First attempt at a clapton

[rhm3769]

For some odd reason, I decided to try building a Clapton coil.... Wrapped 32g around some 26g.... Got just over 2" and did 4 wraps at 2mm ID.... Wow....

And to think I was dripping with 24 and 36 mg 6 months ago.... 6mg and it feels stronger than the 12 mg in my Cthulhu right now

Edit, I'll add a picture as soon as I figure it out....

 

[Cacique]

Congrats on the successful build. Since I'd love to see a pic figured I'd post how for ya. Load your picture into an image hosting site, like Photobucket, then copy the direct link. Come here to do a post and click on the small icon that looks like a tiny window with mountains on it, just right of the smilies. All you gotta do then is post the link to the picture there. Hope that helps.

 

[rhm3769]

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

Here's the link, the picture insert isn't working for me

It's not the prettiest, the 32g had a few gaps, they aren't as noticeable with the completed coil, and the spaces between the coil itself aren't as bad as they look in the picture...

Edit, got it.... The imgur app is weird, doesn't give the direct link....

 

[rhm3769]

Looking at changing it up a bit to run dual Clapton's in my rta....

Twisted 30 with the 32 wrap....

 

[jersey_emt]

Since I'd love to see a pic figured I'd post how for ya. Load your picture into an image hosting site, like Photobucket, then copy the direct link. Come here to do a post and click on the small icon that looks like a tiny window with mountains on it, just right of the smilies. All you gotta do then is post the link to the picture there. Hope that helps.

You don't need to bother with upload a file to an image host, all you need to do is attach an image to your post directly with the "Upload a File" button next to the "Post Reply" button.

 

[jersey_emt]

And it looks like this:

 

[rhm3769]

You don't need to bother with upload a file to an image host, all you need to do is attach an image to your post directly with the "Upload a File" button next to the "Post Reply" button.

Yeah, that was my first attempt, said it was too big of a image. Just got in the habit of getting a picture with my phone and using a hosting site for another forum I use, but I haven't in awhile

 

[Larry J]

OK, possibly a dumb question from a noob to building. When you build a Clapton coil does the entire coil, including the wrapping, go into the post hole or do you just insert the core?

 

[jersey_emt]

The entire coil.

 

[Cacique]

I think from what I've read you can do both. I think you usually want to stick the entire coil, but I've read of some people using just the core wire when the post holes are too small.

 

[rhm3769]

I think from what I've read you can do both. I think you usually want to stick the entire coil, but I've read of some people using just the core wire when the post holes are too small.

If you look closely at mine, maybe you can see it or not, I just have the core in the post, the holes are a hair too small....
If I were planning on using this build for more than a test/confidence boost in coiling abilities, I'd have drilled the holes big enough to fit all of it in....

 

[Larry J]

Thanks for the answers about whether to insert the entire coil or just the core. I got my second dripper in the mail today (a Tobeco Velocity) and the post holes are MUCH bigger than on my Genesis clone. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.

 

[Mrez]

Better then my first attempt. I found a good tip on one of the youtube vids for keeping tension on the outter wrap. Instead of just pinching with your index finger and thumb, if you thread the outer wrap under your ring finger and over your pinky and middle finger and then pinch with the index and thumb it keeps a nice consistent tension on the wire. That little tip got my outer wrap much tighter and closer then before, much fewer gaps. I also pause every now and again and push the wrap tight. The other thing I've been doing, once the wire is wrapped, I run a torch over it to remove some springiness in the outer wrap, keeps its from springing back and forth when you wrap your coil.

 

[rhm3769]

Better then my first attempt. I found a good tip on one of the youtube vids for keeping tension on the outter wrap. Instead of just pinching with your index finger and thumb, if you thread the outer wrap under your ring finger and over your pinky and middle finger and then pinch with the index and thumb it keeps a nice consistent tension on the wire. That little tip got my outer wrap much tighter and closer then before, much fewer gaps. I also pause every now and again and push the wrap tight. The other thing I've been doing, once the wire is wrapped, I run a torch over it to remove some springiness in the outer wrap, keeps its from springing back and forth when you wrap your coil.

I took my two lengths of wire, did a rough few wraps around the core then held that end with a pair of pliers and started doing the wrap by hand. I got about a cm wrapped and then stopped using the pliers and held the wires in one hand and kept wrapping with the other, moving my grip on the wrapped section about every cm of newly wrapped section.... Looking at the wire, I can tell when I had to adjust things as there's one or two wraps not as tight....

Just did a 30g twist I'm about to attempt to use that as a core and use more 30g for the wrap....

 

[Michigan Chucker]

Looking at changing it up a bit to run dual Clapton's in my RTA....

Twisted 30 with the 32 wrap....

Did dual clap in Kennedy v2. 24g, core.. 26 wrap.I love it. Putting a single Clapton with the extra wire now, but with a 22g between the wraps off the Clapton

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[TonyC1981]

I just had a go at my first Clapton, it's 24/25 awg kanthal around a 28 awg Nichrome core and it works well at .95 ohms

 

[rhm3769]

So the drill doesn't work for me.... I found a slower method that works pretty good and its faster and more consistent than completely by hand.... I'll get pictures up later....

Take the core wire and make a loop in one end, put the loop over the hook on the lid of a sharpie.... Start the outer wrap wire at the loop end and then feed a striped out protank head onto the wrap wire so the bottom of the head is against the core wire. Hold the stem of the head while putting tension on the wrap wire and turn the sharpie....

It's not a new method by any means, I saw a YouTube video for the protank head and a drill and I just substituted the sharpie in place of the drill....

 

[DrWoolyCloud]

The method I use is same as rhm3769 but I use a drill. Stick the wire your wrapping through the coil like this one

and once through put the wires in your drill chuck like normal and you can hold the spool loosely in your hand while holding your coil up to the core wire and spin a perfect tight easy Clapton. Little wire wasted too, just don't put too much pressure on the spool.


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