Cotton unwicking trick.

[throwback8]

I'm using a 1.4mm ID micro coil with 29g kanthal(12 wraps) so once I have compressed the coils nice and tight removing even a gunked up wick is a breeze. One of the many reasons I have fallen it love with micro coils and cotton.

 

[Snickerfritz]

2-3mm ID - 26 & 28 ga wire here... in Kayfuns and RDAs... so issues with removing wicks just doesn't come up. What atty, wire and coil diameter are you building, that this is an issue Snickerfritz... clearos or something?

I'm using 32 gauge kanthal and rebuilding Protank heads. As far as diameter goes, I use a 1/16th drill bit. It sounds like maybe thicker wire would help, too bad I'm sitting on 100 feet of the 32. For now, my new technique is working well for me and prevents me from having to recoil every other day.

 

[DoogieTony]

OK. So if I get this right, you're saying that when the cotton gets gunked up it will still slide out when you pull on it gently?

This has not been my experience, but I could still be putting in in too much cotton.

Yep, mine pull out clean pretty much every time. I suppose a few factors come into play tho like wire gauge, cotton type, application (dripper, clearo, ect), and how "dirty" your juice gets but there should be a sweet spot between coil diameter and the amount of cotton used so that changing wicks should be a breeze.

IMO its so easy/cheap to replace a cotton wick that you might consider changing the wick before it gets encased in a "gunk cocoon" even if your juice is the darkest, coil gunkinist, sugary, Net ever made.

 

[DoogieTony]

I'm using 32 gauge kanthal and rebuilding Protank heads. As far as diameter goes, I use a 1/16th drill bit. It sounds like maybe thicker wire would help, too bad I'm sitting on 100 feet of the 32. For now, my new technique is working well for me and prevents me from having to recoil every other day.

32ga should be fine, I know with the clearos you need enough wick so that it won't flood but maybe consider a slightly larger coil ID like 2 mm so that the cotton doesn't need to be quite so tight but still prevents flooding.

 

[Snickerfritz]

32ga should be fine, I know with the clearos you need enough wick so that it won't flood but maybe consider a slightly larger coil ID like 2 mm so that the cotton doesn't need to be quite so tight but still prevents flooding.

I'm not sure how this would be done though. The 1/16th drill bit is the largest one that will fit in the slot on the Protank head.

 

[State O' Flux]

I'm using 32 gauge kanthal and rebuilding Protank heads. As far as diameter goes, I use a 1/16th drill bit. It sounds like maybe thicker wire would help, too bad I'm sitting on 100 feet of the 32. For now, my new technique is working well for me and prevents me from having to recoil every other day.

Oh well... I'm sure you can find a use for the 32. 30 isn't much stiffer... but stiff enough that perhaps having a de-wicking "method" isn't such a requirement. Hey... at least it's workin' for ya'... right.

 

[Jaguar07]

I use a 2mm drill bit to make my coils on my Igo-L. I use 26 gauge A-1. A 3 wrap coil ends up at about 0.7ohms and a 4 wrap ends up around 0.8-0.9 ohms. Then I take about a 1/2" wad of cotton and roll it tightly, much like I do with stainless wick, I spend a bit of time on it. Compress it pretty tight, then slide the narrower end of the cotton in from right to left so I can pull the thicker end out from left to right when the wick is dirty or burnt, or when I want to change flavors. I probably re-wick daily on average. The coil is a couple of weeks old. If I start to taste metallic hints, I re-coil.

 

[emus]

I'm using 32 gauge kanthal and rebuilding Protank heads. As far as diameter goes, I use a 1/16th drill bit. It sounds like maybe thicker wire would help, too bad I'm sitting on 100 feet of the 32. For now, my new technique is working well for me and prevents me from having to recoil every other day.

I'd twist that 32 wire and use it.
Much stronger and seems to stay more wet than single strand.