My first coil!!

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on3fifth

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Ok got a AGA-T. Researched a lot about making coils and wicks before getting it. Well I am sold so far on rbas and can see why people spend cash on them.

Made my first coil it was a 100% success. Got it at 2.2 ohms and so far is vaping like a champ. The taste is a bit off but i hear it takes a full tank or two to get better. I might get in line for a z atty if i can.
 
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on3fifth

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Rock on, yah SS Mesh wicks take some time to break in, they aren't Silica that's for sure. Just keep an eye on it, after about 2 tanks I'd check your coils again to make sure that no particle matter has gotten on it and created cold spots..other then that, great job :)
Thanks yeah it did give me some issues but i think its ok now. I do feel like the flavor is a bit muted though.
 

Orobas

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RedMoxy69

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BIG CONGRATS TO YOU, it took a minute as I did a happy dance to celebrate your 1st time prowess!!! It is what I have procrastinated as of late, but have been busy-THANK YOU for lighting a fire as I need to git er done w/ordering my supplies-I have a phoenix clone & we also have vivi MINIS-will one cloth fit both, preferred wicking material (not metal, silica)? Wire suggestions/supplier? DID YOU DO A HAPPY DANCE, if not highly suggested???!!! Will also be adding a few more to the pile of more permanent units. What did you wrap your wire around to get the proper wrap circumference right out of the gate? WILLING TO TRY MAKING HEADS BUT I'LL NOT BE SS MESHING FROM THE START AS YOU, K-U-D-O-S!!!!
 
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on3fifth

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BIG CONGRATS TO YOU, it took a minute as I did a happy dance to celebrate your 1st time prowess!!! It is what I have procrastinated as of late, but have been busy-THANK YOU for lighting a fire as I need to git er done w/ordering my supplies-I have a phoenix clone & we also have vivi MINIS-will one cloth fit both, preferred wicking material (not metal, silica)? Wire suggestions/supplier? DID YOU DO A HAPPY DANCE, if not highly suggested???!!! Will also be adding a few more to the pile of more permanent units. What did you wrap your wire around to get the proper wrap circumference right out of the gate? WILLING TO TRY MAKING HEADS BUT I'LL NOT BE SS MESHING FROM THE START AS YOU, K-U-D-O-S!!!!

Yeah I just went for it soon as it got here. Now I have done my second coil and got around 1.9 ohms. I wanted to redo it to use a better mesh and get more practice I guess. :p

I got everything I need from okcvapes.com pretty cheap. I can't lie tho the shipping took a sec BUT I do think it was because of the snowy times.

Oh and here is a picture of the 2nd one I made it has some frays on it but it's still fine.
atty.jpg

Thats with 32AWG and 400 SS mesh.
 

StereoDreamer

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Congrats!!!

I just ordered 2 spools of Kanthal from an eBay vendor--28ga and 36ga. I'm looking forward to getting into rolling my own coil too...

Now I just have to decide what to use for wicks. Should I invest in a BIG spool of Nextel (I have a line one one for less than 1/2 retail), or should I stick with silica, or fiberglass, or go "all natural" and try cotton or hemp? (I'm mainly going to be doing coils for non-Genny-style tanks like the Smoktech R-tank, and rebuilding Vivi Nova heads...
 
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Ictinike

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Grats (not sure why I didn't see this earlier) :)

AGA-T are nice and I'm learning them as well. I retrofitted mine tonight with a spring and flat washer on the positive end to have an easy twist and lock squeeze connection at the positive end. The washer also is closer to the wick so that reduces hot spots at the top leg.

So far it's been working well and 1.8 ohms @ 11w and vaping like a train but still have to tilt a bit until the wick picks up some ability and I was shocked after building the coil, Petar K style over a drill bit and firing it up, I slid the once over oxidized 400 SS mesh and went to town. Only after I was vaping it did I realize I didn't do any juice burns or dunks in water. I guess I get it well enough with the torch that it didn't need any further oxidation! :)

Grats and RBA's are awesome to tinker around with and once you have a good build it's hard not to want to rip it apart and do it again; only thing is, you'll not get it the same way twice, lol.

~Icky
 

on3fifth

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Oct 25, 2011
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Congrats!!!

I just ordered 2 spools of Kanthal from an eBay vendor--28ga and 36ga. I'm looking forward to getting into rolling my own coil too...

Now I just have to decide what to use for wicks. Should I invest in a BIG spool of Nextel (I have a line one one for less than 1/2 retail), or should I stick with silica, or fiberglass, or go "all natural" and try cotton or hemp? (I'm mainly going to be doing coils for non-Genny-style tanks like the Smoktech R-tank, and rebuilding Vivi Nova heads...
Yeah my next goal is to try some SS in a vivi nova. Just to see if i can do it.

Let me know which way ya go with the wick i would not mind trying hemp for a wick.
 

JD1

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Yeah my next goal is to try some SS in a vivi nova. Just to see if i can do it.

Let me know which way ya go with the wick i would not mind trying hemp for a wick.

It can be done but I didn't like it in my Smok redux. Cut your mesh so that the weave is at a 45 degree angle to make it bend easier. Make the wick very small then fit it into the slots in the vivi head. It should fit tight enough that it marks the coil very slightly when you push it in, but doesn't flatten it.

I'll admit I didn't fool with the one I tried very much, but it wasn't wicking good and flavors were very muted. I very quickly went back to cotton. I've been using cheese cloth with excellent results. A couple of posters said they liked the makeup pads and I plan on trying that, but it'll really have to go some to beat cheese cloth. :vapor:

Also, I've read a couple of posts that said bamboo wicked great, but had a woody flavor that was impossible to get rid of.
 

new kid

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Congratulations. I really jealous since I'm not having any luck.

Been trying to get a coil to work for about 4 weeks now. Not one worked more than a few seconds. Something keeps happening to the coil after I get it working and it gets off or hot spots and dies. The one I tried today was working good (cigarette paper method). I added liquid to the tank and no wicking what so ever. I checked it and it went straight to a hot spot and the wire melted at the hotspot. it was at a hot spot the the wire melted. I've tried the Peter K and many other methods multiple times (at least 2 dozen tries). Every time I tried the Peter K method it all worked right until I added liquid to the tank. Then the coil was no longer heating evenly.

I'll keep at it a few more times but it is not looking promising for me.
 

Zeybrin

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Something people need to remember and keep in consideration is the removal and replacement of the top cap. You have to be VERY careful not to tap your coil with it as you take it off because you will in all likelihood cause a hot spot. I suggest pulling off the cap at an angle away from the wick and then replacing it in a similar manner to ensure you don't knock the coil and wick assembly.

Hope this helps!
 

new kid

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LOL, I am still trying to get to a point to use it with the cap on. Only one or two times have I been able to get that far. :facepalm:

Something people need to remember and keep in consideration is the removal and replacement of the top cap. You have to be VERY careful not to tap your coil with it as you take it off because you will in all likelihood cause a hot spot. I suggest pulling off the cap at an angle away from the wick and then replacing it in a similar manner to ensure you don't knock the coil and wick assembly.

Hope this helps!
 
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