Tensioned Micro Coils. The next step.

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super_X_drifter

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Titanium then?

Also... if you take a look at the $0.50 device I made/posted earlier... it had a tensioner in the form of multiple screws the kanthal had to pass through... served to remove the initial bend some and give it all the same uniform bend... also had the kanthal on a bobbin. I think it's a good idea no matter how you go about it.

Nah, no Ti. This kid is sticking with Kanthal A1. I saw that machine you did. Pretty slick bro. Afro engineering at its finest :)

I hear those "temp control" mods need special wire, yeah? No thanks. I'll control my temps with good ol' sound builds, a well trained trigger finger and the correct air in / out mixture :)
 
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Moxienator

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I get it now. Still using 5/64ID, Tensioned 29g @ 1.35R. Loving it.
bd8a8503224b659949e7822a4a6eb7b5.jpg


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RGLP4Lyfe

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Sorry if you posted the answer to this earlier (I couldn't find it) -- can you use the Gizmo to also make perfectly spaced coils?
I'm sure you could. You would just have to watch and be careful to space them evenly. I only make touching coils so I can't say first hand but I know if I wanted to I def could with my gizmo. Maybe try a m3 screw? You wouldn't get the tension part quite right but you would get your perfect spacing.. sorry I guess I'm not much help maybe somebody who's done it with their gizmo will chime in. I'll just fade into the background and vape my Nuppin sweetness with Routers!!
-Mark
 

havok333

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Sorry if you posted the answer to this earlier (I couldn't find it) -- can you use the Gizmo to also make perfectly spaced coils?
If you hold keep he wire tight and at an angle you could probably do a decent job. Or if you could make a mandrel out of a machine screw that should give killer results.
 

Moxienator

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Sorry if you posted the answer to this earlier (I couldn't find it) -- can you use the Gizmo to also make perfectly spaced coils?
If you made a mandrel out of a really small threaded rod you could.... Like the same size they use to build a peko....

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MacTechVpr

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I'm sure you could. You would just have to watch and be careful to space them evenly. I only make touching coils so I can't say first hand but I know if I wanted to I def could with my gizmo. Maybe try a m3 screw? You wouldn't get the tension part quite right but you would get your perfect spacing.. sorry I guess I'm not much help maybe somebody who's done it with their gizmo will chime in. I'll just fade into the background and vape my Nuppin sweetness with Routers!!
-Mark

Sorry if you posted the answer to this earlier (I couldn't find it) -- can you use the Gizmo to also make perfectly spaced coils?

You can definitely wind a tension coil on a screw bit, on a pin vise or jig. And strain will add the same flexible forming effect as in a contact wind lending to the durability of the wind. By aiding in preserving the geometry efficiency is also maintained. Winding on a form also allows making some very closely spaced coils. Two problems though. First an important advantage of the contact coil is being able to predict it's resistance consistently. On a screw wind some research is needed on the pitch choice selected or good record keeping. The second is getting the wick density right. Unless you use something like Ekowool or ceramic it's a challenge. My initial research into consumer winding methods was devoted to screw winds for two months before my first post on rebuilding. i could never get the density right until i started working close contact, contact and tensioned contact winds. It's not an easily repeatable proposition without some serious practice. For me that involved hundreds of builds. So I honestly marvel at those that accomplish it…and applaud them.

There are some situations i dont' always build a t.m.c. for. There's one particular tobacco blend for example I'm vaping that works best for me with a rather hefty and cool 32 AWG twisted 8 turn. But I would add that it took me a considerable time to find just the precise fit for this flavor and quite a bit of practice to be able to duplicate it.

If you're winding for the same kind of device, doing the same build, juices don't vary and truly believe you're getting a great vape a tensioned screw wind could be just the ticket for you. If like me there's a great variety in your vape, have many kinds of devices and mech's, variables and predicting resistance or power output is critical there is absolutely no tool better to get there precisely and consistently than a t.m.c.

Good luck.

Vape on and pass it on!

:)
 
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Flavored

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Sorry if you posted the answer to this earlier (I couldn't find it) -- can you use the Gizmo to also make perfectly spaced coils?

Somewhere I saw the idea of using 2 parallel wires on the gizmo, side by side, then separating them for 2 perfectly spaced coils. I haven't tried it, but believe it would work.
 

MacTechVpr

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...Back on Jul 7 I wrote CMD a piece on how to get the best out of NexT and tensioned winds. I'm happy to share the results of my long term test on that particular build which I'll soon take down. Mostly because I'm itchin' to stick a real 24 AWG high-powered wind in there or perhaps the twisted-center post dual adaptation I've discussed elsewhere. Anyway this 26 AWG 6-turn on 5/64" .4Ω dual has been for me one of the most reliable, powerful and stable builds ever. All due to tension and the marvelous attributes of this amazing ceramic fabric…


403541d1421097663-readyxwick-round-2-img_1306a.jpg


403542d1421097743-readyxwick-round-2-img_1307a.jpg



Using the frequent wash and minimal fire/torching strategy I've described here and on the earlier REO's NexT thread this build's managed to work flawlessly for half-a-year still providing about as superb a taste and performance result as anything I've ever done. All from a simple tensioned coil and a few cents worth of wick…


359705d1406426217-protank-microcoil-discussion-img_0959a.jpg



It would be my pleasure to see you all enjoy this.

So cmd I dunno about a REO's. I've got so many of these darned things already. But if I have to for more to join us and try a t.m.c. they're in my future. Russ goin' dual-coil has got me a lot more interested as I'm often low key under 10W. But I when I get a hankerin' for that big pipe or cigar experience I gotta have power and clouds man.

Good luck.

:)

p.s. I ran Boba's Bounty exclusively on this build. Mostly at .6mg undiluted, or with some Gorilla Juice as a kicker. :D


Just to link a couple of threads demonstrating the elastic durability and consistency of tensioned micro's and Nextel ceramic fiber wicking.

Post your fav build here or shout out if you need to.

Good luck.

:)
 

MacTechVpr

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As a footnote to the above, let's not forget the very reason that tension winds work.

This one was a hassle. The torch died after a few seconds, and it took forever to finish burning the wire and the coil, and the result was not satisfying.

I never torch my coils. I wrap them tight and they stay together just well. Then I fire and pinch if I need to.


You're absolutely right nocigs. The proximity and intermittent contact of a close contact wind one that didn't make it to coherence is nasty. It can resemble that of a loose post connection or bad termination. Hot, dry and acid. That's not a microcoil.

A tensioned microcoil wind doesn't require torching or compression to maintain it's shape. Will stay stable and on res for a substantial amount of time as per here...One can't help but enjoy a tensioned microcoil and ceramic wicking…for six months.

What so many seem to miss is that the whole purpose of torching is to get the get the wind as tightly packed as possible. Even with squeezing and firing they're never as close together as can be. But you can't get any tighter than a tension wind in nature. No amount of torching can get you that. In fact, it can keep you from getting there.

There's another reason we torch and that's to oxidize which helps prevent overheating of wire by insulating it from shorts. The second part of that process after torching is pulsing. Unfortunately the very carbonization that torching lays down can inhibit the formation of alumina oxide which is what serves to protect the wire from hot spots and shorting.

Lot of folks still relying on old school methods from when we started making micro's. Now we've come to understand the process of why it works and there is a better, faster way which by the way ends up putting more heat on the wick.

The most effective uniform transfer of energy to the wick is what we're after. That's what delivers the vapor and flavor volume we're looking for.

Good luck all.

:)


384643d1414382506-micro-coils-increase-vapor-flavor-th-img_1191a.jpg
 

Dissonance

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Just wanted to point out - I agree tensioned micro-coils definitely can produce a nice vape, but the jig isn't needed. I use a screwdriver that I tried to adjust a coil with that was still a 'lil too hot and had a lead mark branded into it... Perfect for wrapping coils. Hold one end tight, put tension on the wire while you wrap, and go to town. When you're done, clip, straighten, and pull the starting end til it's the number of wraps you want. In your video you mentioned it being hard to keep track of when you're pulling back wraps to rid yourself of the starter wraps, but I've never had that issue :) a little bit of practice and it's easy. I'd be willing to bet I could make a coil just as pretty in less time with my screwdriver :) Two to three fires while clamping with ceramic tweezers and it's glowing dead center without a minute of rubbing your needle in the coil ^_^ But to each their own, if that's what you've found works best for you then that's awesome :D I'm not sure how well that would work with parallel or clapton coils either tho :(

That aside, I do coils a bit differently. I raise them up (MXv2 airflow, so yeah I center it on that which is up a bit from the post holes) so I have the leads coming off 90º from eachother, then take a pair of pliers and bend one side 90º to face the same way (but still come down a bit, this will be the positive connection so it's raised on the positive block) then the other lead out and down a 'lil then back in... Sounds more complicated than it is, but they're the easiest to mount coils ever. Pretty much slide them into place, pull on the leads to get the slack out, then tighten. Pulse a few times, adjust, fire and squeeze, then wick. It's always so much easier (for me, at least) to bend your leads to fit rather than trying to adjust it in the atty ^_^ Frustrating at first, but once you get a feel for your coils & your RDA it'll become easier to eyeball exactly where the leads should end up :p
 
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super_X_drifter

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Just wanted to point out - I agree tensioned micro-coils definitely can produce a nice vape, but the jig isn't needed. I use a screwdriver that I tried to adjust a coil with that was still a 'lil too hot and had a lead mark branded into it... Perfect for wrapping coils. Hold one end tight, put tension on the wire while you wrap, and go to town. When you're done, clip, straighten, and pull the starting end til it's the number of wraps you want. In your video you mentioned it being hard to keep track of when you're pulling back wraps to rid yourself of the starter wraps, but I've never had that issue :) a little bit of practice and it's easy. I'd be willing to bet I could make a coil just as pretty in less time with my screwdriver :) Two to three fires while clamping with ceramic tweezers and it's glowing dead center without a minute of rubbing your needle in the coil ^_^ But to each their own, if that's what you've found works best for you then that's awesome :D I'm not sure how well that would work with parallel or clapton coils either tho :(

That aside, I do coils a bit differently. I raise them up (MXv2 airflow, so yeah I center it on that which is up a bit from the post holes) so I have the leads coming off 90º from eachother, then take a pair of pliers and bend one side 90º to face the same way (but still come down a bit, this will be the positive connection so it's raised on the positive block) then the other lead out and down a 'lil then back in... Sounds more complicated than it is, but they're the easiest to mount coils ever. Pretty much slide them into place, pull on the leads to get the slack out, then tighten. Pulse a few times, adjust, fire and squeeze, then wick. It's always so much easier (for me, at least) to bend your leads to fit rather than trying to adjust it in the atty ^_^ Frustrating at first, but once you get a feel for your coils & your RDA it'll become easier to eyeball exactly where the leads should end up :p

Firing and squeezing is what I've heard referred to as trying to perfect an imperfect coil. If it is your preferred method, I say rock it, but if it's wound properly to begin with there should be nothing to squeeze :)
 

MacTechVpr

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Just wanted to point out - I agree tensioned micro-coils definitely can produce a nice vape, but the jig isn't needed. I use a screwdriver that I tried to adjust a coil with that was still a 'lil too hot and had a lead mark branded into it... Perfect for wrapping coils. Hold one end tight, put tension on the wire while you wrap, and go to town. When you're done, clip, straighten, and pull the starting end til it's the number of wraps you want. In your video you mentioned it being hard to keep track of when you're pulling back wraps to rid yourself of the starter wraps, but I've never had that issue :) a little bit of practice and it's easy. I'd be willing to bet I could make a coil just as pretty in less time with my screwdriver :) Two to three fires while clamping with ceramic tweezers and it's glowing dead center without a minute of rubbing your needle in the coil ^_^ But to each their own, if that's what you've found works best for you then that's awesome :D I'm not sure how well that would work with parallel or clapton coils either tho :(

That aside, I do coils a bit differently. I raise them up (MXv2 airflow, so yeah I center it on that which is up a bit from the post holes) so I have the leads coming off 90º from eachother, then take a pair of pliers and bend one side 90º to face the same way (but still come down a bit, this will be the positive connection so it's raised on the positive block) then the other lead out and down a 'lil then back in... Sounds more complicated than it is, but they're the easiest to mount coils ever. Pretty much slide them into place, pull on the leads to get the slack out, then tighten. Pulse a few times, adjust, fire and squeeze, then wick. It's always so much easier (for me, at least) to bend your leads to fit rather than trying to adjust it in the atty ^_^ Frustrating at first, but once you get a feel for your coils & your RDA it'll become easier to eyeball exactly where the leads should end up :p

Cool bro. As long as tension's layered on evenly even heat distribution happens and you'll seldom see an uneven dual fire. So not much tweakin's necessary. That's exactly the point I'm tryin' to get folks too. A pin vise is only one way. It's what the electrical and electronics industries relied on for quite some time for on-the-fly coils. I jury-rigged and tried a lot of things 'cause I'm just skeptical like that but at the end of the day having tried hundreds of builds with dozens of solutions I figured this might be the most practical for the average person. Can't beat 4$ and change on Amazon and used drill bits bang around in a lot of peeps washing machines. I'm not sellin' a method, just tension. Sticky works.

If you can do that with a screwdriver more power to ya bro. You got strong hands. Me I'm a weakling these days.

:D

Good luck Diss. Hang in. Let's grow this community.

p.s. Yeah, I like high builds too for airflow but seldom take a wind of the bit 'till I'm ready to fire it. No sense takin' chances, I say. Nuke it from orbit.
 
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Moxienator

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I still pre-torch. It seems to reduce the hot leg syndrome, and I get a perfect glow right off the bat like 9/10 times.

My epiphany with the PeKo bottom feeder/cyclone combo has allowed me to revisit the kayfun at my leisure.
I wrapped a 6 wrap 29g around the 5/64ths mandrel, and it came out to 1.22R. I'm going to sit on this one for a while and test out some different juices with it. It kicks out some good vapor, if a little warm for me.

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super_X_drifter

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I still pre-torch. It seems to reduce the hot leg syndrome, and I get a perfect glow right off the bat like 9/10 times.

My epiphany with the PeKo bottom feeder/cyclone combo has allowed me to revisit the kayfun at my leisure.
I wrapped a 6 wrap 29g around the 5/64ths mandrel, and it came out to 1.22R. I'm going to sit on this one for a while and test out some different juices with it. It kicks out some good vapor, if a little warm for me.

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Yes I'm back to annealing / torching my kanthal before winding my coils too :)
 
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