Value of an RDA.

[Pauly Walnuts]

*I* think Rebuildable Drip Atomizers, (RDA’s) have their place in vaping but I don’t find them to be a viable long term useful product. Sure, the coils last longer because you can scrape the gunk off… I use my wife’s toothbrush… and the cotton can be changed when switching flavors, but a lot of people don’t know you can clean a pre-fab coil, too.

Get yourself some high proof grain alcohol, like 151 proof Everclear and soak the coil in it for a few days. In some areas you can get 190 proof Everclear. Rince the hell out of it, placing it in a glass, soaking them, rinse again, back into the glass… Rinsing is the key.

So, you’re just starting your journey down the path of making your own juices. This is where an RDA is handy. You make a few 10 ml bottles of different flavors. You could fill your 8.5 ml mod tank, take a hit and say, okay, that sucks. Too harsh, too little flavor, too strong on the flavor or just plain tastes like shit! I guess strawberry and mint don’t go too well together. 10 ml is not much of a waste, but how to empty the tank and clean it? Freaking mess!

An RDA? The last bottle sucked, you use a Q tip with a little alcohol to clean the juice in the bottom, let it air dry, re-wick it and try another bottle. Put the rest of the 1st bottle in a cool, dark place and let it steep for a couple more weeks. I find my desserts take up to 3 months of steeping to make a smooth tasteful product. You can give your juice a taste at 3 days, 10 days, a month…etc. to learn how long steeping takes with the type of juices you make. Fruits tend to be what we call shake and vape. Little to no steeping. Depending on the fruit.

How do I know mine takes 3 months or more? Many months ago, I tried pods. Bought 3, at different watts and ohms, thinking I’d learn about that while testing my juices without wasting a lot of juice. Mixed some, let them steep for 2 weeks. Had a ½ dozen spare pods for each pod, filled them, some had great flavors, some not so much. ALL were way too harsh. I tried every bottle I made. Tossed the used pods and the juices. [smention u=65]SessionDrummer[/smention] said the PG may be too high. 50/50 VG/PG for pods. Started at 70/30 for an RDA that [smention u=59]Old Goat[/smention]mentioned.

“Around” 4 or months later I came across a pod I hadn’t tossed and wondered. Took a hit and it was smooth. The flavor was weak, but that can be changed. MY logic dictated that high PG needs a lot more time steeping than 2 weeks. Thinking the issue may be Nic. I mixed 10 bottles with different %’s of Nic, and let them steep for 5 weeks while on vacation. STILL too harsh! WTF?

[smention u=65]SessionDrummer[/smention]suggested he’d make some max VG with 0 Nic. The VG/PG ratio is 80/20 because the only PG is from the flavors. This man is a world renown flavor, hardware reviewer that makes some awesome mixes. He’s taught me a lot! Said to let them steep for 2 weeks. Tried a little taste of a mix and way too harsh. Week later (to let them steep longer) tried another with the same results. Tried some of mine at 70/30 VG/PG that I mixed on June 1st.

NO freaking good! My juices range between 0 and 3% Nic and the last I tested was 0% Nic.

WHY would a 50/50 pod be smooth after a 4 month steep, yet my 70/30 is still harsh even after 5 months? I think I’ve proven it not the PG nor the Nic… The stuff I got from session drummer (Dman) is now 4 weeks old.

Only thing left in my (deteriorating) mind is how much and how long I’ve smoked. I had a friend, a WWII vet that, around 4 years ago, turned me onto Swisher Sweets. Around 2 years ago, my youngest G Grandson introduced me to vaping. Loved it! Brown sugar! About 6 months later, the not-so-great state of California declared that a LARGE % of the population that smokes can go ahead and die, so VERY few kids won’t start. Here’s an idea that such a liberal state should embrace. Fine the parents of these kids.

Google consistently says 1 swisher sweet if worth 10 smokes. I smoke 10 cigars a day. That’s what, 3,000 smokes a month? 36,000/year. I think it’s entirely probable that after 3.5 years of 3,000 smokes a month may have fucked my lungs up simply TOO much.

But that leads me back to: Why did a 50/50 pod at 3% Nic be fine?

What’s all this got to do with an RDA being of no long term value? Like I say, great for testing flavors and Nic ratio’s, but once you have that dialed in, I’m not interested in adding some “drops” to the atomizer all the time. I like building the deck and the longevity of the coil, but when/IF I get the juices dialed in, I think I’ll go with a rebuildable tank atomizer. RDA.

BTW, I try both MTL and DTL, open and almost closed airflow.

 

[Old Goat]

Pauly, I get where you’re coming from, but let me be blunt — your post needs a bit of a reality check. RDAs are not just a flavor-testing tool or some hobbyist’s “temporary gadget.” They are a fundamental part of vaping culture and technique, and they offer advantages that a pod or pre-built coil simply cannot replicate.

First off: RDAs absolutely have long-term value. Sure, they require some maintenance — re-wicking, coil cleaning, maybe a quick rinse — but that’s the point: control. You’re not relying on factory-made coils or pods that are designed to be disposable. You can clean them, adjust them, experiment with airflow, coil type, wicking density, and more. That’s not a gimmick; that’s precision vaping.

Second: the steeping / PG / VG / Nic discussion you meandered through — the problem isn’t the RDA, the PG/VG ratio, or the nicotine. It’s your method of steeping and your expectations. RDAs allow you to taste small batches instantly without wasting juice. Pods and tanks are convenient, yes, but they cannot offer the same real-time flavor development feedback. That’s why anyone serious about DIY mixing will always keep at least one RDA in rotation.

Third: longevity of coils and cotton. Yes, you can soak pre-built coils in alcohol, but let’s be honest — most people won’t do it properly, and you’re limited by the factory build. With RDAs, you literally build the coil to last as long as the wire and wick will allow, and if a rebuild is needed, it’s cheap and fast. There’s no guessing or tossing expensive pods because the flavor didn’t mature the way you wanted.

Finally, your “long-term value” argument misses the point: RDAs are about control, learning, and flexibility. Once you’ve dialed in your mixes and preferences, you can move to RTAs or tanks for convenience. But anyone saying RDAs are useless long-term is either a lazy vaper or hasn’t spent enough time mastering them.

Bottom line: RDAs aren’t just toys for flavor testing — they’re the tools that give serious mixers the edge. Pods and pre-built coils have their place, but they are a compromise, not a replacement.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

Son of a bitch! It took me over 2 hours to type this message, so I was logged off! Typing in MS Word, now.

“RDAs are not just a flavor-testing tool or some hobbyist’s“ “temporary gadget.”

You misunderstand me. In MY not-in-the-least-bit-humble-opinion that’s exactly all they are. For ME. They are good for testing ONLY. In MY opinion! I understand they need to be dripped after 4 or 5 hits. At least that’s what google says. I chain smoke cigars. 10 Swisher sweets/day may not seem like much, but those things are longer and fatter than a smoke. I type, or do SOMETHING, after I put the cigar aside, and 5 minutes later, I fire it up again. Google says, 1 swisher sweet is Worth 10 smokes. 5 packs a day. A vape that tastes good? I imagine I’ll hit 5 times in less than 5 minutes. To ME, That’s not worth it. RTA’s, hell, yes. That seems worthwhile. I’ll continue to use the RDA for testing to see if I hack, but if something doesn't make me hack, I’m getting an RTA.

Note that I'm starting to think the problem is not the juices, but my lungs. In January, I made a bottle that made me hack. In April, the same bottle did not. 4-month steep. Taste was lacking, but that can be remediated.

Since then, EVERYTHING I’ve tried makes me hack. I have bottles that have steeped for 5 months with results being hacking. I think that in the last 7 months, I’ve smoked the equivalent of 36,400 smokes which has fucked my lungs up too bad.

You mentioned it may be vapor itself. I’m not going to keep coughing until I get used to it. I REALLY want to vape. Great tastes, cheap, mimics the hand to mouth activity… Should be a MILD throat hit.

I have 25 bottles steeping between the recipes you set me up with and the bottles Dman sent me. Some have been steeped for 6 months now. As of February I’ll have been fighting this for 13 months. If I can’t get something good by then, I’ll buy a couple thousand sugar free suckers and I already have a shit load of Nic patches.

I’ll not give up on making a decent batch of juice, lawd knows I have the investment…

Now. Google says Old Goats have a problem with dandruff. I’m happy to see I got your dander up! And, you said it couldn’t be done! You cantankerous Old Goat, you!

Respectfully, Your lover.

 

[Old Goat]

[smention u=58]Pauly Walnuts[/smention] , you magnificent hacking disaster,

I read your saga — all 47 chapters of it — and bless your nicotine-soaked soul, you still don’t get it. So let me help you out before you cough up a lung and try to blame the RDA for it.

1. Your Dirty Lungs
Before you point a hoof at vaping, take a trot over to my article on TVW — yes, the one I specifically wrote for people exactly like you. The cough isn’t the juice, the RDA, the wind direction, your moon sign, or Mercury retrograde.
It’s your lungs.
After 36,000 cigar-smokes’ worth of abuse in a few months, you’re basically running an asthmatic coal furnace. Anyone would hack like a dying bulldog if they tried to vape on those lungs.
Go read the article. Then read it again, slower this time, so it sinks in while you wheeze.

2. RDA vs RTA
Now, let’s put this myth to bed.
An RDA isn’t “just for testing.” That’s your opinion — which is adorable — but it’s also wrong.
I chain vape on my RDA like a caffeinated toddler with a juice box. Bottle in one hand, mod in the other, and I’m good all day. Five-hit dripping sessions? Google must be on the same cigars you are.
My RTA only comes out when I’m doing long drives or traveling. For years I used RTAs exclusively… right up until I picked up the Recoil R3. Since then? Forget it. I haven’t switched back. Once you taste real flavour, you don’t go back to sipping through a straw.

3. Your Steeping Experiments
Your coughing is NOT fixed by steeping. Steeping changes flavour, not your lung integrity.
Your January bottle didn’t magically improve your respiratory function in April. Your lungs simply hadn’t been brutalised by 10-a-day Swisher napalm sticks yet.

4. “If I can’t vape by February…”
You won’t fix a respiratory issue by torturing yourself with every liquid known to humankind.
You fix it by giving your chest time to heal, switching to a smoother setup, and — this is the hard part — not chain-smoking cigars like you’re trying to win a prize.

I’d love for you to vape happily. I’d love for you to enjoy the flavours you’ve made. But let’s not pretend the problem is the hardware. Or the juice. Or me.
It’s you.
And those damn cigars.

5. Final Note
You say you got my dander up. Old Goats don’t get dandruff — we shed wisdom. You’re welcome.

Now stop hacking, stop Googling, stop blaming RDAs, and go read the damn article like the respectful lover you claim to be.

https://thevapeworkshop.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=234

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

There's a judge on Boston Legal. (Starring William Shatner) Can't remember his name, but he often says, "Shocking! Outrageous!" Well, here's something doesn't surprise me a bit, but does enrage me.

I already read that damn thing! All 94 chapters!

I think that's where I came up with the idea that the issue is 36,000 cigars... However, and this is where I'm stuck. TOTALLY confused. I just now took a few DTL's from that pod that was smooth and it STILL IS smooth!!!???

How many hits do you get off a fresh drip? And how long does it take to polish off that drip?

Next, how can an RDA taste different from an RTA? Aren't they the same coil/wick setup?

That batch I got from Dman is Nic free.

Hydration? And these are only my morning meds. 12 pills in the am. and 14 in the evening. Many of them dehydrate, so the Doc's say, stay hydrated. I drink 2 cups of coffee after I get up, and around 3 - 16 oz glasses of milk. Then of course in the evening I switch to my favorite cocktail, Which is ice, root beer and rum. Rum obviously dehydrates, but I think the root beer and ice do a lot to compensate. I drink around 3 glasses of water after going to bed, so I think I'm at least somewhat hydrated...

And those pills? All at once, and one swallow of milk.

Unlike most of us older studs I don't getup more than once a night to piss.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/when-replenishing-fluids-does-milk-beat-water-202211142849

While as the article says, the test groups were very small, but milk doesn't dehydrate, that's for sure.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

cough up a lung and try to blame the RDA for it.

I'm not "blaming" the RDA for my hacking, I'm just saying I think it'd be a pain in the ass, to add juice all the time. Hence my query of how long does a drip last? How often do you refill?

 

[Old Goat]

Pauly, you glorious medical experiment,

Let me break this down before you swallow another fistful of pills with one heroic gulp of milk.

1. “How long does a drip last?”

Asking that is like asking, “How long is a rope?”

It depends on:

the coils

the cotton

your wattage

how much juice you dumped in

and how aggressively you inhale like you're siphoning petrol

On my Recoil R3 at 60W, I get around 5–10 pulls per drip.
Sometimes less if I’m chain-vaping like a madman, sometimes more if I’m behaving myself.
That’s normal. That’s expected. That’s RDA life.

2. “Why does an RDA taste different from an RTA?”

Sit down, pour yourself another root-beer-rum, and try to keep up:

Airflow. Airflow. Airflow.

Same coils? Same wick? Doesn’t matter.
You change airflow shape, chamber size, distance from coil to cap — boom — whole new flavour profile.

Two RDAs that look identical can taste totally different depending on:

cap height

deck geometry

airflow angle

pressure

turbulence

chamber volume

RTAs add even more variables:

chimney size

tank pressure

juice flow

vacuum dynamics

distance travelled before vapour hits your mouth

Are they similar?
Sure.
Are they the same?
Absolutely not.

This is why your pod can feel smooth while your RDA makes your lungs bark like a seal — different geometry, different flow, different delivery.

3. “But that pod is smooth! Still smooth!”

Yes, and this is exactly what I’ve been telling you.

Pods have:

tiny coils

low vapour output

tight airflow

less heat

lower pressure

less chest impact

Your RDA by comparison is a fire hose shooting vapour straight into your bronchi.
Pods are sips.
RDAs are gulps.
Your lungs are currently built for sips.

4. Hydration

Pauly, my sweet summer child…

Coffee + milk + rum ≠ hydration.

Water is hydration.
Everything else is vibes.

If you’re swallowing 26 pills a day — many of which you know cause dehydration — then washing them down with milk, coffee, and cocktails is basically running your lungs on sandpaper mode.

Also, “I only pee once a night” is not the flex you think it is. That usually means you’re dehydrated, not hydrated.

5. Final Answer to Your Actual Question

How often do I refill?
Every 5–10 puffs.
Does it annoy me?
Not at all — because the flavour is worth it.

But if it annoys you, then congratulations:
You’re an RTA guy.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Just don’t justify it by pretending RDAs are “only for testing.”
That’s like saying pizza is “only for smelling.”

6. Last Thing

You read my whole article and still came back confused?
Shocking.
Outrageous.
But also… exactly what I expected.

Now go make that root-beer-rum cocktail and hydrate with at least one (1) glass of actual water so your poor lungs don’t feel like they’re inhaling steam off the Sahara.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

Let me break this down before you swallow another fistful of pills with one heroic gulp of milk.

My idol was asked by Christopher Moltisanti after he washed his hands because germs migrate up onto your shoelaces... "You see this on TV?

To which Pauly replied, "I gotta watch tv to figure out the world?"

To which I say, "no, I just ask the Old Goat."

How freaking long have you been vaping?

My wife ducks when I say, "I have idea!"

1st off, I realized that the biggest issue I have with the RDA is re-wicking all the time. I don't even GET to add drops. I take a hit or two, pull the cotton out and replace it to try another bottle.

My idea: What if I open a recipe and adjust the VG/PG to 50/50 for a pod. I use that for 2 or 3 months to let my lungs heal, then try the RDA again.

 

[Old Goat]

Pauly, you’re preaching to the choir here.
I do the exact same thing when I’m testing new mixes — wick, taste, rip it out, repeat — like some kind of flavour-obsessed raccoon. So I can’t fault you for that part.

But here’s a little Old Goat pro tip:

Burn your cotton in before you judge ANY juice.

The first few pulls on a fresh wick always taste like warm gym socks.
So my routine is:

Wick fresh

Drip a little

Fire it and take a couple of rips to burn that new-cotton flavour off

Drip again

Rip again

Repeat until the cotton taste is gone

Only then do I start paying attention to what the juice actually tastes like.
Otherwise you’re judging the recipe based on cotton, not flavour.

Now, about your pod plan…

It’s a good idea — with one big warning:

A great DTL juice does not automatically become a great pod juice.
In fact, most of the time it won’t.

Pods change everything:

Lower wattage

Tiny coil

Cooling airflow

Mouth-to-lung pressure

Different flavour delivery

Completely different sweetener behaviour

A recipe that slaps in an RDA can taste muted, flat, weird, sour, or even harsh in a pod.

Most juices need a full rework to be pod-friendly.
Different percentages.
Different sweeteners.
Different body notes.
More top notes, less heavy creams.
More brightness, less density.

And if you can make a recipe that works in BOTH an RDA and a pod?
Then you’re a better mixer than me — and that’s saying something.

So here’s your real path forward:

Use the pod for now to baby your lungs.

But don’t expect your RDA mixes to magically taste perfect in it.

Treat pod testing as a separate flavour world.

Let your chest settle for a few months.

Then revisit the RDA once you’re not hacking like an abused church organ.

Your idea was solid.
I just tuned it to Old Goat specs.

Now go sip that root-beer-rum and show your wife that this one wasn’t a disaster.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

Fire it and take a couple of rips to burn that new-cotton flavour off

Whataya mean "take a couple rips"? Sounds like you're saying to inhale a few hits. Why not just fire it, a few times?

More top notes, less heavy creams.

How about this in a pod? Or is cheesecake a heavy cream, being as its “Cream Cheese?” This is a modification of a recipe posted by Dman, recently. Pretty just increased the PG so it's 50/50 for a pod.

Amount To Make 30 ml
Desired VG 50 %
PG content of nicotine 0 %
Desired Strength 0 mg/ml
Nicotine strength 100 mg/ml
Zero Nicotine

Caramel (Original) - The Flavor Apprentice IN STASH 2.20 %
French Vanilla - Capella IN STASH 2.20 %
Graham Cracker - Flavor West IN STASH 1.60 %
New York Cheesecake - Capella IN STASH 3.00 %
Sweet Cream - Capella IN STASH 2.50 %
Total Flavour 11.50%

You know my tastes. Whip something up for me for a pod.

 

[Old Goat]

Whataya mean "take a couple rips"? Sounds like you're saying to inhale a few hits. Why not just fire it, a few times?

Yes, I want to taste the vape. That is the only way to know when the cotton flavour is gone.

That recipe looks good. All I am saying is that with pods, flavour sometimes gets lost. You just need to adjust the recipe accordingly. Add more Ckeesecake if you need more. You just need to get the balance right.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

All I am saying is that with pods, flavour sometimes gets lost

I understand the flavor won't be there in a pod, but the sooner I can get off the stinkers, ya know? As long as my lungs stay attached, I can live on wimpy flavors until my lungs heal.

 

[Old Goat]

That's good to hear. A simple rule of thumb is to increase the amount of each flavor by around 1.5% to 2%. But that is not exactly how it works. If you want great juices to vape, you will have to adjust each flavor on its own until you find the sweet spot. But start wit upping it by 1.5% and work from there.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

I'ma work on that tomorrow after I get up. Or should I say afternoon?

Today I'm learning to roast coffee beans in my new roaster. Just shipped the 1st one back to Amazon. Top heavy.

This one is a tank. No glass like the old one. This one weighs 45 pounds. (20.4 Kg)

Probably already said... On the trip to Dip's wedding, the wife introduced me to a caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. Use to hate their coffee but... You know, caramel, dude!

SHE gets to have one every day when she meets some friends at one of 3 Starbucks in this big town of 20,000 people. Most of which are kids. I don't get out any more than I have to.

Asked her if I could get an espresso machine. "As long as it's a good one", said she. Cuz, you know if I want 1 more flavor for some e juice I have to beg.

So, I spent $250.00 (4,260 zar) on a machine with great reviews. You can get them as low as 1/3 that cost. Auto setting my ass. If you like burned coffee. This time she said not to pay less than $500.00. I said, FINE! $650.00 (11,080.91) later, we love this machine. 'cept the flavor isn't the same. Kinda week.

Asked google and she said you need fresh beans not that stale CRAP you get at the grocer. Read ALL about the subject. Air tight container with a one way air hole to off gas carbon dioxide and shit. The number of days to off gas depends on the roast. Light, medium or dark. And a lot more!

After 4 weeks they'll start to get stale.

 

[Old Goat]

Pauly, my man… you’ve gone full coffee scientist on us. At this point you’re about three roasts away from wearing a lab coat and referring to your kitchen as The Bean Lab.

That 45-pound roaster sounds like something you’d use to cremate a small goat, not toast breakfast beans. Respect.

And since you’re already halfway to becoming a Starbucks warlord, here’s a sneaky trick from the Old Goat archives:
some of your flavour concentrates work brilliantly in coffee.
No joke.

Vanillas, caramels, butterscotch, creams, even a drop of peanut butter if you’re feeling unhinged — all of them can give your cup that extra “pop” you’re chasing.
Just one drop, though. Two drops and you’re drinking dessert, not coffee.

Fresh beans + your fancy machine + a touch of flavour magic?
You’ll be making caramel macchiatos that’ll make Starbucks file a complaint.

Carry on, Professor Beanstein.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

The verdict is in. The irrefutable fact!

It is ABSOLUTELY my trashed lungs causing my hacking.

How do I know? My house keeper took a hit off my mod. Did she loose a lung? NOOO! She said, WOW, that tastes great!

So, why does my Pod not kill me? Lower wattage, not sub-ohm?

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

cremate a small goat

I have a mondo meet slicer. Might take a few roasts, but I'm betting all that fat your carrying around would make even and OLD goat palatable.

I'd have to shave that beard off first. Can't be having my garage smelling like burnt hair, now can we?