Wire troubles with Vivi Nova; coil tightness

[Stratzilla]

I began using tanks just last week and I've been buying replacement heads (fully assembled wick with metal casing) at 1.50$ a pop, but I'd like to start building my own because I can save loads of money this way. I tried for the first time earlier and it seems like a real headache due to the small size and level of precision you need to get it right without a short. My main problem right now seems to be getting the coils tight around the wicking material and getting the coils close enough so I can have 4-5 wrap arounds without too much spacing.

I tried maybe 4 or 5 times and only one looked okay, but I ended up shorting my eGo Riva (darn no short protection).

Any tips for a complete newbie making their own wicks, particularly keeping the coils close together?

 

[bsidb]

Practice and a sewing needle to adjust in or out after its wraped, also use a spacer when wrapping about 3 small needles should do, I use 1 strand of 2 strand 24 gage speaker wire which is about perfect, are you useing cotton?

 

[Stratzilla]

Practice and a sewing needle to adjust in or out after its wraped, also use a spacer when wrapping about 3/4 small needles should do, are you useing cotton?

I'm using silica wick. I'm using a small thin screwdriver to keep everything in place, but actually making the coils close together is tough. When I remove the screwdriver, it's also very loose, so much so that the wick could fall right out if held at an angle.

 

[bsidb]

I'm using silica wick. I'm using a small thin screwdriver to keep everything in place, but actually making the coils close together is tough. When I remove the screwdriver, it's also very loose, so much so that the wick could fall right out if held at an angle.

Thats too loose, you will taste wire

 

[bsidb]

LOose enough to move in the coil and just barely move the coil as it slides

 

[Stratzilla]

LOose enough to move in the coil and just barely move the coil as it slides

I think the problem I'm having is a combination of shaky hands and no real support for the wick that is small enough. A screwdriver is small, but I guess not small enough?

 

[MikeA5]

I'm a senior and I use a headset magnifying glass ~$15 on amazon or ebay. I'm lucky so far my hands don't shake but if they did a "helping hands" vice for ~$10 can be found on amazon or ebay. Hope you have better luck. I rebuild my Vivi Nova using braided cotton wick and the wicking and flavor is very good. Good luck and hope these suggestions help.

 

[meli.]

Hi Stratzilla,
Do you take the tension out of the wire first?
I really like tight neat coils and for months I've watched others with envy when asked they often say they use a drill to make them. That sounds too much like hard work for me so I use a pin vice that grips the one end of the wire, then I use pliers to hold the other end and then I turn the pin vice to the amount of coils I require.

Sure fire easy peasy way for nice tight coils and the pin vice gives you the ability to make them as tight and closely packed as you like.

 

[Thrasher]

for soft wicks i use a paperclip wrapped with the wick when removed it should make it just loose enough, anyways you should be getting an easy 3-4 weeks from a nova head i have some 6-8 weeks old how are you going through them so fast if you just started using a nova?