Clapton Coil

[sonicbomb]

I just built my first clapton coil after some trepidation about how difficult it would be to build and what my target resistance would be.
I was pleasantly surprised how easy the build was, and further surprised by the realization that the core wire provides the main guide to the end resistance. In retrospect this seems pretty obvious. Electricity follows the path of least resistance, meaning the the wrapped wire just adds additional mass and surface area.
The flavour and vapor production is excellent, and the need for super high wattage devices has become far clearer to me. I was only able to push 60 watts through this baby coil, it needed more.
I'm an engineer and I should know better. It's not until you build/repair something that it's inherent function becomes clear.

26G wrapped wrapped with 32G ID3mm at 0.49ohms on a Mutation X V3

 

[yuseffuhler]

I just built my first clapton coil after some trepidation about how difficult it would be to build and what my target resistance would be.
I was pleasantly surprised how easy the build was, and further surprised by the realization that the core wire provides the main guide to the end resistance. In retrospect this seems pretty obvious. Electricity follows the path of least resistance, meaning the the wrapped wire just adds additional mass and surface area.
The flavour and vapor production is excellent, and the need for super high wattage devices has become far clearer to me. I was only able to push 60 watts through this baby coil, it needed more.
I'm an engineer and I should know better. It's not until you build/repair something that it's inherent function becomes clear.

26G wrapped wrapped with 32G ID3mm at 0.49ohms on a Mutation X V3

Good job on your first clapton! I've found that the most difficult part is wrapping and then mounting Claptons. Actually making them is pretty easy.

 

[coilburner]

How bout a picture without it glowing red hot

 

[sonicbomb]

 

[Mrez]

Did you try it with kanthal or Nichrome? I've just started doing Clapton coils and found that you can get away with less wattage if you use nichrome, at least on the outer wrap. It heats up much quicker. I went through a 50 foot roll of nichrome in a few weeks messing around with Clapton's. I ve tried 34 and 30 gauge wire for the outer wraps and I think for me personally, 32 gauge is where it will be at. Ordering some as soon as I get home from vacation.

 

[sonicbomb]

Kanthal. I probably wont make anymore until I have a high powered box to run them properly.

 

[MattyRetro]

For the life of me, I cant get the 32ga wire to wrap properly around the 26ga. I think I need a different drill. One that closes completely if that makes any sense. Can't get a good grip on the 26ga.

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

For the life of me, I want get the 32ga wire to wrap properly around the 26ga. I think I need a different drill. One that closes completely if that makes any sense. Can't get a good grip on the 26ga.

my panasonic cordless drill that broke had a nice chuck that closed all the way, one of the three chuck teeth misaligned and it was game over! i went and bought a ryobi without even thinking for this problem of the chuck closing completely, sure enough the ryobi does not! But you can just bend a leg in the end of the wire and trap it between two of the three teeth, works good enough once you get used to it

edit: just twist your two wires together before making a leg then the clapton wire wont freely spin

 

[Subversivedeviant1]

Congrats[emoji106] I wrapped my first Clapton last week, though it's not as pretty as urs. I tossed a pair in my mutilator rda on my mech and quickly came to the same realization that you did: I need more warts! Had to pulse it a bit to get a good tasty hit and it was draining my batteries real quick so I had to swap to a different build. Definitely something I'll try again down the road when I have adequate power.

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

 

[sonicbomb]

The funny thing was the drill I have has no variable speed, and I considered this essential from the tutorial videos I had seen. I went ahead and tried anyway. The first few wraps are a mess, but the wire seems to naturally want to wrap sequentially and vast majority wrapped perfectly even without a slow start.
I found the tricky part was keeping the 32g spooling smoothly when both your hands are occupied. I had the reel loosely held on the floor under my foot.

I tied the 32 to the end of the 26 that I inserted in the chuck, and guided it out the side of the chuck. If the chuck isn't gripping the end of the 26, try wrapping a little bit of tape around the end to give it more purchase.

This is a relatively small clapton, but it ate by battery alive.I can only imagine what it would be like with one with more mass.

 

[MattyRetro]

Thanks for the advice Sonic. I haven't given up yet! I'll figure it out eventually.

 

[Dextrose]

Thats awsome Sonic, looks good

 

[Retro138]

I used this pen technique I found on YouTube. It worked really well, 11 1/2" out of 12" came out perfect.

 

[Uncletattoowhat]

I tried the pen method but couldn't get the right tension on the wire (as i prefer to just leave the wire on the spool, and use 34ga and up). I ended up getting a fly fishing bobbin and some beadalon wire tamers similar to these below. setting the tamer just snug enough to keep tension and the wire from unspooling, but also loose enough to allow the spool to let out wire easily.

 

[SLIPPY_EEL]

ive made a few of they bobbin holders as Uncletattoowhat posted in his first pic, i'll normally clapton up with my fingers with the bobbin hanging freely below, so easy to make and such a life safer