Best wicking matetial

[Letitia]

For pure ease of use I like KGD. Will be giving rayon one more shot this coming week in rtas, never in rda. Enjoy using egyptian cotton, but is not good for wicking on the fly. Also like the Kendo Gold some send out with product. Not crazy about Muji or Cotton Bacon. I get very little taste from any of them as I prime wicks before vaping.

 

[Alter]

I might add that some people put a rod into the wick itself and wrap the wire around the wick and wire. I never got that one right.

I did that with hollow center ekowool, slid a pin through the center then wrap the wire...good ol protank days. I don't think it would work very well with my clapton cause they are a bit springy even after I anneal the coil some before it gets set then wicked. I still got miles of 1.0 to 3mm silica and same of the ekowool...maybe get into a bit of old skool single wire build, feed some rayon through the ekowool then see how it works in a STM. I don't think ekowool by itself would seal the juice holes in the STM RBA.

 

[vapdivrr]

Except for the thin "leader", I do not twist. For me, the "right" amount is as much as you can possibly pull through without twisting it.

I agree and find this a good method. . Although i don't use cotton anymore, I find it the same actually. Yes it's possible to add to much cotton, but not really if you don't twist it. Just pulling through as much as you can without twisting kind of limits the amounts in a way, because even though you kind of hold the coil from moving, if you pull to much, it's hard to keep the coil from deforming....back a couple years ago alot use to roll the cotton in palms and compress and twist, that's when it becomes a bit to much imo....now although I don't use 28g to much, that can be a little trickier getting enough rayon in without some kind of compressing

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[vapdivrr]

Thx for the nod CMD. Appreciate it greatly, and I would but I've gotta hustle today. Normally I'd love to post when folks are here on the weekend.

Fastest way to get an answer is simply search for Nextel or RxW and my handle. Think I've written as much about this in every way as anything else on this forum which is a considerable number of tech posts. Particularly on using RxW and squonkers. So most of those posts are likely to answer most questions we ponder on wicking.

However, it occurred to me recently that in the weeks before supX introduced KGD we had various talks about optimal wicking for microcoils. He insisted on the flavor advantages of cotton over Nextel. Now mind you, Russ always vaped unflavored back in the day. The distinct advantage of Nextel, a ceramic fiber braid is its virtual neutrality to flavor or texture. In our talks on how to best promote strain winding of micro's, I relented on the wick issue because I knew some would have distinct flavor perceptual preferences.

Had I not I wonder many times if Russ would've come around to try flavors with RxW. Had he done so I wonder, would we have a world today where most of us used Nextel?

And being that Nextel is so sensitive to asymmetry of wire surface, would we also most of us be using precision strained closed coils to best take advantage of it?

IMG_1628a

• MacTechVpr
• Dec 25, 2015

Tehnsioned Contact Micro Coil, MacTechVpr

Just sayin'. Just thinking.

Good luck.

It was kind of weird recently when he started using flavors, I guess that carrot cake and mango lassie, as he puts it, is like crack, very addictive

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[MacTechVpr]

It was kind of weird recently when he started using flavors, I guess that carrot cake and mango lassie, as he puts it, is like crack, very addictive

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Yeah, that can happen…LOL, when you hit on the right one.

I'm particularly fond of Rum and Bourbon flavorings (although I've never been a serious drinker).

My thinking on the wicking is that there's not any one type or use of media that is in practice universal. For every juice, power and build alt it's possible that there may be an ideal for each of us that's different from what we're used to. If we keep that in mind then the flavor and performance horizons are boundless. It's why I so love open systems.

Good luck.

 

[papergoblin]

I use Bacon some, it to me can be a pain sometimes. I like the Muji pads, cut them to width, a little twist and done. I do however, always take the outer layer off the front and back, just never cared for the way those layers wick. Never had the pads give an off flavor or have that real cotton taste when new, of course taste is subjective though. I am generally picky since I mainly vape custards or RY4 variants.

 

[MacTechVpr]

BTW, it's reeaally friggin cold here in S Fl this mid-afternoon…61 degrees! Brrrr.

Good luck.

 

[Rossum]

It was kind of weird recently when he started using flavors, I guess that carrot cake and mango lassie, as he puts it, is like crack, very addictive

What? SxD is using flavors?

Hath Hadez frozen over?

 

[vapdivrr]

Yeah, that can happen…LOL, when you hit on the right one.

I'm particularly fond of Rum and Bourbon flavorings (although I've never been a serious drinker).

My thinking on the wicking is that there's not any one type or use of media that is in practice universal. For every juice, power and build alt it's possible that there may be an ideal for each of us that's different from what we're used to. If we keep that in mind then the flavor and performance horizons are boundless. It's why I so love open systems.

Good luck.

Oh no doubt on that, even between my different tanks, the wicking is different. .i have some where you have to be exact, while some not so. I have some where you can leave tails full, while some not. .so no doubt the only way to truly know is by experience. But I do think on a whole 2 things have changed, one is there seems to be more of "little is better" (which I don't agree with) and second is, most now use larger ID coils and what goes with larger coils is larger amounts of wick tails and in a lot of rta's, the channels aren't built for so much

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[Evi|grin]

Ive got a Sally's close by and they have the Graham 100% rayon but only in a JUMBO box for around $14. They only have the small 10ft in 100% cotton.

Thats enough rayon to literally last me the rest of my life and then some.

 

[Evi|grin]

So what about the Graham reinforced rayon and cotton versions? Anyone tried this or is there a reason why you should not?

 

[Rossum]

So what about the Graham reinforced rayon and cotton versions? Anyone tried this or is there a reason why you should not?

I don't remember the reason(s), but the reinforced stuff is not recommended in the big Rayon threads.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

It can with cotton, if you get creative. Unless it is something really small, but then again I've been able to rebuild EVOD style tanks with mesh and cotton.

It's not fun to do though, those tiny tanks are a pita. If you can rebuild one though, you can build just about anything, lol.

Yep. I never used the mesh on Evod or PTII coils, but rebuilding one of those was an effort of love.

With silica we used to wrap the coil around the wick, trying to pull the wick through an existing coil did not work well. With silica you can dry burn the crud, wash, then fire the coil to dry the wick and you're ready to go again.

And we had all of 15-ish Watts to do the burning, assuming a 1.2-ish Ohm build and a fresh charge.

I kinda miss all that, in a nostalgic way.

 

[ScottP]

When I get it right... I cut the end to about 45 degrees and then sort of "screw" that end into the coil clockwise. It is a rather gentle process or it will fray wasting some very expensive stuff. I don't cut it to proper length until it is in the coil so that I have room to grip it. There is a decent video on:

READYxWICK™ Videos

@MacTechVpr knows far more about this stuff than I do. Perhaps he will chime in here.

That looks to be some amazing stuff. Although after watching the top video there I do have a concern. At about the 5:45 mark they do a cut test on the heat treated wick and you can clearly see some sort of powder residue coming off with each cut. I have to wonder what that is, will it come out in your vapor, and if so it that safe to breathe?

 

[MacTechVpr]

That looks to be some amazing stuff. Although after watching the top video there I do have a concern. At about the 5:45 mark they do a cut test on the heat treated wick and you can clearly see some sort of powder residue coming off with each cut. I have to wonder what that is, will it come out in your vapor, and if so it that safe to breathe?

It's flaking Scott. But the science white papers on incidental human consumption exposure including respiriatory were done well over a decade ago. These demonstrated that the media's particle size represents no risk by aspiration (it doesn't get to the lungs). Like vaping itself Nextel's been around for quite a while with no indication whatsoever of adverse effects. I quit in part because of the promise of this material. And it was the REOS squonk community that were some of its first enthusiastic adopters.

The best way to keep particulates under control is always keep areas of the wick that you're cutting moist with glycerin. Dry burn the wick on the mod or remove and torch the wick separately over a sink for example. A tissue dabbed or wiped should be used to remove excess from the wick or deck and discarded. The small pin like flaking can be an irritant to the skin. It really has to land on you just the right way but it does happen. You def don't want to be rubbing your eyes with it on your hand. So like many tools and products we use, appropriate care has to be taken. It's this fiber rigidity though that's a plus for its consistent predictable diameter. We can no better match a wind to a surface than using ceramic fiber.

Finally for all of its apparent performance advantages, there is one clearly in my estimation that surpasses all else — it is utterly flavor neutral. It's ceramic. In great measure I believe this is due to its extraordinary unrestrictive flow. It can however, as all wicking media trap some flavor chemistry. Since it is so benign I've had difficulty isolating the circumstances. Fortunately it's not frequent.

Best of luck and give me a nudge if you have a specific concern.

 

[CMD-Ky]

That looks to be some amazing stuff. Although after watching the top video there I do have a concern. At about the 5:45 mark they do a cut test on the heat treated wick and you can clearly see some sort of powder residue coming off with each cut. I have to wonder what that is, will it come out in your vapor, and if so it that safe to breathe?

@MacTechVpr knows more than I, I defer to him above. I do use the VG, kind of wipe the ends down while shaping the wick before I try (with varying success) to get it in the coil.

 

[MacTechVpr]

@MacTechVpr knows more than I, I defer to him above. I do use the VG, kind of wipe the ends down while shaping the wick before I try (with varying success) to get it in the coil.

CMD we both know this stuff is incredibly easy to wick. And if you know how it takes seconds and there is little shedding when properly handled.

But get this…if you use a fine needle nose tweezers you can insert the moist wick almost through any wind. Even a monster like this one…

Twisted Lead Parallel (t.m.c.)

• MacTechVpr
• Oct 20, 2017

Tensioned Micro Coil, 25AWG

You just moisten the point and squeeze or slightly roll the tip tightly as you grip it with the tweezer point. Since the wick being braided and hollow compresses you can use this technique to easily insert 3mm into all diameters above 7/64" (2.778mm) [and actually even much smaller, i.e. 2.5mm]. Once in it's so slippery that it follows the wind right through if you just softly rotate it with a little forward pressure.

It's almost as much a pleasure rebuilding with this as using it.

Good luck.

 

[ScottP]

@ MacTechVpr thanks for that very informative reply. I may at some point try that out.

Edit: here is another question, does it expand, contract, or stay the same when wet? I ask because my primary topper is a Serpent SMM and it has 4.5mm wick holes that have to be filled to prevent leaking. With cotton expanding I use smaller coils and the cotton expands to fit these wick holes. If this material doesn't expand I would need to use 4.5mm coils I think.

 

[vapdivrr]

So what about the Graham reinforced rayon and cotton versions? Anyone tried this or is there a reason why you should not?

The reinforced is the same, but it has a very thin ribbon that runs through it. All you have to do is slide away this ribbon and your set....

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[MacTechVpr]

@ MacTechVpr thanks for that very informative reply. I may at some point try that out.

Edit: here is another question, does it expand, contract, or stay the same when wet? I ask because my primary topper is a Serpent SMM and it has 4.5mm wick holes that have to be filled to prevent leaking. With cotton expanding I use smaller coils and the cotton expands to fit these wick holes. If this material doesn't expand I would need to use 4.5mm coils I think.

Cool. Glad to help. Speediest trip, search my handle and RxW/Nextel. I've covered a lot but added some tips on this thread, as I always try to do.

First, for both 3 or 4 mm RxW there is a range of compression of the wick that's ideal to ensure precise and uniform contact. This is unavoidably necessary to reach the flow potential of the wick. So it is limited, particularly if you're a mech user in the temp targets you can reach. Still there's quite a variety in there and much within temp/power ranges we all enjoy. Further, it can vape effectively cool and warmer than it's target without as much accretion as organics. So there's flexibility there. But no you can't say take 4mm and squeeze it into 3mm. It's not likely to be very satisfying or productive.

On wick expansion, hmmmm. Very good question. Yes, in very good ways. f you break in Nextel with glycerin as I suggest we do with any media it will bloat the space between fibers. Nextel responds to this very favorably. And again, because it is so slippery internally most juices will clear out with a round of flavorless on a dripper.

Doing this every 4 days or so before evident sediment sets in coupled with a dry burn and you are good as new. Better than new! Why? Because those inter-fiber pathways just keep improving. The weave does not mat together like cotton or rayon. Nextel also gives an alert! A noticeable drop in flow and flavor performance begins signaling the end of the magnificent high notes.

So what am I saying here? If you can keep this routine going and the wind itself can last for months, yes months, then how transparently enjoyable can a vape become? Consistency and repeatability of the vape is real important here. Ceramic lends itself to that extremely well.

Now it does require a symmetrical coil as it thrives on uniform heating to really reach its flow potential. This is where expansion, rather than the matting of organics, comes into play. Breaking in Nextel with glycerin a needle slightly larger than the inner i.d. can be used to seat this wick very cleanly to the wind. Reinforced with subsequent dry burns as the wick breaks in aids in this. But it shouldn't be forced. It's a delicate fiber lattice, not plaster.

The downside is the cleaning — rinse, dab dry, dry burn and re-break in — just takes a few minutes. If not kept up and we add more power, as we're apt to do when vapor output drops (bad habit), you lose the advantage of progressive wick expansion. Nextel fibers and weave actually tighten with repeated prolonged overheating which is hard to do. It will then accrue (that's when you may have to torch). Better results can most definitely be had just keeping it clear of sediments. What matters? Way much less work than repeatedly rewicking and getting that right. Nextel just is. Coupled with strain closed winds, months. That is consistency.

Once you get used to the extraordinary expression of your favorite juice so many remark — I never tasted that! It really encourages the routine. And that's what we crave. It should just be routine.

Good luck all.