should dump them out into some iso to clean 'em.

By the way, in addition to turning some beautiful pieces, Alyson is really nice, so if you're looking for something custom I can recommend working with her enthusiastically

 

[Rab42]

I actually got this guy made by her dad while she was on vacation. They both are amazing at what they do.

 

[purpletweed]

I actually got this guy made by her dad while she was on vacation. They both are amazing at what they do.

Ohhh that's gorgeous. Is that cocobolo? Now I want a wooden WPA (My glass WPA's joint is too long, that probably even counts as legitimate justification!)

 

[floribud]

Finally opened up my Mi3 and installed the "low-temp" screw today (after having it for half a year. Seems to slow down the ability to char a little bit, but not really a "huge" difference. However changing the screen was not particularly painful if you have the right tools.
The whole procedure was:

1. unscrew the guitar pick
2. 2.5mm hex screw to unscrew the bottom screw
3. Unscrew the brass screw which goes through a wire loup to complete the circuit. The might be the hardest part. Had a hard time finding the right screw driver. A standard #2 phillips is too big. A #1 also seems a little big. Had to reach down into my "IT guy" precision tool pouch and find a #0 to lock in and carefully loosen the screw. Once loosened it was easy enough to finish the job with a #1 on my power driver(but be careful not to strip it).

Anyway too soon to tell if it makes a big difference. I'll have to run it through a bong to see if I can avoid combustion. I almost always use an XL8R with 4 borosilicate balls in the bottom as my main pipe. I love the thick glass on that thing(and the Jr). The XL8R resists getting hot better than any tip I've tried (including the LaMart Nub and bent straw tip). This XL8R glass is just so nice and thick, wish all of them were like that. Anyway a little bit of charring on long hard draws, but no combustion. I'm going to keep this setup for a while....

 

[bossman]

Finally opened up my Mi3 and installed the "low-temp" screw today (after having it for half a year. Seems to slow down the ability to char a little bit, but not really a "huge" difference. However changing the screen was not particularly painful if you have the right tools.
The whole procedure was:

1. unscrew the guitar pick
2. 2.5mm hex screw to unscrew the bottom screw
3. Unscrew the brass screw which goes through a wire loup to complete the circuit. The might be the hardest part. Had a hard time finding the right screw driver. A standard #2 phillips is too big. A #1 also seems a little big. Had to reach down into my "IT guy" precision tool pouch and find a #0 to lock in and carefully loosen the screw. Once loosened it was easy enough to finish the job with a #1 on my power driver(but be careful not to strip it).

Anyway too soon to tell if it makes a big difference. I'll have to run it through a bong to see if I can avoid combustion. I almost always use an XL8R with 4 borosilicate balls in the bottom as my main pipe. I love the thick glass on that thing(and the Jr). The XL8R resists getting hot better than any tip I've tried (including the LaMart Nub and bent straw tip). This XL8R glass is just so nice and thick, wish all of them were like that. Anyway a little bit of charring on long hard draws, but no combustion. I'm going to keep this setup for a while....

Thanks for this info. I'd like to dial my Milaana 3 back just a bit but mine was a pre-order (12/500) and didn't come with a low temp screw. Glad to know it's an easy option and a subtle difference.

 

[Rab42]

Ohhh that's gorgeous. Is that cocobolo? Now I want a wooden WPA (My glass WPA's joint is too long, that probably even counts as legitimate justification!)

it is cocobolo nice eye. I caved and asked for a cocobolo nub mouthpiece I have no will power.

 

[SquirrelMaster]

I threw some 6mm quartz terp balls in my short cooling stem this weekend, it works great! The 6mm balls stay between the first cooling dimple and a basket screen, without needing an extra screen to secure them. I fit about 10-11 6mm balls in the bottom section of my short cooling stem. My long cooling stem looks like it'd fit twice that many balls, I need to order some borosilicates.. quartz is overkill.

I'd like to try some 6mm balls. I keep my 4mm loose to keep air flowing but 6mm could sit tighter and stil allow the air around then. If those are real quartz then they're a little over kill but at least they're safe.

I can also vouch for @khelek41girl and her beautiful pieces. I don't have a stem for my RBT gear but I bought a gorgeous Dynavap custom stem she made and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to recommended her. KGWoodcrafts makes a Milaana compatible stem that accepts S&B dosing capsules well along.

@kineticsam
That stem is a beauty, I love amboyna burl. Balls are the best thing for cooling imo and would work great for that stem and its short size.

 

[androponic]

Thanks for this info. I'd like to dial my Milaana 3 back just a bit but mine was a pre-order (12/500) and didn't come with a low temp screw. Glad to know it's an easy option and a subtle difference.

i was too but i emailed ryan and he sent me a couple for my Milaana 3’s. a lot of them were not sent out but were as request early on so hit em up.
ryan@rastabuddhatao.com

 

[arb]

I did not get one but doubt I would swap them.