How much cotton? - Trying to settle on a standard

[xpen]

Cotton shouldn't be 'pure white', that means it's been bleached (peroxide, or whatever).
Not that it'd kill anyone, I presume, but given a choice unbleached it's better IMO
The specks... well, impurities of sorts. Someone says it's bits of insects, I don't want to know

 

[Fragility]

The proper amount of cotton should slide pretty easily thru the coil, while still touching the coil all the way around; there should be no "bunching." If you get too much, you'll get dry hits. If you use too little, you'll get a different sort of icky tasting hit, which tastes like hot metal.

My way of solving this dilemma was to figure out the correct amount for one size (the inner diameter, the size I wrap the coil around) of coil... and then stick to that inner diameter like glue. Since adopting this approach, I've rarely had any problems with the amount of wick.



Andria

The issue with that is how much you roll up the cotton before sliding it in which makes a big difference to how easily it slides through. I used to give it a loose roll in my fingers beforehand and then pinch the end, as it didn't feel right to be sliding a rectangular peice of cotton through a circular coil, but i've tended to stop doing that to give a more accurate representation of how much i'm using. With the amount that some people use (10mm+) it would seem impossible to get it through without rolling it beforehand.

Density of the cotton matters a lot also, I've found puff slides through a lot more easily then muji for the same size strip. I'm not exactly sure if the density is difference or if it's just more compressed inside the pad.

At this point I've settled on 3x the ID of the coil using muji with both strips removed.

 

[AndriaD]

Cotton shouldn't be 'pure white', that means it's been bleached (peroxide, or whatever).
Not that it'd kill anyone, I presume, but given a choice unbleached it's better IMO
The specks... well, impurities of sorts. Someone says it's bits of insects, I don't want to know

It probably is bleached; I don't care. My juice is EXTREMELY gunky, so if the cotton doesn't start off pure white, I don't have a good gauge for when to re-wick.

Andria

 

[AndriaD]

The issue with that is how much you roll up the cotton before sliding it in which makes a big difference to how easily it slides through. I used to give it a loose roll in my fingers beforehand and then pinch the end, as it didn't feel right to be sliding a rectangular peice of cotton through a circular coil, but i've tended to stop doing that to give a more accurate representation of how much i'm using. With the amount that some people use (10mm+) it would seem impossible to get it through without rolling it beforehand.

Density of the cotton matters a lot also, I've found puff slides through a lot more easily then muji for the same size strip. I'm not exactly sure if the density is difference or if it's just more compressed inside the pad.

At this point I've settled on 3x the ID of the coil using muji with both strips removed.

It's hard to clarify it in words, really. The Shiseido I use is the proper width for the length of wicks I need, and over time, I've come to know the proper width strip to cut, which I pull apart, as close to perfectly in half as I can get. So there is a "cover" on each piece, but only one; I've found that it makes no diff whatever to the vape if I leave that cover or pull it off, so I leave it. At that point, I lick my first and second fingers and thumb and roll the strip loosely, but enough so that there are no flyaways, and quite tightly for about a half-inch right at the end, which I use to poke thru the coil. At that point, I only need to trim off that tightly-rolled bit, and perhaps any uneven bits at the other end, and it's perfect; the Achilles has a very deep well. I let perhaps a quarter inch of wick rest on the bottom of the well on each side, to make sure that the wick has a really good soaking contact with the juice.

But it sounds to me like you've figured out your own happy place with wicking, so I'm not really sure why you're confused. We all probably have our own little method that we've worked out over the time we've been vaping and making our coils, so if it works... you know... don't fix it. Just vape and enjoy.

Andria

 

[xpen]

Yeah I think each of us found their own way and now stick to it more or less religiously
But it probably won't make much sense to anyone else

 

[Johnnytraveler]

It's hard to clarify it in words, really. The Shiseido I use is the proper width for the length of wicks I need, and over time, I've come to know the proper width strip to cut, which I pull apart, as close to perfectly in half as I can get. So there is a "cover" on each piece, but only one; I've found that it makes no diff whatever to the vape if I leave that cover or pull it off, so I leave it. At that point, I lick my first and second fingers and thumb and roll the strip loosely, but enough so that there are no flyaways, and quite tightly for about a half-inch right at the end, which I use to poke thru the coil. At that point, I only need to trim off that tightly-rolled bit, and perhaps any uneven bits at the other end, and it's perfect; the Achilles has a very deep well. I let perhaps a quarter inch of wick rest on the bottom of the well on each side, to make sure that the wick has a really good soaking contact with the juice.

But it sounds to me like you've figured out your own happy place with wicking, so I'm not really sure why you're confused. We all probably have our own little method that we've worked out over the time we've been vaping and making our coils, so if it works... you know... don't fix it. Just vape and enjoy.

Andria

The joys and art of wicking!

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.

 

[Johnnytraveler]

The issue with that is how much you roll up the cotton before sliding it in which makes a big difference to how easily it slides through. I used to give it a loose roll in my fingers beforehand and then pinch the end, as it didn't feel right to be sliding a rectangular peice of cotton through a circular coil, but i've tended to stop doing that to give a more accurate representation of how much i'm using. With the amount that some people use (10mm+) it would seem impossible to get it through without rolling it beforehand.

Density of the cotton matters a lot also, I've found puff slides through a lot more easily then muji for the same size strip. I'm not exactly sure if the density is difference or if it's just more compressed inside the pad.

At this point I've settled on 3x the ID of the coil using muji with both strips removed.

Sounds about right. When I first started I was using 9-10 mm (outer layers removed) with my 3mm id coils. I was using sheets, but not sure of the brand as I got them in bulk from a b&m. I did gently roll them.
I stopped measuring once I learned the feel. I like lots of cotton. Just enough not to pull on the coils (or bunch up the cotton) as I pull it through. I found this reduced spit back pops. Of course not all tanks have big enough wick holes for the cotton I used with 3mm coils, so I would trim the ends down accordingly to fit in the wick holes, to prevent dry hits.
You are on the right track. Now adjust accordingly to each tank as they all be have a little differently.

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.

 

[AndriaD]

The joys and art of wicking!

Sent from somewhere in Vietnam.

It really is an art form, because no one can really tell you "this is exactly the right amount" -- you have to figure it out for yourself, based on the inner diameter of the coil, and the type of material you use (rayon wicks should be STUFFED into the coil, cotton should be so scanty that when it's dry, it seems like "not enough"). So I wouldn't really call it a joy... More of a huge pain in the ass to learn -- like learning to swim or ride a bike or play a musical instrument -- you have to learn the technique of it for yourself, so at first it seems really hard, but once you have it, you have it.

Andria

 

[MWorthington]

@AndriaD, are you using an RTA or a dripper?

Michael

 

[AndriaD]

@AndriaD, are you using an RTA or a dripper?

Michael

Technically it's an RDA, but it's actually somewhat of a cross between, since it holds 2.5ml, about the same as the first clearos I used.

Andria

 

[MWorthington]

I hear you.

Michael

 

[ангел-Vape]

Need help with scottish roll like I know you can get it to work with almost any size but these are on small side and idk what type it is. Here it is - Is link showing? Looks a little bigger in pictures obviously. This is what it says for size:
AWESOME AMOUNT. Parallel Cotton Fibers of 50 x 60 mm. Square cotton pads can use easily as you wish. For customers, we reduced the parts we could cut down and left behind where we needed the details. As you can tell, this cotton is considered for the customer to the ultimate. Therefore, there is enough amount to use.

Is it to small? Ill upload picture if need be cause Idk what they mean by "reduced the parts we could cut down". Also what kind is recommended the most? Or best? I know it comes to personal preference etc. Anyway I would appreciate any help, tips and etc. Thanks.

 

[KingPin!]

Grab some Koh Gen do little bit more but it’ll last you a year or more!

80 pads In the pack larger sheets than Muji

 

[ангел-Vape]

Need help with scottish roll like I know you can get it to work with almost any size but these are on small side and idk what type it is. Here it is - Is link showing? Looks a little bigger in pictures obviously. This is what it says for size:
AWESOME AMOUNT. Parallel Cotton Fibers of 50 x 60 mm. Square cotton pads can use easily as you wish. For customers, we reduced the parts we could cut down and left behind where we needed the details. As you can tell, this cotton is considered for the customer to the ultimate. Therefore, there is enough amount to use.

Is it to small? Ill upload picture if need be cause Idk what they mean by "reduced the parts we could cut down". Also what kind is recommended the most? Or best? I know it comes to personal preference etc. Anyway I would appreciate any help, tips and etc. Thanks.

Grab some Koh Gen do little bit more but it’ll last you a year or more! Also doesnt list size an comments are different on size so maybe buy somewhere else?

80 pads In the pack larger sheets than Muji

All I found was 60 ct on Amazon here - I dont think I can post links. Anyway just type
Koh Gen Do on amazon an you will see one listing

 

[KingPin!]

This stuff

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koh-Gen-Do-Organic-Cotton/dp/B00NU3H3KE

 

[ангел-Vape]

This stuff

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koh-Gen-Do-Organic-Cotton/dp/B00NU3H3KE

Ahh I see only available on UK Amazon. Anyway what about the stuff I already have I mean it's good there is tons of it and perfect size for rda but other then that to small. I guess i'll get the KoGenDo if ships to US or have to find elsewhere. On US site of amazon its weird 60 instead of 80 but has 61 reviews almost fully 5 stars.

 

[KingPin!]

do whatever you want to do probably much like muji cotton which is smaller

 

[tac_driver]

part 1 of 4 parts

 

[KingPin!]

I personally like cotton snug inside the coil but not where I have to piss around getting it through ...so disagree with him in this vid but each to thier own if it’s works it works no wrong or right

 

[AndriaD]

I personally like cotton snug inside the coil but not where I have to piss around getting it through ...so disagree with him in this vid but each to thier own if it’s works it works no wrong or right

That rayon shit has to be STUFFED into the coil. Nasty stuff. I saw KGD was recommended above, I've always VASTLY preferred Shiseido.

Andria

 

[tac_driver]

I personally like cotton snug inside the coil but not where I have to piss around getting it through ...so disagree with him in this vid but each to thier own if it’s works it works no wrong or right

i tried it on my Entheon clone and watched the middle of my spaced fused clapton and did notice it was more saturated using the same squonking method i always use then with normal wicking.

 

[MWorthington]

part 1 of 4 parts

I started doing this after I watched his videos a couple of months ago with much better wicking success. I pretty much chain vape all the time and as long as there's juice in the chamber...never a dry hit. That's just my experience though. It might not work as well for others.

 

[KingPin!]

I started doing this after I watched his videos a couple of months ago with much better wicking success. I pretty much chain vape all the time and as long as there's juice in the chamber...never a dry hit. That's just my experience though. It might not work as well for others.

Great to see you back mate

 

[MWorthington]

Great to see you back mate

Thanks. I thought I'd drop by for a bit to see what's happening. I've been lurking in the diy section some, but mostly my daughter and I've been mixing and vaping. I'm up to about 250 flavors now and we got twin smoant battlestars with aura rdas. We're in vape geek heaven!

 

[Ralph_K]

I tried getting cotton in coil then grabbing each end and twisting so it compresses the cotton enough to pull it through. Works very well on my RDA

 

[Ralph_K]

Just tried this twisting method on my Kylin mini using 3mm coil but the amount of cotton I normally would use on a 4mm coil. I had to trim sides part of wicks that go in wicking channel and thin out. It seems to wick better and smoother with no popping. On a side note verdictvapors is giving for free 5 10ml bottle of ejuice it has to be different flavors and is made with nic salts. Shipping was $3.50

 

[ангел-Vape]

Just tried this twisting method on my Kylin mini using 3mm coil but the amount of cotton I normally would use on a 4mm coil. I had to trim sides part of wicks that go in wicking channel and thin out. It seems to wick better and smoother with no popping. On a side note verdictvapors is giving for free 5 10ml bottle of ejuice it has to be different flavors and is made with nic salts. Shipping was $3.50

Getting more organic jap cotton but in meantime shove a whole piece of cotton bacon prime in there or rather use my v2 to test trim it at all an do you even get that much in 3mm coil?

 

[Ralph_K]

Getting more organic jap cotton but in meantime shove a whole piece of cotton bacon prime in there or rather use my v2 to test trim it at all an do you even get that much in 3mm coil?

I'm using the graham beauty coils and splitting it in half is about right for 4mm coil but managed to get same amount in a 3mm coil by twisting it.

 

[bpbary]

Every tank is different so there is no one size does all I find. Merlin and Ammit wick totally different from one another even though tanks are based on the same principle. If not wicked exact they can leak or dry hit.

exactly right I wicked Merlin mini about 5 times because of dry hits and vacuum lock finally cut a 6 mm wide strip for 3mm coil striped off outer layers didn't roll it twisted end threaded it felt loose thought it might leak but no much better but had to turn tank upside down open vent turned it back up right way put it on the mod and perfect actually closed air vent half way now if i done some of my other tanks that way they would have leaked or flooded and spit back a lot live and learn yes fluffed the ends quite thin actually and made sure they didn't touch bottom of wick holes

 

[KoblinV3]

I've tried a whole range from fairly loose to too tight. It's definitely a balancing act as too much is much worse than too little IME.

I do basically what you said you'd hear from other. I like to wick as tight as I can without moving the coil whatsoever. Then I move it back and forth so that it's a little bit more compressed and easier to move back and forth.

 

[AndriaD]

I've tried a whole range from fairly loose to too tight. It's definitely a balancing act as too much is much worse than too little IME.

too much wick = taste of burnt cotton (or, GAG A MAGGOT!, taste of burnt rayon)
too little wick = taste of burnt metal.

Neither is very pleasant... but yeah, I think burnt cotton might be slightly more awful than burnt metal. Burnt rayon just makes you want to amputate your tongue AND nose. But compressing the wick isn't a good idea at all; there needs to be airspace in there, so that space can be taken by ejuice. Without that airspace, it won't hold much juice, causing that burnt-tasting dry hit.

Andria

 

[KoblinV3]

That's not something I was aware of. That makes sense. Yeah I usually just do it to make sure there's not too much cotton (seems easier to tell by doing that) but I figured that also helped if you had a little too much.

I've never gotten any burnt or dry hits by doing that but it would make sense that it's more helpful as fluffy cotton. I have enough experience that I can tell without having to do that so I'll try that next time. Probably won't be noticable enough to tell a diff but I'll go back to that way since that seems to add up logically.

Thanks for heads up.

 

[AndriaD]

That's not something I was aware of. That makes sense. Yeah I usually just do it to make sure there's not too much cotton (seems easier to tell by doing that) but I figured that also helped if you had a little too much.

I've never gotten any burnt or dry hits by doing that but it would make sense that it's more helpful as fluffy cotton. I have enough experience that I can tell without having to do that so I'll try that next time. Probably won't be noticable enough to tell a diff but I'll go back to that way since that seems to add up logically.

Thanks for heads up.

I think wicking is really the hardest part of learning to do your own coils -- it doesn't take too much skill to wrap a wire around something, and though sometimes it can be challenging to get it mounted (I STILL have a hard time with those kind you have to put the leads through, rather than wrapping the leads around wires, just because I'm so uncoordinated, making the wire go thru 2 holes at the same time is just hard!).. but learning the right amount of wick, that's really not something that someone can teach you, you just have to do it enough that you get a feel for it -- and even after doing it for 4 yrs, sometimes I still can't get it *just right* -- but, the reason why cotton is so absorbent is because it has "air spaces" -- and once those air spaces do get filled with liquid, then the cotton expands a bit, so it's really easy to get a dry hit -- I had that constantly when I first started making my own coils. But once you do manage to get it *just right*, then it does get easier, because you have a "feel" for what that *just right* looks and feels like, even before you juice it up.

I'm sure you've probably been told the usual, but it never hurts to repeat it -- it should slide easily thru the coil, without bunching (or without MUCH bunching), yet be touching the inside the coil all the way thru it. One thing to consider is that the cotton DOES expand a bit after you juice it up, so even if it doesn't seem to be touching, at first, while it's still dry, once you prime it with ejuice, it may be "just right" -- which is why it's better to err slightly on the side of "not enough," than "too much" -- because cotton does expand when it's wet.

Andria

 

[KoblinV3]

Yeah that's how I used to do it but it got annoying when I'd have to take off some cotton to make it just right. Especially with this Drago cotton I'm using in sub 3mm builds.

I got the Mavaton X by cotton man coming in the mail which looks a lot easier to work with but still as good tasting (according to reviews) and still no break in period. Watch Jai Haze's review on it for more info.

Normally I don't agree with a lot of his subjective criticism but it seems in this case he's right. Going by others' reviews it validates everything in his vid.

I'll try switching over to how I used to do it and see if I can't tell a flavor difference. Guess I got kind of lazy with it haha.

 

[quadraginta]

I think wicking is really the hardest part of learning to do your own coils -- it doesn't take too much skill to wrap a wire around something, and though sometimes it can be challenging to get it mounted (I STILL have a hard time with those kind you have to put the leads through, rather than wrapping the leads around wires, just because I'm so uncoordinated, making the wire go thru 2 holes at the same time is just hard!)..

<snip>

You shouldn't need to do that. Cut one wire shorter than the other, and they go through one at a time.

 

[AndriaD]

You shouldn't need to do that. Cut one wire shorter than the other, and they go through one at a time.

Yeah, I more or less figured that out, some time AFTER I stopped using my Magma -- with my Achilles, it's like a kayfun, around the screws -- but with a larger head-space to work in, so it's much easier than even a kayfun.

Andria

 

[KoblinV3]

So I tried wicking it without moving the cotton back and forth. I tried to little to too much and everything in-between. I was getting severely muted flavor to the point that I was questioning whether I had vapors tongue!

I rewicked it the way I normally do and the flavor returned. I'm not sure if it's something to do with my Drago cotton but yeah I can wick with more cotton and it just flat out tastes better. If I used the same amount or even less to a lot less it would have severly muted flavor.

Can't really explain why but yeah that was my experience. Just thought I'd share it in case this applies to any kind of cotton.

My only explaination is that by doing that I can get a lot more cotton in it without it being too thick for the coil. I also took out my almost week old cotton and it wasn't even browned so I'm getting zero burning from it and no dry hits. /Shrug

Edit: Okay so I think we're both right lol. I think it's just with this Drago cotton it's better to have the wick thicker and then have a thinner section where the coil is going to be if you want it to wick the way you suggest and still have it not break apart as you pull it through. Because I had this happen coincidentally and now the flavor is better than if I had it a bit too thick for the coil but pulled it back and forth. It's just hard to get a consistent chunk of it where it's the same thickness throughout the whole amount of cotton you want to use. So my method worked and made it easier with this particular cotton but it's still not optimal for flavor compared to just having it at the proper thickness without having to pull it back and forth.

Can't wait to get that mavation x in and be able to wick it with a more traditional cotton. The Drago stuff tastes awesome with no break in but a bit of a PIA to work with haha. The mavation x is supposed to be just like Drago but a typical cotton in terms of consistency/how the fibers run. I'll do a review and see though.

 

[AndriaD]

Whatever works, right? I'm not familiar with that Drago, but maybe after my humongo pkg of Shiseido runs out, I'll check it out. Also interested in this cotton bacon stuff I've heard a lot about... I've just got so much Shiseido, and I like it so well, that currently I just don't really have any motivation to try anything different. I like how the cotton "pads" have all the fibers aligned, it makes the capillary action awesome... but my high-PG ejuice is so thin, pretty much any kind of cotton wicks pretty well, I've just always liked the good flavor I get from using the Shiseido, and the almost-nonexistent break-in time.

Andria

 

[gsmit1]

Are you giving your cotton a chance to "burn in" (or whatever is a good term) at all.
For me anyway, new cotton tastes funky for like the first 20 puffs sometimes.