Decided to see if I could make Alien wire.

[strigamort]

I've been vaping for a couple of months. I tried building wire/coils a week or two ago.

I started with twisted, then I bought wire from a local shop ($20 per 100/ft!) and moved on to clapton and fused clapton. I wasn't aware that 4 core fused was any more difficult than regular clapton wire and I think that's why I got it on the first try.

I'll post some pics of the few coils I've made so far. I really find it to be calming. So last night I watched a video on how to make Alien wire and I was mesmerized by the (seeming) complexity. It came out okay, although I ran out of wrap wire long before I could make a decent set of big coils.

Any pic with color on the coil is completely unedited, although I did use a clip on macro lens for my phone. The only edited pics I have are the ones of Aliens.

I just found this sub forum here. Looking forward to learning!

I took a pic of my swivel holder. Just a cheap trigger clamp. It's exactly the right height for my equally cheap HF drill. Super portable too if I decide to take it to my girls place or go outside.

I have 1500ft of 36g ss coming on Friday. I want to get several sizes in various alloys because I really want to play with ramp time and resistance.

Can anyone tell me how you use hot glue in the drill? I get it as a concept, but I haven't figured out practice yet and I haven't found anything on it.

Thanks guys!

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[Teresa P]

Beautiful work!

 

[strigamort]

Thank you! I have a leather goods business and haven't been able to do it for a year now. I get pretty restless. It's nice to have an inexpensive hobby to keep my hands occupied.

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[strigamort]

I have a(nother) question. I tried again to make some alien wire tonight and I'm having trouble getting enough to make coils with. I'm very far from understanding how coils actually work. If I clip the wire so that the cores are exposed are they able to make a good lead in my atty? So supposing I have two inches of good alien clapton, but I need more than that, can I use the three fused cores as the leads, or does the lead need to include the wrap wire? I can't see why they wouldn't work without the wrap, but I have a lot to learn.

Also, I'm not getting the greatest in wrap consistency and quality. I'll attach a photo of a piece I just made. At the same time I'm eager to try it out. I'd never had anything more exotic than plain wire wraps in factory Baby Beast coils before I twisted my own wire (didn't really like twisted) and have fallen in love with fused claptons. I'll be honest, I'm not the most discerning person when it comes to being a juice conesuer. Plainly said, I can't tell a strawberry ejuice from a tobacco ejuice (okay, I'm exaggerating, but seriously, I just know what I like and don't like), but what I can judge is the density, variation in temperature and popping/spitting. I just want to see if I can tell a difference between a three core fused clapton and a three core alien fused clapton. So I'm wondering if the inconsistencies in quality are going to ruin it for my aliens. When I look at pics I see differences in the spacing and, obviously, people use all different kinds of alloys. For reference I'm using 3x24g KA1/36g Ni80.

Any advice on which alloys you might suggest are welcome. I kind of want to do the reverse (KA1 over Ni80 or SS) just to compare ramp times. I've made some all nichrome fused claptons and the ramp up and down were really impressive as I'd never used anything that wasn't made from KA1 primarily.

Thanks for any suggestions and advice!

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[KingPin!]

Nice work there strig!

This thread might help and if it doesn't the questions you are asking will only help to bolsters the information within it

http://vapingunderground.com/threads/the-official-alien-coil-thread.337052/#post-1876812

 

[strigamort]

You know... I'm outside in the dark (forgive me for the shitty pics) but I wrapped the wire around a 2.5mm tool and it seems that most of the inconsistencies have gone away with the metal stretching. It's still a pretty small coil, as you can see, but two of them spaced might work. I bought a Medusa Reborn a couple of hours ago and I don't have any decent coils to throw in it. Two 4 wraps might still be too small. Meh, I think I'll wind up some f. Claptons for now. At 4 wraps I have enough wire to include the wrap in the leads, but I'd still like to know for when the problem presents itself again.

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[strigamort]

Nice work there strig!

This thread might help and if it doesn't the questions you are asking will only help to bolsters the information within it

http://vapingunderground.com/threads/the-official-alien-coil-thread.337052/#post-1876812

Thanks KingPin!, that's a great looking resource! Yeah, I imagine it'll answer many questions that I didn't even know I had.

Thanks for the compliment too. I appreciate it. I won't be making any waves in the coil building community, I have no delusions, but when I asked about some alien claptons at my favorite brick and mortar they told me that a pair was $25. Um, hell no. If it's something I can make, and I'd otherwise be bent over for it, you can bet I'll make my own.

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[strigamort]

I've always believed that I can excuse myself for not being naturally talented, but there's no excuse for a lack of tenacity.

There are several obvious flaws, but I should be able to get a decent big-ass coil from this piece.

And my sidekick, the one who keeps me (mostly) sane.

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[KingPin!]

Thanks KingPin!, that's a great looking resource! Yeah, I imagine it'll answer many questions that I didn't even know I had.

Thanks for the compliment too. I appreciate it. I won't be making any waves in the coil building community, I have no delusions, but when I asked about some alien claptons at my favorite brick and mortar they told me that a pair was $25. Um, hell no. If it's something I can make, and I'd otherwise be bent over for it, you can bet I'll make my own.

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Don't say that mate it comes quickly patience and wasted wire is all it takes...everyone can do it just need to find a method along that way that suits you best everyone tries things a little different and who knows you might even come up with an easier way over time and teach everyone else!

before long you'll be doing these with your eyes closed! look forward to it great seeing people come along with thier building

There is no right and wrong with it all go for it all and have a crack I say. Alien is a major milestone though they are unforgiving one slip of tension and your screwed but get that build under your belt and you have the platform and skills to do loads of other coil builds

When I first started them I kept trying to focus on too many things at once and they buggered up halfway everytime! used to hate stopping and starting as well, as there's a lot going on found I just needed just trust my prep, maintain tension and focus on the lead...best not to go too slow on the drill either

 

[mach1ne]

looks good man. kingpin is right about that first one being a milestone. once you get it once or twice, it will come more naturally. eventually you will have succeeded more times than you failed, and your hands will forget how to do it wrong

Any advice on which alloys you might suggest are welcome.

n80 and stainless steel are much lower resistance than kanthal. i like the first two for outer wraps better than kanthal just for that moment of color they produce. when you are using high gauge wire, ramp up isnt as noticeable (at least i cant really tell the diff between 40g n80 and kanthal wrapped claptons). for core wires though, the difference is much more apparent. learn to plan your builds/target resistance/wire length and stuff in steam engine, and you will be better equipped to decide on which metal you choose for what coil.

If I clip the wire so that the cores are exposed are they able to make a good lead in my atty?

yeah its fine to take the wraps off of your legs where they go into the posts/clamps on your atomizer. sometimes doing that can actually help you get your coils burning more evenly, if they are not cooperating.

everyone tries things a little different and who knows you might even come up with an easier way over time and teach everyone else!

thats why this forum produces so many great builders

dont forget to post your builds too man

 

[strigamort]

You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for the advice and words of encouragement. I gotta say, today has been a good day alien wire wise. I tried last night and failed for the most part. Today I spent a great deal of time setting my cores up with all kinds of sliders, a thick keyring and paper clips. I actually got a 3"+ length that was nearly flawless. One tiny gap. That made a 6 wrap 3mm coil. The next one I was impatient and spent about 5 minutes making sure both ends of the cores were perfect. I genuinely thought it would bundle up immediately, but to my surprise I got the whole damn thing in 1 shot. Another great coil.

Isn't it funny how we learn complex movement? I ride my motorcycle using a great deal of peripheral vision, that took a minute to learn. I'm pretty sure I could spool off as many coils as I want today. I'm not so stupid as to think I'll never pooch another coil, but I definitely got the feeling and I now know how far ahead I need to keep the wrap ahead of the cores.

One thing I also learned, and I've never heard this mentioned...

Maybe it's just my vision but it helps me a great deal to have something white in my vision beyond the spinning cores. I used a white towel and lots of sun and lamp light.

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[KingPin!]

Yeah it does help to have something behind once used a green cutting matt underneath where I'm working problem was with the white lines facing up ...that seriously spins you out lol, turned it round soon after

 

[strigamort]

Interesting. I have plenty of the self-healing mats from my business. I'll give one a shot.

So here's my take based only on one set of coils in one rda.

Meh. They're alright. I guess the thing that surprises me most is that they do vape differently from similar fused claptons that I've made. I'm fairly suspicious of things like this and I'm 110% a person who loses sleep because I just have to know for myself. The difference that I'm seeing is that the fc's have a violent boil that kicks out dense, hot micro-dropletts. Almost a dense fog. I prefer a hot vape at high wattage, I hate popping and spit back is also something I avoid. The fc's are nearly perfect. These particular aliens (in this particular rda, with this particular juice, this particular weather and the side of the bed I got up on, etc) doesn't seem to have the same violent nature. At max wattage (171w on a Hohm Wrecker G2) the vape is really good, like almost excellent, but it's just hot (albeit flavorful) vapor with no drama to speak of. I can absolutely see why someone would prefer these to my fc's. I made another set of aliens tonight just to see if they produce a different experience. We'll see. For now I'm running two attys to go back and forth so I can make some notes. I'm ordering more wire. I would have already done so, but I'm going back and forth on what alloy and gauge to buy.

Just in case I forget.

Aliens I made are 3x24g kanthal (straightened wire so definitely smaller than 24g, no way to measure it) and 36g ss 316l

Fused claptons I'm comparing are the same build without the Alien waves.

Both ohm out at roughly .07 ohms. I run them between 90-171 watts in tc at 700°f

Juices used-

Charlie's Chalk Dust Wonder Worm (sour gummy worms)

Ripe Vapes VCT (vanilla/custard/tobacco), my favorite ejuice!

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[KingPin!]

If you hold the lead slightly back (just forward of 90 degrees) you'll close up the spacing a little on the wraps

 

[Phatboi]

I got a challenge for you guys. Try making the alien coils without a drill, from the straightening of the core wires to the reverse claptoning of the outer wire.

 

[KingPin!]

I got a challenge for you guys. Try making the alien coils without a drill, from the straightening of the core wires to the reverse claptoning of the outer wire.

LoL you first....hand wound a helix staple coil wrap before that was ballache enough has anyone actually done this must be torturous?

 

[Phatboi]

LoL you first....hand wound a helix staple coil wrap before that was ballache enough has anyone actually done this must be torturous?

I never said you couldn't use tools, only making coils without a drill. However, it is tedious enough making the claptons coils.

 

[KingPin!]

I never said you couldn't use tools, only making coils without a drill. However, it is tedious enough making the claptons coils.

is a hand drill out of the question also?

 

[Phatboi]

is a hand drill out of the question also?

Yes. Any sort of drill is not allowed.

 

[champton]

I got a challenge for you guys. Try making the alien coils without a drill, from the straightening of the core wires to the reverse claptoning of the outer wire.

Fuck that, I haven't got the patience for it! And my drill is out of action right now... my puppy chewed up the wire for the battery charger while I was at work (I swear they're a pain when they're teething. Can't wait till he grows out of it. ). I've been buying him those DentaSticks and chew toys to kinda focus his chewing on those instead of the rest of my equipment. Gotta get a new charger for the drill tho. Man, being short on cash sucks. I tried hand-wrapping my FCs but it's just an exercise in futility. I found out real quick that I haven't got the patience for it. Wasted 2 feet of 38awg because it was just impossible to untangle when I tried.

 

[strigamort]

I got a challenge for you guys. Try making the alien coils without a drill, from the straightening of the core wires to the reverse claptoning of the outer wire.

Um. No. It's a big enough pain in the dick to do it WITH the drill. I'd love to see someone do it.

So I made another length today. The weather was beautiful here at the coast so I decided to try making it outside on the balcony. The California sky makes a fantastic background for this. One really nice thing was hanging the wrap wire off the balcony. Not much of a chance to rats nest it if it's just hanging.

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