My micro coil / cotton honest test run

[Big Hitter]

First of all I have no ill will agains anyone that vapes any set-up and I appreciate that we can all find something to love.
Second of all I think the REO lineup is the best APV available for durability and portability ..... but I firmly believe that there are dozens of device that can vape just as good or even better but thats a matter of taste.

Apparently my taste is not normal .... I guess ??

You may have seen me post before that I don't understand the micro coil cotton craze. Well I realized that I have not given it a fair shot because I'm vaping so many things through out the day it may not have gotten the time it deserved.

So at 5pm eastern it will be 48 hours of nothing but mircro coils / cotton for me.

Devices:

Chalice with 1.1 ohm on 2.1 mini
Chalice with 1.8 ohm on VV Woodvil
RM2 with 1.0 ohm on Woodvil (Had to go borrow back one of the RM2 attys I gave away)

Spoiler alert on verdict ..... at 5pm today will be the last time I vape a micro/cotton set-up.

I'm not here to slam anyone and I realize everyone has different tastes its just post after post of people raving made me want to give it a shot again. Heck if there is something better out there I want to experience it. The problem is its not better for me ..... not one bit.

I guess the thing that stands out the most is how the flavor produced from this set-up could be considered better than other things. For example things I think produce much better flavor than micro/cotton would be.

Well most anything not limited to but including ......

HH-357
Any RBA with simple silica build
Any Genesis with simple mesh/kanthal build
Kayfun with silica
Even Boge carto in the new ZenII carto tank.
(All things I vape daily)
Its been a while since I've vaped a vivi nova but I think thats included as well.

I just get a terrible taste from cotton .... always have and its altering the juice flavor big time.

I also don't get any indication that a micro coil simulates lower resistance at all. my 1.8 example I had to pump up to 4.7 or 4.8 to make it even doable. In fact I tried hard to get a 1.3 because thats what I vape my silica builds at. I did get there on the 3rd try with 30g but I would have needed VV for it to work. I had to go 1.0 or 1.1 to feel like my 1.3 ohm silica builds so for me its the exact opposite effect.

This next sentence may make me sound like an ... but her goes. What the heck were all you people doing wrong on your previous vapes that makes the micro/cotton seem so much (or any) better ??? I really wish I could get together with some of you and we could swap equipment and get to the bottom of this. Is it just a matter of taste or what?

I'm super stoked about the work all of you have done perfecting the micro/cotton set-up because it seems to be causing an influx in REO success lately. No one deserves all the success in the world more than Rob .... No one.

Well thats about all I can say I guess. I'm sitting here with my spool of silica at the waiting and I'm seeing my buddy Saturday night to return the RM2 to his arsenal.

My Sister is here tonight and we are having a 24 TV marathon (She's only seen season 1-3)

Beside me on my end table will be:

VV Cocobolo with Chalice at 1.3 ohms of 4 wrap silica greatness.
Kayfun Lite with 1.5 ohms of slica yummy on my Zen Sidewinder mod.
Zen genesis with 1.2 ohms of 400 mesh /28g awesomeness

3 of the best vapes I have ever experienced ......... Weird huh ??

One REO loving Odd Duck signing off

 

[super_X_drifter]

Tim, glad you put it thru its pace bro. I know they don't work as well for everyone, but I would like to see pictures of your builds. Many people in the RBA threads post pix of what they think are micros and they are megas

Something could be wrong what kinda cotton did ya run?

I bet If it looked like this you'd be picking your dingdong up out of the dirt right now

Sorry it didn't work out for ya bro.

 

[Statistic]

curious to know more about your builds

 

[Treebeard]

It's funny how different folks have completely different perceptions about this kind of stuff. I have just the opposite experience.
For me:
Mesh in a genny = odd metalic taste (could be psychological)
Silica and Ekowool = not bad all round except for scratchy throat
Cotton (not yarn) with micro = the perfect storm of vtf and convenience of threading through a micro.

I say, whatever works and floats someone's boat = off analogs and loving it.

 

[hildicat]

I really think its a matter of taste. I honestly could never get the micro to my liking on the Grand, no matter the resistance. I have been rocking micros at 2.2Ω/5V on the VVGs for the last couple of months ( I remember trying these out, discussing here with Russ back in March while I was on a business trip)- absolutely the best vape in my experience. Strange as it sounds I could never replicate the experience on the Grand.

And no matter how many people sing the praises of bamboo thread, it still tastes like crap to me. Rolled cotton and organic cotton balls can't be beat in my book.

But thats just me. What really matters, and whats so fantastic about this place, is that there is something for everyone. Don't like cotton, try silica. Ekowool not your thing, go SS mesh. Whatever floats your boat, and keeps you from putting another nail in your coffin.

 

[FogHawg]

FWIW - I had the exact same experience w/cotton until I started using less of it. With cotton I found that what I thought was the right amount (inside the coils) was actually way too much.

 

[lostknitter]

I've been using Crochet Cotton that I boiled. It vapes fine, but had a taste that I wasn't crazy about, too sharp?? bright?? Not sure how to describe it. Last weekend I was at Michaels, and they had 100% Viscose Bamboo. I bought it and tried it and within 30 minutes had all my wicks changed out to the Bamboo. I really like the flavor I'm getting much better than the cotton thread. Like above, what ever gets you the flavor you like is the best.

 

[FeistyAlice]

And someone(s) did mention that some juices shine with rolled cotton but others s/he uses are better with other type wicking.

Feisty Alice

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

[unloaded]

Yes, what juices are you vaping? I find that makes a big difference.

 

[super_X_drifter]

Tim check out this video from a genesis dude we recently converted to micro coils

Look at them clouds bro

Micro Coil for the RBA on your REO
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10136473

 

[somewhere21]

Interesting post. I agree many devices produce the same end result. My provari will give the same vapor with a RM2 on top, and I can super charge it. The REO shines in its function in regards to the process. I just ripped off my favorite cotton dual coil and wrapped a coil over silica. I don't worry about the silica, the thinset I use probably gives me a lifetime of wick use with one mix.
We all vape because we know we would have to be absolute idiots to smoke. Take away our reos for 2 days and we would be sucking on a blu from the nearest store saying how great it is, or buying some smokes.
The reality is we do not smoke anymore, but we are all still addicts, and we can justify it all we want.

I love vaping because it delivers me something I literally have no use for, and cannot for some reason get rid of the " need "
We all can pretend that vaping is the answer, but it really is just a band-aid for our real problem.

Though RBA's do help make me not want to light up a smoke, almost all successful smoking to vaping converts have to add a "hobby" aspect to make up for the extra effort required to make that switch.

So, in closing, while I love vaping and I would switch right back to smoking if It magically became safe. I really wish I could just kick the addiction. That I think we could all almost agree on.

 

[redeyedancer]

I am one who never gave cotton a fair shot . I went at it again a few weeks ago JC sent me some samples . I have to say for sweet juices the cotton wick was awesome. This was a cotton ball after a couple puffs pure flavor all the other cotton wick I tried previous was awful . For my main vape Havana a tobacco juice I prefer my silica wick , I also think it has to do with what your use to . Some of you mention the silica wick bothers your throat . For me that is what the cotton lacks is the throat hit some of us like it rough . I think were lucky to have all the options .

 

[darkzero]

Guess I'm an oddball, always have been. I get better performance wrapping micros now but I still use Ekowool in all my Reos with micros. And none of my micros are higher than 1.3 ohms with the exception of the VVG. I know it defeats the purpose of having a VVG but I now have a 1.7 ohm coil in it & keep the voltage down. I like it better.

But I do use rolled cotton too but only at home & not in my Reos anymore. I will agree that it is great though if setup properly.

 

[darkzero]

For my main vape Havana a tobacco juice

As in Havana Gold? I buy samples here & there to test, if I find a juice I like it will then get to go in a Reo. Well there's only a few so far that I actually like & get to go in my Reos. Bought a sample of HG a few weeks ago & was surpised to have liked it so much. Yesterday I got a bigger bottle of it & is now what goes in my Grand.

 

[Big Hitter]

UPDATE:

Okay thanks for all the tips and I a have not given up yet .......

SuperX .... I can assure you my coil looks 95% as awesome as your pic. Sorry, working off of an iPad the last couple weeks and getting pics up (other than my crappy old iPhone) is a PIA right now. My best coils were with 28g around a 16g blunt. I started with a 14g blunt at first but wanted more wraps. But with looking at your pic and FogHawg's reply plus watching Vap's video (Thank you Vap) I realized I was trying to stuff way way .... I mean way too much cotton in there. I actually started adding more and more as I tried over the two days because I was trying to get more juice flavor and less cotton flavor ...

Duh, I guess if you want less cotton flavor you should add less cotton .... I'm a dolt, but in my defense I didn't think it was wicking enough and was worried the cotton flavor was from burning it.

I can tell you at this moment I have a set up thats 100% do-able ..... not earth shattering great but I could rock the set-up 24/7 and be satisfied for sure.

My second biggest hurdle right now is my beloved chalice attys are not 100% suited for this type of build IMHO.

By biggest hurdle is my REOmizer that I have here was donked up on arrival because the air hole is exactly 180 degrees off of where it should have been So my options with that are either build the coil on the smaller wrong side of the atty not over the juice holes side and hope it fits (or wicks) ......... or keep doing what I have been and hoping the air hole that far away doesn't matter much (but I know from experience it does)

Tempted to get another RM2 just to keep trying making this work.

As far as juice until this morning I had the very same juice in everyone. Its my all day that I'm very familiar with ... DIY Sweet Tart ( it really tastes nothing like sweet tart IMO) but I love the TH on it.

To element flavor from interfering with my trial I loaded up some unflavored ala SuperXD

I'll keep you all posted ..... I wanted to experience something earth shatteringly awesome but pretty sure the best I might achieve with practice is "really good".

As Rob said I might just be so used to silica that its now part of the flavor I expect but I vape mesh all the time as well and get awesome flavor too ..... not sure.

But I've cleared my head and let some frustration go and realized I am not a quitter so the trial will continue for a bit.

 

[super_X_drifter]

Tim,
You don't give up easy bro! I like it. I was lovin that build on my chalice until the humidity and hot weather rolled around, then it seemed to be a much wetter vape than the RM2. I attributed it to the chamber size and distance from airhole to coil and put it in a drawer. I never thought I'd do that. Chalice, even with 1/16" air seems to prefer less humidity.

Perhaps you can see if Rob can get ya one where the airhole lines up and trade it to ya for that one? One outta the 6 I bought was like that.

Yep, less is definitely more with the cotton. I run a very short wick and squonk every two hits. Like ashing a cig . I don't mind it. It's worth it to me.

I found vapdivrrs video to be scary damn accurate. If he was bald like me and a lot more handsome, it could have been a video of me I also figure If a genny vet like him can find solace in the vape one can attain by the REO/RM2/micro/cotton in two short weeks of use, its pretty promising to anyone wishing to get in the game. Impressive and I never even used a genesis.

You da man Tim. Your tenacity is commendable. I'm glad that you continue to explore and report bro. . I would have given up long ago

 

[FeistyAlice]

As it's only been a few weeks for me using micro and cotton I've done a few wicks that weren't as satisfying as most. Using the q-tips, especially different brands, with different degrees of difficulty getting cotton off does add a handicap. When I get some organic cotton roll I think achieving consistantly will be much easier.

I've only used four juices and they are light and not very complex but sweet. Well the Monkey Business is pretty complex but light and subtle notes. All 50/50 pg/vg. All with butterscotch base except for FSUSA Applewood which I usually mix with the butterscotches. So my juice flavors are very limited.

Rolled cotton wick is not going to work well with my sorely neglected ceramic cup RBAs, Killer, eBaron, and macARB. I'll eventually get around to using them again, if I ever get time to fiddle. The RM2 is just too easy and virtually fiddle free.

Tim, I second getting in touch with Robert about exchanging the misaligned RM2. All five of mine align properly, thank doG. I know I wouldn't be at all happy with one out of line. I have experience putting ERA and Hornet caps on misaligned and it sucked.

Feisty Alice

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2

 

[redeyedancer]

As in Havana Gold? I buy samples here & there to test, if I find a juice I like it will then get to go in a Reo. Well there's only a few so far that I actually like & get to go in my Reos. Bought a sample of HG a few weeks ago & was surpised to have liked it so much. Yesterday I got a bigger bottle of it & is now what goes in my Grand.

Good stuff I have to say its not for everyone you have to really love tobacco to enjoy havana . For me it was love at first vape . If you like havana you may want to try making Dhill I diy this juice another good one for a tobacco lover

 

[redeyedancer]

UPDATE:





My second biggest hurdle right now is my beloved chalice attys are not 100% suited for this type of build IMHO.

By biggest hurdle is my REOmizer that I have here was donked up on arrival because the air hole is exactly 180 degrees off of where it should have been So my options with that are either build the coil on the smaller wrong side of the atty not over the juice holes side and hope it fits (or wicks) ......... or keep doing what I have been and hoping the air hole that far away doesn't matter much (but I know from experience it does)

Tempted to get another RM2 just to keep trying making this work.

.

I have you covered on a new cap buddy

 

[Big Hitter]

I have you covered on a new cap buddy

Thank you sir, I got thinking I could probably just sand this down so it screws on another half turn.

But getting a new one sounds much easier