Micro coil Tutorial

[danwldr]

We've done the basic coils, so now it's on to the more advanced stuff.

A micro coil  will give you better flavour and vapour production due to more of the coil being in contact with the wick.

What you will need:

Syringe needle (I am using an 18 gauge but the choice is yours)
Pair of long nose pliers or tweezers
Kanthal Wire (your choice of size)
Chefs torch (optional)
Organic cotton wool

First thing, start with a needle.

I Wrapped the Kanthal 10 times around it as tight as I could.

I am using .25 wire, this should give you a resistance of around 1Ohm depending on what size wire and needle you are using.

Then press the two sides of the coil together using my thumbs in order to compact the coil.

Once it's nice and tight, slide it right off of the needle.

Next you need one of two options:

1. Ignite chefs torch and whilst holding the two long ends of the Kanthal wire, heat up the coil until it is glowing red

Squeeze together the coils with the pliers/tweezers so they are touching tight together for a few seconds

Quench in water and repeat this step until the coils are touching each other.

Connect to the atomiser

2. Connect the ends of the Kanthal wire to the atomiser (connection of the wire under the screw heads should be in the direction the screws tighten)

Press the fire button so that the coils start to glow and then squeeze together so that the coils are touching.

So that's the micro coil finished

You will know it is good if when you fire it, the coils glow from the inside out evenly.



Next, we need to add the wick

It is easier to be using cotton wool for this, though you can use silica if that is your preference.

Pull off a small piece of cotton wool and twist one end of it so that it is thin enough to slide through the centre of the coil.

Once you can see the cotton through the other side of the coil, take your pliers/tweezers and pull it through until you get to the wider part of the cotton wool.

Do not pack the cotton in too tightly as the cotton wool will expand once you add juice to it.

Once you have the cotton wool how you want it, drip your juice on to it (do not fire the coils until they are soaked in juice otherwise you will burn the cotton)

Replace the top cap of the atomiser, add a few more drops of juice.

Now you are ready to vape away.

[stlvapegurl]

Thanks for the great post! I was searching for an answer regarding lack of vapor after building a coil for my new IGO L. You confirmed my suspicions as to why I wasn't getting much vapor production. I have the air holes lined up, but looks like I need to use my 32 gauge wire instead of my 34 gauge. I only have four wraps for my coil, and didn't use the microcoil technique. Your post leads me to believe the 32 gauge wire with more wraps, maybe six or seven (?) along with the microcoil technique should fix the problem. Yes?

Also, I find it quite cumbersome trying to get my wires wrapped around the posts and the coil not touching the posts. Is there a trick or is it just one of those things where practice makes perfect?

[danwldr]

Yes

32 gauge wire with 4 wraps should give you around 1.8Ohms

If you want slightly lower, try 28 gauge, that will give you around 1.3Ohms with 4 wraps

I would probably use 5 or 6 wraps of 34 gauge as its quite thin and see how you get on with that.

[failte]

do you leave the mandrel inside the coil as you position it?  It helps, plus you can slant the coil afterwards (I like to have the short end of the wick going upward, and the long tail acting as a "resevoir" down on the deck behind the coil and so NOT in front of the air-holes.

It ALMOST takes 3 hands (I don't understand why God or Nature couldn't have provided this. Insects have six feet, but we couldn't have 3  hands?).

[stlvapegurl]

Looking at your other post now. Thank you for posting these how to's!

[etherealink]

Thanks for the great post! I was searching for an answer regarding lack of vapor after building a coil for my new IGO L. You confirmed my suspicions as to why I wasn't getting much vapor production. I have the air holes lined up, but looks like I need to use my 32 gauge wire instead of my 34 gauge. I only have four wraps for my coil, and didn't use the microcoil technique. Your post leads me to believe the 32 gauge wire with more wraps, maybe six or seven (?) along with the microcoil technique should fix the problem. Yes?

Also, I find it quite cumbersome trying to get my wires wrapped around the posts and the coil not touching the posts. Is there a trick or is it just one of those things where practice makes perfect?

Also you might consider making that 32 or 34 gauge wire into a twisted wire (drill and needle nose pretty much required) and it will give you a larger surface similar to a 30 ga wire and if you heat the wire after twisting it will be a bit easier to work with.

[Haptyq]

So I'm pretty impressed with myself. Today I built my first coils for a friend because he can't build coils for sh*t and I told him I'd try. Well I was doing it in a Kraken and he wanted his coils to be horizontal instead of vertical. My method was similar to this (wrapped around something very small , pulled off and torched/pressed (until it was to my liking), placed back on wrapping tool, placed on negative and positive posts, adjusted, and pulsed/pressed on addy). Well I'm impressed because everyone in the shop (I was at my local B&M) thought I would get under 1.5 ohms on my first attempt at dual coils. I ended up with dual coils, using 28ga kanthal w/ 5 wraps and was at .56ohms.

Is that impressive or just whatever? Haha

[DavidP1970]

Thank you...  Very helpful material!

[Lettie22]

Ain't it great when things come together like that?

[Ian]

Just for us newer, less experienced vapers who are new to rebuilding. It's probably best to check the atty on a oHm meter before firing it.