New to ECF and RDAs, have a few questions.

[Cloudbuster]

Hey there all.

I was wondering if it is absolutely vital to torch kanthal wire, or if dry burning (before wicking) would produce the same result? I know the kanthal needs to be oxidized, so I was just wondering would dry burning suffice?

I currently have a panzer clone, and omega clone. Single coil build at 1.0ohm. My last setup was a kanger protank 2 with air flow control base, on a raivapes mechanical mod. I am very new to coil building and rdas, so be easy on me lol.

Any other advice/tips are welcomed. Thanks in advance.

 

[Kr3wsk8er]

I personally dry burn prior to wicking, it works just as fine.

 

[The Ocelot]

I don't think it's vital to torch it. I've been experimenting and, for me, it seems I can wrap the coils tighter if I don't torch it first. I think it gets torched enough when I'm pulsing it and squishing it together. However, take my experience with a grain of salt, I'm quite good at doing things wrong.

 

[CreepyLady]

I dont torch either, just wrap, slap, dry burn. Works fine

 

[Cloudbuster]

Whoa, that was quick. Awesome, thanks all. I was worried, because I heard somewhere that not torching kanthal was unsafe health wise. Lol obviously untrue, considering all of you are still posting. Thanks again.

 

[Baditude]

double post

 

[Baditude]

It's not necessary. Heating the Kanthal prior to wrapping will reduce the "memory" of the wire, meaning it will not be as springy and should be easier to wrap.

When without my micro torch, I have used a Bic lighter to anneal the wire. The wire will get hot enough to glow red.

Torching or pulsing the coil will add a layer of carbon onto the wire surface which helps prevent shorts. This is especially important when being used with SS mesh wicks which are prone to develop shorts in genesis-style RBA's.

Torching is most useful when making micro-coils, for when you are compressing the coils tightly together. Again, this reduces the natural memory of the wire, and encourages the coils to remain touching each other when they cool.

micro-coil

 

[The Ocelot]

Compressing sounds so much more knowledgable than squishing.

 

[Cloudbuster]

This is my first coil, just made it before I registered. How does it look?


Edit: Just to add, there is juice in there already because the guy I bought it from made me a coil when I bought it.

 

[Fair Trades Canada]

This is my first coil, just made it before I registered. How does it look?
View attachment 333662View attachment 333663
Edit: Just to add, there is juice in there already because the guy I bought it from made me a coil when I bought it.

Heat, yay! ;] Looks better then my first one but i was stuffing mine back into a normal atomizer and ended up threading some white heat proof insulator wrap i found in a disposable cig then threaded some bare metal from a pipe cleaner through the insulator thread thinking it might help pull more juice to the coil. not sure but no leaks and it does my vapiest vaping of all now after being broken and useless for a month waiting for replacement wick/coils to come in stock locally which they finally admitted they won't be carrying any longer. $1 in 28 gage and i feel like i got king coil midas vape touch. ;]

 

[Baditude]

That looks like a nice micro-coil. No gaps between the wire. Nice compression technique. The coil is glowing evenly side-to-side. No hot spots or hot leg.

 

[dice57]

One of the advantages of torching, annealing, the wire before wrapping, is then once wrapped, will hold it's shape better. Also with thin springy wire, helps take some of the springiness out of the wire, making it easier to wrap.

Whether you choose to anneal your wire or not, always pulse and squeeze the coil after mounting the build, to get the best performance out of it. That is if we are talking micro coils, if not, be sure and check out the Micro Coil build thread, and learn a great way to become a competent builder quickly.

Building, wrapping, wicking, takes time and practice before optimal builds are acquired. You don't need every kewl tool at once. As long as you have an ohm meter, wire, wick and safe battery knowledge, you are good to go. Before I bought a Ronson Butane torch, I'd use my gas range for building, torch is so much easier, and makes a great lighter too. lol.

I'd pick up a tool here, and an item there, as I became more proficient, I'd add things as time passed.

Take full advantage of the different sub forum available on the ecf. All the knowledge is here, this is where one learns to get their Vape On!!!

Vape long and Prosper!!!

P.S.: the cat bites!

 

[Cloudbuster]

Nice! Thank you Baditude. I watched some videos before attempting, glad I did. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Cloudbuster]

Thanks for the links dice57, will definitely check it out. Lol I have no idea if it is a micro coil or not. I just took some kanthal and wrapped it around the tiny screwdriver that came with my atomizer. I tested it on my ohm meter, it came to 1.5 so I unwrapped and clipped until it got down to 1.0. I figured 1.0 was safe because that is what the ohms read on the coil that was built for me. I have an efest 3.7v battery, I don't remember the Mah or amps off the top of my head. It is purple though.

Anyhow before I ramble anymore, I think I'll go read up lol.

 

[Jscheiben]

Nice looking coil. hell of a lot better than my first, well second coil(I got too aggressive with first).

 

[edyle]

This is my first coil, just made it before I registered. How does it look?
View attachment 333662View attachment 333663

Edit: Just to add, there is juice in there already because the guy I bought it from made me a coil when I bought it.

Looks real nice.

 

[Cloudbuster]

Thanks for the compliments all! It gives me a lot of peace of mind, knowing I am on the right track. Fairtrade are you on a rda, tank atty, carto? Got a little confused there lol. I have 28 kanthal too, went from tank to rda and loving it.

I honestly don't think I could ever go back to tanks or cartos. The draw, flavor, vapor, temp, everything is SO much more enjoyable. Some juices I didn't like in a tank, I love in my rda. I also like dripping over tanks, the flavor is more consistent and doesn't go funky.

 

[edyle]

Thanks for the compliments all! It gives me a lot of peace of mind, knowing I am on the right track. Fairtrade are you on a rda, tank atty, carto? Got a little confused there lol. I have 28 kanthal too, went from tank to rda and loving it.

I honestly don't think I could ever go back to tanks or cartos. The draw, flavor, vapor, temp, everything is SO much more enjoyable. Some juices I didn't like in a tank, I love in my rda. I also like dripping over tanks, the flavor is more consistent and doesn't go funky.

Kayfuns are the recommendation for new users looking to start rba's because are easier, but when it comes to comparing drippers to tanks, the genesis type rba's are basically drippers on the top. You can drip on a genny.

Kraken:

You can drip on a genny; plus if you have one with two wick holes you can mod it so you can pump air down one hole to squirt liquid up through the other hole instead of waiting for wick.

 

[Baditude]

Yeah, but genny's can leak if not kept upright, so that makes them an at-home-only device in my book. I also don't like to do the "genny tilt" each time I vape.

Kayfun is so much easier to deal with as far as builds and portability.

 

[thomthoms3]

If you use cotton, dry burn before wicking. I don't even torch kanthal anymore.