Just did my first build.... a question.

[speedfreek67]

Hi folks!

I just did my first build, on the Unity Dripper. I bought some wire and a winding jig but to start out I used a premade coil (Kanthal A1 26awg, 2.8 inner diameter, 11 wraps, 1.2 ohms) in a single coil configuration.

First attempt I screwed down the post screw too tight and broke the leg off the coil!

Second attempt went better, got the coil positioned well, at the right height for the air hole. Dry burned it, squeezed it with ceramic tweezers, stroked it a little, got it glowing from the centre outwards. All going smoothly now.

Then I had to wick it... *sound of gnashing of teeth*

I did it in the end, after about 5 aborted attempts. In the end I moistened the end of the cotton and squeezed it and twisted it into a point in order to get that sucker through the coil (then cut off the moistened squashed part, trimmed it up, fluffed it out and pushed it down into the juice tray).

I'm currently dripping Buddha Vapes Cream of the Custards at 15W, restricted airflow, MTL, and the taste is excellent!

So... any tips on how to get that cotton through that tiny tube of coil a little easier?

 

[Simon G]

I suspect you are using too much cotton, you should just be able to roll it between your fingers into a little pointy squashed end and poke it though, if you can't then it's too much.

 

[Dys]

How thick are you cutting the cotton? That could be an issue. Also, what cotton are you using? If you're using a cotton pad then its most effective to cut along the "grain" that way when you pull it through it won't rip apart and should slide through. I normally pinch and roll the ends until they can fit through the coil and then pull out of the other end. Sometimes use tweezers to grab the cotton if I can't grab it with my fingers

 

[redmatt76]

They say cotton roughly a quater bigger than coil. If that makes sense. Sorry meds kicking in. [emoji3]

 

[speedfreek67]

Thanks for the replies.

I was using strips of Muji cut from small sheets that came free from Stealthvape. I was cutting along the grain, strips around 7-8mm wide, peeling off the back and front layer, trying to copy what "vaping with vic" did in his Unity Dripper review on youtube. I cut it thinner at first, but it was separating in my hands... he said cut it 2.5 times the inner diameter of the coil, is that too much?

It was the pinching into a point where I had a problem - it just fluffed back out again, until I wetted my finger and did it.

I'm sure I'll pick it up, just wanted any tips or insights people could give me.

I also have a pack of Cotton Bacon V2, but when I opened it it just looked like a "wodge" rather than sheets. How do I use that? It says on the back "Simply pinch, tear". So do I take that literally? Pinch it and rip off a bit?

 

[Simon G]

Thanks for the replies.

I was using strips of Muji cut from small sheets that came free from Stealthvape. I was cutting along the grain, strips around 7-8mm wide, peeling off the back and front layer, trying to copy what "vaping with vic" did in his Unity Dripper review on youtube. I cut it thinner at first, but it was separating in my hands... he said cut it 2.5 times the inner diameter of the coil, is that too much?

It was the pinching into a point where I had a problem - it just fluffed back out again, until I wetted my finger and did it.

I'm sure I'll pick it up, just wanted any tips or insights people could give me.

I also have a pack of Cotton Bacon V2, but when I opened it it just looked like a "wodge" rather than sheets. How do I use that? It says on the back "Simply pinch, tear". So do I take that literally? Pinch it and rip off a bit?

7-8mm sounds like far too much imo. .... others may disagree (like vic apparently!) but 8mm sounds like a fuck ton to be honest. I've never measured mine but I'm guessing I'm using nearer half that.

I don't really like bacon but yeah you just tear it off the wodge.

 

[Ment]

I'm of the "more is more" school when it comes to cotton.

It just takes practice, but if you're going to cut it thick I would use the bacon or something better, Muji needs to be just right.

Cut the cotton longer than you need and really roll one end in between your fingers till you have a really thin point.

Push it through, and holding it at both ends, twist with both hands as you pull from the thin end.

 

[speedfreek67]

Thanks, I might try a little less cotton next time. I'm sure I'll get used to it. I must say it seems to be working fine for a first attemp, and I'm loving the concept of just sitting here and dripping a little of the flavours to try them out.

I went from Buddha Vapes custard to Penguin juice "chinstrap", to Aerovape Key Lime Cream. (I used "flavor switch" before the Lime, to get rid of the chinstrap, that stuff does work well!)

Great taste from this tank, as they say.

Next question. So, do you leave your wick in for a couple of days, change it every session, change it when you change flavours or what? I take it you dry burn the coil at wick change, but when do you know its time to change coils?

Questions, questions!

 

[westy]

Wicking is harder than makeing a bloody coil...to little and you risk dryhits or spitting to much and you risk dryhits and moveing the coil and messing up all your dry burning and prep so it really is just getting a feel for it.
If your getting dryhits but your cotton is wet on the outside your to tight if it's spitting or poping a lot you need more this is not 100% but just most of the time... In my personal experience have to say this or some one will troll me !!!

 

[Simon G]

Next question. So, do you leave your wick in for a couple of days, change it every session, change it when you change flavours or what? I take it you dry burn the coil at wick change, but when do you know its time to change coils?

when it looks like this... and you can't tell what's coil and what's wick.