# Using a bearing in place of swivels



## Bulldog

Hi all, so I decided to try my own fused claptons using 28 and 40ga Ni 80. First attempt a bit of a disaster. The only swivels I had were the normal and a power swivel and although I had read that you must use ball bearing ones I thought how bad can it be if I take it nice and slow.



And the result after the swivels did not play nice and I changed to a twisted coil.






I looked around and had a few small bearings 13mm od and 4mm id, soaked it in a bit of alcohol for a minute to just free up a little and this is what I came up with.






Cut the handle of a small paint brush drilled a 1,5mm hole in end to turn the cup hook into and another in other end to thread wire but will only use cup hook in future and you could hook your snap onto it. The bearing costs about R16 and you could get a length of 4mm dowel for a couple of rand. This really works well and spinning at high speed shows no sign of snagging, runs smooth.
The result still not perfect but no fault of the bearing as it was my second attempt. Am going to get some 26 and 36ga wire to practice with, will hopefully see better. Do you think I can use that coil or rather scrap it.

Reactions: Like 3 | Winner 8 | Creative 1


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## Moerse Rooikat

nice one, was thinking of doing this aswel

Reactions: Like 2 | Thanks 1


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## Raindance

Bulldog said:


> Hi all, so I decided to try my own fused claptons using 28 and 40ga Ni 80. First attempt a bit of a disaster. The only swivels I had were the normal and a power swivel and although I had read that you must use ball bearing ones I thought how bad can it be if I take it nice and slow.
> View attachment 125906
> 
> 
> And the result after the swivels did not play nice and I changed to a twisted coil.
> View attachment 125912
> 
> 
> View attachment 125905
> 
> 
> I looked around and had a few small bearings 13mm od and 4mm id, soaked it in a bit of alcohol for a minute to just free up a little and this is what I came up with.
> 
> View attachment 125914
> View attachment 125915
> View attachment 125916
> 
> 
> Cut the handle of a small paint brush drilled a 1,5mm hole in end to turn the cup hook into and another in other end to thread wire but will only use cup hook in future and you could hook your snap onto it. The bearing costs about R16 and you could get a length of 4mm dowel for a couple of rand. This really works well and spinning at high speed shows no sign of snagging, runs smooth.
> The result still not perfect but no fault of the bearing as it was my second attempt. Am going to get some 26 and 36ga wire to practice with, will hopefully see better. Do you think I can use that coil or rather scrap it.
> View attachment 125921


Not bad for only a second attempt working with wire barely visible to the naked eye .

Regards

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Thanks 1


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## Puff the Magic Dragon

Well done. At least you took the plunge. I'm still making simple round wire coils.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thanks 1


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## Alex

That's brilliant @Bulldog

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Thanks 1


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## Moerse Rooikat

here is my share
i use thus to keep the tension perfect. my fingers don't have to.


that is 40ga ni80 on there

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 2


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## Bulldog

Like that @Moerse Rooikat. Guess what I am doing in the morning

Reactions: Like 2


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## Bulldog

What sort of tension do you want on the spool, as tight as possible without breaking the wire or with a bit of freedom.


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## Moerse Rooikat

Bulldog said:


> What sort of tension do you want on the spool, as tight as possible without breaking the wire or with a bit of freedom.


JUST A LITTLE BIT
not to much as to pull your core on top of each other not to loos as you will make a space fused then


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## Bulldog

Thanks @Moerse Rooikat
You don't perhaps know the diameter of your threaded bar offhand, did not bring my spool with me today. Got some 8mm.


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## Moerse Rooikat

think 10 but 8 is a save bed
for smaller spools

Reactions: Winner 1 | Thanks 1


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## Bulldog

Third attempt on setup as above 2x26/36 Ni80 came in at 0,43ohm 7,5 wraps.

Reactions: Like 3 | Winner 6


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## Raindance

Bulldog said:


> Third attempt on setup as above 2x26/36 Ni80 came in at 0,43ohm 7,5 wraps.
> 
> View attachment 126530


Looks like the work of a real pro @Bulldog. Nice work!

Regards

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1 | Thanks 1


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## Crazyj

Hi all,so I also got the urge to try out some wrapping.will still get to the wrapping but this is my setup thus far.

Reactions: Like 1 | Winner 5 | Creative 1


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## RayDeny

That’s quite the setup, you make it yourself, ally or steel?


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## Crazyj

RayDeny said:


> That’s quite the setup, you make it yourself, ally or steel?


@RayDeny hi,yes I made it myself with some tubing I had laying around.if it's going to be ideal I don't know.did do a clapton or 2 and seemed to work okay.if I had to make changes it would be a different type of bearing


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## zadiac

Nice setup. I like it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Crazyj

Thanks @zadiac 


zadiac said:


> Nice setup. I like it.


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## RainstormZA

Bulldog said:


> Third attempt on setup as above 2x26/36 Ni80 came in at 0,43ohm 7,5 wraps.
> 
> View attachment 126530


Excellent. Looks better than mine. Ive given up trying to build exotic coils. I'll stick to my plain single SS coils

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Crazyj

RainstormZA said:


> Excellent. Looks better than mine. Ive given up trying to build exotic coils. I'll stick to my plain single SS coils


Thank you @RainstormZA .
I watched a few vids on coil building.and all I heard was how difficult it is.and then I'm hooked.just how I am.testing my abilities.with that being said it sometimes bites me in the @ss


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## Brommer

My first attempt last weekend. 28x2 + 40 N80. 7wraps @0.57 ohms.
Alotta clouds and delicious flavor!

Reactions: Winner 4


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## Crazyj

Nicely done @Brommer .if I may ask what wire you using?


Brommer said:


> My first attempt last weekend. 28x2 + 40 N80. 7wraps @0.57 ohms.
> Alotta clouds and delicious flavor!
> View attachment 157713
> View attachment 157714
> View attachment 157715


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## Brommer

Crazyj said:


> Nicely done @Brommer .if I may ask what wire you using?



Kidney Puncher for all


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## Crazyj

Awesome thanks.will give that a go.when you wrapping some aliens?


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## RainstormZA

Crazyj said:


> Thank you @RainstormZA .
> I watched a few vids on coil building.and all I heard was how difficult it is.and then I'm hooked.just how I am.testing my abilities.with that being said it sometimes bites me in the @ss


Ummm that was for @Bulldog lol

But yeah if you're not careful with the wire, it cuts like a mofo. Ive had bleeding fingers and thumbs a few times.

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## Brommer

Crazyj said:


> Awesome thanks.will give that a go.when you wrapping some aliens?



Lol, it’s on the cards, hopefully very soon. Need to tweak my setup a bit and practice a bit more on claptons


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## Crazyj

RainstormZA said:


> Ummm that was for @Bulldog lol
> 
> But yeah if you're not careful with the wire, it cuts like a mofo. Ive had bleeding fingers and thumbs a few times.


Hahahaha my bad @RainstormZA

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1


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## Crazyj

So I was headed to the vape shop to go get some mtl superfine coils or wrapped clapton spool.they never had any.so I got myself a spool of 38ga ni80 instead.I already had some 32ga in my stash.didn't know what to expect trying to wrap my first coils with the above mentioned gauges.pretty happy with the outcome

Reactions: Like 2


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## Raindance

Crazyj said:


> So I was headed to the vape shop to go get some mtl superfine coils or wrapped clapton spool.they never had any.so I got myself a spool of 38ga ni80 instead.I already had some 32ga in my stash.didn't know what to expect trying to wrap my first coils with the above mentioned gauges.pretty happy with the outcome


Looking good!

Reactions: Like 1


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## SinnerG

Ohm1 (Hein at JuicyJoes) makes this:

https://www.juicyjoes.co.za/?product=ohm1-street-crew-coil-building-swivel

I believe it is a similar idea using a bearing instead of a fishing swivel.
I had some swivels, but the binding would just mess up everything I tried.
The bearing idea looks like the way to go.
Didn't pick this up yet though as I've kinda left coiling for the past few months.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Dawood Bhawoodien

SinnerG said:


> Ohm1 (Hein at JuicyJoes) makes this:
> 
> https://www.juicyjoes.co.za/?product=ohm1-street-crew-coil-building-swivel
> 
> I believe it is a similar idea using a bearing instead of a fishing swivel.
> I had some swivels, but the binding would just mess up everything I tried.
> The bearing idea looks like the way to go.
> Didn't pick this up yet though as I've kinda left coiling for the past few months.


This is a thrust bearing which spins when pulling on it where as a normal skateboard bearing exerts downward force in order to spin better

I'm using one of them and its amazing

Reactions: Like 1


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## Dawood Bhawoodien

To make life easier when using swivels, attach 2 or more swivels onto one another because if one stops spinning, the others acts as fail safes and continue spinning

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 1


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## Crazyj

@Dawood Bhawoodien.I do agree fully and my next step it to get a thrust bearing.these regular roller bearings do still carry tension.


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## Crazyj

Dawood Bhawoodien said:


> To make life easier when using swivels, attach 2 or more swivels onto one another because if one stops spinning, the others acts as fail safes and continue spinning



Altough this works that action when one stops spinning and next starts spinning again annoys the crap out of me as it still twists the wire


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## Bulldog

Crazyj said:


> @Dawood Bhawoodien.I do agree fully and my next step it to get a thrust bearing.these regular roller bearings do still carry tension.


Soak the bearing in acetone or thinners for a few minutes then spray with a lubricant spray, i used WD40. bearing runs free no tension.

Reactions: Like 2 | Informative 1


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## Dawood Bhawoodien

Crazyj said:


> Altough this works that action when one stops spinning and next starts spinning again annoys the crap out of me as it still twists the wire


just make sure your swivels are nice and oiled up. What I usually do is throw some eliquid by the ball bearing

Reactions: Like 1


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