The Terminator. 12/14/2012. MSRP $59. Similar to the GG Ithaca, the Terminator was a not really a clone although some would consider it so as it functioned similarly to it as far as having to set up a NR to R wire to silica rope wrapped into a ceramic cup. It was much less expensive and probably made in Asia. It was only offered by one shop; Stormi’s Vapor Cellar I believe she had it commissioned and it also had a full compliment of accessories you could purchase for it as well. It was actually easier to set up than the Ithaca was.
The Nimbus 2/11/2013. This little banger was hard to get at first. Made in the Philippines by Jeyps Vaper and Saint Quii Vaper. You had to get on a batch list in FB to get one. It was a simple 3 post deck, If I remember correctly, the center post would spin after a while making it difficult to clamp/position wire mainly because there was no place to off set the pin with a screwdriver. A fatal design mistake. I paid $50 + shipping to the USA. They were all the rage for a while and later got cloned with a channel on the bottom of the pin for a screwdriver. I added a ppt file converted to pdf on how to build it with flat wire which was becoming a thing and silica rope.
The Altsmoke SB or Silver Bullet 9/18/2009. The second mod I ever purchased for $99 which was and is still considered a bargain. The first mod I purchased was a $99 510 Kit by Joyetech which was a “cigalike” stick that used a 510 atty. Thick solid aircraft aluminum, this was a trusty mod that almost never failed. After time the switch would wear out and Chad would replace it after you sent it in. After mid production time and the invention of the evolv Kick in 2012, which regulated tube mod voltage, Altsmoke offered an extension so you could use the Kick with it which of course I purchased for it. The second pic here details the rare dual atty top cap to be used with two 510 atty’s or cartos. Originally this was intended for a 510/501 atty and later cartomizers and carto tanks. Identified by the raised 510 rim above the surface for air flow. With RDA’s on the rise, you certainly could use them but you would still have a non flat connection to the top cap which would leave a space between the top cap and the base of the RDA deck which bothered a lot of people. Later, a second version of the SB was produced and ultimately failed because of the re design of the switch. One hack which was NOT recommended by altsmoke was you could fit two RCR123A or 16340 batteries in the tube to achieve 6 Volts output.
The BB by Altsmoke 12/31/2009. The third mod I ever purchased after the purchase of the SB or Silver Bullet on 9.19.2009. Later in 2010, Rob at Altsmoke offered a passthrough kit / adapter which allowed it to be plugged into an 120V AC receptacle to operate off of AC power at around 6V without batteries, hence the name passthrough. Yes it still works. Mr. Chad Dzierwa was the original creator of the both the SB and BB in Ohio USA. The kit with batteries and 501 atomizers cost $189 MSRP. The passthrough adapter cost $55 MSRP.
Last July, CASAA reached out to our members and allies with an urgent plea for funding. We spent the summer and into the fall approaching potential donors, but fell short of our goal. In turn, CASAA continued cutting costs to the point that we were no longer able to support our small staff of two paid employees. Since August of 2024, CASAA is completely run by volunteers. We have secured funding to enable us to continue our legislative advocacy efforts until August of this year. But beyond that, we do not expect enough future support to continue in any meaningful way.
It is with mixed emotions that we are taking this opportunity to announce that 2025 will be CASAA’s last year of active engagements. While we will be ceasing our legislative advocacy at the end of August, our website, CASAA.org, remains a valuable educational resource documenting the history of vaping, explaining tobacco harm reduction, and celebrating the consumer-led revolution in adoption of safer nicotine products. CASAA will use some of our remaining funds to keep the website active, although we anticipate transforming it into a legacy site. This means that information contained on the site will be pared down so that the site will require little maintenance.
Although we have gratefully received feedback from fellow advocates and industry leaders praising our efforts and noting the significance of our role in the consumer-led tobacco harm reduction movement, those accolades are rarely accompanied by financial support. For the better part of a decade, CASAA has articulated this dissonance by saying that it is absolutely appropriate for businesses to devote most or all of their advocacy budget to state and national trade groups.
While industry support has made up a significant portion of our funding, it was never expected that shops and manufacturers would pay for everything. Being supported by our consumer membership has allowed us to remain independent in our policy positions and advocacy messages that support affordable and legal access to safer alternatives to smoking. But that independence is fragile, and we experienced the consequences from bucking the narrative of the largest tobacco companies when we opposed policies that ban sales of unauthorized products — products that still make up more than 90% of the safer nicotine market.
Since 2009, CASAA has been a tireless voice of and for consumers who switched away from combustion to safer, smoke-free nicotine products. We have done this work on a shoestring, which is a testament to the power of our stories. CASAA has represented our members in city halls, state legislatures, and federal regulatory bodies, as well as shared the consumer view at professional conferences and in the media. We have brought to our work the heart and soul that only comes from genuine grassroots advocacy. Consmers are being recognized as a vital part of the debate over the responsible regulation of less risky tobacco and nicotine products, which is a pillar of CASAA’s mission.
We are not making this announcement from a place of desperation or futility. This is not the end, but merely a step in the evolution of consumers’ awareness, acceptance, and access to safer nicotine products and a healthier future.
Thank you for standing up for tobacco harm reduction!
Sincerely,
Alex Clark, Executive Director, CASAA
The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives (CASAA) PO Box 2991, | Plattsburgh, New York 12901 Question? Email us at takeaction@casaa.org or call 202-241-9117
Even though this mod was introduced in 2023, it’s new to me. I must have missed its introduction back then. What caught my eye was one of the finishes available called Antique Brass and Paduak making this look like a antique collectors item. Padauk is an beautiful African hardwood. I would guess that its not really hardwood on the surrounds of the mod but the actual engraving on the faux wood with its name looks and feels authentic. For the price of $45 for the 21700 mod and the big sub-ohm tank + two coils, you just cant beat it. The fit and finish of the mod is good and it feels nice in the hand as well. The large screen is a plus as its easy to read and configure. The locking switch is a great addition to it as well. So far so good.
Batteries as a whole are a growing concern, but there’s a reason Fire Rover’s report has an image of an exploding electronic vape pen on its cover, with the superimposed message “We are at war 2024.” Fogelman sees a notable shift in publicly reported fire data—not from Fire Rover’s own detection, but from news and other reports and sources—from the 2016–2021 period to 2022–2024. Something is causing this shift, and Fogelman’s most likely culprit is e-cigarettes, vapes, and other battery-powered nicotine devices.
Vapes are perhaps the most effective single thing the e-waste and recycling industries could target. If everybody knew how to dispose of vapes properly, at sites that can safely handle them, there could be a reduction in risk.
But that safe, evenly distributed vape disposal network does not exist. As previously noted, you can make a rather powerful e-bike from the vapes left behind at a festival in the UK. In the US, the EPA directs people to bring their e-cigarettes to household hazardous waste (HHW) sites or pick-up events, which are “typically” free.
“Not only are their batteries being improperly discarded in waste and recycling bins, but the vape industry has done the bare minimum to invest in the technology needed to address the 1.2 billion vapes entering our waste and recycling streams annually,” the report states.
Statement from Chris Greer, our President & CEO Dear Vapor Voice Supporter,
I write to confirm from the organization that we made the extraordinarily difficult decision to end Vapor Voice’s journey with the December digital issues. As stewards of the magazine, we carry an obligation to our members, sponsors and advertisers to ensure the continuation of valuable, relevant, and financially sustainable programing across our operations that delivers our core promise to our supporters and members: to inform stakeholders and convene open and welcoming forums.
As the burdens of operating a professional and high-quality trade journalism program have exponentially grown our industry and stakeholder community have faced expense and revenue pressures that impacts our income. Simply put inflows and outflows are unsustainable and there are no quick prospects for redress.
The news and insights you got from Vapor Voice can still be found across our platforms: our news program lives on via the reimagined tobaccoreporter.com and more in-depth coverage can be found at our conferences and forums (ATNF & GTNF) or by joining TMA and gaining access to your information site tma.org. Further information is obtainable from our relationship manager, Michelle Parisi, at michelle@tma.org.
Winding down and revamping trade journalism operations has consequences for our dedicated staff who worked to bring Vapor Voice to life each day. And it is unfortunate that we must announce that with the magazine closure, we must say goodbye to many of our colleagues. We’d like to thank Team VV from editor Tim Donohue, VP of content Taco Tuinstra, sales wizard Will Rasmussen to our intrepid copy editor Kaylin Warpole and our amazing graphic artist Dan Kurtz. You may have already heard from some of them, and I’ll add my wholehearted recommendation of each of them to you.
A magazine like Vapor Voice is also a forum for an entire industry and stakeholder community. I know I’m not alone in expressing our sincere gratitude to our supporters, advertisers and our readers who made Vapor Voice possible for all these years.
With my Kindest Regards,
Christopher B. Greer | President & CEO of TMA and The GTNF Trust
Vaping Noir 
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