I took the plunge.......

[The Huntress]

and I feel like I jumped off a cliff. Ok, guys, these are pics of my first try at test firing coils and wicking. I have 3 big baby RDA's that came with each tank and I decided to try my hand at wicking with what I already had available.
I enjoyed it. I test fired the stock coils and they read as 0.39 and they heated from the middle out, I thought perfect.
Then I pulled some cotton bacon and my first roll was way too big. I obviously will be needing bigger diameter coil wraps because the ones on the Big Baby are very tiny.
Finally got it small enough and fluffed and stuffed. Thought it looked great.
Primed it all up and did a test fire and now it just shorts out.
So, anyone, please tell me what to do next? Do I take all of the wick out and try to reseat the coils or are the stock coils just shit?
I appreciate any feedback with anything that can help. If you see something funny with my coils and wick, please let me.
Thanks!

 

[gakudzu]

Always recheck the post screws after dry firing, as heating/cooling can loosen them.
If it's firing without the chamber attached(like in your pics), but shorting with the chamber screwed on, then part of the coil is likely touching the chamber. Try not spacing them so much. Also make sure they aren't touching the posts.
The stock coils aren't great, but the 3 pair I've used worked fine.

Here's a good tutorial for it:
http://vapingunderground.com/threads/smok-big-baby-beast-baby-beast-rba-wicking-technique.300259/

 

[The Huntress]

Always recheck the post screws after dry firing, as heating/cooling can loosen them.
If it's firing without the chamber attached(like in your pics), but shorting with the chamber screwed on, then part of the coil is likely touching the chamber. Try not spacing them so much. Also make sure they aren't touching the posts.
The stock coils aren't great, but the 3 pair I've used worked fine.

Here's a good tutorial for it:
http://vapingunderground.com/threads/smok-big-baby-beast-baby-beast-rba-wicking-technique.300259/

@gakudzu thanks for the reply! Ok, I will push the coils closer together and make sure the screws are good and nothing is touching. Will post an update.
Huntress

 

[The Huntress]

If I can't get it right today I'm just going to wait for my New RDA's and RDTA's with the bigger decks that I specially picked out for beginners that can also grow with me. Thanks to the great reviews I found on here from @Deucesjack.
I was just excited and thought WTH? But these decks are tiny!

 

[MWorthington]

A good way I've found for spacing coils if you want them spaced, is to lay the coil on the table, hold the leads and cut down between each wrap with a knife of some sort. (I have a pocketknife I used to carry that is a prrmanent part of my vape kit now.) Once you finish the first side, turn the coil over and cut down the other side. This will space your coils perfectly whatever the thickness of the blade.

You can also slip your coils over a screwdriver and stretch em out a little, then push back together for a wider space. I couldn't do this since I can't hold the coil with one of my thumbnails and pull the coil with my other hand. I'm limited to methods I can utilize with mainly one hand.

After my first set of spaced coils, I don't space mine anymore since contact coils to me have much better flavor.

 

[The Huntress]

A good way I've found for spacing coils if you want them spaced, is to lay the coil on the table, hold the leads and cut down between each wrap with a knife of some sort. (I have a pocketknife I used to carry that is a prrmanent part of my vape kit now.) Once you finish the first side, turn the coil over and cut down the other side. This will space your coils perfectly whatever the thickness of the blade.

You can also slip your coils over a screwdriver and stretch em out a little, then push back together for a wider space. I couldn't do this since I can't hold the coil with one of my thumbnails and pull the coil with my other hand. I'm limited to methods I can utilize with mainly one hand.

After my first set of spaced coils, I don't space mine anymore since contact coils to me have much better flavor.

Thank you for the tips. I fused around with it for awhile, reseated to screws, squeezed the wraps closer but no matter what I did it was just a short. So I put it away for awhile. I will probably just end up waiting for the actual RDA and RDTA I ordered to come it. I think their a tad bigger than the Big babies deck, it is tiny.
Huntress

 

[two2wheels]

Thank you for the tips. I fused around with it for awhile, reseated to screws, squeezed the wraps closer but no matter what I did it was just a short. So I put it away for awhile. I will probably just end up waiting for the actual RDA and RDTA I ordered to come it. I think their a tad bigger than the Big babies deck, it is tiny.
Huntress

Don't give up! I am also new to building/wrapping/wicking my own coils. It takes a while to get the feel, but folks here on VU are very helpful.
If your short is occurring after you put the cap on but reading OK beforehand, coils are def touching the cap somewhere.
I once had a tiny piece of coil wire stuck in the hole which threw me off for a long time. Had to remove the coils & open up the screws wide & look through a magnifier. And there it was, the little bastard that was driving me mad. Crappy screws will sometimes chew off a piece of your wire, especially wrapped wire like Claptons where the outer wire is thin. Also, I had an atty with cheap grub screws which kept backing out on me (connection lost). It's possible one of the leads has broken inside the hole, too.
Since you've already picked up a couple of RDA's (commitment!!) I suggest you get an ohm reader to test coil while building it.

 

[two2wheels]

Thank you for the tips. I fused around with it for awhile, reseated to screws, squeezed the wraps closer but no matter what I did it was just a short. So I put it away for awhile. I will probably just end up waiting for the actual RDA and RDTA I ordered to come it. I think their a tad bigger than the Big babies deck, it is tiny.
Huntress

Don't give up! I am also new to building/wrapping/wicking my own coils. It takes a while to get the feel, but folks here on VU are very helpful.
If your short is occurring after you put the cap on but reading OK beforehand, coils are def touching the cap somewhere.
I once had a tiny piece of coil wire stuck in the hole which threw me off for a long time. Had to remove the coils & open up the screws wide & look through a magnifier. And there it was, the little bastard that was driving me mad. Crappy screws will sometimes chew off a piece of your wire, especially wrapped wire like Claptons where the outer wire is thin. Also, I had an atty with cheap grub screws which kept backing out on me (connection lost). It's possible one of the leads has broken inside the hole, too.
Since you've already picked up a couple of RDA's (commitment!!) I suggest you get an ohm reader to test coil while building it.

 

[The Huntress]

Don't give up! I am also new to building/wrapping/wicking my own coils. It takes a while to get the feel, but folks here on VU are very helpful.
If your short is occurring after you put the cap on but reading OK beforehand, coils are def touching the cap somewhere.
I once had a tiny piece of coil wire stuck in the hole which threw me off for a long time. Had to remove the coils & open up the screws wide & look through a magnifier. And there it was, the little bastard that was driving me mad. Crappy screws will sometimes chew off a piece of your wire, especially wrapped wire like Claptons where the outer wire is thin. Also, I had an atty with cheap grub screws which kept backing out on me (connection lost). It's possible one of the leads has broken inside the hole, too.
Since you've already picked up a couple of RDA's (commitment!!) I suggest you get an ohm reader to test coil while building it.

Thank you! I'm not going to give in! But I really have no tools yet, and just the coils that came installed on the RDA decks. I did try again on the deck that cam with my Spirals tank and it worked beautifully! No leaking yet but it's just sitting since yesterday cause I used cheap 0mg juice that's fruity, I hate fruity but my life likes it. She is going to vape it today then I'm going to try and rewick it again and use it with my juice. Excited!
Huntress

 

[two2wheels]

Thank you! I'm not going to give in! But I really have no tools yet, and just the coils that came installed on the RDA decks. I did try again on the deck that cam with my Spirals tank and it worked beautifully! No leaking yet but it's just sitting since yesterday cause I used cheap 0mg juice that's fruity, I hate fruity but my life likes it. She is going to vape it today then I'm going to try and rewick it again and use it with my juice. Excited!
Huntress

Great! Do you know about the Steam Engine website; it has a handy guide to help u figure out how to wrap coils for desired ohm level. Link here: http://www.steam-engine.org/coil.html
It also has tons of info about battery safety, different coil types, etc.
Let us know how it all works out for you.

 

[KingPin!]

In your top picture looks like the coils are touching the posts? Or is that just the angle?

1)Try pulling them away from the post a little

Some other checks

2)When you pull cotton through did it disrupt the coils move them about loads?

3) check grub screws are tight after the dry burn/hotspot check

4) is the RBA deck screwed in tight touching the pin on the base?

5) continuation of 4 is the positive pin sitting proud of the threads st the bottom

6) looks like you did but coil legs should be in alternate post holes I.e top one side and bottom the other side

7) are the posts wobbly?

8) when you screw the top on the RBA is the coil touching the housing anywhere? Shouldn't be move them inwards

9) coils shouldn't be touching the deck either

10) is there any damaged wire in the coil? I've snipped a coil leg before and caught the coil was a throwaway after that

If you go through above checks then put the RBA onto the mod the resistence should be static if it's bouncing about suggests one of the checks is a problem