I have been toying with 500 SS mesh in my igo-l for a bit now, I prefer dripping and thus until I get my ceramics in this is the best solution I have found for a good solid long lasting wick while minimizing the dreaded hassles of first time mesh setup. (shorts, wick/coil placement, etc...) I have probably went through 20 wicks in the past 2 weeks simply trying to figure out what works best for me.
I am running 28g kanthal, 3/4 wrap, 500 SS lightly oxidized after being pre-rolled then unrolled to minimize the need for handling after oxidization. (there's actually another smaller roll of mesh inside what you can see to further this effect, I'll explain why shortly)
I start with a 3"x3" square of mesh then all corners of the mesh, aside from the one you start the roll with, are folded into the middle to where they all touch. I then trim each side I folded, basically to where you have about 3-5mm of mesh after the fold. (This is to prevent frayed wire shorts and ensure longevity) I place the middle of that aforementioned tightly rolled and lightly oxidized piece of mesh on the tip of the corner I start my roll on and begin rolling. Once finished I lightly oxidize once more focusing mostly on where the coil will be, then I begin my coil, this part is pretty much just practice I've found, then I prepare for install. Because of the shorting issues with dripping using SS mesh I have found that a small piece of silica placed under the wick makes for nice juice transfer as well as complete elimination the issues of shorting from touching the bottom or "well" of your choice rba. Keep in mind in my experience this is much easier to utilize if you use a shorter wick. I have tried longer wicks using the same method and it's much more of a PITA than it is worth IMO. I also roll the end of the wick into itself a bit, again to prevent issues with fraying and shortshorts. Now on to the install... Due to the diagonal rolling of the mesh it is very flexible and thus not much bending is needed however when rolling this way it is hard to get a bend to stay as well, this is also where the mesh on the inside plays a role as it will stay bent far better than diagonally rolled mesh. I have found that with a 3/4 coil attaching to the outside of the post is optimal for coil spacing. Pull snug, not too tight or you will screw up your oxidation, then screw down. Obviosuly you have the obligatory coil testing and appropriate adjustments as needed but I have found that this methdod makes it a much faster and more streamlined/failsafe process.
Below are some pictures (I will upload some more later tonight) and I would love to know if anyone has any of thier own tips and tricks for SS mesh in a dripper!
I am running 28g kanthal, 3/4 wrap, 500 SS lightly oxidized after being pre-rolled then unrolled to minimize the need for handling after oxidization. (there's actually another smaller roll of mesh inside what you can see to further this effect, I'll explain why shortly)
I start with a 3"x3" square of mesh then all corners of the mesh, aside from the one you start the roll with, are folded into the middle to where they all touch. I then trim each side I folded, basically to where you have about 3-5mm of mesh after the fold. (This is to prevent frayed wire shorts and ensure longevity) I place the middle of that aforementioned tightly rolled and lightly oxidized piece of mesh on the tip of the corner I start my roll on and begin rolling. Once finished I lightly oxidize once more focusing mostly on where the coil will be, then I begin my coil, this part is pretty much just practice I've found, then I prepare for install. Because of the shorting issues with dripping using SS mesh I have found that a small piece of silica placed under the wick makes for nice juice transfer as well as complete elimination the issues of shorting from touching the bottom or "well" of your choice rba. Keep in mind in my experience this is much easier to utilize if you use a shorter wick. I have tried longer wicks using the same method and it's much more of a PITA than it is worth IMO. I also roll the end of the wick into itself a bit, again to prevent issues with fraying and shortshorts. Now on to the install... Due to the diagonal rolling of the mesh it is very flexible and thus not much bending is needed however when rolling this way it is hard to get a bend to stay as well, this is also where the mesh on the inside plays a role as it will stay bent far better than diagonally rolled mesh. I have found that with a 3/4 coil attaching to the outside of the post is optimal for coil spacing. Pull snug, not too tight or you will screw up your oxidation, then screw down. Obviosuly you have the obligatory coil testing and appropriate adjustments as needed but I have found that this methdod makes it a much faster and more streamlined/failsafe process.
Below are some pictures (I will upload some more later tonight) and I would love to know if anyone has any of thier own tips and tricks for SS mesh in a dripper!
