Next time I have a gennie apart, I think I will try a 4 inch piece about as thick as the coil, a piece of folded kanthal, and do the thread the needle thing. Maybe do a dual coil with a longer piece and down one and out the other. snip snip.
Hey Paul just had a revelation that may help you. Put the wicks in the deck unassembled. Ideally you'll gauge the density closely. Put it together. Take your coil point the tip slide it in coil. While using a twisting of the wick slide the coil down mount it. Then twist and pull the wick through till at the proper length for the tank..
As always use a long piece to start with..
Coil has to be same diameter as the wick hole. Or a hair smaller.