Do I need a mini blowtorch?

[conanthewarrior]

Hey guys, hope your all OK.

I notice in many coil building videos, they give the coil a blast with a mini blowtorch, but wouldn't when I have built the coil and firing it have the same effect as the blowtorch?

I don't want to have to buy anything I don't need, I'm going to get the essentials like ohm reader and so forth, but a blowtorch? I am not sure.

 

[Swerved]

You can do without it. I mean, don't get me wrong it's a fun toy to have and who doesn't like to play with a blow torch when afforded the opportunity, but I wouldn't classify that as a completely necessary item for coil building. The better you get a wrapping your coils tightly and uniformly, the easier it is to tidy them up once you have them in the posts and use the mod to heat them up.

 

[kwtony]

Every man need at least a dozen torches...

If you buy a mini blow torch understand this. The most important aspect of the torch, is finding quality butane. You can have the fastest car in the world, but it wont mean anything with shitty gasoline.

The crap butane they sell at most stores, robinson or zippo is junk. Go to amazon and buy yourself some Purified Butane. If you have old torch lighters that have gone bad and wont work anymore, there is a good chance is was garbage fuel. New fuel can fix those and wake them up again too.

Drain your butane from the bottom by pushing in a bent paperclip in the hole. You want to ideally push that nipple in, but understand that when you do, butane will come rushing out. so do it outside, hold your breath, or walk upwind as you expel the gas out. Make sure you do it in small spurts and bend your paper clip off to the side so you dont drip butane directly on your hand.

 

[UncleRJ]

I have a torch but I just normally heat the wire with a standard disposable lighter (like a Bic) before forming my coil.

Then I install and apply power until the coil is red and put the finishing touches on it.

 

[GrayVaper]

I started out torching, afterall, I have one that I used for cigars laying around, but lately I don't bother.

There are two senarios:

A: wrap your wire without preheating and then heat the coil a couple of times on your atty by pulse firing your mod.
B: wrap your wire AFTER preheating and then heat the coil a couple of times on your atty by pulse firing your mod for good measure.
Then, as UncleJR said:

Then I install and apply power until the coil is red and put the finishing touches on it.

The only difference I am aware of is that preheating makes the wire easier to deal with because it loses it's "metal memory" obtained from spooling. I may be wrong.​

 

[conanthewarrior]

I have a torch but I just normally heat the wire with a standard disposable lighter (like a Bic) before forming my coil.

Then I install and apply power until the coil is red and put the finishing touches on it.

I have one of them turbo flame lighters (basically a mini blowtorch) so would that work?
Also, why do we heat the wire before making coils?

EDIT:SOrry grayvaper explained why we heat it. I understand now.

 

[UncleRJ]

I started out torching, afterall, I have one that I used for cigars laying around, but lately I don't bother.

There are two senarios:

A: wrap your wire without preheating and then heat the coil a couple of times on your atty by pulse firing your mod.
B: wrap your wire AFTER preheating and then heat the coil a couple of times on your atty by pulse firing your mod for good measure.
Then, as UncleJR said:


The only difference I am aware of is that preheating makes the wire easier to deal with because it loses it's "metal memory" obtained from spooling. I may be wrong.​

Good Points.

And I watched the same freaking videos all of us have before, during and after my first build and at the time, everyone had a torch.

I have one too but I use it to light the logs in my fireplace.

Like I said, I use a cheap lighter and it works just fine. And the only reason I even bother doing that is that the process seems to get rid of some of the "Spring" in the metal and makes the wire easier to form into coils and install on the deck.

But there have been times when I have misplaced my lighter and managed to wrap coils and build decks just fine.

But I always pulse for two reasons. The first time you get that sucker cherry read, there is some kind of smoke being emitted from the wire. Leftover machine or cutting oil I imagine and I just don't want that crap in my lungs.

 

[Swerved]

Good Points.

And I watched the same freaking videos all of us have before, during and after my first build and at the time, everyone had a torch.

I have one too but I use it to light the logs in my fireplace.

Like I said, I use a cheap lighter and it works just fine. And the only reason I even bother doing that is that the process seems to get rid of some of the "Spring" in the metal and makes the wire easier to form into coils and install on the deck.

But there have been times when I have misplaced my lighter and managed to wrap coils and build decks just fine.

But I always pulse for two reasons. The first time you get that sucker cherry read, there is some kind of smoke being emitted from the wire. Leftover machine or cutting oil I imagine and I just don't want that crap in my lungs.

Yeah generally that is some type of drawing lubricant they use when drawing the wire to the finished diameter. Definitely not something you want to be vaping... lol

 

[OBDave]

I've always been fine with just a few pulses after my coil is installed to make sure it's heating evenly and burn off whatever gunk there may be...

 

[Neunerball]

Utilizing a torch is done to take out the "springiness" of the wire. Not needed for regular/micro coils. Dry burn is good enough. However, it is useful when doing some of those fancy twisted wires, in order to get the twists right.

 

[McPuff]

i have never used a torch or lighter. i just make my coils and pulse them. works great everytime. although i have thought about getting a torch just for making twisted coils and stuff like that. plus i like toys

 

[Neunerball]

i have never used a torch or lighter. i just make my coils and pulse them. works great everytime. although i have thought about getting a torch just for making twisted coils and stuff like that. plus i like toys

You can use that torch for finishing your Creme Brûlée too.

 

[McPuff]

true! and wifey wont give me crap for having more vape stuff!!

 

[Firestorm]

I bought a butane torch to use when building coils and I have used it for a long time. One reason that I think that it's better than a lighter is that a lighter may leave behind black carbon precipitate if the flame touches the wire. A butane torch will not leave behind this residue because it will introduce a 30% oxygen mixture before ignition, resulting in a much more efficient burn that doesn't leave anything behind. If your goal is to torch the wire to clean it and remove impurities, then coating it with black carbon precipitate defeats the purpose, IMO.

That being said, there is currently some controversy over whether or not you should dry burn or torch your resistance wire that has been alarming some vapers: http://www.ecigarette-research.org/research/index.php/research/research-2015/212-db

I don't want to derail this thread or necessarily debate the merits of these claims, but given what I've read and what I've seen discussed, I have now stopped torching my Kanthal when building since it doesn't really offer me an advantage and I will test fire it anyway before wicking.

 

[outwest]

Like already mentioned, there's burning off any crud (oil, etc) on the wire and there's making it less springy. Taking the stiffness/springiness out of the wire is called annealing. You can buy wire that comes annealed, but I don't see it as often.. Whether or not to use a torch really just depends on your preferences, etc. I have a couple of them for work and sometimes i use them for my wire, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood.

If you do use a torch, a pen style torch would be more than enough flame and they're cheap. I'd also recommend a soldering block (such as this http://www.jewelsandtools.co.uk/products/Monalux_Block.html ) for working over, since they're heat resistant and fire resistant. For butane, I recommend Newport Extra Purified Butane (from the UK).

 

[Zamazam]

One of the essential bits of kit you need for rebuilding is a pair of ceramic tipped tweezers. You can pulse the coil while gently compressing it and not have it short out when you do so. With the ceramic tipped tweezers, you don't need a torch. I used to use a torch, but not anymore.

 

[D-Man]

The only time I think it's a benefit is when using Clapton coils, as they can be a bit difficult to tighten up if they aren't tight enough after building the coil. I also find it useful when building your Clapton wire itself. Prior to building the coil if the wraps are not very tight on all areas when wrapping around the core you can push the wraps tight together (Taking out the spring effect) and hit it with the torch to make them stay tight. This is actually the most important function to me. That being said, if you don't build or use Clapton coils then I really don't see a necessity. Just my personal opinion based on the things I deal with in vaping.

 

[conanthewarrior]

One of the essential bits of kit you need for rebuilding is a pair of ceramic tipped tweezers. You can pulse the coil while gently compressing it and not have it short out when you do so. With the ceramic tipped tweezers, you don't need a torch. I used to use a torch, but not anymore.

You are a legend. I will definitely get these, as I never got a blowtorch. I get payed saturday, monthly mod is only cheap so I have money to get other gear too. My DNA200 landed in the USA today as well-it was posted yesterday. I think that is amazing, and Evolv was telling the truth about it being back to me in around a fortnight

 

[Spent]

As a non smoker (YAY) Not to many lighters around now days except those long BBQ or fire place ones. Any way twisted is almost a must to get the spring and twisting back on it's self. I just use the stove and pliers.

 

[Discobob]

I have been eyeballing these lately
http://shop.vipstervapes.com/collec...ts/protip-ceramic-tweezers?variant=6053102977

I used to use the torch to tighten my coils before install but since my coil master and my lazyness no need for this anymore