Wicking: Cotton pads suck? [SOLVED]

[Browncoat]

I recently switched to organic Japanese cotton pads to use as wicking, and I'm not impressed. Either that, or I'm stupid and missing something. My process:

1) Cut a strip off the pad, usually about 3mm wide.
2) Twist the strip and thread it through the coil.

After about a day of use, the wick is flat and lifeless. It hangs off the edges of the coil like a limp noodle, and after awhile, I start getting a burnt taste. Sure enough, the middle section of the wick that's inside the coil is burnt. Replace wick. Repeat.

I switched to the pads because I thought it would be more convenient. Unless I'm doing something horribly wrong here, I'm not seeing how this stuff is good wicking. When I was using regular cotton, it would last until I felt like replacing it. These pads seem to have a 24 hr max lifespan.

Help?

 

[zaroba]

Are you cutting them *with* the fibers of the pads and not across?
3mm wide but how thick? What size are your coils? Sounds like the cotton is too thin if it is going limp and burning in the middle.
I usually use 3mm coils and my strips of cotton are often around 3mm wide x 2mm thick.

After twisting and putting through the coils, it should be a snug fit.

 

[Sully]

Try cutting it a bit thicker (with the 'grain') and only twist up the end that your putting through the coil (leave the rest full size). Once threaded tightly through the coil, I like to pull it back and forth a bit to check it's not too tight or too loose, this also seems to fluff it a bit. Cut to size and you should be good. Wicking should lasts until you want to change it.

 

[Browncoat]

Are you cutting them *with* the fibers of the pads and not across?
3mm wide but how thick? What size are your coils? Sounds like the cotton is too thin if it is going limp and burning in the middle.
I usually use 3mm coils as well and my strips of cotton are often around 3mm wide x 2mm thick.

After twisting and putting through the coils, it should be a snug fit.

Yeah, that's pretty much it, man. I typically run 3mm coils as well and do it just like you said. I cut with the grain and everything.

I watched a video the other day and whoever it was used cotton pads. He cut his strip WAY wider than I do (probably close to 8-10mm). I tried that and I dunno how he even vapes it.

 

[Faceless Vapes]

Before you use any of it what you should be doing is peeling the heavier layer from the top and bottom of the pad. Then using the more "cotton feeling" part in the middle. Ignore the outside. I have found this helped my problem when I first got it as well.

 

[Browncoat]

Before you use any of it what you should be doing is peeling the heavier layer from the top and bottom of the pad. Then using the more "cotton feeling" part in the middle. Ignore the outside. I have found this helped my problem when I first got it as well.

Was just gonna post this. I've heard of people doing that. Will give it a shot right now, actually. I'm due for a new wick already this morning.

 

[zaroba]

Something else probably worth mentioning is to let the new cotton sit for a few secs to thoroughly absorb your liquid and possibly add some more. If you put in new cotton, drip, then fire it right away, the cotton in the center of the coils might not be moist enough yet and burn out.


Actually just did an overdue rewick on my current RDA. Hard to say the exact strip size.
My strips look *a lot* bigger then what I said earlier, but I usually cut a dozen or so at once and put them in my parts box for use when needed so they have time to fluff up by themselves and I tease them a bit before using to fluff them up.

Peel the pad in half and cut to right width/length, tease it a bit to fluff it up, twist an end so it's just thin enough to fit through the coils (usually I can only get it in, then need to use my tweezers to pull it all the way through). Untwist and slide it back and forth a bit to make sure it's nice and snug. Tease the ends with my tweezers to fluff them back up a bit and tuck the ends under the coils into the wells of the atty. Drip, wait a few secs for the cotton to soak it up thoroughly, drip some more, wait a few more secs, then start hitting it


22 gauge kanthal on a mutation x v2 clone, 3mm inside diameter coils.
the coils are a few weeks old, hence the discoloration

 

[fq06]

I have used my wife's shesheido and a cvs organic that is a little thicker and fuller. The cvs stuff fills the coils a little better, the regular JC that is thinner (like most of the stuff I've seen) works well in my 2.5mm coils. Maybe the 3mm is too big for the thinner style JC. Build a 2.5mm coil to test with.

I tried peeling the skin off but didn't like it as much. I also don't have an issue with it on.

I use JC every once in a while to change things up but rayon is usually in my aty's. I like both but they have different attributes.

 

[Browncoat]

Thanks @AntiClone. That's exactly what the doctor ordered. I'm already getting better vapor and flavor production. Here's what I did:

1) Used my tweezers to peel off the top and bottom layers. After peeling them off, you can tell just by looking at them that they're far more compressed than the other layers.
2) Cut my strip a little wider. Probably around 5-6mm.
3) Just twisted the very end of the strip, just enough to get it started through the coil.​

FYI, here are the cotton pads I ordered. Joe pimped these on his blog awhile back. $7 + free shipping (from Japan) is a helluva deal. So for anyone else who ordered these pads and is having this problem, here is your fix.

Thanks for the help, guys!

 

[Faceless Vapes]

Thanks @AntiClone. That's exactly what the doctor ordered. I'm already getting better vapor and flavor production. Here's what I did:

1) Used my tweezers to peel off the top and bottom layers. After peeling them off, you can tell just by looking at them that they're far more compressed than the other layers.
2) Cut my strip a little wider. Probably around 5-6mm.
3) Just twisted the very end of the strip, just enough to get it started through the coil.​

FYI, here are the cotton pads I ordered. Joe pimped these on his blog awhile back. $7 + free shipping (from Japan) is a helluva deal. So for anyone else who ordered these pads and is having this problem, here is your fix.

Thanks for the help, guys!

Glad I could help! Believe me when the setup isnt right I will not stop til it's fixed. LOL The organic cotton takes a little getting used to IMO but as far as I'm concerned it's solid. The comfort of knowing its a "clean" wick is a plus too.

 

[zaroba]

FYI, here are the cotton pads I ordered. Joe pimped these on his blog awhile back. $7 + free shipping (from Japan) is a helluva deal. So for anyone else who ordered these pads and is having this problem, here is your fix.

I have a bag of that, but haven't tried it yet.
Still on my 1st pad of the similar sized Ken Do Goh that I got from amazon back in Jan

Several packs of large cotton pads, I'm set for 15 years

 

[Browncoat]

It sure is appreciated, everyone. I was about to give up hope, to be honest. I really like the idea of using the pads, because I like being able to keep a few in my toolbox in a baggie and snip off a strip if I need new wick.

I should've taken a picture of the top and bottom layer of this stuff. The more I look at them, they had to have been wet down at one point and pressed together. Make sense, I guess...to form the pad shape. Now that I think about it, it did take awhile for the liquid to really soak into this wick. It would just sit on top forever. Now it just soaks right in.

 

[LifeIsGood]

It also might be the type or brand of Japanese cotton. I thought using cotton from another country seemed ridiculous, but I was at my local shop and needed to rewick. I got some and WOW it worked so well with massive wiking ability no break in, now it is all I will use. Don't give up on it, it's worth finding some really good cotton!

 

[VapedCrusader]

I'm almost ready to switch back to rayon simply for the fact that it seems to last longer before needing to rewick.. the jap cotton seems to gunk up 2x quicker than the cellucotton and i don't get that off-taste as much with it.. maybe its just me though

 

[Panther1911]

Thanks @AntiClone. That's exactly what the doctor ordered. I'm already getting better vapor and flavor production. Here's what I did:

1) Used my tweezers to peel off the top and bottom layers. After peeling them off, you can tell just by looking at them that they're far more compressed than the other layers.
2) Cut my strip a little wider. Probably around 5-6mm.
3) Just twisted the very end of the strip, just enough to get it started through the coil.​

FYI, here are the cotton pads I ordered. Joe pimped these on his blog awhile back. $7 + free shipping (from Japan) is a helluva deal. So for anyone else who ordered these pads and is having this problem, here is your fix.

Thanks for the help, guys!

just going to post something similar to this....glad you got it!

 

[Lefty]

I have been using that brand for months now with no issues. Peeling will result in a fluffier wick but the woven layers - using water jets I hear - wick just fine. In wicking my Rose with single coil-split wick the woven layers are all that I use. Granted it's not as demanding as a very low resistance dripper but it works very well. In my Erlkonigen the woven layer is what goes into the channels, again works fine. Nothing wrong with peeling and using the center if that's what works for you but I suspect it was choking and just absorbing not wicking.

 

[hazozita]

I'm almost ready to switch back to rayon simply for the fact that it seems to last longer before needing to rewick.. the jap cotton seems to gunk up 2x quicker than the cellucotton and i don't get that off-taste as much with it.. maybe its just me though

I have the same issue, and went back to rayon for my drippers. It lasts a lot longer before getting the "gunk" taste and seems to hold more juice. I still prefer cotton for tanks, either Ko Gen Do, Fantasia or Pima depending on the type of build, but I'm getting better/easier results with rayon for horizontal coil drippers.

 

[Faceless Vapes]

Gotta peel that shit son!

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