Jay Bo Designs Archives

Vaping Diaries #368: Jay-Bo Wismec Noisy Cricket

The Wismec Noisy Cricket — designed by the infamous Jay-Bo — is one of the most unique box mods of 2015. While many vaping companies are going with regulated box mods, the Noisy Cricket is a mechanical box that offers the unadulterated power of two 18650 batteries in series. For those of you unfamiliar with the difference between parallel and series configurations, the former gives you the combined battery life of both cells, while the latter gives you the combined power of both batteries. The Noisy Cricket is also a very small and pleasantly elegant device. So you’re getting immense power in a cute and tiny box mod, similar to the Men in Black weapon it was named after.

In the interview below, Jay-Bo talks about how he came up with the Noisy Cricket. For his first mechanical mod, he whipped up an elegant design that used a hybrid adapter. Before he could put the design into production, mods like the Bay City Vapor Surfrider and SMPL were released. Since he didn’t want to release anything too close to those mods, he tabled his mech mod efforts. Many months later, he came up with the idea for the Noisy Cricket while on an airplane and banged out the prototype in days.

While the series power is the most obvious feature of the Noisy Cricket, I’m a big fan of its aesthetics. It’s a clean and simple device, with no branding on the body. It uses a hybrid adapter for the atomizer and a SMPL-style firing button. The contacts are gold plated, to prevent corrosion. The battery slots are lined to help prevent accidents with batteries with torn wraps (which you should really be rewrapping, btw). Lastly, the button has a PEEK insulator for additional safety.

Vaping the Noisy Cricket is distinctly different from the majority of my vaping setups. Jay-Bo had me put my Indestructible Atomizer on it for testing. My atty had a 0.4-ohm dual-coil Clapton build on it. On the Noisy Cricket, there was no ramp-up time and I got huge hit of vapor straight away. In fact, it was more power than I’m accustomed to and I wasn’t able to take a drag for more than three seconds. In the video, Jay-Bo goes over his build recommendations for the Noisy Cricket. If you’re interested in the mod, plan on building much higher than you normally do.

To learn more about the Wismec Noisy Cricket, check out my chat with Jay-Bo below.

This mod and other Wismec products are available at Clearmist Vape.

The interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #366: Jay-Bo Wismec Reuleaux DNA 200 Interview

A few weeks ago, I caught up with Wismec senior designer Jay-Bo to talk about the Reuleaux DNA 200 mod. Quite simply, it’s the most unique DNA 200 mod that I’ve seen all year. While most DNA 200 box mods on the market use LiPo batteries, the Reuleaux DNA 200 uses three 18650 batteries. Most enthusiast vapers have an ample supply of 18650 batteries, making the Reuleaux’s use of “traditional” vaping batteries more convenient. The mod also has an unusual shape, which stands out next to a typical box mod and is surprisingly comfortable to hold. In the video interview below, Jay-Bo talks about the Reuleaux’s design and features.

In case you were wondering about the name, the mod is named after Franz Reuleaux, a German engineer best remembered for the Reuleaux triangle. In addition to the name reflecting the mod’s unique shape, it’s also an homage to the collaboration between Wismec, Jay-Bo, and Evolv (maker of the DNA 200 chip).

While the shape and battery usage are its most obviously unique features, the Reuleaux has some cool things happening under the hood as well. For reverse polarity protection (making sure vapers stay safe when inserting batteries incorrectly), the mod uses a mechanical solution rather than the more common electronic one. The Reuleaux’s battery slots feature circles on the positive side that hug the corresponding circle on an 18650 battery’s positive connection. If a user inserts a battery backwards, it will not make contact. Jay-Bo was particularly proud of the simple and elegant solution he came up with for reverse polarity protection.

When you add it all up, the Reuleaux DNA 200 offers the versatility and power of Evolv’s DNA 200 chip, a comfortable shape, and the long life of three 18650 batteries. Jay-Bo has made a lot of cool vaping products over the years and this mod could be his best yet. Check out my chat with Jay-Bo below to learn more about this wonderfully atypical DNA 200 mod.

This mod and other Wismec products are available at Clearmist Vape.

The interview was brought to you by Revol Vapors.

Vaping Diaries #333: Jay-Bo Talks Wismec at ECC 2015

Thousands of vapers know Jay Bo from his Tobh Mods and Jay Bo Designs products, like the Tobh Atomizer and Bambino Atty. Vapers that follow the business know that Jay Bo’s designs have been mercilessly copied by several Chinese e-cigarette companies. With that in mind, many people at ECC 2015 were surprised to learn that Jay Bo is now the senior designer for a Chinese vaping company. In the interview below, Jay Bo talks about his role as Wismec senior designer and what he hopes to accomplish with the company.

Fans of Jay Bo’s enthusiast vaper products shouldn’t have anything to worry about. He’s still designing products aimed at that segment of the vaping market. With Wismec, his designs will hit a larger portion of the market. Wismec will be using its considerable manufacturing resources to bring Jay Bo products to beginning, intermediate, and advanced vapers. On the flip side, Jay Bo will be helping out on products that won’t have his personal brand on them, but will certainly be influenced by his style. On paper, it seems like a win-win situation for both parties. Jay Bo gets tremendous resources and reach, while Wismec gets one of the most celebrated designers in the vaping business.

There are a few side notes to this piece. First is a confession — I desperately wanted to title this article “Jay Bo Goes to China (Wismec)” or “Big Jay Bo in Little China (Wismec).” Thanks to that handy disclaimer, I can fess up to things. Also, the interview may or may not have a crash appearance by Brett Reed from Praxis Vapors.

Anyway, this is a potentially huge development for both Jay Bo and Wismec. To learn all about the relationship and to get an update on Jay Bo’s ever-evolving facial hair, kindly check out the ECC 2015 interview below.

Vaping Diaries #302: Jay Bo Designs Indestructible Atty Interview (Vape Summit)

Last time the RPadTV crew chatted with Jay Bo Designs CEO Jay-Bo was ECC 2014 and the Indestructible Atty was getting set for production. At Vape Summit III, the Indestructible Atty arrived! Hardcore vapors will remember Jay-Bo’s Tobh Atomizer as being one of the hottest atomizers in 2014. After seeing the Indestructible Atty, learning about its features, and hearing its low price, I have no doubt that this product will do even better than its forerunner.

While the Indestructible Atty has a number of slick features, let’s start with its noteworthy suggested retail price — $50. With many top atomizers breaking the $100 mark, it’s nice to see Jay Bo Designs offer an affordable product that’s not made in China. Jay-Bo was quick to point out that none of the materials used in making the Indestructible Atty were made or sourced in China, all the way down to the o-rings and screws.

As far as aesthetics go, the Indestructible Atty uses a similar design language as the Tobh Atomizer, but with a fresher and more streamlined look. The large fins are gone, partially for durability reasons and (I’m guessing) partially because many vapers in 2015 prefer a streamlined look. While I loved the heat dissipation the Tobh fins offered, I’m also partial to the sleek and smooth look of the Indestructible. Yes, it’s more streamlined, but it will also look and feel familiar to Tobh Atomizer fans.

Now let’s move onto the features. The negative posts on the Indestructible Atty use slots rather than holes, allowing vapers to use any gauge of wire and any number of coils that can fit in the chamber. The center post will not spin, avoiding an issue found in many other atomizers. Lastly, the top cap can rest on the ridge, allowing it to flip up without coming off completely. This particular feature is great for a quick look at your wicks and, let’s be honest here, for dripping while driving. (For the record, RPadTV does not condone dripping and driving. Yes, this parenthetical statement was made for CYA purposes.)

On an unrelated note, this was the first time I’ve had Jay-Bo on camera since he shaved his infamous beard. Learn the story behind the shaving and all about the Indestructible Atty in the Vape Summit III video interview below.