SXK Billet Box Clone Review

[Rob Fisher]

I couldn’t handle not knowing how good or bad the clone of my much-loved Billet Box was so despite my better judgement I ordered one from China along with a clone Exocet and Insider. Obviously, I wanted to hate on the clone in a big way but I kept my opinions open because there are a lot of happy clone owners out there. Let’s ignore the ethics issue because that will only denigrate into war again and that’s not the purpose of the review. I will ignore any trolls or comments that will generate bad blood (and just delete the posts) because that is not the intention at all. People want to really know so this is an honest review.



I chose the 70 watt version and started with the Exocet clone. On the surface, the clone looks pretty damn good and on the exterior it’s very difficult if not impossible to tell the clone from the original. Doors fit well. Only once I tried one of my fancy panel sets did I realise the cone is not quite a 1:1 clone because on the boro panel side the fancy panels have a small side to side movement. On the fire button side, they fitted perfectly. Internally the finish is not 100% perfect like the original but that is not an issue at all and it’s just machine marks.

The boro tank seems fine and the only way to see the difference is the lighter colour of the seal.

I love my integrated drip tips because it makes life so easy so I grabbed one to install. Houston, we have a problem… the threads on the 510 are different to the original. So, if you have a clone beware you cannot get the integrated drip tips or any add ons that screw into the 510 hole. Not a major issue I will live with one of my standard drip tips… they fit nice and tight into the clone 510 hole.

Built the clone Exocet and the parts fit a lot looser together than the original (and I actually liked that because the original can be a bit tight at times). There wasn’t any difference in doing the build and wicking. The only difference I could see was the screws on the clone are Philips head and the original are standard screws. Also, the colour of the peak on the bottom pin are different.

Coiled and wicked no issues and filled the boro tank and popped it into the clone. With trepidation, I set the power to 28 watts (and the screen was plenty bright enough and the chip seems just fine) and popped the panels on and proceeded to vape…

Wow I see the appeal because it was very difficult to tell the difference between the original and the clone. And for the first boro tank full it was brilliant… then I refilled it a second time and for a while it was just great… then all of a sudden, I started getting dry hits? And I have never had a dry hit on my originals ever… opened up to see if I could see any issues and couldn’t find fault… it was late so I put it down grabbed an original and went to bed… woke up this morning and picked up the clone and it seemed A-OK and I thought it was just a funny once off issue and for 10 minutes it was 100% fine and then bang… again dry hits… I know some of the chaps on the forum have reported the same issue and I have seen any solutions or reasons.

This afternoon I thought I would try again and this time with the Insider clone… short story… fine to OK for a few minutes and then dry hits… OK test over… the clone atties seem to be problematical and I just don’t have the time or inclination to persevere with them.

The SXK Billet Box is pretty well made and if you can’t afford an original or just not prepared to pay the price of an original it’s a pretty good option… I hope someone can find out why the clone atties are giving the dry hit issue and whether it’s related to the BB, the chip or the build of the atty or the way it’s wicked I just don’t know. But if you can find an original Exocet then you are sorted!

 

[Deckie]

Fair review Rob. I have 3 sxk Billet Boxes & I use the exocet and gave never had dry hits. More than likely wicking is too much.

 

[Petrus]

Excellent review @Rob Fisher, I also bought a clone before pulling the trigger on a original, because of price and yes, difficult to lay your hands on. You are spot on, the cloned atty's is rubbish. This is my opinion and I had problems with cloned atty's in the past as well. The only atty that is working for me is the insider, and that after I tighten the positive connection screw at the bottom, that said, I did it with four. It would definitely be interested to test the clone with a Authentic atty? Build quality is spot on with some minor flaws as you pointed out, but I presume that is the difference between R1400 and R8000. Am I glad I bought one? Yes, that is why I bought three. I would suggest for a newbie to buy the DNA version. For me the vape is.....better and definitely better battery life.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Fair review Rob. I have 3 sxk Billet Boxes & I use the exocet and gave never had dry hits. More than likely wicking is too much.

Thanks @Deckie! Nope it's not the wicking... I'm a real expert in wicking the exocet... there is something else a foot... but if you are referring to the Insider you may well be spot on. Never liked the original either.

 

[aktorsyl]

Thanks @Deckie! Nope it's not the wicking... I'm a real expert in wicking the exocet... there is something else a foot... but if you are referring to the Insider you may well be spot on. Never liked the original either.

I have the same issue on the SXK Exocet, Rob. Very strange and I'm still on a mission to find out why it's happening. I identified one cause (the bottom pin on the Exocet can loosen in order to move the positive post - as you know - but on the clone it has a tendency to jump loose if you move the coil while wicking. Fastening it again solves the jumping ohms and the subsequent dry hits.

However, that is only the one cause and not the reason for the random dry hits I'm getting at the moment. It'd vape completely fine for a bit and then boom, suddenly. Doing dry puffs produces lots of bubbles and pulls the juice into the wick again (and if you do one dry puff before an actual puff you'll never get a dry hit, but who wants to do that, right?)

So that leaves 2 culprits: wicking (doubtful) and vacuum/airlock (more likely). What makes airlock even more likely for me, is the fact that when you remove the Boro-side panel and put it back, the dry hits mysteriously disappear for a bit. In other words, after you introduced more air to the whole affair. I'll be damned if I'm going to be stumped, though. If it doesn't work, then so be it - but then I want to know exactly why it's not working So I got some more Boro's to have side-by-side tests, and will play around with it. Either way we're going to find an answer here.

PS: Have you tried (or are you willing to try, in the name of science) your authentic Exocet in the SXK Boro (which is in the SXK BB)? And then the auth Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. Annnnd then the SXK Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. In for a penny, in for a pound Just kidding, obviously - I don't expect you to swap parts out like a bored pathologist.

Only problem with the airlock theory is that, on paper, it makes no good sense either. It can't be the Boro, it seals properly and airflow isn't a factor as it's fed into the Exocet directly. The Exocet chimney not properly sealing also doesn't make sense - it would cause leaking, but not dry hits.

I'd ask one of the engineers at work to look at it, but I'd have tools thrown at me if I bother them with this

But I think we can all agree, there's nothing as bad as blissfully vaping on a pineapple-lychee menthol and then suddenly getting a tongbekakking of a dry hit.

 

[Petrus]

I have the same issue on the SXK Exocet, Rob. Very strange and I'm still on a mission to find out why it's happening. I identified one cause (the bottom pin on the Exocet can loosen in order to move the positive post - as you know - but on the clone it has a tendency to jump loose if you move the coil while wicking. Fastening it again solves the jumping ohms and the subsequent dry hits.

However, that is only the one cause and not the reason for the random dry hits I'm getting at the moment. It'd vape completely fine for a bit and then boom, suddenly. Doing dry puffs produces lots of bubbles and pulls the juice into the wick again (and if you do one dry puff before an actual puff you'll never get a dry hit, but who wants to do that, right?)

So that leaves 2 culprits: wicking (doubtful) and vacuum/airlock (more likely). What makes airlock even more likely for me, is the fact that when you remove the Boro-side panel and put it back, the dry hits mysteriously disappear for a bit. In other words, after you introduced more air to the whole affair. I'll be damned if I'm going to be stumped, though. If it doesn't work, then so be it - but then I want to know exactly why it's not working So I got some more Boro's to have side-by-side tests, and will play around with it. Either way we're going to find an answer here.

PS: Have you tried (or are you willing to try, in the name of science) your authentic Exocet in the SXK Boro (which is in the SXK BB)? And then the auth Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. Annnnd then the SXK Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. In for a penny, in for a pound Just kidding, obviously - I don't expect you to swap parts out like a bored pathologist.

Only problem with the airlock theory is that, on paper, it makes no good sense either. It can't be the Boro, it seals properly and airflow isn't a factor as it's fed into the Exocet directly. The Exocet chimney not properly sealing also doesn't make sense - it would cause leaking, but not dry hits.

I'd ask one of the engineers at work to look at it, but I'd have tools thrown at me if I bother them with this

But I think we can all agree, there's nothing as bad as blissfully vaping on a pineapple-lychee menthol and then suddenly getting a tongbekakking of a dry hit.

@aktorsyl, I still believe it is a bad batch of Exo's. The test part with the authentic.... that makes perfect sence, I hope oom Rob can help.

 

[Rob Fisher]

PS: Have you tried (or are you willing to try, in the name of science) your authentic Exocet in the SXK Boro (which is in the SXK BB)? And then the auth Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. Annnnd then the SXK Exocet inside the auth Boro inside the SXK BB. In for a penny, in for a pound Just kidding, obviously - I don't expect you to swap parts out like a bored pathologist.

I will unpack it and give that a try in the name of Science!

 

[Darth Vaper]

I'd also be very interested in the swap-test results!
I recently bought a SXK Billet Box with a SXK Insider and, despite some early build issues causing muted flavour, I'm actually really enjoying the Insider now... good flavour and not a single dry hit. And I can run the tank right down to empty.
I have been very intrigued to get an Exocet though, as it seems to have the edge in the flavour department, but would love to know more about what the cause of these problems are first.

 

[Darth Vaper]

Oh, and I think this is an awesome thread @Rob Fisher - the insight on the performance of the clones coming from someone with so much experience with the originals (and someone who also only uses XXX) is hugely valuable for us mere mortals

 

[Scouse45]

I gotta giv props here where it's due @Rob Fisher we know ur stance on clones and u hav many originals yet u were up to try the sxk. That's really proper to giv the guys a review and a take on differences between the two. I am sure the atties don't stand up to the originals. I for one and many more of my colleagues very much appreciate this!! Big ups

 

[Christos]

Very interesting @Rob Fisher . Pity about the issues. That would drive me insane.

A bit of perspective here... the dna clone is roughly 140USD delivered.
An authentic is 270USD not delivered and with no atty.

The clone is roughly half the price

 

[Greyz]

@Rob Fisher Dibs before you chuck it in the Gorge

 

[skola]

I've got a pair of Exocets and Boros that have the same build and thankfully I have not had a single dry hit.. Very happy with the SXK BB and Exo's.

 

[Silver]

Great insightful review @Rob Fisher
Thanks for the efforts
Didnt think I would see the day you would buy a BB clone and compare it to what you know well.
Respect!

 

[Amir]

@aktorsyl, I still believe it is a bad batch of Exo's. The test part with the authentic.... that makes perfect sence, I hope oom Rob can help.

I have an Exo from 3 different batches... The first ever exo batch was a gift from a forum member, and I passed on to another forum member, which worked flawlessly for both of us. The 2nd batch happened to be with @Sir Vape where I had issues with the o-rings and fluctuating resistances. Got another one from the Sirs and now its working perfectly fine

 

[Petrus]

I have an Exo from 3 different batches... The first ever exo batch was a gift from a forum member, and I passed on to another forum member, which worked flawlessly for both of us. The 2nd batch happened to be with @Sir Vape where I had issues with the o-rings and fluctuating resistances. Got another one from the Sirs and now its working perfectly fine

@Amir, I also had an issue with o rings with one of the Exocet atty's, and the spares kept on braking, even if I soaked it in PG

 

[Roodt]

Has anybody used the skx with a prebuilt coil option? I hear they can use nautilus coils (i love em). If so, how was the vape and ease of use? Dry hits? Battery life?

 

[Amir]

Has anybody used the skx with a prebuilt coil option? I hear they can use nautilus coils (i love em). If so, how was the vape and ease of use? Dry hits? Battery life?

Too much air for MTL on nautilus 1.8ohm coils so flavor is muted, throat hit is dull and uninteresting. SSOCC Kanger something something clapton with black ring is nice but needs high wattage so poor for battery life. The non-clapton red ring one is weak in flavor

 

[aktorsyl]

Too much air for MTL on nautilus 1.8ohm coils so flavor is muted, throat hit is dull and uninteresting. SSOCC Kanger something something clapton with black ring is nice but needs high wattage so poor for battery life. The non-clapton red ring one is weak in flavor

Tried it on the Nautilus 0.7 bvc too. It's quite horrible

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Rob Fisher]

OK unpacked the SXK BB Clone and took an authentic Boro and Exo and did the build, wicked and filled with XXX. I really don't know if it's my imagination or not but it already feels and tastes better... let see how we go during the day and see if the same issue raises it's head. I had to change the drip tip as well... hate that plastic kak one.

 

[Rob Fisher]

I am willing to bet that the issue is with the clone exocet. Time will tell. The Clone BB seems OK and the vape from the 70 watt chip is just fine!

 

[aktorsyl]

I am willing to bet that the issue is with the clone exocet. Time will tell. The Clone BB seems OK and the vape from the 70 watt chip is just fine!
View attachment 100347

Yup, that is quite possible. What I don't understand is why people are reporting the Insiders are doing it too, though. Hence my suspicion that it could also be the clone Boro.

You have the auth Boro in there at the moment, so let's see what happens.

PS: Thanks again for testing!

 

[Rob Fisher]

One boro tank emptied with no issues... refilled and here we go again!

 

[aktorsyl]

One boro tank emptied with no issues... refilled and here we go again!

Definitely hope we can get to the bottom of this.. I got into the habit of doing 1 dry puff per normal puff by now to force the wicking, lol

 

[Roodt]

Too much air for MTL on nautilus 1.8ohm coils so flavor is muted, throat hit is dull and uninteresting. SSOCC Kanger something something clapton with black ring is nice but needs high wattage so poor for battery life. The non-clapton red ring one is weak in flavor

Thank you. Appreciate the feedback.