Wicking a RTA when you don't have perfect vision and motor skills

[Rabbit Slayer]

Impossible or just really really improbable??

I got the coils in and glowing from the center out.... tried to wick it. 4 cotton pads wasted by the time I get both coils wicked, but in that time something happened to my coils and they were shorting... remove the wicking and see nothing wrong. Put it back on the tester and no short. Cleaned everything and put it back into the box

RTA in question is the Griffin 22mm

Please don't tell me to look in a thread with hundreds of replies, not gonna happen

Video link would be nice but most the vids I've seen have people that have been building/wicking for years and years...It is like watching the joy of painting, yeah it is easy to paint a picture in 20 minutes when you have been painting for 20+ years

 

[Bunnykiller]

conductive cotton???

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

well something was shorting but after getting the wicking out it wasn't anymore

I don't like buying premade coils for subΩ tanks but it looks like I am stuck with those if I want to use a tank
Have no problem with RDAs but working in the tiny space of a 22mm deck and trying to "plug" holes that will leak if not "plugged" properly and/or not wick if not "plugged" properly might be beyond my skill level

 

[defdock]

Can't say anything for sure. But when teaching my buddies how to rebuild I noticed a few mistakes that lead to issues. Over wicking - as you insert the wick you may pull the coil in a direction and a part may make contact with something. Installing dual coils, if the legs sometimes(depending on atty) aren't pre trimmed, inserting them into the post they "stick out" the other end and sometimes makes contact with the opposite coil.

If you don't have great eyesight, I wouldn't sudjest using an rba of any sort. :/

 

[Rangertrix]

well something was shorting but after getting the wicking out it wasn't anymore

I don't like buying premade coils for subΩ tanks but it looks like I am stuck with those if I want to use a tank
Have no problem with RDAs but working in the tiny space of a 22mm deck and trying to "plug" holes that will leak if not "plugged" properly and/or not wick if not "plugged" properly might be beyond my skill level

Need a little more info.
Type of wire, spaced or contact, micro or macro, etc.

 

[r77r7r]

I wonder if you can use a Needle Threader? Great gadget for guys...

 

[EBates]

I use a high intensity desk lamp and a jewelers magnifier hood to eliminate the visual issues.
I've never used cotton pads just plain old sterile cotton balls. Roll the cotton between moistened fingers to create a thread and feed it through the coil(s).
The entire build is created while the build deck is installed on my atomizer head resistance box. That allows me to verify the build resistance before I put it on my mod.
Note: Using too much wick will cause the coil to move and potentially cause a short. Beware to stray coil legs and stray coil clippings.

 

[sparkky1]

Impossible or just really really improbable??

I got the coils in and glowing from the center out.... tried to wick it. 4 cotton pads wasted by the time I get both coils wicked, but in that time something happened to my coils and they were shorting... remove the wicking and see nothing wrong. Put it back on the tester and no short. Cleaned everything and put it back into the box

RTA in question is the Griffin 22mm

Please don't tell me to look in a thread with hundreds of replies, not gonna happen

Video link would be nice but most the vids I've seen have people that have been building/wicking for years and years...It is like watching the joy of painting, yeah it is easy to paint a picture in 20 minutes when you have been painting for 20+ years

First you need a better view ..............
Daylight Naturalight™ Table Magnifying Lamp | UN1040 | Daylight

Four pads for two coils, might be a "bit" toooo much ..............
Next, do you check for resistance / shorting with the bottom chimney base screwed on before putting the tank back together ?

 

[Grimwald]

In a former life, my hobby was watch repair. It is amazing how many little tools and magnifiers are common to both hobbies. Magnifying visors and various tweezers can really come in handy. And I learned decades ago, a white sheet or white rug can save you when you drop stuff.

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

ZOMG...took way longer than I am willing to admit to, but I think I got it wicked finally

yeah, I had to break out the headset magnifier I nearly forgot I had
I was using ready-made clapton coils...the ID is only around 1.8-2mm. I will be using 24g kanthal in the future around a 3 or 3.5mm, so maybe I'll be able to get away with using my readers only ^_^

and those 4 pads was just me not cutting them right, too thick..too think...too thin, frustration, crumple up the pad and grab a new one

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

In a former life, my hobby was watch repair. It is amazing how many little tools and magnifiers are common to both hobbies. Magnifying visors and various tweezers can really come in handy. And I learned decades ago, a white sheet or white rug can save you when you drop stuff.

Yeah, I am going to get some needle nosed tweezers, those look like they'd help me as much as the magnifier did

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

p.s.
Thanks for the replies. Getting frustrated is frustrating

 

[ej1024]

well something was shorting but after getting the wicking out it wasn't anymore

I don't like buying premade coils for subΩ tanks but it looks like I am stuck with those if I want to use a tank
Have no problem with RDAs but working in the tiny space of a 22mm deck and trying to "plug" holes that will leak if not "plugged" properly and/or not wick if not "plugged" properly might be beyond my skill level

It's a 22mm base not the deck
The deck is 16mm..
Post pics of ur coils... [emoji12]


Vape On[emoji100]

 

[sparkky1]

ZOMG...took way longer than I am willing to admit to, but I think I got it wicked finally

yeah, I had to break out the headset magnifier I nearly forgot I had
I was using ready-made clapton coils...the ID is only around 1.8-2mm. I will be using 24g kanthal in the future around a 3 or 3.5mm, so maybe I'll be able to get away with using my readers only ^_^

and those 4 pads was just me not cutting them right, too thick..too think...too thin, frustration, crumple up the pad and grab a new one

3 mm id will be the limit on the 22mm griffin .............

 

[smacuser]

4 cotton pads wasted by the time I get both coils wicked

If you ask you wife nicely, she might give you 4 more.

 

[Nogy]

I don't have any suggestions to help you out with your griffin unfortunately. But I was trying to think of an RTA that is easy to wick, and I recalled the goblin mini review video I watched the other day on YouTube, by grimmgreen. The way he wicks it seems extremely easy, and it shouldn't require 20/20 vision. Him wicking it starts around minute 7:00 of the video.


I don't own a goblin mini, so I can't personally vouch for this wicking method. Just trying to help. I'm new to building myself, only been doing it a month or so. I absolutely love it though, I will never go back to pre built coils. I hope that you find success with your building! It truly is a much better and rewarding experience IMO

 

[roxynoodle]

A) I have to wear reading glasses to build now. But there are nice magnifying goggles with lights, or big lit magnifying stands.
B). A coiling tool can help on bad hand days, which I have all winter. Not sure what I'll do when my Dupuytren's contracture gets bad.
C). I have a wicking tutorial at the bottom of this page for the Alleria. It has the same deck as the Griffin.
Augvape Alleria Rta!

 

[Douggro]

First you need a better view ..............
Daylight Naturalight™ Table Magnifying Lamp | UN1040 | Daylight

Something I need, because I suffer the same malady as @Rabbit Slayer even with my readers on. Is this a product you own (??), because I've found the same item (essentially the same) on Amazon from several sources.

 

[Bad Ninja]

If you ask you wife nicely, she might give you 4 more.

 

[BigDripper]

Impossible or just really really improbable??

I got the coils in and glowing from the center out.... tried to wick it. 4 cotton pads wasted by the time I get both coils wicked, but in that time something happened to my coils and they were shorting... remove the wicking and see nothing wrong. Put it back on the tester and no short. Cleaned everything and put it back into the box

RTA in question is the Griffin 22mm

Please don't tell me to look in a thread with hundreds of replies, not gonna happen

Video link would be nice but most the vids I've seen have people that have been building/wicking for years and years...It is like watching the joy of painting, yeah it is easy to paint a picture in 20 minutes when you have been painting for 20+ years

Try to snag the end of the cotton on the tip of a needle and push the cotton through. If all else fails then a local shop would probably do it for you