I have both the aga-t and aga-t+.... they both have hotspot issues at the top. The aga-t+ is a tad better, but not much.
Here is what I do... no added washers or anything...
Roll 40x60mm on a small paperclip
Use a 7/64th drill bit (or similar) and make your coil. I tend to do 4/5 32awg Kanthal A-1. Make sure you torch your coil prior to wrapping, it will clean it off and also draw out any slack naturally in the wire. Also easier to wrap imho.
Fit the coil and attach the negative and positive.
I do the loopback method. So if my coil naturally sits on the left of the ground...I wrap it around the right.
I do the same on the positive... if the coil naturally comes to the left side of the positive....I wrap it around the right side back toward the left.. I feel this takes up a small amount of slack on the coil and helps.
So if you wrap your coil clockwise around the bit....wrap it counter-clockwise around the ground/positive.
Some dont do this...but I prefer it.
Dry burn your coil without the wick in it. 3 or 4 short bursts at low voltage. Up the voltage..couple more bursts.
This will help stiffen the coil....but with 32awg it doesnt do a ton.
Now test fit the wick. Roll it until it fits snuggly. You shouldnt have to force it into the coil. Nor should it just drop in.
You should be able to gently twist it into the coil....or place it in and tap it to get it inside the tank.
I generally will gently twist it in, then when it is set.....twist the opposite way just a little. I feel this opens up the wick, or unwinds it to fit better inside the coil.
Now I will dry burn and test for hotspots without liquid. Im looking to get the coils all firing red about the same.
Once the do...I drop a few drops onto the wick...and keep firing.
Keep working at it... at low voltage. Once you do not see any hotspots..up the voltage some...and re wet the wick.
Keep doing this until you get your voltage up to where you like it, and you do not see any hotspots.
Fill your tank about 3/4 full if its a brand new wick/coil. I feel this little extra air pocket helps get that new setup working better.
After a tank or two...fill it full.
Another method is without the drill bit. I had to use this one at first until I could work the hotspots.
Make your wick. 40x60mm is what I like. Then buy some cig rolling paper. Old orange package Zig Zags work fine, or similar.
Cut a very small piece. maybe 4x4mm.... something small. And wrap that cig paper around the tip of your wick.
Use vg or pg on the cig paper to help hold it down to the wick.
Wrap your coils directly ontop of the cig paper....and roll semi tight. Do not kink the wick....but roll tight.
Insert your wick/coil and tighten down....use whatever method you want...but I still prefer the reverse loopback.
Now.... adjust your coils to look neat or whatever, and dry burn on low volts.
You are trying to burn the cig paper off.....and what happens is it will leave a very small amount of composite or whatever just under your coils....the rest burns off. This will help with hotspots....its an extra layer.
The downfall of cig paper to me.... if your not carefull you can put too much on and get it around the area of your wick that goes into the tank.... so try to scrape that off or only cut enough to where it hits the coil and not below the coil.
If I am out and about.....I use the cig paper method. Its fast. With more time/tools I use the drill bit method. Depends where I am.
