Doggystyle coiling

[jackbond]

Thanks Garth and Zouzounaki. I promise you that I am doing it as you describe. I think the problem is that I seem to be unable to hold the wire taut under the screw. I pull the end of the wire around as much as I can....it seems to be taut. When I've screwed the screw in I see that the wire has moved out a bit....not a huge amount but enough to make the coil spring out if I give it a little tug. I may give it another go tomorrow. I'm a bit doggyed-out at the moment.
TBH I only paid £8 for it so I can put it down to experience. I always thought this design of deck was very primitive anyway. Plenty of attys with different coiling arrangements. I'm thinking of getting a Siren 2.

 

[zouzounaki]

Are you holding the loose end when you screw? I usually pull it over the other side and against the base of the tank, with my thumb I think. I’ll need to make a mental note next time I build it. But it’s always been one of the easiest to build for me.

 

[jackbond]

Are you holding the loose end when you screw? I usually pull it over the other side and against the base of the tank, with my thumb I think. I’ll need to make a mental note next time I build it. But it’s always been one of the easiest to build for me.

I will give it one more go tomorrow. Maybe it's just the way my mind works and I can't multitask or something. With the Siren, I think you just stick the wire through the hole with one hand and screw the screw with the other. With the Doggy you have to curl the wire round the screw with one hand while keeping it in position underneath the screw head with the other, then use the first hand to pull it taut while using the second hand to pull the coil backwards via the drill bit (to keep it taut) while also using the same hand (or is it the other ?!) to tighten the screw. Something like that.

 

[zouzounaki]

Ah, see I much prefer decks that you trap the wire under the screw. Posts with holes I don’t get on with as well.

 

[jackbond]

Ah, see I much prefer decks that you trap the wire under the screw. Posts with holes I don’t get on with as well.

On a completely unrelated note, may I ask where your quote ('It is about as sensible...') is from? It sounds like something from Advaita.

 

[zouzounaki]

It’s from a guy called david smail.

 

[MHL]

I agree it can be a ballache to coil, I find posts with holes are much easier. But I've had to do it so often that I can do them both with ease now.

Even though it's a pain, so many good tanks use this system, that I think it's worth persevering if you have the patience. At the least, try this before you give up.

- Make sure you leave a decent length of lead on both ends of your coil
- Hold the coil (still on the jig pole) with one hand
- Wrap the wire around the screw with the other hand, before passing it back to hand one
- Hand one is now holding the coil in place with the jig, and also holding the end of the wire taught
- Hand two can now tighten screw without the wire moving underneath it

Also, I'm guessing you know this, but just in case... are you tightening the screw too much or too little? The former can force the wire round even if you're holding it. The latter means it's not held tight.

 

[jackbond]

It’s from a guy called david smail.

OK. I hadn't heard of him.

 

[jackbond]

I agree it can be a ballache to coil, I find posts with holes are much easier. But I've had to do it so often that I can do them both with ease now.

Even though it's a pain, so many good tanks use this system, that I think it's worth persevering if you have the patience. At the least, try this before you give up.

- Make sure you leave a decent length of lead on both ends of your coil
- Hold the coil (still on the jig pole) with one hand
- Wrap the wire around the screw with the other hand, before passing it back to hand one
- Hand one is now holding the coil in place with the jig, and also holding the end of the wire taught
- Hand two can now tighten screw without the wire moving underneath it

Also, I'm guessing you know this, but just in case... are you tightening the screw too much or too little? The former can force the wire round even if you're holding it. The latter means it's not held tight.

Many thanks for this MHL. I will give it a go using yr instructions tomorrow. Actually you may have hit on something re tightening the screw. I have been tightening it very strongly and it's at that point that it all goes pear-shaped. Despite my best efforts to hold the wire taut, I can see it moving as I tighten the screw. Definitely something to consider.....

 

[Crewella]

I'm another one that regularly uses 28 AWG in mine - I tend to do it exactly as Zou says. You'll get there!