Orchid V4 clone group buy from Focalecig

[osdset]

Arrived this morning, first impressions are very good.

I can't fault the build quality of this so far, apart from some traces of machine oil the atty was as clean as a whistle, the threading is all good and the parts fit together well, I'm especially impressed with the fit of the drip tip, very snug.

The deck is well made with no rough threading or on the  edges of the juice channels. However the post screws are tiny, it's just as well some spares are included as I can see one or two getting lost easily. There were four spare terminal screws, three O rings a, a spare fill screw, three wicks, and the usual blue screwdriver (which is too big for the terminal screws) supplied.

The main gripe I have with this is the positive post, the screws aren't long enough to grip the wire on the supplied wicks which are .23 Kanthal over silica, so I made a couple of 8 wrap 2.5mm coils using .32 Kanthal.

The 1st coil goes in easy enough, but the positive leg on the second is a PITA to install as the 1st coil obscures the hole in the positive post, some judicious bending was required to fiddle the bugger in place, trimming the excess wire on this leg is also a mission as there is little room to get cutters in.

Once I had dry fired the coils and moved them around to more or less the right orientation I wicked up with cotton and reassembled the atty.

WOW! This thing is a vapour monster compared to my other atty's, the deck and chimney design is similar to my Aqua atomiser (dual coils and juice channels) but I guess due to the better airflow arrangement it's much more efficient, it's also way easier to fill, no leaking whatsoever.

This was a fast and dirty first build but I'm sure I can get more out of this little gem over time.

Would I recommend this atomiser?

Yes but with reservations over the post screw issues, for anyone wanting to use a thinner gauge than .32 Kanthal a twisted wire coil would have to be made to fatten the coil leg up enough for the positive post screws to bite. Focalecig need to sort this issue out as I can see a few complaints heading their way.

Overall though I'm pleased, and for just over a fiver it's an absolute bargain.

[VapingBad]

The one's I got from FT have the same issue with the +ve screws being too short and I replaced them with Alan socket grub screws. I like mine much better after fitting a two part chimney, making a tube from drink can so the air is sucked from closer to the coils and I made smaller tubes from drink can to raise the air inlets above the deck.

[sydsut]

I got this one from Fasttech link and have had no bother whatsoever. The screws and screw holes are fine and yes it really vapes a treat.

[VapingBad]

Mar 25, 2015 15:06:04 GMT sydsut said:

I got this one from Fasttech link and have had no bother whatsoever. The screws and screw holes are fine and yes it really vapes a treat.

At least one of the two of those I have the +ve screws are not long enough for twisted triple 0.16 Ni200 to give a good connnection, easy to fix by using grub screws.

[zebby]

Mar 25, 2015 15:06:04 GMT sydsut said:

I got this one from Fasttech link and have had no bother whatsoever. The screws and screw holes are fine and yes it really vapes a treat.

Yeah I got two of those and cant fault em except perhaps the airy draw but found a smaller bore drip tip helps.

[sydsut]

Mar 25, 2015 16:08:41 GMT zebby said:

Mar 25, 2015 15:06:04 GMT sydsut said:

I got this one from Fasttech link and have had no bother whatsoever. The screws and screw holes are fine and yes it really vapes a treat.

Yeah I got two of those and cant fault em except perhaps the airy draw but found a smaller bore drip tip helps.

I'm the opposite then, it's the airy draw I really like.

[Greg]

Mar 25, 2015 19:45:21 GMT sydsut said:

Mar 25, 2015 16:08:41 GMT zebby said:

Yeah I got two of those and cant fault em except perhaps the airy draw but found a smaller bore drip tip helps.

I'm the opposite then, it's the airy draw I really like.

They're a bit too tight for me these days 

[osdset]

Mar 25, 2015 13:12:07 GMT VapingBad said:

The one's I got from FT have the same issue with the +ve screws being too short and I replaced them with Alan socket grub screws. I like mine much better after fitting a two part chimney, making a tube from drink can so the air is sucked from closer to the coils and I made smaller tubes from drink can to raise the air inlets above the deck.

Grub screws would be a definite improvement. Your drink can tubes are an interesting idea, did you enlarge the holes  in the deck to accommodate the tubes? I know photos can be a bit deceptive but those deck holes look huge compared to mine.

[VapingBad]

Mar 25, 2015 20:21:28 GMT osdset said:

Mar 25, 2015 13:12:07 GMT VapingBad said:

The one's I got from FT have the same issue with the +ve screws being too short and I replaced them with Alan socket grub screws. I like mine much better after fitting a two part chimney, making a tube from drink can so the air is sucked from closer to the coils and I made smaller tubes from drink can to raise the air inlets above the deck.

Grub screws would be a definite improvement. Your drink can tubes are an interesting idea, did you enlarge the holes  in the deck to accommodate the tubes? I know photos can be a bit deceptive but those deck holes look huge compared to mine.

No I just put then in the hole as is, you can just about get one of the little blue flat head screw drivers inside the tube after it put in, IIRC they are about 2 mm diameter.  Of all the things the 2 piece chimney is the most worthwhile IMO.