Desire Cut Squonk reborn (warning: lots of pics)

Anvil

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A few months back I got the Desire Designs Cut squonker (the Project Sub-Ohm edition) from VaporDNA. It's a great light-weight all-day device that works like a boss.

A month or so back though a very excitable youngster knocked it flying off the table at a restaurant. The device itself was 100% okay, but the powder-coated finish had taken a few knocks. Needless to say I was not pleased. Especially since this is a limited mod that you can't really replace. It's not an expensive mod by any means, but still.

All in all the chips weren't that bad, but I knew they were there, and that was enough to start the great Cut project...

For reference, this was the Cut on the day it arrived in SA
20180514_081657.jpg

The initial plan was to strip it and have the powder-coating redone. The start was to strip it apart (thankfully really easy, just 4 screws and some glue held the whole thing together) and strip the paint (not easy, this particular powder-coating was a dog to remove).
20181022_123342.jpg
20181024_102710.jpg

20181024_131157.jpg

Once I finished stripping, the next phase began. I was originally only going to prep the surface for re-coating. After giving the parts a good sanding and rub-down with steel wool, my dad happened to walk by and suggested polishing it just to see what it would look like. Prepped but not polished on the left, polished on the right.
20181025_154238.jpg

At this point the plan changed. I now "needed" to polish the whole thing.
20181025_155632.jpg

Once I had made the decision to mod the mod, I decided to go even further and enlisted the help of the Mrs and her skills.
20181028_205108.jpg

The PSO text had a sort of hammered finish in it which looks nice with the metallic blue paint (the tin in the pic was just a stand, but I did use Humbrol blue metallic). I also sent off the back panel for some laser etching, and asked if they could mimic this hammered finish. After a few more coats of metallic blue in the text and the back panel being completed I finally started the re-assembly last night.

I am not the world's best DIY guy, but I reckon it turned out alright. Personally I love it. The name needs some work though...

I present the Desire Designs Cut Squonk Project Sub-Ohm (PSO 625): Anvil Edition, with Odis O-Atty-X #135.

20181031_172601.jpg

20181031_172609.jpg

20181031_172620.jpg

20181031_172628.jpg

It is a fingerprint magnet of note, and being raw metal it will tarnish and require regular polishing like any copper or brass tube, but in the end I think it's worth it.
 
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A few months back I got the Desire Designs Cut squonker (the Project Sub-Ohm edition) from VaporDNA. It's a great light-weight all-day device that works like a boss.

A month or so back though a very excitable youngster knocked it flying off the table at a restaurant. The device itself was 100% okay, but the powder-coated finish had taken a few knocks. Needless to say I was not pleased. Especially since this is a limited mod that you can't really replace. It's not an expensive mod by any means, but still.

All in all the chips weren't that bad, but I knew they were there, and that was enough to start the great Cut project...

For reference, this was the Cut on the day it arrived in SA
View attachment 150197

The initial plan was to strip it and have the powder-coating redone. The start was to strip it apart (thankfully really easy, just 4 screws and some glue held the whole thing together) and strip the paint (not easy, this particular powder-coating was a dog to remove).
View attachment 150185
View attachment 150186

View attachment 150187

Once I finished stripping, the next phase began. I was originally only going to prep the surface for re-coating. After giving the parts a good sanding and rub-down with steel wool, my dad happened to walk by and suggested polishing it just to see what it would look like. Prepped but not polished on the left, polished on the right.
View attachment 150188

At this point the plan changed. I now "needed" to polish the whole thing.
View attachment 150189

Once I had made the decision to mod the mod, I decided to go even further and enlisted the help of the Mrs and her skills.
View attachment 150190

The PSO text had a sort of hammered finish in it which looks nice with the metallic blue paint (the tin in the pic was just a stand, but I did use Humbrol blue metallic). I also sent off the back panel for some laser etching, and asked if they could mimic this hammered finish. After a few more coats of metallic blue in the text and the back panel being completed I finally started the re-assembly last night.

I am not the world's best DIY guy, but I reckon it turned out alright. Personally I love it. The name needs some work though...

I present the Desire Designs Cut Squonk Project Sub-Ohm (PSO 625): Anvil Edition, with Odis O-Atty-X #135.

View attachment 150192

View attachment 150193

View attachment 150194

View attachment 150195

It is a fingerprint magnet of note, and being raw metal it will tarnish and require regular polishing like any copper or brass tube, but in the end I think it's worth it.
Looks absolutely amazing! Only thing I would have changed is making the anvil and accompanying text slightly darker, but that is just personal preference. Well done @Anvil !
 
Looks absolutely amazing! Only thing I would have changed is making the anvil and accompanying text slightly darker, but that is just personal preference. Well done @Anvil !
I did consider doing the anvil and text in the same blue as the PSO text, but I felt it would be a bit much. I would also have liked it to come out a bit darker but laser etching a "cheap" metal that isn't steel is a bit of a gamble, and the guys that did it for me said they didn't want to etch deeper/darker for fear of screwing it up, which I can appreciate.

It does look darker and much more defined in real life though, my kitchen lights are a bit harsh on it.
 
very nicely done !

it looks awesome, glad you didn't go with the respray

enjoy !
 
I did consider doing the anvil and text in the same blue as the PSO text, but I felt it would be a bit much. I would also have liked it to come out a bit darker but laser etching a "cheap" metal that isn't steel is a bit of a gamble, and the guys that did it for me said they didn't want to etch deeper/darker for fear of screwing it up, which I can appreciate.

It does look darker and much more defined in real life though, my kitchen lights are a bit harsh on it.
Yeah, I think you made the right move not making it blue as well. Darker or not, It looks much better than the original state it came in. ;)
 
Would a clear coat not help with the fingerprints?
I'm sure it would, but part of the appeal for me is the raw aspect of this. I tried a small patch of no-name brand clear on the bottom of the mod and it looked okay, but the shine was different, slightly off, if that makes any sense.

In hindsight though I should have probably gotten a tin of Cerakote which I know would have worked better. But now I know how to disassemble and re-assemble so that will be another step in the project for a later date.
 
I'm sure it would, but part of the appeal for me is the raw aspect of this. I tried a small patch of no-name brand clear on the bottom of the mod and it looked okay, but the shine was different, slightly off, if that makes any sense.

In hindsight though I should have probably gotten a tin of Cerakote which I know would have worked better. But now I know how to disassemble and re-assemble so that will be another step in the project for a later date.
Makes perfect sense. The raw look is very nice ( I'm just too lazy to maintain it. :p:D )
 
well done , awesome work @Anvil.
There is a polish i think its in the Maguire range that eliminates the fingerprint issue.
the etching should get a bit darker with age though.
 
Wow @Anvil !
Great work ! It looks super!
 
Awesome customisation!!! Looks so good that I bet the flavour is better also.
 
A few months back I got the Desire Designs Cut squonker (the Project Sub-Ohm edition) from VaporDNA. It's a great light-weight all-day device that works like a boss.

A month or so back though a very excitable youngster knocked it flying off the table at a restaurant. The device itself was 100% okay, but the powder-coated finish had taken a few knocks. Needless to say I was not pleased. Especially since this is a limited mod that you can't really replace. It's not an expensive mod by any means, but still.

All in all the chips weren't that bad, but I knew they were there, and that was enough to start the great Cut project...

For reference, this was the Cut on the day it arrived in SA
View attachment 150197

The initial plan was to strip it and have the powder-coating redone. The start was to strip it apart (thankfully really easy, just 4 screws and some glue held the whole thing together) and strip the paint (not easy, this particular powder-coating was a dog to remove).
View attachment 150185
View attachment 150186

View attachment 150187

Once I finished stripping, the next phase began. I was originally only going to prep the surface for re-coating. After giving the parts a good sanding and rub-down with steel wool, my dad happened to walk by and suggested polishing it just to see what it would look like. Prepped but not polished on the left, polished on the right.
View attachment 150188

At this point the plan changed. I now "needed" to polish the whole thing.
View attachment 150189

Once I had made the decision to mod the mod, I decided to go even further and enlisted the help of the Mrs and her skills.
View attachment 150190

The PSO text had a sort of hammered finish in it which looks nice with the metallic blue paint (the tin in the pic was just a stand, but I did use Humbrol blue metallic). I also sent off the back panel for some laser etching, and asked if they could mimic this hammered finish. After a few more coats of metallic blue in the text and the back panel being completed I finally started the re-assembly last night.

I am not the world's best DIY guy, but I reckon it turned out alright. Personally I love it. The name needs some work though...

I present the Desire Designs Cut Squonk Project Sub-Ohm (PSO 625): Anvil Edition, with Odis O-Atty-X #135.

View attachment 150192

View attachment 150193

View attachment 150194

View attachment 150195

It is a fingerprint magnet of note, and being raw metal it will tarnish and require regular polishing like any copper or brass tube, but in the end I think it's worth it.
Ooh! Shiny! Great job!
 
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