Stainless Steel Mesh - What type to use?

[BJ43]

comparing oranges to oranges
PG will rise higher in a 400 mesh than on a 325 mesh.
Vg will rise higher in a 400 mesh than on a 325 mesh.
On the same 400 wick PG will rise higher than VG because of cohesion forces, but it will not rise higher on 325 than on 400,

 

[BJ43]

This guy has a great answer. This explains the 316 number, but when you say 400 or 325, my understanding is that is 400X400 squares per 12"X12" area of sheet. Am I correct on this? And, is that true that the number represents the squares in a 1 foot square sheet?

400 wires and/or 400 holes per inch

 

[asdaq]

BJ, I like the tests and finally someone got some #500 mesh in real life testing.

Raidy said that #325 would give more TH and less vapor and #400 more vapor less TH. #500 would really produce thick vapor. Have you found a difference in these respects? Also, is your #325 from the mesh company too? They do a twill weave in that size so the open space is very close to #400. For myself, I have mesh to last for years so I probably won't be getting to this anytime soon.

 

[BJ43]

BJ, I like the tests and finally someone got some #500 mesh in real life testing.

Raidy said that #325 would give more TH and less vapor and #400 more vapor less TH. #500 would really produce thick vapor. Have you found a difference in these respects? Also, is your #325 from the mesh company too? They do a twill weave in that size so the open space is very close to #400. For myself, I have mesh to last for years so I probably won't be getting to this anytime soon.

All my mesh is from The Mesh Co. and all is square mesh. More TH from 325 is usually because it is drier, hotter, and harsher in other words very hot air to your throat. True TH comes from vaper and more vaper more TH. (all other parameters being the same.) I have several sheets of 325 and have basically quit using it as I really couldn't prove any advantage in personal tests and lab test. As I have said before there are many variables and many confuse wicking with flow, we vape at many angles and most of the time the juice transfer is a combination of wicking (by capillary action) and flow by gravity. I stand by my statement that if the juice has to go up, 400 is what works best and VG or PG is irrelevant. Now I have #500 and it is even better than #400.
Just to make a point, you can have 0 vaper and just suck hot air and feel what many call TH.
If on 325 twill weave the holes are smaller than on the square weave then it is more like the 400 and just proves my point. The smaller the weave holes the better it wicks. Most state they go to the 325 because it has bigger spacing and will wick better for VG and that is false.

 

[asdaq]

Standard weave, both are actually square. Can you notice a difference in the quality of vapor with the #500 though?

 

[BJ43]

Standard weave, both are actually square. Can you notice a difference in the quality of vapor with the #500 though?

50/75% more vapor on the 500 over 400.. I really don't understand what people mean by quality of vaper, if I have a lot of vapor and I mean a lot like impossible with 4/5 wraps of 32g, you need 7/8 wraps on a 2.5mm SS wick, the kind of vapor you have to exhale twice to empty your lungs from one inhale. So my first goal is mucho vaper, the other only parameter that controls quality is temperature and I tweek my V until I get my sweetspot of TH and Flavor. So for me yes, the 500 gives me a better quality of vaper. The 500 gets more juice to the coil than 400.

 

[asdaq]

I suppose I mean light and wispy compared to thick and milky for quality. There is a visible and non visible part of steam, the visible relating to vapor and the non visible to TH. The smaller the droplets are between the wires of mesh influence the size of particles in the vapor and it's milkiness, so the finer the mesh the finer the particles and so on. When it is milky, it hangs in the air longer and makes it difficult to speak while exhaling, that sort of thing.

 

[BJ43]

I suppose I mean light and wispy compared to thick and milky for quality. There is a visible and non visible part of steam, the visible relating to vapor and the non visible to TH. The smaller the droplets are between the wires of mesh influence the size of particles in the vapor and it's milkiness, so the finer the mesh the finer the particles and so on. When it is milky, it hangs in the air longer and makes it difficult to speak while exhaling, that sort of thing.

Interesting your droplet theory never thought of it that way, and as far the invisable on TH I agree in part since My DIY has menthol crystals, I can get a TH without vaper or even heat.
I really don't think the size of the droplets in the mesh has anything to do with it vaper density. It is not like fuel injection under pressure that you are spraying the juice on the coil. The coil gets wet and that's it. It is either too wet, just right, or too dry for the heated area and the voltage used. I am getting more full vapor with the 500 because like cotton it can keeps up with my large coil. If I drip with my bonuts I can get the same vaper but not as consistent. IMO full vaper production comes from the ability of the wick to keep the coil wet during the complete 4 to 6 second cycle of a draw. If it only does it for 3 of the 6 second then the last part of the inhale is weak and wispy. When dripping we get a couple of perfect draws but usually the first is to weak, too wet and then a couple of good draws and then weak and hot, too dry and the drops are really large. For me the most important thing has been heating area and for my DIY juice a 7/8 wrap 2.5mm 2.4/2.6 ohm 32g A1 at 4.8/5.5v. and any mini wick on it will give me the same vaper (quality) for one draw, the problem is repeating it especially if you chain vape and do double draw inhales like I do.

 

[asdaq]

Sorry, I had to sleep. The visible steam I learned from raidy, and Gummy looked into the droplet size matter. I too take double draws and sometimes 10 in a row as well. The droplet size is a reason for this as this first hit is too wet and liquid has managed by surface tension to saturate the wick and the coil as well. That first hit, or the first seconds of a longer first hit, the coil is actually too wet and the vapor is not as thick. Right after that we get a 'warmed up coil' that got rid of the liquid saturating the outside of the wick and the coil and can get to the smaller droplets between the wires and enjoy some thicker vapor. Of course everything has to wick just right to keep up with usage. For me I'm not satisfied with a setup if it won't keep up with 10 hits in a row, and I really enjoy the thicker vapor.

Stealth vaping a single hit is often hurried and gets a hit with TH, but isn't as satisfying as a real comfortable session. For me, a Gtank first hit is always wetter than a tank on bottom atty first hit set up mostly the same. Petar K has a method that the coil doesn't touch the mesh which seems to avoid the surface tension saturation to the coil so you just have a layer on the outside of the wick to vape through. For a while I had similar voltage and wrap numbers as what you are using but I've toned them down some to get quicker hits and better battery life due to shorter button presses.

 

[crizzle3275]

Where is this Mesh Company located? Do they charge for shipping?

I use Custom Wire Cloth - Belleville Wire Cloth Co - Cedar Grove, NJ for all my mesh and wire cloth needs and have never reall had a problem with them.

I would like to sit down, compare prices and shipping and see whos the best supplier of this material....

 

[BJ43]

Where is this Mesh Company located? Do they charge for shipping?

I use Custom Wire Cloth - Belleville Wire Cloth Co - Cedar Grove, NJ for all my mesh and wire cloth needs and have never reall had a problem with them.

I would like to sit down, compare prices and shipping and see whos the best supplier of this material....

The Mesh Company (Warrington) Ltd #400 Super Fine Filtration Mesh - 25 Micron
They also have #500
Very good price they send 2 extra sheets for every one you pay for.

I got 3 sheets of A4 size for $17 delivered
I ordered 1 sheet a4 size of #500
They sent 1 #500 and 2 #400 sheets

 

[asdaq]

Crizzle, at the time, I got 5 A4 sheets total for $25.02 shipped- prices have changed slightly, but not much.

You don't have to sit down now.

 

[jangofett]

I ordered from them. I paid for a large sheet and they cut it up into smaller pieces, and I didn't get anything for free. Oh well.

 

[Novcon]

This guy has a great answer. This explains the 316 number, but when you say 400 or 325, my understanding is that is 400X400 squares per 12"X12" area of sheet. Am I correct on this? And, is that true that the number represents the squares in a 1 foot square sheet?

The 400 means it's 400 squares per linear inch or 400 x 400 = 160,000 holes per square inch.

 

[Oly6t1]

I ordered 2 #400 and got 2 extras, I can't tell witch is the #400 and what the 2 others are.
The top 2 are finer mesh. Can anyone read that?

 

[breaktru]

I ordered 2 #400 and got 2 extras, I can't tell witch is the #400 and what the 2 others are.
The top 2 are finer mesh. Can anyone read that?

I thought mine were hard to read but apparently yours was written in British-eese

 

[Lex0r]

After attempting to oxidize my SS mesh, it literally falls apart when I begin wrapping the coil around it. It's just so brittle. Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong? Or perhaps it's a bad piece? I'm using 316 series 400 that I bought on ebay. Does the mesh from the mesh company remain intact after being oxidized? Thanks in advance.

 

[Oly6t1]

I got a reply and he said,

I believe that that top two are the freebies (#200 x 0.028mm mesh) and the bottom two are #400.

Still a bit confused, the top 2 is finer (almost silky feel to it) I was thinking the finer the mesh the higher the number? #500 would finer then #400 and so on. Is that correct?
Don't think the #200 is much use for RBA's

 

[Desert Rat]

Same size wire fewer passes is less material. I ordered 1- 400 and 1-500 and got 2-200's also but they were marked clearly. The 200 seems finer.

 

[KarlMatson86]

Just bought 100ft kanthal A-1 32 AWG, 100ft kanthal A-1 34 AWG, and 400# mesh on eBay all very cheap totaling 24$ free shipping and in the USA Too says i should receive all within 2 days first class on all three items should last me tell i die of old age or get hit by a car nothing to worry about anymore need a larger Fishing tackle box for all my stuff now thou