It started when I decided my Xmas Present to me would be another Brunhilde MTL, and then I found that all the vaping Firms I knew were marking this as “Unobtainable” or “Out of Production, No Longer Available.”
After some research I opted for a Svoemesto MTL which arrived the next day. I’d read all the dire warnings, so first off I took it to bits and generously lubricated all the O rings with vape juice before coiling and wicking it and only gently hand tightening all the components.
It vaped great - I thought we’d have a long happy life together. The first time I refilled it everything went well and I thought I’d cracked it. The next time however I found it solidly jammed together. It spent a couple of hours in the freezer - no joy; I tried using an allen key in the air hole for leverage - no joy; I tried using my studded rubber gardening gloves - again no joy. As a last resort I stuck it in 3 jugs of boiling water, and it worked. I lubed the whole thing again when it dried out, reassembled it carefully, and got another great vape out of it. Next morning came … and it was jammed solid once more. Garden gloves on once more - the top came off, the glass came out and eventually when I got the curse words in the correct order, part of the bottom came off - but the build deck was firmly welded to the centre pin/510. Nothing would shift it - so instead of keeping it as the most expensive paper weight I’d ever bought it was laid to rest in the recycling bin and now is in Vape Heaven.
Determined to get another good rebuildable, I ordered up an Alberich 2. It was a Tricky Devil to coil ( small awkward deck ), wick ( you have to thin the wick and get it down two channels , cut it off just so ) and reassemble ( you really need three hands! ) but it vaped grand for 20 minutes until the Dreaded Message “Check Atomiser” flashed. Back to my old faithful Nautilus Mini I retreated until the next day when I recoiled and rewicked it with the same result even when I tried it on a selection of mods. Back to the Nauti Mini until Boxing Day morning! After watching a few videos on the Alberich, I noted that not everyone used the nasty multi screwdriver tool Vapefly supply ( AKA the “Hand Stabber” ) I dug out a longer narrow Phillips Screwdriver, and found the problem - I hadn’t screwed one of the screws down properly. Alberich and I are now happy together!
I like a couple of simple filled devices on my bedside table so if I’m up in the night I can grab one and take a drag or two without knocking a bigger one over to my wife’s displeasure. For the last couple of years I’d used Innikin’s Sceptres but they’d both died recently. As a wee extra Christmas present SHE WHO MUST NOT BE WAKENED IN THE NIGHT gave me a Squid Squad. It’s small, heavy and attractive and vapes like a dream. Mine came with two tanks; one with a pre-fitted drop in coil and the other is a rebuildable with a pre-fitted coil ( but no wick ). In theory they are top fillers but the silicone plug is difficult/impossible to get open, but I don’t mind a device with “character” and after eight years with a Nauti Mini bottom filling is second nature to me. I think the Squid Squad and I will have many happy nights together.
I think you all know Nautilus Minis will always have a special place in my heart. I have a dozen of them and a drawer full of 1.6 ohm coils for them but I’d noted that Aspire had brought out a new version recently (I think) so I picked one up at the January Sales. It came with a fitted 0.6 Ohm mesh coil which gobbled juice at a rate of knots which was promptly replaced with one of my normal 1.6 Ohm BVC coils - and we are getting along just fine even though it weighs a ton!
After some research I opted for a Svoemesto MTL which arrived the next day. I’d read all the dire warnings, so first off I took it to bits and generously lubricated all the O rings with vape juice before coiling and wicking it and only gently hand tightening all the components.
It vaped great - I thought we’d have a long happy life together. The first time I refilled it everything went well and I thought I’d cracked it. The next time however I found it solidly jammed together. It spent a couple of hours in the freezer - no joy; I tried using an allen key in the air hole for leverage - no joy; I tried using my studded rubber gardening gloves - again no joy. As a last resort I stuck it in 3 jugs of boiling water, and it worked. I lubed the whole thing again when it dried out, reassembled it carefully, and got another great vape out of it. Next morning came … and it was jammed solid once more. Garden gloves on once more - the top came off, the glass came out and eventually when I got the curse words in the correct order, part of the bottom came off - but the build deck was firmly welded to the centre pin/510. Nothing would shift it - so instead of keeping it as the most expensive paper weight I’d ever bought it was laid to rest in the recycling bin and now is in Vape Heaven.
Determined to get another good rebuildable, I ordered up an Alberich 2. It was a Tricky Devil to coil ( small awkward deck ), wick ( you have to thin the wick and get it down two channels , cut it off just so ) and reassemble ( you really need three hands! ) but it vaped grand for 20 minutes until the Dreaded Message “Check Atomiser” flashed. Back to my old faithful Nautilus Mini I retreated until the next day when I recoiled and rewicked it with the same result even when I tried it on a selection of mods. Back to the Nauti Mini until Boxing Day morning! After watching a few videos on the Alberich, I noted that not everyone used the nasty multi screwdriver tool Vapefly supply ( AKA the “Hand Stabber” ) I dug out a longer narrow Phillips Screwdriver, and found the problem - I hadn’t screwed one of the screws down properly. Alberich and I are now happy together!
I like a couple of simple filled devices on my bedside table so if I’m up in the night I can grab one and take a drag or two without knocking a bigger one over to my wife’s displeasure. For the last couple of years I’d used Innikin’s Sceptres but they’d both died recently. As a wee extra Christmas present SHE WHO MUST NOT BE WAKENED IN THE NIGHT gave me a Squid Squad. It’s small, heavy and attractive and vapes like a dream. Mine came with two tanks; one with a pre-fitted drop in coil and the other is a rebuildable with a pre-fitted coil ( but no wick ). In theory they are top fillers but the silicone plug is difficult/impossible to get open, but I don’t mind a device with “character” and after eight years with a Nauti Mini bottom filling is second nature to me. I think the Squid Squad and I will have many happy nights together.
I think you all know Nautilus Minis will always have a special place in my heart. I have a dozen of them and a drawer full of 1.6 ohm coils for them but I’d noted that Aspire had brought out a new version recently (I think) so I picked one up at the January Sales. It came with a fitted 0.6 Ohm mesh coil which gobbled juice at a rate of knots which was promptly replaced with one of my normal 1.6 Ohm BVC coils - and we are getting along just fine even though it weighs a ton!
