I bought a bunch of these things, and I don't like them. They don't wick well, and they're constantly running dry. I know they won't work in a regular tank mod, because they don't have the metal ring around them to create a good seal. So I had a thought...
I've restored a few old cars, and I frequently have to cast replacement parts out of high strength epoxy, to replace old bakelite handles and such that aren't made anymore. I just got a MAP tank, and I'm thinking I use the bottom of it to create a mold, then cast new bases with the clearomizer internals embedded in the epoxy. No, it won't be replaceable, but epoxy is cheap and it's just the base that will be thrown away when the element burns out. I have 20 of these things, and I could make enough to last me a good long while. It would be an exact replica of the stock base, it would just have the internals embedded instead of press-fit.
Now for the technical stuff:
Delrin has a melting temperature of 374F, this epoxy melts at 415F. No problem there. The epoxy is food-safe once it's fully cured (36 hours), so no leeching of chemicals. Delrin is slightly more plastic than the cured epoxy, but the difference wouldn't be seen in normal use. Delrin would deform under a hammer, where the epoxy would shatter, but just dropping it would be the same for both - it'd bounce and no damage done. The only thing I can see where the delrin outperforms the epoxy is in coefficient of thermal expansion, and since these are used at room temperature, that's a non-issue.
Any experienced modders see a problem I haven't anticipated?
I've restored a few old cars, and I frequently have to cast replacement parts out of high strength epoxy, to replace old bakelite handles and such that aren't made anymore. I just got a MAP tank, and I'm thinking I use the bottom of it to create a mold, then cast new bases with the clearomizer internals embedded in the epoxy. No, it won't be replaceable, but epoxy is cheap and it's just the base that will be thrown away when the element burns out. I have 20 of these things, and I could make enough to last me a good long while. It would be an exact replica of the stock base, it would just have the internals embedded instead of press-fit.
Now for the technical stuff:
Delrin has a melting temperature of 374F, this epoxy melts at 415F. No problem there. The epoxy is food-safe once it's fully cured (36 hours), so no leeching of chemicals. Delrin is slightly more plastic than the cured epoxy, but the difference wouldn't be seen in normal use. Delrin would deform under a hammer, where the epoxy would shatter, but just dropping it would be the same for both - it'd bounce and no damage done. The only thing I can see where the delrin outperforms the epoxy is in coefficient of thermal expansion, and since these are used at room temperature, that's a non-issue.
Any experienced modders see a problem I haven't anticipated?
