Having seen a lot of variance in what coils are called I thought a bit of standardization would be useful.
How about this? (All diameters are ID(inside diameter))
Spaced coil; a coil with gaps between the wraps.
Contact coil; a coil with the wraps touching.
Macro coil; a coil with a diameter greater than 3mm.
Standard coil; a coil with a diameter between 2 and 3mm.
Micro coil; a coil with a diameter between 1.5 and 2mm.
Nano coil; a coil with a diameter less than 1.5mm, used with external wicking
Now of course you will have variations such as 'Twisted Stapled Clapton Standard Contact', or 'Monkey Fist Double Helix Macro Spaced', but we'll have to add those later
*yes I made those crazy names up*
Other terms:
Oxidized: Wire heated to red hot so that a protective layer of oxide forms on the outside of the wire. Mostly done with Kanthal A-1. Necessary with contact coils to keep the wraps electrically insulated from each other.
Strumming/raking a coil; the act of brushing a coil with something hard between pulses of heat to even out the oxide layer and prevent hotspots/shorts.
Unoxidized; wire not heat treated before use. Nickel wire is used unoxidized. Kanthal can also be used unoxidized.
Size conversions:
Inch to mm
1/32 = 0.8mm
1/16 = 1.58mm
5/64 = 2mm
3/32 = 2.37mm
7/64 = 2.76mm
1/8 = 3.17mm
9/64 = 3.55mm
5/32 = 3.92mm
How about this? (All diameters are ID(inside diameter))
Spaced coil; a coil with gaps between the wraps.
Contact coil; a coil with the wraps touching.
Macro coil; a coil with a diameter greater than 3mm.
Standard coil; a coil with a diameter between 2 and 3mm.
Micro coil; a coil with a diameter between 1.5 and 2mm.
Nano coil; a coil with a diameter less than 1.5mm, used with external wicking
Now of course you will have variations such as 'Twisted Stapled Clapton Standard Contact', or 'Monkey Fist Double Helix Macro Spaced', but we'll have to add those later
*yes I made those crazy names up*
Other terms:
Oxidized: Wire heated to red hot so that a protective layer of oxide forms on the outside of the wire. Mostly done with Kanthal A-1. Necessary with contact coils to keep the wraps electrically insulated from each other.
Strumming/raking a coil; the act of brushing a coil with something hard between pulses of heat to even out the oxide layer and prevent hotspots/shorts.
Unoxidized; wire not heat treated before use. Nickel wire is used unoxidized. Kanthal can also be used unoxidized.
Size conversions:
Inch to mm
1/32 = 0.8mm
1/16 = 1.58mm
5/64 = 2mm
3/32 = 2.37mm
7/64 = 2.76mm
1/8 = 3.17mm
9/64 = 3.55mm
5/32 = 3.92mm
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