The Voltage Keeper

[VoltageKeeper]

Some even more exciting news...the first 4 sets of batteries are here, and I did my initial time trial. I got just over 4 hours with the VK attached to a HI set at 11.75v. Yay! Needless to say, I'm quite happy with that result. I already have another 3 sets of the same batteries on the way, which will leave me enough batteries for one extra unit after all the current orders, I think, anyway!

The chargers are supposed to come monday according to tracking, and I'm hoping to get the first few production battery VK's shipped out this week. For everyone else on the battery VK list after these first 4, it might be another week or two until the remaining batteries and parts arrive, but the end is near!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Oh yeah...the battery chargers came today! A day late from the tracking, but I won't complain given how fast they got them here from overseas. I'm testing them now with an uncharged set of the new batteries and so far it seems to be working nicely and doing as it should, regulating the charge current and cutting it off to nothing when it's fully charged. That said, the first four production battery VK's will hopefully be shipping over the next few days once I complete testing a charge cycle or two on each one.

 

[Nugg]

That's awesome news man! Keep on keeping voltage

 

[Vapor Loop]

That's great any pic's of the blue case one with the blue green screen combo?

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Yours will actually be the first in that combo! No pictures of that one yet though. I've just completed the first round of testing with the battery chargers, and it' looking pretty good so far! I'll post some pictures of the batch of completed units as I get them wrapped up & tested.

I have also had some interest in a car charger for it, I'm still trying to get some information from a vendor but I may have found one that would work. It would be an extra $20-30 for a car charger...

 

[EveryDayAmnesiac]

My VK family.

Standard mini-VK, Small-And-Tall "The Works" VK, and early model internal battery VK.

How did I end up with more VKs than logs? ...

Oh yeah, because it's getting close to my turn on "The List" again ...

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Here's a first. Top mount works unit! I never knew if top mount would fit in a works in the standard case, but as you can see here, it fits just fine! This one also has the moog knob instead of the locking vernier...which is still a custom option that I am trying not to make a habit of...I'm literally giving people knobs that were supposed to be for modules I was building for my modular synthesizer, lol. I may have to order some more if people keep wanting them.

 

[mestizo]

Is that a custom order?
Or did you just make that as a test piece.
In other words, is it available?

 

[rolling green]

I received that top mount today. Couldn't be happier. Thanks so much, I probably changed my mind 5-6 times but it came out perfect. I find he top mount to be easier to adjust and the moog knobs is a nice touch. The VK is legit!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

It's a custom order indeed! Glad to hear you got it, I noticed the tracking said it arrived!

It's certainly repeatable, though I really need to stop using the knobs I bought for my modular synth. He got one of my fancier brass-collared moog knobs, those are the ones I actually put on my synths, I had some other ones I was using before that I ran out of that were similar, but these ones were even more fancy, lol, I really need to order more if people keep wanting them though, I can't start giving people knobs off my synths, haha.

-Jordan

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Just wanted to give another update for everyone waiting...The remaining battery shipment is here and I've now got all the parts in stock for all the current orders, battery or otherwise. That said, I'm wrapping up the battery units as we speak, and it won't be much longer now! As well, I'll hopefully get a few of the oldest non-battery orders out as well, so if you've been more than a month or two, it won't be much longer!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

They're coming!

Here's a teaser of the first two from above completed (the two on the right in the photo above)

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

Close to 4/20 and @VoltageKeeper is finishing up our VK's, it doesn't get much better! I can't wait to go camping and the weather is starting to get nice!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Hah, I wasn't even thinking that, but I'm literally finishing up the last of this batch as we speak, the battery VK's will likely all ship in time for 4/20 (well, except for the one that's going overseas, that might be a long shot, we can only hope!) I just finished soldering your unit a minute ago. The only thing is that I ran out of shorter standoffs for the last 4 units, but tracking says they arrive tomorrow, so they will likely all ship tomorrow or tuesday morning!

Speaking of which, I've got the first production VK nail done as well, which includes the quartz nail and some carb cap options, I really need to get a photo of the full setup!

 

[Nugg]

Awesome news mate!! Is the overseas VK mine by any chance?

I'm sure everyone would love to see some pics of the VK nail!!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

Indeed, that one is yours! And your unit is now basically done! I did manage to get them to give me a charger with the right wall adapter for your country too! I'll try to get some pics in a second.

They're now all soldered and completed. I just finished installing the screws/nuts that will hold the battery holder into place, and that was literally the last item. The standoffs I'll swap out on last 3-4 units once I get the shorter ones tomorrow, but then they're ready to go (the longer standoffs made the circuit board hit scrape against the batteries, they will all go out with the correct ones though!)

I do have to tint that black one in the photo above, that will be a tinted unit once it's done. I just bought some 5% car tint, it's like the stuff they use in the windows of the backseats of a limo, haha. Needless to say, this stuff seems like it's going to work way better than the last stuff I was using, but I need to get it all cut to shape first.

Now that I'm finally done the battery VK's maybe I can go take a dab break and get some photos of my VK nails...

 

[Nugg]

I'm soo excited about my VK! It won't matter if it makes it here by 20/4 (you Americans and your backwards date writing system lol ) or not as I have don't have my logs yet.

I'm still gonna flick its switches and twiddle its knob when it arrives though.

Go and have your well deserved dab break my friend. Its gotta be hard work assembling something so small and fiddly.

Can't wait to see the pics!

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

I'm still gonna flick its switches and twiddle its knob when it arrives though.

Lol, can't blame ya though, Nugg!

 

[VoltageKeeper]

So, a photo and a decription of each.

First, NOT auber PID with dual display:

Full size IEC and XLR connector, dual switches (illuminated coil switch lights up RED when coil is on)

Built in circuit breaker, possibly a one-of-a-kind feature. If you melted your coil cord across your nail or something bad like that by accident, it should hopefully prevent any further damage!

The quartz bangers my friend makes! They will come in all the standard joint sizes, here's 18mm Male:

Some various carb caps for it out of boro:

And for now, you can choose between kevlar or stainless (but I might eliminate one option depending on popularity):

 

[Nugg]

@SSVUN~YAH I knew someone would have something to say about that comment! Lol

Man the VKN looks awesome. Some serious thought has gone into it. It's really cool that you are providing the bangers with them too and that you are friends with the blower. When do you expect to have them for sale?

 

[VoltageKeeper]

You can definitely order one now, but there will be a wait of a month or two at the moment since I'm still working on my VK backlog, and would also have to order some more parts. They also do take longer to make than a VK in general, as the whole thing is a bit more involved, all the wires get heatshrinked, etc.

The VK nail is also typically built to match a specific countries voltage, since it's powered by 110/240v. That said, for proper use in another country it requires both the correct controller and the correct coil.

I just realized I probably don't even have a good way to test a 240v unit at the moment. I might have to go buy a voltage converter, so I can make sure such a unit works before I send it out. I have some other overseas interest in the VK nail, so a 240v model is definitely going to happen at this rate.

What I'm really hoping to do next, as you would assume it would follow, is the battery VK Nail. Unfortunately the main thing preventing it seems to be price and well, lack of interest at said price. Probably in the $800-1000 range. The total on the parts alone is pretty much more than the cost of a complete non-battery enail setup, haha, none the less my labor, and it'd probably be my most difficult project to date if I move forward with it. The real truth is, I even kind of want one myself, I'm just not really in the place to front the money, as I would have to buy parts to make at least two or three of them to make it worth my while, making just one would be even more expensive.


-Jordan

 

[VoltageKeeper]

They say a picture says 1000 words...

Though I still need to tint that black one, maybe one final picture in a few hours....

 

[SSVUN~YAH]

They say a picture says 1000 words...

Though I still need to tint that black one, maybe one final picture in a few hours....

 

[Snappo]

They say a picture says 1000 words...

Though I still need to tint that black one, maybe one final picture in a few hours....

That's mine ...2nd from the right!

 

[Vapor Loop]

Mine is the far left one, and hopefully i will be adding a little Stanley cup to it in June.