Author Topic: No Gold! But there’s a Fist-Full-O-Diamonds! (Read 16319 times)

Littlefeather · « **on:** March 05, 2014, 07:46:42 PM »

RELIC DIAMONDS, that is! LOL! I’ve heard a lot of talk about DNA20 becoming a relic with the introduction of the DNA30. LOL! This thing is an amazing vape I must say! And, I thought my ego’s would be just fine!
Well, everybody starts somewhere and Relic Diamonds is my start point in this adventure we call modding! I’m by no means an expert and probably should have started with something a bit less ambitious. Too late now! That said, I do try to pay attention and listen to the folks that have done it before me and have the empirical evidence to show for it. For that I wanted to thank a few folks on this and other forums, Mamu, CraigHB, Bapgood, Breaktru, Asdaq, Raidy & Pdib just to name a few, and many others for sharing their knowledge and providing inspiration. I will try to reciprocate where I can.
We don’t all start with the same skill sets and I’m no exception. I’ve found it’s taken me some time to wrap my head around the electronics in such a small package. As Mamu has said it’s all about the packing! And, I’m guessing she’s an expert at Tetris too!
In the past I’ve had experience making small scale projects, but this one’s been a bit of a challenge and taken more time than intended but with great lessons learned along the way along and spawned new ideas. From the start I wanted (as I’m sure many do) to make something different and a bit unique. I do enjoy working with dissimilar materials and using different techniques to see how they’ll work together. For me, aesthetics are an important part in any design project or redesign as the case may be.
This project had originally started as a duel 18650 set-up last August, but after making the original box multiple times and size dimensions I wasn’t liking the feel in hand, and decided to go for a stealthier size with a single 18650 for my first go round. What was I thinking? A lot of design changes along the way and I asked myself on several occasions if I’d nibbled off a bit much? Maybe, but I couldn’t quit. A lot of things I’ll change on my next one but for now I needed to finish one to show myself I could! And, this is an extraordinary vape! Did I say this is an amazing VAPE? LOL!! Now if I can find/make a topper to go along with! LOL! NOT! Aaah, never say never!

Features: 20 Watts Power, 510 connector, Single-18650 AW IMR Battery (removable) with Reverse Polarity & Battery Protection.
Materials & Parts:
Electronic: DNA20D by Evolv—Brilliant!
Box: Canvas Micarta (Phenolic) 3/32” (.93”) sheet stock. (Google it) Interesting material! Originally used as electric/electronic component stand-off material but I was introduced to it for knife handle scales and fell in love with the rustic look attainable. WARNING! If you’re thinking about using this material the dust is nasty and will get on and in EVERYTHING! Be sure to READ, UNDERSTAND and FOLLOW the Manufactures instructions. Use a Rated respirator and dust collector! A lot of work area cleanup time with this stuff! Use Common Sense and BE SAFE!
510 Connector: MadVapes (need to find better!)
Switches: KSJ0M21180SHLFT (Arrow or DigiKey)
Fuses: 16R300GU (2) (Littlefuse)
Battery: Single AW IMR 18650 (nipple top)
Adhesives: CA (Super Glue) & Flex Epoxy (VersaChem 5 min)
Wire: 20ga & 22ga Stranded Copper
Battery Contacts: .015 inch brass (Scratch Built)
Misc. Aesthetic Components: Gold Screen, Brass Sheet Stock (K&S Engineering), Copper rivets.

mamu · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2014, 11:32:41 PM »

Pretty cool mod, LF.

Very unique and very creative!

Can you take a pic frontal with the display in the diamond?

Littlefeather · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2014, 11:52:08 PM »

Thanks Mamu. I just added a picture of the front screen. It also has a .040 polycarb behind the screen for added protection. It's tough to see in bright light and I have to turn it sideways to see the battery level but my main wants were wattage, ohms & volts. Not really happy with the 510 connector and couldn't use fatdaddysvapes as there wasn't enough room. That'll be changed soon hopefully.Still waiting on word. I'll need to engineer the next mod a little taller, like .25". Thanks again.

Visus · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2014, 01:40:05 AM »

what the heck is that
Its a vaping mod
really it doesnt look like a vaporizer

Likes it

Mandro · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2014, 02:26:08 AM »

That's a great looking mod

I love the box design, very creative, well worth the time and effort.

Littlefeather · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2014, 09:39:48 AM »

TY ty to all. This one has spurred a bunch of idea that keep rattling around in the dome.

Zoiboi · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2014, 11:26:01 AM »

Absolutely amazing mod.....
(Love your work desk)

Littlefeather · « **Reply #7 on:** March 06, 2014, 11:31:01 AM »

Ha! Thanks

Yup, the work bench in aftermath state. Now I have to put everything back in it's place to start anew. Idol hands you know!

CraigHB · « **Reply #8 on:** March 06, 2014, 03:37:21 PM »

Yeah really cool, love that material and the artwork on it.

Breaktru · « **Reply #9 on:** March 06, 2014, 04:28:34 PM »

yes. very cool

Littlefeather · « **Reply #10 on:** March 06, 2014, 07:03:47 PM »

Thanks Craig & Breaktru

It's amazing how many different ideas are spawned during a project. I wonder what this material would look like on your PowerBlock Craig?

CraigHB · « **Reply #11 on:** March 07, 2014, 06:55:58 AM »

Funny you mention that. Before I had decided on using a 3D printed enclosure, I had thought in terms of using a phenolic. That stuff is a super material, it's incredibly strong and light. The down side is bonding the stuff. You have to do it mechanically or use some kind of glue. You obviously figured out a good way to do it. But yeah, I appreciate what an excellent material that is, bitch to work with though.

Littlefeather · « **Reply #12 on:** March 07, 2014, 11:58:22 AM »

Yup, tight joints and CA works really well after the top coat of the material has been sanded! I did it in a water tray and used diamond sharpening stones but I'm sure you could use wet/dry sandpaper just as well. Water bath makes for much easier to clean up and no dust. For this job I liked the Zap-a-Gap Medium over the thin (same name) and over "Hot Stuff" wood workers use, but like many things everybody has their own particular preference.

Also: CA makes a great strong finish.

gprestonmoto · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2014, 05:50:02 PM »

Looking good brother.

kortt · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2014, 09:40:19 PM »

Bling bling! Nice mod, love the wood mods!

Littlefeather · « **Reply #15 on:** March 12, 2014, 09:57:35 PM »

Ty ty all.

Kortt, not wood at all. The material is Canvas Micarta (Phenolic) it was developed by Westinghouse back in 1910 or thereabout. It's the forerunner to the present day printed circuit board material. I was introduced to it some years ago as a handle material for custom knife scales. Love the rustic look achievable. Also, very though stuff. I like dissimilar materials to see how they play together

.

CraigHB · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2014, 03:41:11 AM »

Phenolic is still one of the lightest and toughest materials available even today. Modern carbon fiber composites were born from phenolics. The main difference is they use a carbon fiber fabric instead of a variety of other fabrics, but the resins are pretty much the same. Circuit boards typically use a fiberglass based phenolic (FR-4), but there are cheaper grades that use a cellulose based phenolic. Those type of circuit boards are crappy though, not nearly as tough. You see them in really cheap electronic devices sometimes.

Littlefeather · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2014, 10:37:51 AM »

Now, that there is a much better through explanation! Brilliant!

kortt · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2014, 12:48:58 PM »

AH, my bad. I guess I didn't read right lol. Very ingenious I must say. The look is just amazing!

Littlefeather · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2014, 01:02:14 PM »

No worries!

Just thought I'd give a heads-up and Craig explained it better anyway! Who knows you may have a use sometime down the road.

kortt · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2014, 01:28:05 PM »

yeah, that is something I'd be interested in. I like to build my own enclosures.

CraigHB · « **Reply #21 on:** March 13, 2014, 04:16:54 PM »

You could actually mold your own enclosure with fiberglass fabric and resin, similar to how boat hulls and surfboards are made. That would eliminate the gluing and allow rounded seamless corners. If you wanted to get really exotic, you can buy carbon fiber fabric and do the same thing. That would make a seriously strong enclosure.

http://www.uscomposites.com/carbonpage.html

Littlefeather · « **Reply #22 on:** March 13, 2014, 05:29:06 PM »

Been looking at those options myself but sometimes I'll be going for a certain look and want to use different types of mechanical joinery and such. Love to work with different technologies and techniques. Working with some inlay materials to see what looks good together. Test pieces in the works.

Visus · « **Reply #23 on:** March 13, 2014, 05:52:46 PM »

Theres a tutorial on ECF in Battery mods section of how its done using a carbon fibre sheet and a plastic cake holder as a mold to make a "fistpack." He even shows how to make a screen with the leftovers. Thats buried in posts over there but really cool tutorial..

Fiber glass matt much cheaper to make mistakes and you can find all you need at an auto parts store. I thought of doing this after seen that post myself but so many cool enclosures and the 3d printing so no.. It may be easier than I think, I have worked with fiberglass matt on cars and thats uber easy; just paint the resin on the mat, let dry, sand, bodyfiller, sand, prime, paint, and done..

This hobby is awesome

CraigHB · « **Reply #24 on:** March 13, 2014, 06:06:12 PM »

I've done a little work with resin and fabric myself. You need a mold to start with. A thin plastic shell would be ideal. That would actually be the hard part. Once you have a mold, working with resin and fabric is actually pretty forgiving. You do a resin coat with fabric and then sand things into shape. Repeat until you get the desired thickness. Then you do a final thin resin coat without fabric to remove sanding marks and get a nice gloss. You can do additional resin only coats with sanding in between to deepen the gloss and makes things appear perfectly smooth.

kortt · « **Reply #25 on:** March 14, 2014, 12:22:12 AM »

I might consider it but I don't have any place to work with it away from my living space....garage..etc. My work shop is in my basement (along with my office). I bit of sawdust or plastic shavings are ok, but I don't think the wife would appreciate resin fumes wafting up...lol.

I've watched a few tutorials on making knife scales out of cloth and resin..seems pretty simple. There is also a tutorial some place of somebody building a wooden mold and pouring an enclosure out of some type of plastic I saw as well.

Boonos · « **Reply #26 on:** March 15, 2014, 11:16:53 PM »

really nice craftsmanship

Littlefeather · « **Reply #27 on:** March 16, 2014, 12:37:45 AM »

Thank you! It's fun making new stuff.

Littlefeather · « **Reply #28 on:** April 02, 2014, 04:52:54 PM »

Sorry about the link being no good. I changed my pictures around a little and can't see when or how to put the new correct link.

Sooooo, here the correct link.

http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/Littlefeather_Design/library/Mobile%20Uploads/Relic%20Diamonds%20DNA20%20Mod?sort=3&page=1