Home-build DNA40 with a bezel

[davetherayon]

Edit: follow the italics posts, they show what I learned while building the mod.

As suggested by VapingBad (thanks bud) this thread is where my latest build will be recorded. It's a DNA40 chipset. Now I did make a DNA30 some time ago, using a Hana Modz clone box from Fasttech. That was quite hard work for me as I'm not the best solderer, cutter of metal, or installer. So when the chance to make a DNA40 came up it didn't make me dig the plastic out right away. But then I chanced upon Shapeways, a bunch of guys who make handy dandy things using 3d printing, and in particular this item.

It's a bezel that holds the DNA40 board in place, oled included, so making a few things potentially easier : the board fits into the bezel and is activated by buttons pressing onto the board, removing the need for separate ones. Mainly though, the bezel holding the board removes any need to design any other sort of support for it or god forbid hot gluing it in place. The number of solder operations is reduced to four pairs - to the battery and 510 - or 6 if you separately wire a charging board, which is my plan.

The kit is going to be installed in a project box, so the complete list of materials is as below :

DNA40 chipset - Evolv onsellers
Hammond 1590B box - bitsbox
Various size files - bitsbox <--- Get some. Definitely. Cheap as owt too.
DNA40 bezel - Shapeways
USB charge port - Modmaker (didn't order one when I bought the chipset. Doh) <--- Didn't need it, as I ordered the oversized one, double doh. Ended up recycling one from the Hana clone box.
Keystone 1042 18650 battery box - Modmaker <-- Ended up using a recycled battery box from a Hana clone, as this one is designed for soldering onto a PCB.
Fatdaddyvapes v4 510 connector - Modmaker <-- BUY THIS.
Wiring - 18 awg (power) and 24 awg (signal) - ebay <--- 18 awg only needed if you have, again, a recycled charge board from a hana clone with wires intact.
Screws for the bezel - 1.6mm x 5mm self-tapping screws for thin plastic - ebay <--- Let me know if you need some. I have enough to last till 2399.

I haven't planned (yet) on installing a hot spring or other further battery protection, but that may happen.

[davetherayon]

(Info moved from the 'cheapest way to build a vv mod' thread to keep it here, and out of there )

The bezels have arrived! 3d printed and they look and feel very nice.

View from the front, note the slot at the bottom for a separate charger board :



and the back, the vertical posts at the bottom hold buttons to go in the pre-formed holes, so you don't even have to wire up separate buttons. The ridge round the outer edge, as normal for a bezel, means the slot you cut out of the box - I'm putting it in a 1590B Hammond case - has a bit of leeway which is great for those like me who are all thumbs. The charger board slides into a bay currently obscured by the buttons moulding (is moulding the term for 3d printed stuff?). There's also a cover just behind the buttons which holds the OLED in place, held in with screws :



The DNA board drops into a series of lugs very well indeed, and will be held in place with some more 1.6mm x 5mm screws (from ebay - job lot of 1000 bought so shout if you need 1 or 2 )



Can't wait to get this project underway now that everything's arrived.

[flavourtank]

Ill keep watch of this thread. Good luck

[davetherayon]

Additional items that will be used for sure, procured when the DNA30 was under construction. Some vendor details are missing right now, I'll try to get them later.

Comments added with the benefit of having finished the job.

- To dig a hole in the box for a Fatdaddyvapes 510 connector : tap wrench (CycloTools M10 will do though I ended up buying a ratcheting tap wrench, that IIRC helped a lot) and a 10mm x 1 tap tool from Amazon - currently unavailable, so if you decide to go ahead with this I'll lend you mine. <--- Unused. Ended up with a step drill bit instead, much better.

- Heatshrink tubing. ebay 200952424604

- Dremel! <--- Unused, aside from opening up the initial 510 hole, though files did a better job.

- A decent soldering iron, got a 25W one though that's probably weedy to be honest, flux pen, and solder.

- Something to cut out a slot in the box. Hmmm I'm hoping the Dremel will suffice, otherwise it may be hacksaw time. <--- definitely the hacksaw!

- Sheet of modellers plastic (forgot the name, it's in the house somewhere)... to be used to insulate the battery box from ground. <--- unused, went for a recycled battery box from a dead Hana clone.

- Epoxy : Araldite 5 and 15 minute.

- Helping Hands soldering station. Invaluable.

and probably more bits and pieces.

[Ripshod]

Bookmarked

[davetherayon]

Just a thought before I even begin (having tonight off from building... Friday night is beer night ). The Hammond box is well big enough for this construction, it would even hold a double battery box with ease, and with the bezel taking away valuable millimetres of wasted space it'd probably be a favourite for making a very slim DNA40. Battery box width almost. VapingBad?

[Deleted]

Dec 12, 2014 19:15:57 GMT Ripshod said:

Bookmarked

+1

[Ripshod]

or a dual battery DNA40? With maybe a 1amp charging board?

[davetherayon]

Don't see the point in a dual batt DNA40? Temp control means the batteries last for flippin ages as it is (hugs vaporshark)

[Ripshod]

I eat batteries

[davetherayon]

Ah the more you know and all that... I'll have to drill out a pilot hole in the 1590B for the tap, hope the Dremel is up to it. Otherwise it's a case of reaming it out (phnar phnar) with a file. Plan B worked. Not planning if possible on buying any other gear, drill bits included, if I can avoid it. That failed... Got my files though, lets see how good they are. <--- Poor Dremel was left out of the party. Hammer and nail for the pilot, file to 4mm, step drill bit to 10mm was the winning combo.

Edit : oh, might have to get into painting. The 1590B is bare metal, good enough but with a black bezel might look a bit naff. So I can foresee already somehow turning it a nice shade of black. Wonder if a can of boggo spray paint from Halfords will do...

[davetherayon]

A guy I like watching on youtube, makes mods a lot and his vids are really easy to follow. VarosVaper. Got the idea for the DNA40 from this vid :

[gill2009]

 Good luck with this project davetherayon...I'll be watching with interest.

 I find it just amazing that peeps can build these 

[davetherayon]

Dec 12, 2014 20:09:43 GMT gill2009 said:

 Good luck with this project davetherayon...I'll be watching with interest.

 I find it just amazing that peeps can build these 

You just have to take the bit in your teeth gill2009 and do it The trick is to take your time. I've been waiting AGES for the bezels, because they're the things I think will make this mod work and not be a cockup The rest is up to me. Second build too, so the mistakes I made first time - when soldering I was twitching anxiously! - hopefully won't apply. *twitches*

[davetherayon]

If you watch the vid above, a lot of the eek factor is in drilling/filing out the holes for bits to go in, which is why I'm so looking forward to this build. Only holes that are drilled are the cutout for the bezel, and the important one, the 510. Hope I don't get 'vapers twitch' when I start