Do you need a chefs torch to oxidize ss mesh wicks or can you use a normal lighter?

craiclad

Just like the title says. Any experience guys?

Green Hornet

I just use a lighter and it works fine anyway. I redden it three times dunking in water between reddenings. Only getting used to mesh though so I'm not an expert.

craiclad

What sort of lighter do you use hornet? And do you ever get hotspots or shorts?

Green Hornet

Just an ordinary fag lighter. I use it on the mesh and coil when attached to the bulli atomiser as well. Seems to work okay for me but there's more experienced people on here who probably have better advice.....

Stefan_Cork

take a plate, put a lighter under it for 10sec, take a torch and do the same

now you see how much black residue there is from a lighter, all in your mesh now.

i mean its up to you really but i wouldnt recommend a normal lighter, get a storm one at least.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

yeah, i notice a ****load of blackening of my silica wicks when I use a lighter on them... chefs blowtorch is definitely something I need to get soonish

you can do mesh with a normal lighter, it just takes a bit longer
so long as the mesh glows red, you're ok

Green Hornet

I think so long as you keep the mesh in the blue part of the flame you won't get as much soot. With my latest mesh coil I put some juice on it and set it alight, when finished attaching and straightening it.

Seems to have done a nice job on it. The fecking Bulli is fiddly as hell, especially the tank one cos you have to lift the coil above the screws and its hard to judge the length of the legs - and they're 'opposite each other if you know what I mean.

It would be better if you could tuck the legs down into posts and screw from the side and be done with it. Then there's the feeder wick through the spike to contend with as well!!!

Bubba9

If you're going to just try a mesh wick to see how it goes, try a lighter. If you're going to be using a lot of mesh wicks I'd say definitely go for a cook's torch. You'll burn out lighter after lighter. Mine cost 16 Euro and 2.50 for a can of butane. That should last you a good few years.

krissovo

I have one that I picked up in lidl a few months ago, if I recal it was €4 or €7. It must be due out again soon.

craiclad

Bubba9 wrote: »

If you're going to just try a mesh wick to see how it goes, try a lighter. If you're going to be using a lot of mesh wicks I'd say definitely go for a cook's torch. You'll burn out lighter after lighter. Mine cost 16 Euro and 2.50 for a can of butane. That should last you a good few years.

I've heard amazing things about the taste and vapor production of ss mesh, so ive already invested a good bit in this for a multimeter and the likes.

Do you think something like this pencil butane torch would work out?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-868656195mm-Butane-Pencil-Torch/dp/B000LFRRAA

Edit: Just decided to buy one off ebay, ended up spending around a fiver. Thanks for your help guys.

Green Hornet

Mesh is a bit of an art though I think.......at least in my experience.

Not sure whether it's the Bulli tank set-up or what but one may work and the next one will be crap. It's a royal pain to get the Bulli tank set up right no matter what you're using though.

craiclad

That seems like its true... But its an art im willing to learn. I love fiddling with things, so I have a feeling RBAs are gonna be a lot of fun. Plus I ordered the phoenix, not sure if its supposed to be more finicky than the bulli, but im gonna give it a shot regardless!

Green Hornet

I'm using a hybrid wick in a Clockworks RDA and its the best vape I've had yet. I used 4 strands of wick rolled into some mesh which I pre-reddened 3 times. I wound the coil around the roll and attached it to the posts. Set it on fire twice with some juice just to make sure that no shorts happened after screwing with the coil when attaching it to the posts - scratching the mesh.

I have the long strands of silica wick coming out of the wick into the juice. That's the beauty of the Clockworks RDA. It's not fiddly at all. Loads of room and very easy to mess with coils and stuff and no feeder wicks required cos it essentially sits in the juice.

Word of warning - burnt mesh tastes even worse than normal burnt silica!!!!! It's really harsh. Maybe it's just that I needed a blow torch to oxidise the mesh.

Best of luck with it anyway. In theory it should last for ages and ages when you get it right.

Elbow

I'm also using a hybrid wick in the RDA, dual coi 1.2 ohm @ 9ish watts, having slight wicking issues but its 95%.

I've had a chef's torch around the place for ages so didn't have to buy one specially, but its invaluable for oxidizing mesh.

chacal

Just made my first mesh wick and put it in the Clockworks RTA. 400 mesh and 5 wraps of .2 kanthal. Oxised with a chef's torch 3 times then burnt liquid in another 3 times. Problem is it's catching fire which is somewhat annoying... what have I done?

Green Hornet

What do you mean it's catching fire? Is it catching fire when it's actually in the RTA?

chacal

Green Hornet wrote: »

What do you mean it's catching fire? Is it catching fire when it's actually in the RTA?

Yep... just above the coil

Green Hornet

Must be a hotspot causing the juice to go on fire? The coil would need to get very hot for it to combust I'd say.

When you tested it dry were all of the turns glowing evenly?

chacal

Yeah the coil looked fine

Green Hornet

Jakers! Must be reaching a high temp for juice to combust. Did you check the resistance? if you had low resistance voupled with high volts I wonder would that reach sufficient temp to cause the juice to combust?

The only time I've seen that was trying to burn off some juice at high voltage. Went up in flames on me too. I found a hotspot at one of the legs that time.

chacal

Have to pick up a multimeter! Then will try again... cheers

Green Hornet

Well I'm learning about mesh too and I have found that it does take practice. It's fairly unforgiving compared to silica wick.

Stefan_Cork

catching fire as in when you press button on battery? whats the resistance do you know?

Edit: hehe quick posters beat me to my question, but sure looks impressive that pic

Edit2: give us another more in focus picture please, its probably as mentioned shorted somewhere on high volts, also try always with lowest volts first

chacal

Cheers but I'll pick up a multimeter over the next couple of days and give it another go as I'm blind without it. Camera phone only so it's not the greatest quality.. or maybe it's my shaky hand after a rough night!