So... resistor log results:
After some initial disappointment, I think I got it to "work as expected" now, I guess
Followed most of the tips given in
@lazylathe Log Resistor thread, i.e. reduced thermal mass to almost nothing, by throwing out the heatsink/reflector and the heavy brass fitting, which I used to support my ss heater cover. Reduced size of the ss cover itself from 11mm to 10mm (with an 11mm bushing, to make my 10mm ss tips fit again), cut two slits into its sides and simply stuck it into the cork base supported by a ring of high temp silicone tubing for better stability (and also, because I was to lazy to cut a new cork base, as its center hole was already to large).
For the 11 mm glass heater cover I added an 11 mm ss bushing to the tip of the glass cover itself, as its actual size seems to be more something between 10 and 11 mm, wich makes it tad too small to support and seal Solo/Air glass stems (~11+ mm ID) without an additional O-ring and too big for the 10 mm ss tips, to slid over. So instead of making new tips or adding an adapter to the existing tips, which would then stick to the glass cover... I let it stick
Performance wise, this setup worked out pretty well. I get ample vapor from the ss one, while the glass one is still a bit on the wispy side, though that might be improved by wrapping the resistor with ss foil, like
@Alan did in the Glass Core HI. But I doubt, that I can manage that with the 0,3 mm ss sheet, I use for the heatsinks.
And while this all worked out pretty well, I can see now, why people would want to use buck converters with resistor logs, to feed a few more volts to the heater for cranking up the heat now and then. Though you can twist and tweak the design to channel the last iota of heat into the herb instead of the surrounding mass... there seems always a tad bit missing, when compared to the performance of, say my little ceramic/ss heater cartridges or a halogen bulb heater. So it needs a bit longer and some stirring, to get even roasting (and I usually never have to stir) . But ok... with these designated heaters, you can have as much heat at any time you want to, up to combustion and even setting the hole log on fire, if you so desire
Doesn't work that way with a 20 Ohm/5W resistor. With 12V you get what you get and that's it.
All in all, my resistor logs worked out as intended and might be exactly the right thing, for one of my friends, who had trouble finding the right dimmer setting. Plug it in, wait 7-10 minutes, stick in your tip and vape away
Afterthought: reducing the ss heater cover size from 11 to 10mm and cutting slits (as long, as there is ample air flow from below) doesn't seem to make any real noticeable difference. Did a second ss unit, using the 11 ss tubing again and didn't cut any slits... and it performs as well, as the first one. Guess, my initial problems with wispy vapor were mostly due to the heavy brass fitting, which I used to support the ss cover, the mass of which probably sucked away a lot of heat
Edit: Dd I mention, that soldering the heater,s 1,5 mm ss leads to the 12V jack is a real PITA?
.
. But still have to wait for the cork. This was the only piece left and its hole is now too big, for the 11 mm glass cover.
Right sized bamboo and the corks arrived... 
