Cotton wicks do not expand?

[emus]

Many people say cotton wicks expand when juiced.

Has anyone actually measured or experienced an expanded cotton wick?

I've never noticed an expanded cotton wick.

I went as far as conducting a little experiment. I laid cotton yarn and cotton ball wicks on a ruler. Some were doused w/ VG, others doused with PG. I saw no visible expansion.

 

[Mitey F]

I'm sure it expands a bit, but in all my experience with different types of cotton wicks, the change is negligible at most.

 

[BJ43]

Many people say cotton wicks expand when juiced.

Has anyone actually measured or experienced an expanded cotton wick?

I've never noticed an expanded cotton wick.

I went as far as conducting a little experiment. I laid cotton yarn and cotton ball wicks on a ruler. Some were doused w/ VG, others doused with PG. I saw no visible expansion.

Expanding or swelling of cotton or hemp is commonly given as a reason for choking the wick and dry hits. Big myth, IMO. If it doesn't wick, you wrapped it to tight to start, has nothing to do with expansion or swelling. In lab test using the kerosine lamp method, could never replicate that swelling reduced wicking (capillary action).

 

[Craig_B]

It may initially swell maybe the first time but after a day I believe it compresses. At least in my rda

 

[Stosh]

You'll get expansion IF you first compress the cotton while it's dry (noob mistake). Roll the dry cotton between you fingers until it's as thin as possible, then wet it...presto - expansion.

 

[twgbonehead]

Yeah, what Stosh said.

If the cotton is twisted or compressed, it will expand. I had exactly the opposite problem, everyone said "use very little", and my light, fluffy wicks actually got smaller when wet.

 

[emus]

You'll get expansion IF you first compress the cotton while it's dry (noob mistake). Roll the dry cotton between you fingers until it's as thin as possible, then wet it...presto - expansion.

That could be it.

Individual fibers may expand a hare
Fluffy wicks may collapse a lot for a net wick shrinkage.
Tightly rolled wicks may expand.

Time for another experiment.

 

[Aal_]

This changes what works. I always made them fluffy and not twisted, but if they shrink or get compressed with time that might lead to more dry hits where coil doesn't touch the wick anymore. So which way to go?

 

[emus]

This changes what works. I always made them fluffy and not twisted, but if they shrink or get compressed with time that might lead to more dry hits where coil doesn't touch the wick anymore. So which way to go?

Easy to correct a collapsed wick on a horizontal coil.
I poke a needle threader through coil along side of collapsed wick.
I pull a new wick through coil w/ needle threader; now coil has collapsed wick and new wick.
Works great.

 

[Aal_]

Easy to correct a collapsed wick on a horizontal coil.
I poke a needle threader through coil along side of collapsed wick.
I pull a new wick through coil w/ needle threader; now coil has collapsed wick and new wick.
Works great.

Ha nice....

 

[super_X_drifter]

I find I get the best results with a densely (tightly) rolled wick when using CVS sterile rolled cotton (the only kind I use) on micro coils ( the only kind I use ).

The tricks are to make sure the wick pulls thru the micro coil with very little resistance and trim the tails short.

After some primer puffs, it's game freakin on.

Here's my typical wick: