Is it possible micro-coils are overrated?

[gotch23]

I haven't build anything but compressed micros on my Reo.

But before that, i was doing silica builds with 22 gauge kanthal on my Taifun GT and RDAs...
wide spacing... and still do a lot of the time. When they are good'uns they can match
a micro, but outperform? Not sure...
I second what Jimi D said about Ribbon wire builds... they are awesome.
But again... so are micros à la super-x-drifter or old-school glass-fibre builds with
thin kanthal... IF they are done optimally.
I really like navy-lifeguards style of doing wider spaced silica builds, e.g. here:
Navy_Lifeguard - Navycoil reloaded für SvoeMesto Kayfun
(yeah it's german... deal with it)

What still makes close-spaced microcoils à la super-x my current favorite is:

-The consistency of result... you get the same result every time... with little
to no hassle

-The ease of changing the wick, without damaging/dislodging the coil.

 

[InTheClouds]

On my kayfun and my Helios I was using compressed micro coil builds at 1.5 ohms with cotton. I love to read and get caught up in a good book, with the REO I kept burning cotton because I would get so wrapped up in my book I would forget to squonk. I reluctantly built a coil wrapped around 2mm silica doubled. It is working amazingly well, it turned out at 1.4 ohms. Is it as good...not as good...dunno... tastes good, vapes well, nuff said.

 

[ZeroOhms]

Hmm, I always thought the micro coil was term referring to a coil build "style". Instead of wrapping coil around the wick, pre-wrap the coil on a bit and insert the wick after. It got popular due to the usage of cotton as wick. (hard to do traditional coiling around cotton)
Not sure if the difference in heat production between 1/16" and 5/64" (which I prefer) is big enough for a separate classification. Isn't the coil diameter just another parameter to tune for resistance control, just like number of wraps or thickness of wire?

I could kind of see why the compressed coil getting its own terminology. It is like having a large hot spot and will burn hotter. Hence, it is different type of coiling and could warrant its own classification. For example, 28gauge on 1/16"bit will vape very differently between compressed and uncompressed.

Having said that, looks like the size based classification continues with "nano" coil terminology. But my argument is, how small is small enough to be called "nano" instead "micro". Instead, if we refer to the wicking method (wicks outside or under the coil) as another coiling "style", it would make more sense.

I personally prefer the "micro" coil due to its easy and consistent build method. (see how I refer to the style without mentioning of bit size. ) I am moving away from "compressed" to "uncompressed" coil since it burns more evenly and provides better flavor. Seems like the key is to strike the right balance of the wick's juice delivery speed versus evaporation speed by the coil. If the coil burn too hot too fast, the "richness" of vapor could suffer. Hence, the best option is to get the coil burning at optimal evaporating temperature with widest surface area. I am using "parallel" coils to create even spaces between the coil. Discussed in this thread.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/reos-mods/535278-micro-coils-gunk-build-up.html

Looks like I am over analyzing again.