Thanks @Rob.
This thread prompted me to grab a kraken and give it another go.
It already had a mesh wick from my last attempt so quickly wrapped a coil round it and with very little drama beyond the usual hot spots to work out and YAY! it is working great, for half a tank so far and I remember why I have been persisting with it for years.
All I have to do now is to get the spare kraken and the spare for the spare working this good and I will be sorted. I hope it does not take me another three years till my next good mesh build.