Forums > Help! > wick construction

Posted: 7th Apr 2004
It's tough to say Daxx, it's kind of up to personal preferance. If your used to standard 2" cathedral's cut 2" strips about 4' long. If you want heavy monsters cut 4" strips 5' long. I'm assuming optimum for most people is square or more and I think I got my measurements right.

Now comes the fiberglass questions :confused
Have you experienced any skin itrritation from it?
How well does it hold fuel?
What fuel are you using?

And depending on how you answer those
Where did you ger it?
How much?

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 7th Apr 2004
The formula is (w+.4") x n= how many inches long each strip will be. You need 4 of these strips to make 2 cathedral wicks.

w = width of strips. Standard cathedrals use 2" wide strips
n = number of folds. Standard cathedrals have about 10 folds.

So for a standard wick you have:

(2"+.4") x 10 =
2.4" x 10 = 24"

So each wick will need two 24" long 2" wide strips. 4 of these strips in total, or 96 inches (8') of wicking total for 2 poi heads.

You can use other numbers, just plug them into the formula. If you wanted to make it shorter than a standard cathedral head, then you can simply use 7 for you number of folds, and it will be a little shorter. Or if you want the wick to be fatter, you can use 2.5 or 3 inch wide strips. 3 inches is pretty big, though.

I will say, however, that the standard size cathedral made from two 24" x 2" strips are plenty big, especially if you're used to lighter tubecores.


Formula credited to Adam Rice! Thanks Adam.

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Posted: 7th Apr 2004
Is it fiber-glass you're using or kevlar with fibre-glass in it?
I dunno if it's a good idea to be inhaling burning fibreglass?

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.

Posted: 7th Apr 2004
I get the fabric from place called fibre-tek, in Burnaby, British Columbia. it is basically woven into a mat, and is fairly god for wicks. it is lighter than kevlar, and nearly as absorbant, with my first set of cathedrals, I would get about a 3 foot flame, and a 6-8 minute burn (depending on whether I use kerosene or white gas. I now use a blend.) I have never had to worry about skin iritation, I've done neck wraps with it, and unless i smack my wicks together really hard in a spi, i neer have to worry about it breaking up. sometimes, after about 6 consecutive burns with insufficient cooling times, a bit of wick will break off, but i have never really been concerned about it. of course, as it frays, I reinforce with elmers glue, so mebbe that is why i have had so little concern

good. now do a butterfly under your ass.

fuck.
dude, i was joking.

Posted: 8th Apr 2004
Don't only think about the health of your wicks and pieces you can see breaking off... teeny tiny bits of fiberglass might be breaking off and you're inhaling them. Very very bad for your lungs. Make your own choice obviously, but if I were you, I'd splurge on HOP kevlar. Much much safer.

Posted: 8th Apr 2004
there is that possibility... I am just not overly concerned with it. I know people that have been spinning with it for years.it is not the typical, insulation type pink stuff, this is processed to thread, then woven carefully. i don't see it being a problem.

good. now do a butterfly under your ass.

fuck.
dude, i was joking.