Size Matters

[Annie56]

I have visited ECF ( and posted), in search of the BEST TASTING VAPE, for around six months now. 'Graduating' from Blus, (which provide you with an 'ok' backup, but really do not deliver any sort of a satisfying vape), to 'genesis' style RBAs. (I cannot get the rhythm of dripping down, plus I tend to stick with only a couple of e liquids). So many ECF members, and bloggers, have provided me with tips and helpful hints regarding to the best way to set up a Genesis rba.

After playing around with SS mesh, I have drawn a couple of conclusions.
1) SS mesh delivers the best vape.
2) SS mesh is a REAL PITA to work with.

I have tried several gennie RBAs. One of the senior ECF members( Thrasher,maybe?)made note of the fact that each rba has its own 'party quirks' . Each model and style of rba has its own ideal setup. I was looking for a quick-and-dirty recipe to apply to all of my RBAs. This 'recipe' does not exist.

Coiling matters. All of the wraps need to be touching the wick, with no gaps.

The amount of wicking material matters. The wicking needs to fill the wick hole. Rolled perfect, solid, and straight.

Oxidize vs. Unox?--I torch the mesh, once before, and once after rolling. The shorting at the top wrap weakens the wire, or pops a coil, if I try to set up pulse method using unox ss mesh.

The optimal # of wraps (and setups, in general), will differ, depending on THE DEVICE, and size of the WICK HOLE.

e.g. Aga Hydra--60mm 325 mesh, 32 Kanthal, 3 wraps. 50/50 pg vg

Ch-racken--42 mm 325 mesh, 32 Kanthal, 4 wraps. 50/50 pg vg

pBusardo said it best, in a thick Italian accent 'PATIENCE'

 

[TrentTC]

Try 500 mesh, 28 gauge kanthal, 4 wraps.

 

[denali_41]

400 SS with 30ga 5 wraps will put you at around 1.7\8

 

[st0nedpenguin]

Cotton is a better vape with none of the annoying issues of mesh.

I haven't vaped a genny in forever.

 

[Joshinthecity]

Cotton is a better vape with none of the annoying issues of mesh.

I haven't vaped a genny in forever.

+1 on this.
Cotton wick in a 1 ohm micro on my Reo is absolutely the best vape EVER.
Cotton ....

j.

 

[stylezuk]

PB did a test on Mesh # to wicking and he's now using #500 all the time.

Cotton is easier but a very fine line between too much cotton or it not wicking correctly and scorching.

 

[erawk]

Cotton is a better vape with none of the annoying issues of mesh.

I haven't vaped a genny in forever.

And hemps even better.

 

[Dusty_D]

PB did a test on Mesh # to wicking and he's now using #500 all the time.

Cotton is easier but a very fine line between too much cotton or it not wicking correctly and scorching.

Which is why I use cotton yarn. Takes the guess work out of too much or too little, and fits perfectly into a 5/64 (1.98mm) drill-bit wrapped coil.

 

[WattWick]

Cotton is a better vape with none of the annoying issues of mesh.

I haven't vaped a genny in forever.

Mesh is a better vape with none of the annoying issues of cotton.

I haven't vaped a cotton wick in ages.

 

[BobC]

Mesh tastes horrible, and is a PITA when it ages, you cotton guys are close, missing out on true flavor. Hemp fiber is the new bestist vape, give it a shot, you'll never go back (to cotton)

 

[WattWick]

Is this some new sub-section of the Provarinati? Stomping every thread with "Just get a cotton wick"?

If your mesh tastes horrible and ages in mysterious ways: No offense. You're doing it wrong. True flavor is in the mouth of the beholder.

 

[Annie56]

Thank You All for reading and responding to my post!!
I have wicked with cotton, in my PT heads. I used drug-store cotton balls, and cotton from the hosp that i work at. Taste ok, but vaguely reminds me of getting a kleenex or napkin in my mouth. I have used 400, 450, and 500 mesh. I started to learn about mesh guage, and thickness, i guess. RipTrippers seems to go the opposite--that even 270 is a fast and effective in capillary action. The thickness and durability of 325 appeal to me. I bought it, when i realised that i liked those little 'mystery meshes' that you get with an atty.


Right now, vaping Aga Hydras, 325 mesh 60mm three wrap 32 Kanthal, ohmed out 1.5, Ch-rakens 1.82 Ω, 4 wrap 32 Kanthal on 42 mm 325 mesh.50/50 Ry4 and Cappuccino Zero Nic( seems i have developed a lil blood pressure issue c old age)

Peace!!

 

[Dusty_D]

Is this some new sub-section of the Provarinati? Stomping every thread with "Just get a cotton wick"?

If your mesh tastes horrible and ages in mysterious ways: No offense. You're doing it wrong. True flavor is in the mouth of the beholder.

True flavour is indeed in the mouth of the beholder..

In the last 3.5 years, I've been through every "new" wicking medium that has hit the stands and still have enough cartos, mesh, silica, ekowool and cotton balls to supply probably 50 vapers for years. I've just found cotton wick to be the simplest and most convenient medium when it comes to setup and flavour production, for me. It's what is working for me at this time, and that may change tomorrow..with the next new thing (like hemp!)

Does that make me a cotton fanboy?! I don't know.

I can also be accused of being a Provari fanboy, and a member of the Provarinati but, after having had my first Provari for almost 3 years and second one for 2.5 years, I'll definitely support the notion that it's one of the best mods out there since I can't say the same for any other mod I've owned..




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[RedForeman]

Is this some new sub-section of the Provarinati? Stomping every thread with "Just get a cotton wick"?

If your mesh tastes horrible and ages in mysterious ways: No offense. You're doing it wrong. True flavor is in the mouth of the beholder.

No, but some of us recall the days of stuffing cartridges with all sorts of magical wicking material. Usually only to return to a simple fiber or cotton wick after making a big mess and wasting a lot of time with alternatives. There's a great deal of merit to low maintenance and cheap. It doesn't get much easier and cheaper than being able to tear off a shred from a cotton ball and re-wick every week or so. Not such a big deal in a bottom coil or drip setup.

On the other hand, if you have the time and patience to re-work a top coil tank with fancy wicks in your quest for a perfect vape, more power to you and good luck with that!

 

[WattWick]

I have found that 500 gives me what I want. Never thought of trying 325 as I remember having more issues with 400 back when I started. Giving it some critical thinking tho... I really can't blame my failings on mesh gauge.

The place I order my mesh from have started shipping some 200 with every order of mesh. Maybe I'll order some for re-stocking and check that stuff out just for the heck of it. Problem is... I still have 3-4 A4-sheets of mesh... and probably won't need any more for at least a couple of lifetimes.

I did notice, however, that there is a thing called "twill weave" mesh. Any experience?

 

[WattWick]

No, but some of us recall the days of stuffing cartridges with all sorts of magical wicking material. Usually only to return to a simple fiber or cotton wick after making a big mess and wasting a lot of time with alternatives. There's a great deal of merit to low maintenance and cheap. It doesn't get much easier and cheaper than being able to tear off a shred from a cotton ball and re-wick every week or so. Not such a big deal in a bottom coil or drip setup.

On the other hand, if you have the time and patience to re-work a top coil tank with fancy wicks in your quest for a perfect vape, more power to you and good luck with that!

I'm all for low maintenance. Which is one of the reasons I don't care for cotton wicks. I don't do fancy wicks or coils. I do straight up 4-wrap 0.8 ohm coils on SS mesh. Works marvelously. Flavor as clean as can be. Extremely low maintenance. No need to mock around with changing wicks every few days. Besides, I can wrap up a new coil on a mesh wick quicker than I can drain, open and get a KFL ready for re-wicking. I don't use drippers. If I pick up on that again, I will most likely go for cotton or hemp. That's sort of the nature of drippers (for me) anyways. Pop cap, pull wick, new flavor. No need for low-maintenance.

 

[Gimpy1261]

Thank You All for reading and responding to my post!!
I have wicked with cotton, in my PT heads. I used drug-store cotton balls, and cotton from the hosp that i work at. Taste ok, but vaguely reminds me of getting a kleenex or napkin in my mouth. I have used 400, 450, and 500 mesh. I started to learn about mesh guage, and thickness, i guess. RipTrippers seems to go the opposite--that even 270 is a fast and effective in capillary action. The thickness and durability of 325 appeal to me. I bought it, when i realised that i liked those little 'mystery meshes' that you get with an atty.


Right now, vaping Aga Hydras, 325 mesh 60mm three wrap 32 Kanthal, ohmed out 1.5, Ch-rakens 1.82 Ω, 4 wrap 32 Kanthal on 42 mm 325 mesh.50/50 Ry4 and Cappuccino Zero Nic( seems i have developed a lil blood pressure issue c old age)

Peace!!

Most people would not know that c means. With.
Glad you have found something you can enjoy.

 

[Annie56]

@WattWick--i will have to look up that twill-weave mesh. @ Gimpy-- i think i learned '/c' as an abbreviation for 'with', in a hs shorthand class, that i took about 695 years ago...

 

[WattWick]

My thinking was that it might be easier to do curved wicks with without doing diagonal cuts on the normal stuff. Pure speculation... no idea if it's true. Did some quick googling, but it doesn't seem to be used or talked about much.

Only mention I could find with my very superficial googling was of course on ECF:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo.../347407-best-ss-wick-weave-type-material.html

 

[bender817]

It was because of WattWick and a few others in the http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...discussion/512339-who-still-uses-ss-mesh.html thread that got me to try it again. When I heard comments along the lines of "if you don't love it, you aren't doing it right" it challenged me to do it right. I am a meshhead now. It makes my whole day when WattWick says something poetic about stainless. When I get my TGT clone, I will be setting it up on 500 fed by ekowool hats on either end. I really don't want my kanthal to touch anything else anymore. When I get more mesh I will be doing a mesh dual coil in my igo-w.